White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1929-03-15
CHAPTER vIII-Continued
Copyright by Hal g. Evarts
WNU Service

as he wished. If only he had suggest
ed that she come to him as soon as
the Three Bar was once more a pros
porous brand; had only pointed out
how she could spend months of each
year on the old home ranch-then he
might have won his point without
waiting. But that is not the way of
man toward woman. His plea was
that she leave all this behind-for
him. And his hold was not quite
strong enough to induce her to give up
every link of the life she had loved
for long years before Carlos Deane
had been even part of 1t.
81 can't tell you now" she said as
they rode back to the corrals. "Not
now. 1t would take something out of
me-the vital part-if had to leave
the old Three Bar in the shape it's
In today. It's sort of like DESERVING
crippled child"
The next day her stand was unal.
tered and in the evening, when the
whole Three Bar personnel swung to
their saddles and headed for the
frolic at Brill's. Deane had been un-
able to gain her promise.
There were but few horses at the
hitch rails when they reached the post.
AS the Three Bar girl entered at the
head of her men she saw Bentley and
Carpenter leaning against the bar,
well toward the rear of the room.
Within the last week she had
heard that Carp, after being let off
by Harris, had started up brand of
his own down in SHADES range Har
ris' remarks about SHADES mode of &C.
quiring new brands required to her
that he fostered some small outfit for
few seasons, then bought 1t out AS
the men scattered she commented on
this to Harris. The Three Bar fore
man NODDED
Likely the same old move" be said.
Like | told you, there's no way to
check Slade up on the number of our
rebrands. If Carp gets caught it's
his own hard luck"
A dozen men from the Halfmoon D
swarmed in the door. Mrs. McVey,
the owners wife, stationed herself in
one corner with the Three Bar girl
while the men gravitated to the bar.
Harper's men came in, the albino
standing half a head taller than any
other on the floor, and they mingled
with the rest as If their records were
the most immaculate of the lot Two
of SHADES foremen arrived with their
families.
Bart Epperson, trapper from far
back in the hills, had brought his
family to the frolic. Mrs. Epperson
was a tiny meek woman who had but
little to say. Her two daughters, in
their late teens, ha glossy black hair,
high cheek bones and faint olive tinge
of skin which betrayed a trace of In.
dian ancestry.
Late Brandon came at the head OF
his tribe. Two of lis sons we're mar.
ried ane living ut the home ranch
They came to the DANCE with the rest
OF the family. Lou Brandons wife.
Dolly, was former dance-h hall girl of
Coldriver, and al Brandon's better
half, Belle, was the daughter of
Utah cowman.
An extra stageload rolled in from
throng.
"Ex-school teachers" Harris in
formed. "They marry them so fast
that it's hard to keep one on the job
instructing the rising generation in
the Coltlriver school"
Deane shrank from the thought OF
the Three Bar girl in such mixture.
Some way she seemed many shades
finer than the rest
1T couldn't be otherwise" Harris
said when Deane expressed this
Thought. "She was raised at the knee
of one OF the finest women n the
world remember her mother my.
self-a little; and I've heard my own
mother sing the praises OF Elizabeth
Warren t. ousand times
The ulbino interrupted them.
"Cal-how Gomez" he greeted. The
three men conversed in the most cas-.
ual. friendly fashion as II there had
never been d hint OF friction between
Harris and Harper in the past.
A great voice rose above the buzz
ut conversation filling the big room to
the yer! rafters
"ChoOse your pardners for the
dance!" Waddles beloved from the
makeshift platform at one end VI the
room. &c get your ga-a !"
Deane moved across to the Three
Bar girl. There was a general rush
for the side opposite the 'al where
the ladies had gathered. Couples
squared off for the Virginia reel, the
shortage OF ladies rectified by nand
kerchiet tied on the arm of many
chap-clad youtl to signify that he was.
for the moment girl Waddles picked
his GUITAR; two iiddles broke into
'srurkey In the Straw" and the dance
was oil with WaGdles calling the
turns
al throug.' the room they shut
fled and bowed, whirled partners
locked elbows and swung, The shrek
Of fiddles and scrape of feet punctu
nteu the callers boom.
Slade came In alone as the first
dane was ended.
A cr0upier and lookout imported
from COldriver for the event, opened
I,rill's roulette layout In one corner.
the rattle OF chips, the whir of
the ivory ball and the professional
chant of lookout and croupier sound
III between dances