Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1929-02-21
CHAPTER VIII-Continued
Copyright by Hal g. Evarts
WNU Service


that hour she was very near to doing
as he wished II 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--fhen he
| might have won his point without
| waiting. But that Is not the way OF
| 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 It.
u can't tell you now" she said as
they rode back to the corrals. mot
now. II would take something ou 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 q
crippled child"
The next day her stand was unal-
tered and In the evening. when the
whole Three Bar personnel swunf TO
their saddles and headed for the
frolIc at Brill's Deane had been IN
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 lei Off
BY Harris, had started up brand Of
his own down In Shades range Har.
ris remarks about SHADES mode OF ac-
curing new brands required to her
that he fostered some small outfit for
a few seasons, then bought II out As
the men scattered she commented on
this to Harris. The Three Bar fore
man NODDED
Likely the same old move" he said.
Like told you. there's no way to
check Shade up on the number OF our
rebrands. II Carp gets caught It's
his own hard luck
dozen men from the Hafmoon 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 aIbino
standing hnlf head taller than any
other on the floor, and they mingled
with the rest as II their records we're
the most immaculate OF the lot. Two
OF Shades foremen arrived with their
families.
Bart Epperson, trapper from far
back In the hills, bad brought his
family to the frollc Airs Epperson
was tiny meek woman who had bui
little to say. Her two daughters, 10
their late teens ha glossy black hair.
high cheek bones and faint olive tInge
Of skin which betrayed trace OF In
dian ancestry.
Life Brandon came at the head OF
his tribe. Two of Ills sons were mar.
rled and living III the home ranch
They came to the dance with the rest
OF the family Lou Brandon's wife.
Dolly. wns former dance hall girl of
Coldriver, and AL Brandons better
half Belle, was the daughter OF 8
Utah cowman.
An extra stageload rolled In from
ColdrIver and four couples joined the.
throng.
aEx-school teachers" Harris In.
formed 'They marry them so fast
that It's hard to keep one on the job
instructlng the rising generation In
the Coldrlver school,"
Deane shrank from the thought OF
the Three Bar girl In such mixture.
Some way she seemed many shades
finer than the rest
III couldn't be otherwise" Harris
said when Deane expressed this
thought "She was rnised at the knee
OF one OF the finest women n the
world I remember her mother my.
bGtl~d uttiCs anu VIC HCdlU Iu4 OWN
mother sing the praises OF Elizabeth
Warren t. ousand times
The .Ibino interrupted them.
"Cal--how conner" he greeted The
three men conversed In the most cas-
ual. friendly fashion as II there had
never been hint of friction between
Harris and Harper In the past.
A greet voice rose above the buzz
of conversation filling the big room 10
the very raffers
Choose your pardners for the
dance" Waddles beloved from the
mukeshlft platform al one END Ut the
room. &c get your ga-a-asl"
Deane moved across to the Three
Bar girl There was a general rush
for the side opposite the al ,.here
the ladies had gathered Couples
squared of for the Virginia reel. the
OF ladies rectlfied by hand
kerchlef tied on the arm OF many
youtI to signify that be was.
fnr the moment, q girl Waddlrt picked
bis guitar: two fiddles broke lnts<