The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1930-10-24

He mumbled something inarticulate
and turned to saddle his horse. She
waited for him and they rode side by
side along the hill shoulder, From
the rocks above high cheerful call
floated down to them. Greeting and
salutations, likewise rousing cheers.
Eth, whatY' %,
The Englishman was laundering
over boulders toward them.
.
During his first week at the ranch
Smith-Beresford had several long pri-
vate talks with Yves Steelman. After
the last of these O'Hara was invited
into conferSSce.
The ranchman drew cigar from
his waistcoat pocket and offered it to
the young man.
:Take a chair, O'Hara. Make
yorself comfortable. You've been with
us now a week. What dyou think of
ranch life?"
''Never enjoyed myself as much in
my life before. 1t was good of you to
ask me out"
Steelman waved that aside. "Ques-
tion is, would you like to go into it as
a business? You've got little money,
I understand Here's the PROPOSE
ton. We've bought the Widow Cress
you like to go in with us? I'll be a
silent pardner. If you throw in with
us I'll turn Jack Phillips over to you
for O foreman. Jack knows COWS.
Y. w ought to do well, though of
course it's gamble. I'm not givin'
you any guarantee. I'll be riskin' my
money along with you boys t
"You've got me interested O'Hara
admitted.
'"Then I'll get down to cases." Steel
man drew up to table and gave facts
and figures as to the cost of the land
and cattle with which to stock the
range. Briefly and clearly he ex-
planned the situation.
O'Hara smiled. II know what my
answer is going to be, but I don't want
to say Yes until pretend to myself
that I've thought it all over carefully.
Will you give me an hour or two to
digest your offer?"
"Take yore time, boy" the brown
cattle man told him. .l
''I've spent several years preparing
to be lawyer. If go with you on
the ranch it must be understood that
I'm to have the right to continue with
my legal work. may later want to
set up an office at Concho."
"Suits me-" acceded Steelman. 81
can sometimes use a bright young
lawyer in my business"
"And above all I'm a law-abiding
citizen. I don't intend to get into this
trouble with Ingram and his friends"
The ranchman's blue eyes crinkled
to smile. You're all right, boy. But
don't make any mistake about this
thing. You're in wrong with Ingram
right now. If you stay in this country
the only question Is whether you play
a lone hand an get bumped off or
throw in with us an get a run for
| yore money"
'Tm not ready to accept that view
of it. I've done Ingram no HARM"
"Been livin' here a week, haven't
you? Talkin about going into pardner-
ship with me, aren't you? Garrett,
don't fool yoreself. They've got you
labeled right now, an you can't talk
'em out Of it."
The young lawyer drew up the pa
pers Of partnership and they were
signed by the three parties to it.
O'Hara and Smith Beresford had their
belongings moved from town to the
log cabin vacated by the Widow Cress.
Steelman shifted bunch of cows to
the range contiguous to Three Springs
creek and the two tenderfeet busted
themselves helping their cowboys burn
on the Circle S. o. brand.
A young fellow drifted up the creek
one day looking for job. He reached
the roundup ground at supper time
and was invited by Jack Phillips to
fall off and rest.
Anything doing down Concho way?"
Phillips asked casually of the visiting
cowboy.
The lad hesitated, then spoke nom
committally. "There was KILN last
night. Fellow called Fitch shot Two
Ace Burke"
"Not Tom Fitch" the foreman said
quickly.
"Yep."
"He's one of the waddies at our
lower RANCH" Phillips explained to
O'Hara before he asked the cowboy
what the trouble was.
"Some says one thing, some another.
They had rookus at the Gold Mug
get an bawled each other out. Friends
interfered. Burke was shot on the
way home at the corner of the Long
horn corral"
"Shot from ambush, you mean?"
$50 they claim. Fitch was \seen
runnin' from the spot an was recog-
nized. He forked bronc an lit outa
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