The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1930-10-03
by
VILLAIN MacL cod Raime
Copyright by William Macleod Raine
WNU Service

O'Hara. Il amt been hired to wran-
gle for no tenderfoot."
Don't you think, since 1t was your
fault his horse got away, 1t would be
decent to-"
"For this hombre? Me? Say. I'm
Shep Sanderson."
This seemed to be answer enough.
His cold shallow eyes, light as skim
milk, slid from O'uara to Miss Steel
man and back again. He moved away.
his face toward the younger man, till
he reached dense clump of prickly
pear. Behind this he vanished.
The girl spoke. "First off, we better
get our horses"
They found hers where she had left
it when she slipped from the saddle
to take refuge in the brush.
"WeIl look for yours" she said,
busying herself with a stirrup. She
was disturbed that he should find her
wearing feathers, using a mans sad
die. She wanted to explain to him
that in such thorny chaparral one had
to wear feathers to protect the clothes
and flesh against cruel clutching
spikes, that she was no crazy tomboy
who raced around the country dressed
up like a man. But any approach to
the subject was embarrassing.
"We want to be careful" the young
woman said in a low voice. Hes a
bad crowd, Shep Sanderson is. :.
Which way did your horse go?"
They had reached the road. "There
it is, back of that prickly pear" O'Hara
said. 81 knew it wouldn't wander far.
Too tired"
He reclaimed his horse and swung
to the saddle.
"This way" said Miss Steelman, and
swung her mount deeper into the
chaparral.
For nearly half mile she led the
man silently in and out among the
brush. Then she refined up to ride
beside him.
Disapprovingly, she looked at his
fancy boots. They'll be ruined in all
this cactus" she told him. you have
to wear feathers in this country. It's
not question Of how you look
He understood that this was not so
much a criticism Of him as defense
of herself.
"Yes, miss. I can see it's BETTER"
he agreed. But was expecting to
stick to the road when started"
"Started where from?"
"From Aurora"
"For COncho?"
Yes, miss"
She was still puzzled to place him,
Though in the mountains, Concho was
in the heart Of cattle country. There
men talked cows. worked them, lived
them. 1t was the basic occupation
upon which all others were dependent.
It was an easy guess that this stran-
ger had never ridden out the stampede
of a trail herd. Yes. tenderfoot was
sure enough the word for him.
She had a feeling that he was
headed for trouble quite unconsciously
and, that he was poorly equipped to
meet it. The combination Of ignorance
and courage is not good one, not in
a hard country like this into which
he was riding.
He volunteered information timidly.
"My name is Garrett O'Hara. I am a
lawyer"
"A lawyer! Oh, you're going to
Concho as one Of Judge Warmers
party"
"I'm going to live there"
She drew up her horse and looked
at him in surprise. Live there! What
are you going to do?"
practice law"
"In Concho." A mouthful of white
teeth flashed in laughter.
Don't you think I'd make good
lawyer?" he asked, too shy to let her
comment pass unanswered.
Il don't know. But why Concho?
Who wants a lawyer there?"
Prosperous town, isn't it?"
"Yes."
"Then there must be business there
cattle, contracts, real estate, lands"