Nogales international., 1931-06-17

"Danined if | can see what there IS
to be happy about, Tiger Eye
Damned if I can eithah. Babe" He
picked up the water buckets and went
out into the night.
The air was clean and crisp and
drops of dew on the grass winked like
diamonds in the sun. The horses had
galloped steadily for more than mile,
but now they had settled down to a.
walk and the reins lay loosely along,
their necks. Riding so, habit born
of the long trail up from Texas took
hold of Tiger Eye. fnstinctively his
hand went to his breast pocket and
pulled out his mouth organ, and he be-
gan to play soft snatches OF old melo-
dies as he rode.
, The music timed the easy swing OF
the kids slim body in the saddle, and
the occasional click of his iron-bound
stirrups against Babe Garner's wooden
ones. The tune didn't matter; medley
Of this thing and that thing drifting
along with his idling thoughts.
When the kid played, he thought OF
the girl down in the valley behind
him. Reckon her old pappy was a
rustler, like all the rest of them down
in the valley. Leastways, the kid had
gathered that Nellie's brother Ed had
been shot by a Poole rider, and they
sEloah seemed to hate the name OF
Poole.
The kid didn't feel that he knew
Babe even after a week of living with
him. Babe always seemed to have
lot OIL his mind. But Babe shore was
a fine man and fine friend, and the
kid wasn't the kind to pick flaws III
Eany cne he liked.
| Babe got out his tobacco and papers
and rolled cigarette as he rode along
| He lighted it, blew out the match
broke the stub in two and dropped the
pieces to the ground. The kid was
watching for that little trick and his
| eyes twinllled when Babes fingers
went true to form. Almost week
now he had lived with Babe. and never
had he seen Babe throw away whole
match stub. Always broke it in two
The kid wondered why, but he didni
Task. Pap shoah had learned hlm no
to ask questions unless he plumb hac
to.
Far ahead across the level benchlanc
ia faint veil of dust crept slowly toWart
the north, carried far on the breeze
that famed the kids left cheek as ht
rode. Cattle, punched. and riders drlv
, ing 'em. Reckon maybe Babe was tax
. irg him over so he could go to Worl
on roundup. The kid hoped SO, toi
/ that was the work he wanted and hat
, come all the way up from the Brazo
, to find.
5 "Shoah will enjoy swingin' a rop'
I again. Babe" he said in his soft drawl
: "Swingin' rope?" Babes voice has
a startled note.
"Er ridin' herd-anything, So It
a cows"
"Yo're ridin' line with me-" Babe re
4 minded him shortly. "Old Man ain
likely to put yuh on roundup.
The kid did not argue the polrat, bu
e his eyes chung to the, sloM-tnrovin
: dust cloud, and because his, heart wa
t there he unconsciously cor,1-aa2ntcate
his desire to the horse.
:, Riders we're visible rOm in tn
: ifringes of the dust cloud. Riders and
h slow-moving river of backs seen diml
d as the breeze whipped UP the haze
Cattle going to some chosen ROUNDUP
d ground. The kids. eyes gtistened at tn
" thought
II "I'll ride over and see who's
e charge" Babe said suddenly, an
struck his horse w1th the quirt he cal
e ried.
g The kids hand frightened on tt
d reins. A cold weight fell like a lun
al of iron upon his chest. He didn