Smyrna times., 1931-09-02
WEEKLY SOCIETY STORY FOR
EVENING ROUND THE LAMP
READING TO WHILE AWAY
TIME AFTER DAYS CHORES
'sIontevideo Sheriff Worked Fast
an Interesting Short Story Writ
ten by Leete Stone

ten by Leete Stone
THERE is still a bit Of it left,
i here, and there In Nevada and
other sparsely populated states
the old wild and Woolly West"
And that is why Jed Agard cast a
mild brand of defiance in the direc-
ton of an trate and wealthy ia
ther, left Yale in his second year,
and took up the long, long trail
that leads to the talisman of adven-
ture.
1t was a take-back to pioneering
ancestry, probably. Jed got sick
of the softness Of modern exist
ence. He wrote his father quite
an interesting letter just before he
jumped ship. Agard Senior did not
answer it, pretended to be in high
dudgeon, and promptly stopped
Jed's $250-a-month allowance.
The odd thing was, however, that
Agard Senior had to take his hand
kerchief and wipe away certain
suspicious mist from his eyes as
he read the letter. And in the
privacy of their bedroom that
night, he said to the statuesque,
white-haired mother of Jed:
well, mother, it's just as well
to let the boy think I'm sore. But
I'm not! I'm sorta proud. What's
college, l never had any. Let Jed
learn to handle himself in a mans
country for awhile. Let him fling
about a little. Then I'll take him
into business-eh, mother?"
William, he's got all his roman
tic notions from you. You two are
as like as two peas" That was
Mrs. William Hamilton Agard's re.
sponse.
So Jed Agard, unaware of this
conciliatory' attitude on the part OF
his parents, wound up after months
of knocking about in the tiny tank
town of Nevada known as Blue
Cactus.
The town was really only post
Office ministering to the needs OF
the great MontevideO horse ranch
what is generally known as q
dude RANCH" where some of the
prettiest pieces of horseflesh are
bred every year.
Jed walked in to see the big boss
one day, opened the window at the
side of the boss desk, and said:
Excuse me! Can you see thai
two-inch square of paper stuck OIL
that bush-right over there" he
pointed with a lean, agile finger
its about a hundred feet from
here. Just watch it n
Quite automatically Jed drew 6
beautiful six-gun of the --latest
model from under his armpit
aimed the fraction of q second
fired-and the bit Of paper was
nonexistent on the bush.
huff sedr' The boss stuck out
a big paw. ii need q man who
can shoot like that. You're hired
Wen call you the Montevideo dep
uty sheriff, if you like. There's
been some lOrses stolen lately.
want YOU to get the guys that are
doing it. Get me?"
I'm your man." Joe quietly
drawled i'll sure need the money
Haven't eaten for day and a half
Show me some eats"
Jed was mighty busy man fol
a few months after that. He made
good in a manner that would have
pleased his dad. Single-handed ht
brought to camp the two rustler:
who had been preying on the ranch
A much more difficult achievement
and one which pleased his boss
even more; he taught that same
loss daughter, home from New
York, to ride an English saddle
The girl was a good western rider
but knew nothing of the delicate
balance and technique of the Eng
lish hunting saddle. Jed had beer
brought up on one. He knew. HC
could teach. Fortunately, or unfor
tunately, he fell in love with this
beautiful girl in the process OF
teaching her to ride an English sad
die.
Listen, siX-gun sheriff! I'm TAX
ing the Limited tomorrow back Il
New York city. hate t.
leave my English saddle"
'Ah, me! Gwen. You don't NEAR
that. Can't let you go! Don't yOU
know? ah, Gwen"
Its true, big boy. And / hate
it. On account of you. | like you
too. Will you take me Il
the train?"
"Oh, d-n, yes!" Depths of sad
ness in his tone.
The next afternoon as Jed was
ushering Gwen to her drawing-roon
apartment on No. 8 Limited fol
New York, his hands laden will
bags, she grasped his elbow anC
whispered:
"Send word TO dad, Jed, that
you're staying on this train to pro
tect the passengers. That sleek mar
up front is Cairo Jim. His specially
is holding up trains He was
pointed out TO me awhile ago. He's
here for purpose, Jed. Believe
me, won't YOU"
always believe you. sweetheart
Watch little Jed"
So it happened that at about
10:3 that night when all the pull.
man curtains were hung and the
passengers peacefully sleeping
Cairo Jim went to work gathering
up the watches and purses that
reposed under the pillows. Cairo
was quiet worker. 1t was not
until he had successfully looted
thrpa anrc and u-ac S,,ct oIa,,+ 90