Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-20

through the Dust OF narrow
pafched road The road was uphill,
and even the why ponies On which the riders
were mounted showed little Inclination to move
rapidly.
One Of the riders checked his mount with
Q pail On the reins, took on the broad SOM
hreso that shielded his eyes, and mopped his
steAmlng face with MS neckerchief. BIS COM
panion immediately followed his example.
"Boy, MS hot" said the first rider. II told
you we Ought TO take the car into town, instead
OF riding Wed have been home long ago
We h@d"
The other rider gTinned Sure, but
wouldn't have had the fun of riding Trouble"
he said. patttng the pony who bore this oni-
u0nas name "And wouldn't have had many
more chances, Ohie," he continued patting his
breast pocket. The ticket that will carry me
back east is right in here, remember"
The first speaker was q boy in his teens.
dressed in a pair Of dusty jeans high-heeled
boots and dark blue shirt Anybody could tell.
from the way he sat his pieha1d pony, as well
as from the bronzed skin OF his face, that he
was . native" 'Of this country, the great
Southwest. But the other boy, OF about the
same age was Just as surely stranger. He,
too, was tanned, but his skin had the softer
texture that showed city living Moreover, in
stead Of the. rough jeans that his companion
wore, this boy boasted pair OF whipcord rid
ing breeches, which had once been clean and
crisp, but which now showed the marks Of
many hours in the saddle. Also, his shirt was
Of . finer material than his companions, and
his sombFeTo was obviously much newer.
On the Circle ranch, owned by Obie
YOung's father, was about 10 draw to close.
Several months before, Gifts parents had be-
come worried about his health and, On the adj
vice Of the best physicians In the East, they
had decided to send him West for . vacation.
Mr.. Slower had heard Of Obie'S father through
. business friend, and although Mr.. Young had
never taken paying guest before, he had
consented to have CHI.
Thus had begun the most pleasant few
months that CHI had ever experienced. The
vfriIe, 0ut-of-doors life of the Southwest was
entirely new to him. At first he had rested o
great deal, but as his strength returned he
learned 10 ride, and gradually Joined Obie In
an Of his activities about the big ranch. Obte
was a true son Of an "old- timer" father, and
Cliff could have had no better tutor in the
lore Of the range. He and Obie had become
fast friends, and both dreaded the day, now
only too close, when Cliff would return East.
It had been to make final arrangements for
that trip that the two boys had ridden into
tOwn. And, IS Obie had pointed out, the
Journey would have been much easier had they
taken the little ear that Mr.. Young owned.
Gin had protested that he rode in cars all the
time, hat he might not have . COW pony 10
ride again for years, and his wish had pre-
vailed.
n EoT only that, but he persuaded Obie and
" his father TO let him ride Trouble. Trouble
was one Of the most spirited Of the ponies In
tle Circle Y eoFrals, and it had been Gifts
ambition to become q good enough rider to
handle him. Up to this time Cliff had used
Pete, o docile horse of whom he had become
very fond, but riding Pete had long ago ceased
to be thrilling.
ANanA. faH-u An AIna