Red Lodge daily news combined with Carbon County news., 1932-01-07

have observed this subtle little diff
ference had he not come to Sunset
Pass peculiarly stimulated by cur
iosity.
'Sol Winter told me you'd work
ed a new wrinkle on the range"
went on Rock, matter-of-factly.
Wholesale butcherin'."
eyes. Always did go in fer tibet.
Hyar in this country l first set in
KILN an sellin' to local butchers.
Then I got to shippin' beef to other
towns not far along the railroad.
An all told I've made it pay a lit
tie better than sellin' on the hoof."
Reckon it's a heap harder
work"
"We Prestons amt afraid of
work." said the rancher. "But it
takes some managin' as well. l
made a slaughter-house out of
Slagle's place, an then we do some
butcherin' out on the range"
"What stumps me, Preston, is
how you get beef to town in any
quantity" responded Rock.
easy for Missourians on these
hard roads. We got big wagons an
four-hoss teams. In hot summer we
drive at night"
$50 you're from Missouri" went
on Rock, with geniality. II sort of
figured you were. | once worked
with an outfit of Missourians. They
have a lingo of their own, some
thin like Texans. Better educated,
tho"
"My girl Thirty went to school
till she was seventeen" Preston
spoke with pride. oval, you'll
want to unpack an wash up fer
supper"
1t was just sunset when Rock
came out of the cabin assigned
him Sitting down on the stone.
steps of the porch, he found there
was an open place between the
trees permitting unbroken view
of the Pass.
Here, striking him like an in
visible force in the air, was the
wild scene famous among riders all
over the Southwest. For riders
wandered from range to range, and
round camp fires and while on
guard or in the bunkhouses they
we're wont to tell about the outfits
with whom they had ridden and
the ranges they had known. Rock
had been asked about Sunset Pass
more than once while he was in
Texas. He recalled how he had
used to rave. Small wonder!
From P~reston's ranch the Pass
into a wider stretch of
grassy knobs tipped by cedars, and
grassy flats dotted by cedars, and
grassy ridges sloping like hog
backs down from the walls of gray
and green. Ten miles and more of
the most beautiful meadow and
pasture land in the West! Dots and
strings and punches of cattle gave
life to the scene.
Beyond the grassy levels and
mounds the Pass changed to a ver-
dant floor, only here and there
showing a CLINT of open parks. The
walls leaned away, less rugged and
rocky. From the league-wide for
ested floor, then, the Pass restrict
ed to one third that width and be-
gan its magnificent step by step,
up and up, to open into the golden
foothill country.
Beyond and above the foothills
yawned the western end of the Pass
grand gap that split the
mountain range and gave the fell
citious name to this beautiful rent
in the crust of the earth.
A bell called Rock to supper.
When he reached the cabin, to find
the Preston boys straddling the
benches, it was to be accosted by
the rancher.
"Say, cowboy, when you hyar the
supper bell you come a-r'arin'.
wait for a second bell"
"Did you have to ring a second
bell for me?" queried Trueman, in
surprise.
II did-or you'd have missed
your supper" returned Thirty. She
was standing near where Preston
sat at the head of the table. Her
face seemed to catch the afterglow
sunset, and her eyes, too.
Thanks. I'm sorry to be late.
[ didn't hear. Rock, you set
1yar on my right. Thet1l put you