Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1934-10-04
CHAPTER VI-Continued

At breakfast next morning Hays
raved about the fact that Smoky had
not been there for over two weeks.
Things air comm to a head,' he
concluded, gloomily.
Reckon they ought to have made
two drives by now" rejoined Happy
Jack. Il rid down the valley yestiddy
eight or ten miles. Cattle thinned out,
boss. Any cowboy with eyes In the
back of his head would be on to us by
now"
Shore. Haven't | kept them work
In up here. But I've no control over
this hossback ridin' after hounds.
Pretty soon Herrick will be chasin'
down Limestone way. Then the fre'll
be out"
Hank, he wouldn't know the differ
ence." %interposed Jim.
Jaw. I don't care,' replied Hays,
harshly, and that f1nality intimated
much. wait till Smoky's outfit shows
up!''
lFCly LII IlIE WHICH, JILL EQQC AUWu
to the corrals he fell back under the
spell OF something sweeter than wine.
The sunny hours with the sage flat
ahead, the fragrant pines, the baying
hounds, and always out In front this
bright-haired girl, were vastly differ
ent from the dark hours when the day
was done. Nothing could be truer
than that this utterly incongruous and
bitterly sweet situation could not last.
In moments of humility. engendered by
the higher emotions this girl aroused,
Jim clasped to his breast the fact that
he was protecting her from worse men.
Barnes and another Of the cowboys
had taken the horses for the Herricks
up to the house. To Jim's honest dismay
he espied Helen riding ahead. with the
cowboys behind leading her brothers
mount. Herrick was not coming. The
hounds bounded and cavorted about
her, keen for the chase.
Miss Herrick looked far less proud
and ~unattainable In the boys riding
garb she had adopted. Moreover, 1t
had transformed her, yet her fem
ininity appeared more provokingly
manifest than ever.
Barnes turned Herrick's horse over
to a stable boy. and with his COM
panion fell In behind Miss Herrick,
who rode out upon the valley. Jim re-
Joined them, and they trotted their
horses together.
"Why didn't Herrick conner" asked
Jim.
HE was rowin' with Heeseman," re-
piled Barnes, soberly.
"You don't say! What about7'
Reckon / don't know. They shet
up as ! come along" returned the
cowboy. "But | seen enough to calki-
late sometimes wrong. They was on
the porch. Herrick looked sort of
peevish. He didn't want his sister to
go huntln' today, l heard tibet. An
she said right pert she vas goin'."
How did Heeseman look 7" went on
Jim, ponderingly. Something was up.
For two days Heeseman's outfit had
been through hauling timber.
Dead serious, like he was tryin' to
persuade the boss to somethin'."
Jim lapsed into silence. What turn
would affairs take next? 1t was get
ting warm around Star ranch.
Each day the hunters had to ride
farther afield to find game. Jack
rabbit chasing had grown too tame for
Miss Herrick.
Three or four miles out the hounds
Jumped a coyote from a clump Of sage
brush.
The cowboys took the lead, then came
Miss Herrick, while Jim brought up
the ear. 1t was a long, gradual ascent
up to an open ridge.
Here the hounds jumped a herd Of
deer. Despite the yelling OF the cow
boys they dashed up the ridge with a
chorus Of wild yclps and barks. They
all passed out OF hearing.
Jim caught up with Miss Herrick,
WHO Wdlltu III Ill ppCH cifut dHlDuS liiE
pines. Flushed and disheveled, with
her sombrero on the pommel, painting
from the ardnous ride, she made a dis
tracing picture.
Hunts of for us, Miss Herrick,"
said Jim.
"Too bad! But wasn't fun-while
II lastedT she replied gayly. LET us
rest the horses. I'm out OF breath my
self"
Jim dismounted to tighten his saddle
cdnches-
s.Wall, take a look at my cinches,"
she said
MAY | ask you not to call me WALTZ
/ must remind yon I'm no butler
.Pray pardon me-" she rejoined, In
surprise. u presume | should address
you as Mr.. WallT"
Yes. II you're too stuck up to call
me Tim he gatd