Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1934-06-07

saddle. his conservatism forbade that
he should try anything new. He com
promised. therefore. by taking long
walks. after the fashion of his kind.
shooting blue-jays and hawks. and
fishing. Like Darby. he rejoiced be-
cause his master required but little
service from him.
Before leaving for San Francisco,
however the master had given the
task of posting mo Shooting, Fishing
or Trespassing" notices from the gete
at the entrance to Eden Valley to the
farthest limit OF the kershaw anch-
This task pleased both servants. par
ticularly Joseph. who possessed a truly
Britannia passion for privacy and the
protection Of private shooting and fish
Ing preserves from alien invasion. The
notices once up. therefore. Joseph saw
his duty plainly before him. With
much misgiving. therefore. he climbed
into the stock-saddle on the horse
Lorry Kershaw had sent him. sIung q
% calibre rifle In a scabbard and set
forth to apprehend poachers, q poach-
er being considered by Joseph as alb
solutely the lowest form Of human
life.
For two days he ambled through the
pleasant valley. enjoying the solitude
The day Tichenor came home from
San Francisco Darby seized upon his
absence to go fishing. while Joseph
saddled his horse and set forth again
on his delightful journeying. his heart
still beating high with the hope Of
finding a poacher. And late In the
afternoon, as the shadows were grow
ing long In Eden Valley and Joseph
was reminded that he must return
home soon and prepare dinner for his
master, who had informed him he
would dine at home that night, he dis
covered a poacher.
He had ridden into a thick grove
OF yellow pines when. happening to
glance up the side of the ridge that
separated Eden Valley from Forlorn
Valley. he saw a man descending
through the buckbrush and laurel.
Through his masters binoculars the
excellent Joseph made appraisal and
discovered the man carried 4 rifle.
The man could really have found
more open going, yet he preferred ia
stick to the tall brush, nor did he adj
vance confidently as an honest man
should. Arriving at last at the foot
of the ridge. the fellow found himself
a hiding place In a clump Of Laurel
about 30 feet above the road, and 10
seph both saw and heard him break
off some branches as III to clear his
view Of the road. Then he sat down
Something deviiish queer about this
fellow. what?" Joseph decided. He
got of his horse cautiously and Slipped
from tree to tree until he was within
40 yards of the man. when he sal
down behind a clump OF manzanita Ia
await Developments Through bis
binoculars he could now make out the
mans form; he saw that the fellows
rifle rested In a crotch In q laurel
bush.
Hes waiting for somebody" 10.
seph concluded. by Jove, a bally
assassin, what7 The blighter will bear
close watching for a bit. | fancy"
Suddenly, up the valley, Joseph
caught a faint rumbling- He knew
that would be his masters automobile
crossing a loosely planked little bridge
across one of the small lateral stream
that flowed down the hillside to Elder
Valley creek. Instantly there was
slight movement In the laurel bush; .
little later Nate TichenOr's car hove
into view. Joseph saw the hiding
mans hand com up and grasp thu
rife, saw his head come down to cud
die the stock-so Joseph, horribly ex
cited but with his duty clear before
him, sighted on the mans head ant
pulled away. He was rewarded b,
hearing a grnnt; then the bushes
parted, the man leaped down into thu
road and ~scuttled across 1t for 5th'
haven of the clump of sugar pines IL
which Joseph was hidden. AS hs
passed the bush behind which JOSEPH
knelt concealed. the valet leaped up
followed and banged the fellow heart
lily over the head with his rifle barrel
Then he helped himself to the stran
gers rifle and stepped out into th'
road.