The Washington times., 1937-12-02


ratified with each step.
He addressed himself to silent
mound of copper-colored flesh,
fairly overflowing the well-worn
ranch attire.
Old Tom Hammer, Choctaw
stock man and ruler of half OF
Pushmataha Valley, glanced cas-
ually at his foreman. The latter
read the query in the old Indians
eyes and answered promptly:
Zone reason he drew double pay
was his ability to answer unasked
questions, thereby eliminating
much useless conversation0
why, I let Becky have the
P'fesser's pony, Mr.. Hammer. She
wanted to ride into Push and you
said to give her a safe mount be-
cause she'd been East so long.
"She was ready to 60 and there
wasn't anything else UP. But I'll
have one of the boys go round up
Spot for the P'fesser. There's
plenty of time. The goat-ropin'
won't start till two
The bronzed old man blinked
owlishly behind his steel-framed
epectacles for full minute. Then
he spoke suddenly.
OFFERS PROTEST
"Take Charley"
The foreman was plainly startled
by the gutteral syllables. He
started to protest.
Charley? Why, do you think
he can handle him, Mr.. Hammer?
Charley's a right smart handful Of
hawss." He turned quickly to the
younger man. II know you're ridin'
q lot better, P'fesser. think you're
doin' fine. But Charley :"
The foreman's voice died away
as he encountered his employers
eve. The foreman shrugged.
"Oh, all right. Sure" He raised
his voice. Bill, put the P'fesser's
saddle on Charley and bring him
around, will you?"
There was an answering call
from the stable, and then the
three men turned and walked
back toward the long rambling
front porch of the ranch house.
Old Tom Hammer waddled
along slowly, the others keeping
step. Reaching the shade, Old
Tom eased himself painting and
groaning into his especially re-
inforced rocker. The other two
dropped down on the steps.
"You want to be careful with
that Charley hawss, P'fesser," be-
gan the foreman, converse
tionally. you got lot Of prac-
tice ridin' back and forth to
school, but Charley, he's SkittiSh.
Think you can stick on if he starts
pitchin'?"
The "P'fesser" nodded conf
IDENTIFY. 1--WE been doing a lot of
practice in the corral here lately" "
he said quietly. "I think I can
handle him"
"Well, here's your chance" re.
piled the foreman as cowboy
cantered up to the front gate,
aStride a sleepy-looking pinto. "He
sure amt much to look at. but
don't let nobody go playin'
pranks around him"
WELL-TRAINED HORSE
The rider slid out of the saddle
and tossed the reins to the
ground, before the pinto's nose.
thereby anchoring that we'll
trained COW pony as firmly as if
welded.
The "P'feSser" rose and started
for the gate. He was suddenly
checked by the old Indians voice:
mo spurs
"Oh, gee, Mr.. Hammer" The
youngster whirled about in plain
tive protest, but caught himself
in midsentence. Obediently he
stopped and unbuckled the rowels,
one after another. Carefully he
hung them in a nearby tree, sole
decoration Of the barren yard.
The gate changed behind him
and he swung into the saddle,
waved to the pair on the porch
and vanished down the lane in a
slowly rising cloud of yellow dust.
The foreman chuckled:
Damned near broke his heart,
Mr.. Hammer. He was right proud
Of them things. He bought 'em
from Tex Austin this mornin'"
Old Tom Hammer said nothing.
His subordinate resumed after a
minute.
"Guess you was right, though.
I doubt If he can handle Charley
well enough to risk stirrin' him UP
with them things"
''Ugh," said old Tom Hammer.
The foreman frowned. Like
hell I'm wrong, Mr.. Hammer.
You'll see."
The beady black eyes stared at
him unwinkingly.
well, mebbe I am" admitted
the foreman.
Meanwhile the Eastern-b r d
school teacher logged along across
the Oklahoma plain, pondering
many matters.
He considered Charley'S gait and
the way he carried his ears. He
considered the scope of a com
munity that referred to space of
10000 acres as. "the little pasture. :"
He considered a green noun.
tain boomer lizard and the ease
and universally with which the
title Of 'Pfesser" had descended
on him as soon as he arrived
to preside over the little one.room