The Washington times., 1938-05-13

been a changed person
His usual sunny cheerful dis
position had given way to g
dogged, almost sullen, acceptance
If the routine duties of the ranch
Conversationally, he had de
scended to the level Of monosyI
tables, and his sense of humor was
In a state of total eclipse.
Hope he didn't get himself
mixed up with a girl back there,
the owner of the Circle Six wor'
ried, turning to the saddle house
and leaving Ned to tuSSle with one
of the wild bunch Of colts they
were breaking in. He'll get a
busted collar bone or worse. If he
keeps that up" he added. glancing
back once more at the squeallng
relding. writhing and twisting IN
an effort to rid himself OF MS
rider.
TROUBLES" HAPPINESS
Contrary to his usual patient
method of breaking a horse, Neo
was obviously taking a savage
pleasure in bending him to MS
will, His 1.-the, powerful six feet
of Drawn and muscle, whipped
lean by hard riding, clung with tne
tenacity of a demon, refusing 10
be dislodged by the wild plungeS
of the maddened animal:
"Runnfn' a twenty'three-year,,
old nephew and a fifteen-year-olo
niece is more trouble than man,
agin' a herd of a thousand heao
of cattle" Old Man Clifford So
lilouuized, leaving Ned and tne
gelding to their fate.
While he would not have admit
ted it for worlds, he knew IN ms
heart that the last three years,
when his sisters two children nao
come to live with him, after the
tragic death of their mother ana
father in an automobile accident
had been the pleasantest and nap
piest years of his life.
His pride in the way Ned hao
taken hold and been his right
hand man on the ranch had only
been equaled by his secret satls,
faction in being managed ana
tyrannized over by Babs.
He cooked an eye through the
open door at Ned, charging OUT
the corral gate on his newly gen.
tied mount; although "gentleo
was hardly the name for it.
"sunfish all you like" Ned NUT
tered, raking his bucking mount
until he plunged into a hard rum
"you can't be too tough to suit
me-"
LOVE RIDES MEMORY
Waking and sleeping he could
see that red gold head Of hers,
those brown eyes that could re-
fleet a whole gamut Of emotions
from mischievous teasing toned
swallowed. Yes, to love. There
hadn't been any doubt about IT,
that last night at the dance. Her
eyes had told him and her lips
had told him, and mis- blood still
raced at the memory.
It had all seemed so Inevitable
50 right, during that perfect week.
He'd met Kay Randall with a
bunch of young people from one
of the outlying towns. They'd
come in to Omaha to see the
rodeo.
Remembering it all afterwards,
Ned realized how little Kay really
had told him about herself. He
never was a great hand at asking
questions.
There was another moment that
would ride Ned's memory to his
dying day. He'd never forget the
tone or words of Tom Stevens
when he'd run into him. as he
waited for Kay at the dance hall,
uuivering at the thought Of seeing
her again, after that unbelievable
moment when her lips had yielded
to his.
Waiting for Kay?" Tom had
asked. Some boy at rushing the
heiress, eh?"
Heiress?" Ned had echoed stu
pidly.
"I suppose you never knew it!
Oh, no." the jeering laugh had
stung like a whip across Ned'S
pride. Never knew Kay was the
only daughter Of one of the rich
est men in Chicago! Oh, MOI"
Ned had smashed good straight
uppercut against Toms chin and
knocked him cold.
A SWEETHEART SPAT
Walking back with Kay to the
hotel, he had launched out with
a verbal uppercut that had just as
effectively knocked their dream
world cold. His jaw frightened at
the memory of that desperate
quarrel. "Why hadn't she told
him?" He'd never asked her. "
''She knew he wasn't asking any
heireSS to marry him." That was
why she hadn't told him" On and
on; more and more bitter.
Well, at least, he'd had the quits
not to capitulate. He'd taken the
first train out the next morning
On the ranch house porch Babs