The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1938-07-27
COPY RISttT. 10 SO
NEA > ERYICE. nc.

and if there's anything can ever
do guess you know. maybe, that
ali YOU have To do is To let me
know about it..
1t was long speech for Rance
and he obviously felt vastly re-
lievrd when the words were out.
Nikki WAS deeply touched.
Rance" she said, that was
the incest speech ever made to 4
"irl. and III always remember 1t.
| haven't been very happy since
/ came here. but you muStn I
blame Steve or the r#.ch for IT..
Is Somehing-SOmehtin% else that
| can't tel lyou about right now.
There. she thought, I've got poor
Rance worried and all I'm trying
to du is Ia work this thing out by
myself. II / keep on acting mES-
lrriuuS I'll drive EVERYONE on the
ranch crazy. She touched Rance 5
arm Sympathrtically, remember
my that when she left the Lazy
K after her last visit five years
ago she had cried bitterly most OF
the night before leaving. 1t was
Rance hated To leave, she
thought. She had been 10 then.
Uncle Jim came ambling around
the corner of Il shed, SAW them
and stopped.
What are YOU two up to-" he
asked. and with sly dig At Mix
ki'S ribs. "Whcre'S Steve"
Ale went to town To send some
wires" said Nikki.
Things must be pretty dull
around here when Il man has to
drive 10 town just 10 send some
wires" observed Uncle Jim. "Ihr
truck worS in every morning rr%u-
lar"
IL think they were important
and he didn't want To wait" said
Nikki. 4 little defiantly.
IL know what you need, sand
Uncle Jim. and Nikki thought.
now he's worried about me too.
~ little pack trip up to the cabin
ON SQuaw Mountain. You can
Stay three or four days and may
be get an antelope. Might even
see 4 bear.
Aunt Amy came up. "Wh"'s
yoin' on q pack trip"
Why Steve and Nikki and
Rance-and Woody 10 help guide.
| guess. Do 'em all good. Rance
hasn't been off the Lazy K for six
months"
"Humph," said Aunt Amy.
Don't you know you can't send
Nikki up in the mountains with
three men, even if She is engaged
To one of EN-? SUme0neIl have
To chaperOne.
You come along, Uncle Jim. |
think ii would be- swell fun
And so il was decided when
Steve returned, and plans were
nude TO leave early the following
morning. There were many things
To be- done. Packs had to be made
with blankets and food and cloth
* for four days in the hills. Guns
had To be got out and ammunl-
ton. Saddle girthS and StIrrup
STRAPS were tested, for 4 broken
strap or girth might mean Il nasty
fall on some of the high, tortuouS
trails
They went to be early and
Uncle PIN routed Nikki and Steve
out when the dawn was just Il
limiting light in the east. They
shivcrcd in the cold an dhurried
down To the big kitchen where Il
fire rOare din the wood stove and
there was hot coffee, flapjackS,
and bacon and eggs.
And as they sat down at their
places around the old kitchen Ia
bic Bancroft came in the door,
closely followed by SartO. He's
like shadow, thought Nlkkl,
surprised as she was TO see them.
Bancroft looked moderately
cheerful, considering the hour,
but Sarto, dressed in clothes that
were obviously borrowed and
more than obviously too large,
was painfully and diSguStedly
angry.
II told them about the pack
trip last night and Bancroft ask
ed if they could join u.s." explain
ed Uncle Jim. Il told 'cm sure,
the more the mrrrier." And then
he added as another figure APP
pcared at the door:
"FiSke heard about the jaunt
and ne decided To come along,
too"
Nikki noted the acute surprise
on the faces Of Bancroft and
SartO.
What merry little trip this IS
going TO be, she thought.
1T, d.. outinup1l