The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1939-03-09

country west of you-all that lying
between Sulphur and the Potholes.
There's your worst fire hazard.
You'll find some tourist camps on
the river. Go in and say howdy."
Breck obeyed orders, inwardly re-
voting, though he knew the old
ranger was guided by wisdom of ex-
perience. So, day by day. he was
forced to put down his impatience
and work at the forests Job.
The approach of July meant
spring in the top country. Days
were warm, though nights remained
close to freezing. Now he rode
through meadows purple with lark
spur; climbed long rock ridges in a
blaze of red snow flowers. At dusk
he returned to his cabin with eve-
ming primroses opened in yellow
cups underfoot, filling the air with
sweet delicate perfume.
Repeatedly he found his thoughts
travelling eastward beyond the bowl
Of Rock House. His gaze went often
to a trail that led up the notch to-
ward a certain camp fifteen miles
distant. 1t seemed as if Dad Cook
had read his wish when he gave
| the order one morning, "You had
better swing around by Temple
Meadow today"
There was a blazed trail from
Rock House to Temples camp, but
Breck was in hurry somehow and
rode Kit up a ridge and along its
crest on a route of his own. It was
half an hour before noon as he
crossed the last summit and de-
scended into wide strip of grass
land. A flag of cabin smoke came
from a clump of trees at the fur
ther end. He rode toward il rapidly,
his eyes searching for a cowboy who
! was not a cowboy at all.
Two cabins stood in the trees, one
old and weathered, with low. sheet
iron roof; the other of logs new
within the past three years, for
hewn surfaces still showed bright
| yellow. Red and white checked cur
tains in the window of this last told
that a woman lived in it, and the
| whole look around the outside was
of a woman's neatness, with saddle
gear hung on wooden horses, lariats
coiled, pack canvas folded and piled
in the shelter of pine.
The other was as plainly a man s
| shanty, where a man could kick
things about and enjoy the mess.
| One window pane was broken and
stuffed with a gunny sack. A black
bear pelt, freshly skinned and salt
ed, was nailed on the logs of the
front end. A low bench stood near
the door, with tobacco cans litter
ing the ground under it.
It was from this cabin that Breck
saw smoke rising. A door opened
as he came out of the woods and
crossed short clearing. He recog-
nized Louise Temple, though not the
girl he had been picturing.
She wore a dress today; some
thing short, dark green like the for.
est, with the red of snow flowers in
it; and somehow he was meeting her
all over again.
She smiled, holding up her hand
to him even before he dismounted
Hello, Ranger. Sorry / didn't see
you after the count
He wondered if she meant it. s.,
was pretty busy" he said, as if tn,
explanation should come from him
Things were happening that day.
Eyes; weren't theyl"
He swung down and met her anx
iously. "You think"
Louise checked him with an i'm
patient wave of her hand. Some
times l find it best not to think a
ALL"
"One's mind is never blank"
Mine is ofteni"
"But you're bound to think once
in while Breck laughed, ther
added seriously, II don't want yol
to believe what Jackson has said o
me-"
A searching look came into tht
girls eyes. THE cattlemen thinl
it, and that's what you ought to con
slider"
"Let them," Breck answered
Fright now value your opinion, no
theirs
Sharply Louise shook her brown
head.
My opinion is The least irnpor
ant, Gordon Breck." Impaticnct
that was so much a part Of her ma
ture hared openly. Don't you un-
derstand that? You can't work UP
here with these men against you
They may be wrong but they're
powerful. If you're a square-shoot-
er, you've got to prove it"
Breck stared at her. In some
way, he could not tell how, per-
haps in her eyes, or voice, he caught
meaning beyond her words. She
spoke of cattlemen, but it was as
if she were asking him to prove his
square-dealing to them-and to her.
self.
"Why do you talk to me like
this?" he asked.
With a quick little laugh she lifted
her face to him. Because you are
so helplessl"
Helpless! He had the impulse tc
kiss her mouth and then spank her
So that was it!
"You take big chance, young
lady," he grinned. "Do I look sc
weak?"
She answered with dark eyes
sweeping over him eagerly. mo
can't say you dol"
They both turned as a horsemar
trotted out of the timber and rode