The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1939-03-02

on his face was jealous rage.
Breck looked at the girl. How
are you, Louise?"
''She's all right" Art cut in.
Don't need anything now" With
scoffing sarcasm, he added,
Thanks for comm up!" Then he
turned his back.
Louise lifted her face to Breck,
but he could not read through the
shadows upon it. She might be tell
ing him to go.
Art wheeled. "Well?" he snapped.
Breck dismounted, dropped his
reins and cast a casual gaze about.
The girl had a comfortable camp;
bed roll laid on dry pine needles, a
small fire for cooking lighted be-
tween two rocks, and a larger blaze
for warmth. When his eyes returned
TO Art Tillson, he saw set determi-
nation Tightening on the boys jaw.
IF you've been sneakin' around"
Art blurted, Il suppose you heard
what | said just now.''
Breck had heard only indistinct
words and the heated retort, but
replied, IF you don't want the whole
meadow to know your business,
don't yell so loud
Art took a step toward him with
fists doubled. ''All right, | meant
what you heard. Suppose we settle
it here. Just take off your badge
and I'll muss up that smooth face
of yours. There amt anyone to pull
the lights out on us like they did
down below. Well go through with
it"
Breck guessed what he was sup
posed to have overheard. Some Jeal-
Gus boast before Louise. He looked
at young Tillson, more amused than
angry. There was little enough to
be jealous about. What could be set
tied by a fist fight? Nothing; unless
Louise thought he was coward.
She stood up. Breck shifted his
glance to her, met her eyes and
searched them, yet felt nothing in
their level gaze.
Look here, Art" he said at last,
"you and have nothing to settle
with fists. One of us gets whipped
tonight-tomorrow things are back
where we started"
"Yeah, but someone hereabouts
would know who's the best man."
Breck laughed. "She can proba-
bly, tell that without a battle. And
If you want to ask her, I'll be on my
way" He paused, one foot lifted to
his stirrup. "Just one thing. Don't
say you backed me down. You'd
have to prove that later"
Art shrugged indifferently. Argu-
ment had cooled him somewhat and
had drawn the flush of rage from
his face. He rolled a cigarette, and
also went to his horse.
you're pretty good at talkin' +,
mister" he flung back. Il reckon
I'll have to go packin' dictionary
instead of a six-gun!"
He mounted in a 1.-THE spring.
DOTTED his hat to Louise, let his
horse rear once and dashed away,
proudly erect and showing his full
sense of victory.
AS Breck swung to his saddle Lou
ise crossed the freight to him.
"You did a fine thing just now. Cor
don Breck, and / thank you for it.
Don't consider why / say so-you
might only make wrong guess"
With that she turned away anc
Breck rode from her camp. She
had thanked him for keeping out oi
trouble with Art She had thanked
him for Arts sakel In spite of her
asking him not to, he did consider
why she had said it; and guessed
the only thing possible. She was II
love with the boy.
He shook off a stab of jealousy
Why shouldn't she be? Art was
handsome. He was hot-headed and
looking for trouble most of the time
but no fool. Probably would make
something of the cattle business il
he had the chance. He wondered
if Louise knew about the other busi.
ness. Of course she did.
Truth came suddenly. She knew
and was trying to pull him out!
His hands clenched the saddle
horn. Savagely he asked, "What's
all this to you? You didn't come for
a grill"
He had ridden preoccupied, with
sight dimmed by visions Of a small
dark face, until now, abruptly,
something pulled him back to his
job. His horse, going for a time un-
guided, had with keen instinct fol-
lowed fresh marks that would have
been undiscovered from the saddle.
Breck's first warning was an odor
of dust and sweat that pierced the
fragrance of pine. He halted, peer
ing ahead. The ridge had come TO
a short notch, with Rock House
Meadow down on the left and a
stringer of green running into brok-
en-, wooded country to the right.
Wind was blowing from the stringer.
bearing that unmistakable stencil of
cows. Still there was no sound of
their movement. But when he roue
out on the strip of grass, where
trees parted and starlight fell
through, tracks of many animals
were plain enough.
He followed in the direction they
had gone, saw the stringer begin TO
widen, with pines sweeping away
and stream forming itself from
boggy ground, then came suddenly
to the edge of a small pothole mead
ow. A black huddle of steers showed
against the floor.
Breck approached slowly, circling
to pick up the night rider. These
animals were too we'll quieted to be
alone. He shifted in his saddle, and
then like a trumpet-blare in the ST.