Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1943-01-29
W.Mu. RELEASE

ant upon the stage preparing for de-
parture. He hadn't thought any
thing about a stage, having a good
saddle horse, and had ridden by
way of Top Notch simply because it
lay on his line Of travel. Now, be-
ing awake, he yawned comfortably
and stretched and came close to doz-
ing of again. Then through the
other, coarser sounds of men swear
ing at horses and trace chains jan
Cling, he heard another sound, and
ne thought dreamfully that it fitted
far more pleasantly into the early
daylight hour. Little Ann Lee, very
gay and electric this morning, was
laughing.
He got up then, dressed and ran
his fingers through a wild thatch of
dark red hair, cooked his hat on at
an angle which bespoke an interest
in life and full approval of it, and
stepped along outside. And just as
he got outside the door Long Peters,
the stage driver, was calling down
from his high seat.
"An aboard, folks. Here we CO."
1t was then that Cole Cody saw
Ann Lee stepping up into the stage.
He did catch the most fleeing of
glances from her eyes under the
long, demure lashes, and noted how
the pink of her cheeks was as soft
as the softest of apple-blossom col
ors tinting the eastern sky.
Hold on there!" shouted Cole Co.
dy, and bore down on the stage at a
run. He called back to the hostler
who had just lent hand with hitch
ing up, keep my horse until come
back" and jerked the stage door
open.
IF you're comm along, pardner,
said Long Peters, his whip poised
ready for the long shaking out of the
lash into the pistol-like crack that
would start his team off like a shot,
climb up here. No more room in
side"
Cole Cody didn't make out clearly
who the other inside passengers
were; he didn't even see Aunt Jeni-
fer. He saw nothing but the girl
with the big pink straw hat. It
dropped on each side of her lovely
face and there were ribbons stream
ing from the brim. He almost made
her bow; not quite, but he did take
off his hat. She almost smiled, but
then she looked away very quickly
and began talking hurriedly to her
companion. The driver called out a
second time impatiently, Cole Cody
climbed up on the high seat, the
whip snapped at last and they were
off.
The girl was saying softly into her
aunt's ear, Ibid you see him, Aunt
Jenny? Isn't he-I mean"
Aunt Jenifer had queer little
trick of smiling, tucking in the cor
ners of her clean, pink-lipped mouth
and letting her eyes drift sideways.
She spoke for her thrilled niece's
ears alone: Eyes, I know, Pet. Real
ly quite handsome and dashing and
all that. To be sure. And I no.
ticed something else!"
"What?"
''He saw you'll"
Cole Cody, generally as fortnight
as flying arrow going places, was
inclined to a certain circuity this
morning. He remarked on the horses
first of all, not being in the least in
terested in them, yet singing out the
off leader for remark; and in return
got a thumb nail sketch of that ami
mails career, character and pedi-
gree. He spoke of Top Notch; of a
high mountain town he knew they
would pass through, Tap Rock; then
of Bald Eagle. Of what fine day it
was. And finally-of the inside pas
sengers.
Folks that live around here? Or
strangers?"
Long Peters swung his equipage
around a bend, down into a shallow,
dry creek, cracked his whip again
and started them briskly up sharp
slope with the lifting mountains
looming steep and black ahead.
First disposing of those of his cargo
whom he knew, he got around at
last to Ann Lee and Aunt Jenifer.
Were carryin' couple nice la
dies, too" he said. Don't know
much about 'em. They come this
far with Hank Roberts day fore yes
tiddy; only saw the two of 'em
breakfas' time. They're a Miss Ed
wards, that's the old lady and she
amt real old at that, and her niece,
Miss Ann Lee. They come from
somewhere way down yonder;
around Bantam Springs some place,
Hank says. And they never been up
this way before; goin' to see some
of their folks. JUS visiting"
"Going far?" young Cody asked
casually.
"All the way through to Bald Ea-
gle. We get there early tonight"
He eased his straining horses down
to a walk as the slope steepened
and the road narrowed and rough
ened. "How about you, stranger?
amt ever seen you any place."
me? I'm headed on to Bald Ea-
gle, too. No, I've never been up this
way. My stamping grounds down
around Dutch Skill's Trading Post"
"Glad to know you. My names
Tow, Dn{arc