Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1943-01-29
CHAPTER iii

Warm as the early summer eve
ming was, laundering log fire was
making the rocks blazing hot in the
living room fireplace at the King
Cole Ranch. Drawn up before the
hearth in his most commodious big
chair sat old Early Bill with his
long legs tucked under a heavy red
wool blanket, with his overcoat on
and buttoned to his chin, with his
hat on, too. His only attendant,
the only person he would tolerate
in the house, his foreman Cal Round
tree, stood as far as he could from
the fire, his face glistening with
sweat.
Cal mopped his forehead with a
blue bandana already sopping, and
had his say, not for the first time,
either.
BILL" he said explosively, 81 tell
you you're crazy! You'd ought by
rights to have some kind of
nurse here with you; me, couldn't
nurse sick colt. A woman any,
how. Somebody to"
DRY up, CAL" snapped the old
man. 60 get me drink. Get
yourself one, too. And quit beller-
ing like a bull calf"
Cal Roundtree, growing like a
bear with a sore paw, started kitch-
EDWARDS but stopped abruptly as he
heard the lively racket of horses
hoofs coming on to the house. The
sounds stopped at the front door;
then there was lusty knocking.
Come in, you fool" yelled old
Early Bill.
Rance Waldron stepped in, just
across the raised threshold, and
stopped there looking about him,
taking in everything at sweeping
glance. Then his look conferred prob
ingly upon the man in the chair.
"This the King Cole Ranch?" he
said. you're Mr.. William Cole?"
"Shut the door, Rance" said Ear
ly Bill, and all of sudden his
voice was quiet and all but toneless.
One speaks of poker face; well,
his voice now was poker voice.
Rance Waldron closed the door,
pulled his hat off and came closer;
standing at the side of the chair he
put out his hand. Early Bill took
it slowly, let it 60 with degree of
alaerity.
"You never saw me BEFORE" said
Rance Waldron, puzzled. "How did
you know me?"
"Oh, saw you once, two-three
months ago, Waldron. Four months
ago, maybe. You mightn't remem-
Der. Me, I don't forget. Over at
Bantam Springs, it was"
Until he finished speaking it was
hard to make much of his face, what
with the effect of the flicker of the
fire, an affair of light and shadow
commingled, and with his broad hat
brim pulled low. Now he lifted his
head and showed his hat back and
looked up into his kinsman's eyes.
Even so for another moment
Rance Waldron remained puzzled,
"But-but-" Rance suffered. "At
Bantam Springs, that night! Of
course remember. There was a
card game-we had a few drinks
together-But l didn't know who you
we're! l didn't know your name
they just called you Bill-Why didn't
you tell me?"
Better get move on and bring
that jug, CAL" said Early Bill, and
left the young man utterly to his own
devices.
But Cal Roundtree didn't bulge;
he stood stock still, staring in fasci-
nation at the visitors face. Rance
was bare-headed; the fire glow
seemed to make his face ruddier
and ruddier until it grew bright red.
Or was it just the fireglow, Cal won
dered? Yes, Rance Waldron was re-
membering! That poker game at
Bantam Springs! An old man,
stranger, sitting in! What a run of
luck the old fool had had! He had
been so clumsy; he seemed only
hallway to know what he was do
ing; he fumbled with the cards when
he shuffled; he made crazy bets and
lost-and yet, by some miracle, in
the end he won everything in sight!
And Rance Waldron lost his shirt
that night; lost more than he could
afford to lose, expecting with every
new hand to clean the old fool down
to his bootheels; had lost more than
just money, because he had lost his
head, too, and had flown into a rage
and had said things-Just what had
he said? And the old fool was
Early Bill Cole, keeping his name
hidden the way he did an ace in the
hole-and all the time Early Bill
knew who Rance Waldron was!
But this CONSERVATION, holding
him tongue-tied and at utter loss.
was only momentary. He was a
young man of parts, was Rance Wal
dron, hard to down and harder to
keep down. OF sudden, startling
both Early Bill and Cal Rour itree,
he began laughing
"Bill Cole, you old heller!" he
shouted when he grew articulate.
II might have known at the time
that it was you! I've heard about