FOUR
ip
fJtt jSL "kiichnr. and other poems'
SYNOPSIS.
CmrTFR I.-tJvirt ulth hn father ' "
m tnall. bH.lly nmn..t mn.-h
KMen da reai-til tl ' e'ahterh
llh frw l.i.ntlonal lvnrIRf An r
rtrirnt to tie au'o In whlrh It. llarrty.
eminent tern plivi.lrln. and Ma ln"'
1er Irene, lire tntirln the . ountry lt in'
"new element Into M life. Ir. Hardy
Ur In tirohen. nml he In tiecemtarlly con
fined to hi -V Frlntlhi. ami oine
tMn more, develop between Iren anu
lavld.
The 'shadows had deepened Into
darkness, and the Infinite alienee of the
Mils hun? about them as they dropped
from their saddles at the Elden door.
A light shone from within, and Doctor
Hardy, who was now able to move
tibout with the aid of a home-made
crutch, could be .seen setting the table,
while Mr. Elden stirred a composition
on the stove. They chatted as they
worked, and there was something of
the Joy of little children In their com
panionship. The young folks watched
for a moment through the window, and
In Dave's heart some long-forgotten
emotion moved ' momentarily at the
rlpht of the good fellowship prevailing
In the old house. Irene, too, was think
ing; glimpses of her own buttered
home, and then this background of
primal simplicity, where the old cow
man cooked the meals and the famous
rpcclalist set the plates on the bare
board table, and tlyn back of It all her
mother, nedate and correct, and very
much shocked over this mingling of
the classes.
"Well, you youngsters must have this
country pretty well explored." said
Doctor Hardy, as they entered the
liouse. "Where was It today the
prairies, '.he foothills or the reul fel
lows behind?"
"The ennyon tip the river." Bald
Irene, drawing off her sweater. "What's
the eats? (See! I'm hungry! (letting
pretty supple, Daddyklns, aren't you?"
"Yes, un' I'm sorry for It. miss," suld
the old rum her. "not wlshln' him any
bnrm, or you. neither. We was Jus
tnlkln' It over, an'' your father thinks
lie's spry enough for the road again.
Ain't ever goln' to be like It used to be
after he's gone, an' you."
"We'll be sorry to go," said the doc
tor. "That's what I've been saying all
day, and thinking, too. If misfortunes
can be lucky, ours was one of that
kind. I don't know when I've enjoyed
n holiday so much. What do you say,
girl?" he asked, as he rested an arm
n her round, firm shoulder and looked
with fatherly fondness Into the fine
brown of her face.
"I've never known anything like It,"
she answered. "It's wonderful. It's
life." Then with a eudden little scream
fihe exclaimed: "Oh. duddy, why can't
you sell your practice and buy a
ranch? Wouldn't that be wonderful?"
"Your mother might not see It that
way," he replied and her eyes fell.
Yes, that was the obstacle. She
would have to go hack to the city and
talk by rule, and dress by rule, und
tt'tiave by rule, and be correct.
"It's been a good time," the doctor
continued, when they had commenced
cupper, "but I've already overstayed
luy holiday, I feel I can travel now,
nnd .my leg will be pretty strong by
the time I am back east. If Dave will
oblige us by going to town tomorrow
and bringing back solne one who cau
drive a car, we will te able to start
the following uiornlng. I will Just take
the car to town, aud either sell it there
or ship It."
The following morning found Pave
curly on the trail, leading a saddled
horse by his side. Tlie hours wer
leaden for the girl all that day and,
looking Into the future, slie saw the
specter of her life shadowed down the
years by an unutterable louellness.
How could she ever drop it all all
this wild freedom, this bouudlesN
health, this great outdoors, this life,
life how could she drop It all aud go
back into the little circle where con
vention fenced out the tiniest alien
Mreanitet, although the circle Itself
might lie deep In mire? And how
would she, give up this boy who hud
grown so Imperceptibly but so intl
mutely Into the very soul of her being
give hi in up with all his strength and
virility and. yes. and coarseness, if you
will, but sincerity, too an essentnu
tnan, as God made htm In exchange
for a machine-made counterfeit with
the stamp of Society? Deeply did she
ponder these questions, and as the day
wore on she found herself possessed
f u steadily growing deterinlnatioi
i that the would Dot follow the beaten
trail, let the by-paths lead where they
might.
Darkness, save for a white moon,
bad settled over the foothills when the
boy returned with another young man.
The stranger ate a ravenous supper,
but was not too occupied to essay con
versation with Irene. He chose to call
ber cook.
"Swell pancakes, cook," was his
opening remark. "Can you find an
other for yours truly?"
She refilled bis plate without an
swer. "Used to know a girl mighty like
you," be went on. "Waitress in the
Royal Edward. Gee! but she was
swell I A pippin 1 Class? Say, she
had 'em all guessing. Had me guessing
myself for a while. But Just for a
while." . He voiced these remarks with
an air of Intense self-approval more
offensjye thanthe words,
Tfvc
COW PUNCHER
Robert J.C.Siead
Cluihoro
Irene fell the color" rise about her
neck nnd checks and run like an over
flowing stream Into her ears and about
her bnlr. It was evident that, for 8
second time. Dave had chosen to saj
nothing to strangers about her pres
ence at the ranch. Her father and Mr
Elden were In Dave's room; Dave hat)
stopped eating, and she saw the vein
rising In his clenched fists. Hut the
challenge was to her, and she would
accept It 5 she felt no need of his pro
tection. "Fill your stomach," she said, pass
ing more pancakes; "your head Is
hopeless.".
He attempted a laugh, but the meal
was finished In silence. The stranger
lit a cigarette aud Irene went to the
door with Dave.
"Come for n walk." he whispered.
"The horses are tired, so let's walk.
. . . It's our last chance."
She ran for her sweater and rejoined
blm In a moment. They walked In
silence down a path through the fra
grant trees, but Dave turned from time
to time to catch a glimpse of her fuce.
white and fine as Ivory In the. soft
light. He had much to say, but he was
tongue-tied under the spell of her
beauty.
"You squelched hlin, all rlght,"ihe
broke out, at length.
".lust In time, too. t think," she re
plied. "I was watching your hands."
" He smiled a quiet but very confident
smile. "Iteenle," he saldt "that fellow
makes me sick. All the way out he
talked about girls. He's u city chap
an wears a white collar, but be ain't
fit to speak your name. Another min
ute an' I'd 'a hud Mm by the neck."
He seized a spruce limb that stuck
across their path. It was the size of a
stout stick, but he snapped It with a
turn of his wrist. It was very tough;
It oozed sticky stuff where he broke it.
"His neck." be said, between his teeth.
"Jus" like that."
They reached an, open space. Some
thing black or was it red? lay on
the ground. Dave bent over It a mo
ment, then looked up to her white,
clear fare, white and clearer than ever
since witnessing the strength of his
hate.
"It's a calf." he said, as calmly as he
could. "Half et up. Wolves, I guess.'
"The poor, por thing!" t-lie breath
ed. "The poor. Innocent thing! Why
did It have to die?"
"It's always the Innocent things 'at
suffers," he answered.
"Always the Inn. went things," she
repeated mechanically. "Always "
She sprang to ber feet ami faced hlin
"Then .what about the Justice of
God?" she demanded.
"I don't know not bin' ul.out the Ju
tlce of Jod," he answered bitterly,
"All I know Is the crlttur at can t
run gets caught."
There was a long pause. "It doesn't
seem right," she said at length.
"It ain't right," be agreed. "But 1
guess It's life. I see It here on the
prairies, with every llvln thing. I
guess I was like that, some. I've been
caught.' I guess a baby ain't resMn
sll.ie for iinythiug. is it? I didu
pl"L my father or my mother, did I?
But I got to bear it."
There was something near a break
!n bis voice on the last words. She
felt she must speak.
"I think your fattier Is a wonderful
old man." she said, "and your mother
must have been wonderful, too. You
sh-uld be proud of them both."
"rteenie, do you mean that?" he de
manded. His eyes were looking
straight Into hers.
"Absolutely," she answered. "Ab
solutely I mean it."
"Then I'm goln' to say some more
things to you," he went on rapidly.
"Things "at I didn't know whether to
say or not, but now they've got to be
said, whatever happens. Iteenle, I
Maven't ever been to school or learned
ots of things I should 'a' learned, but
ain't a fool, neither. I didn't learn
to break all those bottles In a day.
Well. I cau learn oilier things, too,
an' I will, if only it will take me
across. I'm goln' to leave this old
ranch, some way. Jus' as soon as it
can be arranged. I'm goln' to town
an' work. I'm strong; I cau get pretty
giud wages. I've been thlnkin' It all
over, an' was askln some question
in town today. I rati work 'days it if
go to school nights. An' I'll do it If
it'll get me across. You know what I
mean. I alu't askln' no pledges. Ree
.tie, but what's the chance? I know I
lou t talk right, and I don't eat right
ou tried not to notice but you couldn't
lelp but, Iteenle. I think right, an' I
itiess with a girl like you that counts
more than eatltf mikI talkin'."
She bad thought she could say yes
or no to any question lie could ask,
Nut us he poured forth these plain.
pasMouate words lie found herself
nveloped In a flume that found no ex
iresslou In speech. She had no
vords. She wus glad when he went
n ; .
"I know I'm only a boy an you're
only a girl. That's why I don't ask
no pledge. I leave yov free, only I
want you to stay free until I have
niy chance. Will you promise that?"
She tried to pull herself together,
"You know I've had a good time with
yon, Dave," she said, "and I've gone
with you everywhere, like I would not
have gone with any other, boy J. ever
V7.-w,'8im1 I've ittiKed unii let you talk
about thlnjr I never talked about be
fore, ami I believe you're true and
clean and ami
"Yea," be raid. "What's your an
swer?"
'I know you're true and rlonn," alie
repented. "Coine to me like that
when I'm a woman and you're a man,
ntid then then we'll know."
He wax tall ami Mrniflit. and hli
hadow fell across her face, an though
even the moon must not see. "Itee
nle." he snid, "kiss me."
For one moment she thought of her
mother. She knew she stood at the
parting of the ways; that nil life for
her was being molded In that moment.
Then she put both arms about his
neck and drew his llpr-to hers.
CHAPTER III.
Daves opportunity came sooner
than be had expected. After the de
parture of the Hnrdys things at the
old ranch were, as both father and
son hud predicted, very different.
They found themselves on n sort of
good behavior a behavior which, un
happily, excited In each oilier gravt
suspicions as to purpose. The tension
steadily Increased, and both looked
forward to the moment when some
thing uniKt give way.
For several weeks the old man re
mained entirely sober, but the cnll of
the appetite In him grew more and
more Insistent as the dayr went by,
and at Inst came the morning when
Dave ii woke to find hlin gone. lie
needed no second guess; the craving
had beet. me Irresistible and bis father
had ridden to town for the means to
satisfy It. The passing days til l not
bring his return, but this occasioned
no anxiety to Dave. In the course of
a carouse his father frequently re
mained away for weeks at a stretch.
He moped around the ranch build
ings, sat moodily by the little stream,
casting pebbles in the wnter, or rode
over the old trails on which she hud
so often been his companion.
Then the old man's horse came
home. Dave saw it coining up the
trail, not running wildly but v. Kb
nervous gallop and many sidelong
turnings of the head. As the boy
watched be found a strange empti
ness possess him ; his body seemed a
phantom on w hich his head hung over
heavy. He spoke to the horse, which
pulled up, snorting, before him; noted
the wet neck and thinks, and at last
the broken stirrup. Then, slowly and
methodically, Mid still will that
straiiKe sensation of emptiness, he
saddled his own horse and set out on
the search. ...
After the last rites had been paid to
the old rancher. Dave set about fit
once to wind up his uffalrs, ami It
was not until then that he discovered
how deeply his father had been In
volved. The selling of the cattle ,and
the various effects realized only
enough to discharge the liabilities, und
when this had been done Dave fount)
himself with a considerable area of
unmarketable land, a considerable
bundle of paid bills and his horse,
saddle and revolver. He rode his
horse fo town, carrying a few, ar
ticles of wear with him. It was on'y
after a stiff fight that he could bring
himself to part with his one compan-
on. The lust miles Into town were
ridden very slowly, with the boy fre
quently leaning forward nnd stroktn;
ihe horse's neck and ears.
He sold horse and saddle for slxt
dollars und took a room at a eheu
hotel until he should find work and
still cheaper lodgings.
In the evening he walked tluougb
the streets of the little cow towtn I
snubbed him with Its Indifference.
He became aware that he was Verj
lonely. - He realized that he bad bui
one friend in the world ; but one, and
of her be knew not so much as hei
address. , , , He began- to wnndei
whether he really had a friend ut all ;
whether the girl would not diKcurt!
him when lie was of no further use.
lust as he hud discarded bis faithful
old horse. Tears of loneliness and re
morse gathered In his eyes, and a mis
uot of Ihe twilight blurred the stree
lamps now glimmering from the!
poles. He felt that he bad treated tic
horse very shabbily Indeed. He wnni
ed olu Slop-eye back ugulu. lie slid
denly wanted him with a terrific Ion;
Ing; wanted l.ltn more than anythin
else In the world. For the uioiuen
he forgot tint eXt aud all LU liuim
slckness centered about the beast
which had been so long his companion
and servant and friend.
"I'll buy hi in back In the niornln' ;
I will, sure as h I," he said. In a sud
den gust of emotion. "We got to stick
together. I didn't play fair w;h him.
but I'll buy him bark. I'crhaps I can
get a Job for him, too, pullln' a light
waron or somethln'."
"Reenle," He Said, "Kiss Me."
The resolution To ."play fair" with
Slop-eye gradually restored his cheer
fulness nnd he walked slowly back to
the hotel.
The men's sitting room now present
ed a much more animated picture than
when he had registered earlier In the
evening. It was filled with ranchers,
cowboys and cattlemen of all de
greesbreeders, buyers, tradtrs, own
ers and wage earners, with a sprin
kling of townspeople and others not
directly engaged In some phase of the
cattle business. Soon be was In a
'roup watching a gaudily dressed In
llvldual doing a sort of s'elght of
hand trick with three carJs on a
able.
"Smooth guy, that," said someone at
.lis side. The remark was evidently
ntended for Dave, and he turned
oward the speaker. He was a man
omewhat smaller than Dave, two or
.hree years older, well dressed In
town clothes, with a rather puffy face
and a gold-filled tooth from which a
corner had been broken as though to
accommodate-., the cigarette which
hung there.
"Yes," said Dave. Then, as It was
apparent the stranger was Inclined to
be friendly, he continued, "What's the
idea?"
The stranger nudged him gently.
"Come out of the bunch." he said In
a low voice. When they had moved a
little apart he went on. In a confiden
tial tone: "He has a Utile trick with
three cards that brings him In the
easy coin. He's Bmooth as grease, but
the thing's simple. Oh, It's awful
simple! Now you watch him for a
minute," nnd they watched through
an opening in tin crowd aliotit the
table. The player held three cards
two red ones nnd a black. He passed
them about rapidly over the table, oe
taslonally turning his hand sideways
so that the onlookers could see the
position of the curds. Then be sud'
detdy threw them face down on the
table, each card by itself.
"The trick Is to locate the black
card," Dave's companion explnined.
"It's easy enough If you keep your
eye on the enrd. but the trouble with
these rubes Is they name the card and
then stnrt to get out their money, and
while they're fumbling for It he
makes a change so quick they never
see It. There's Just one way to beat
him. Oct up close, but don't sity
you're getting Interested. Then when
you're dead sure of n card crack your
fist down on It. Glue yourself right
to It und get out your money with the
other hand. When he sees you do that
he'll try to bluff you, say you ain't
in on It; but you Just tell hlin that
don't go, this Is an open game, nnd
he's got to come through, and the
crowd'll back you up. I stuck him
once a whole hundred first crack
and then he barred me. Wutch hlin."
Dave watched. Saw the black card
go down at one corner of the board;
saw a bystander fumbling for a five
dollar bill; saw ihe bill laid on the
card ; saw It turned up and it was
red.
That Is smooth," be said. "I'd 'a'
sworn that wus the black card."
"So It was when you saw it," his
companion explained. "But you were
Just like the sucker that played him.
You couldn't help glancing at the Jay
getting out his money, am! It was In
that Instant the trick was done. He's
too quick for the eye, but that's how
he does It."
Dave became Interested. He saw
two or three others lose fives ami tens.
It was plain his companion's tip was
straight. There was Just one way to
beat this game, but It was simple
enough when you knew how. He
sidled close to the table, making grent
pretense of Indifference, but watching
the cards closely wlih his keen black
eyes.-. The dealer showed his hand.
made a few quick passes, and the
black curd flew out to the right. This
was Dave's chance. He pounced on
it with his left hand, while his other
plunged Into his pocket.
"Sixty dollars on this one," he cried,
and there was the triumphant note in
his voice of i he man who knows be
has beaten the other at his own game.
"You Ain't PlayinV Said the Dealer.
"You Ain't In on This."
"You ain't playin'." said the dealer.
"You ain't In on this."
"That don't go " said Dave very
quietly. '"You're playin' a public game
here, an' I chose to play with you "this
once. Sixty dollurs on this card." ne
was fumbling his money on the table.
?l'ou ajn't playlu'," repeated tlu
dealer. "You're a butt-la, Too ain't
In this game at all."
"Sure he's In," said the crowd.
"That ain't right." whined the
dealer, "but you got It on uie. Turn
'er up."
The card was red.
Dave looked at It stupidly. It was
moment or two before ha realised
that hi money was jrone. Then, re-
gu rules oT'TTioffe" aiui, he" inched
through the crowd, flinging bystand
ers rluht and left, and plunged Into
the night.
He walked down a street until It
lost Itself on the prairie; then he fol
lowed a prairie trail far Into the coun
try. The air was cold and a few drops
of rain were falling (n It. but be was
unconscious of the weather. He was
In a rage through and through. Slop
eye was now a dream, a memory,
gcuie gone. Everything was gone;
only his revolver and a few cents re
mained. He gripped the revolver
again, with that he was supreme. No
man In all that town of men schooled
In the ways of the West was more
then his equal while that grip lay
In his palm. At the point of that
muzzle he could demand his money
back and get it.
Then .he laughed. Hollow and
empty It sounded la the night nlr, but
It was a laugh, and it saved his spirit.
"Why, you fool," he chuckled, "you
cume to town for to learn somethln',
didn't you? Well, you're learnln'.
Sixty dollars a throw. Educutlon
comes high, don't It? But you
shouldn't kick. He didn't wfx you
in, an' gave you every chance to back
away. You butted In and got stung.
Perhaps you've learned somethln'
worth sixty dollars."
In his Innocence of the ways of the
game It never occurred to him that the
lendjy stranger who had showed, him
Watch for Announcement
of Public Sale on
MONDAY, MARCH 21
Nine miles cast of.AIliaace.
TWENTY-NINE HEAD OF CATTLE
FINE LOT OF FARM MACHINERY
-:- FKEE LUNCH AT NOON -:-
P. O. Muntz, Owner
H. P. Coursey, Auct. Chas. Brittan, Clerk
Do You Like
Good Ice Cream?
Then These Prices Will
Appeal to You
WE'VE lowered the prices on many popular
confections, and leave it to your judgment if
they don't attract you. Remember they are
for
SATURDAY SPECIALS ONLY
Any Plain Ice Cream Soda 10c and tax 11c
Any Plain Ice Cream Sundae 10c and tax 11c
Pie 10c Fruit Ice Cream Sodas17c
Fruit Sundae 17c Malted Milk 17c
Coco Cola.- Sc Lemonade 17c
Ureen Iliver 8c Malted Milk Float 22c
HEY, KIDS CM ON IN!
Ice Cream Cones , 4c and War Tax
THY OUR PLATE LUNCHES
F. J. BRENN AN
how to play Tt was a frleinT of file
sharper, and probably at this moment
they were dividing his sixty dollars
the price of old Slop-eye between
thexn. 1
(Continued (n Next Issue)
Wanted to buy both yo-ar fit
ind stock hogs. O'Bannon and
Neuswanger. Phone 71. 18tf
R EAL ADVERTISING
There is a yountr titan in Greenfield",
Indiana, whose name is Bill White, Jr.
am! some day he is apt to be a copy
writer in an agency. The school mas
ter is willing to irive Billy this pub
licity, because it is a pretty sure bet
if bp evpr does become one of that
great bodv of men who describe for
the benefit of tne wnoi epuDiic me son.
of merchandise which will serve them
best, he will be a sincere copy writer.
Witness what is, perhaps his first
piece of copy,' from the Greenfield'
Daily Reporter. It lias descriptive
power, sincerity and surely there is bo
overstatment in his offer to pay a
"small reward."
l,OST Will some little toy or girl
find my kittie for me? It is a Mal
tese, has white throat and four white
feet 1 will pay a "small reward, 01
take vou to the show. Billy White, Jr..
Printer.-s' Ink.
Snuff boxes now adorn glass cases in.
ihe museums; and taking snuff became
ohsolete without a constitutional
amendment.
4
