Nebraska Newspapers

    THE NORTH PLATTE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE
Big
m
Copyright by William MacLeod
FOREWORD
Tlic driver of the big enr throttled
flown. SInco ho hnd swung away from
Uio dusty rond to follow a wngon
track across the desert, the speedom-,
eter hnd registered many miles. His
eyes searched the ground In front to
see whether the track led up the brow I
of Uio hill or dipped Into the sandy
wash.
On tho breeze there floated to him the
faint, Insistent bawl of thirsty cattle.
T)io car leaped forward agnln, climbed
tho hill, and closed In upon a remuda
of horscH watched by two wranglers.
The chauffeur stopped tho mnchlno
and shouted n question at tho nearest
rider, who swung his mount nnd can
tered up. lie was n lean, tanned youth
In overalls, Jumper, wide sombrero,
hjgh-liceled boots, and shiny leather
chaps. A girl In tho tonneau appraised
wjiUi quick, eager eyes this horseman
of the plains. Perhaps she found him
loss picturesque than sho had hoped.
Ho wns not there for movlng-plcturo
purposes. Nothing on horse or man
held Its placo for any renson except
utility.
"Where's the round up?" asked tho
driver.
Tho coffee-brown youth gave a Httlo
lift of his head to tho right, no was
apparently a man of few words.
Tlio car moved forward to the edge
of the mesa and dropped Into tlio val
ley. Tho girl In tho back seat gavo
a little scream of dollght. Hero at last
was the West sho hnd read nbout In
books and seen on tho screen.
Tills wns Cattlelund's hour of hours.
Tho pnrndu grounds were occupied by
two circles of cattle, each fenced by
eight or ten horsemen. Tho nearer
ono was the beef herd, beyond this
nnd closer to tho mouth of tho canyon
from which they hnd nil recently been
driven wns a mnss of closely packed
cows and calves,
Several men wcro busy branding nnd
rnnrklng tho calves dragged to them
from tho herd by the horsemen who
were roping tho frightened Httlo blat
ters. . With n movement of her wrist the
girl opened thp door nnd stepped down
from the car.
A mnn sitting beside the chauffeur
turned In his sent. "You'd better stay
whore you are, honey." He hnd un
Idcn that this wns not exactly the
Bccne n girl of seventeen ought to see
at close runge.
"I want to gut the kinks out of my
muscles, Dad," the girl called bnck.
"I'll not go far."
She walked along a rldgo that ran
from the mesa into tho valley uuo an
outstretched tongue. There wns a
touch of unstudied JnuntlncsR In the
way the tips of hw goirten curia cs
enped from beneath the Httlo brown
toquo sho wore. A young man guard
ing the beef herd watched her curi
ously. Something In the poise of the
light, boyish llguro struck n spark
from his Imagination.
Ab she stood on the spit of tho ridge,
a slim, light figure silhouetted ngnlnst
the skyline, the young man guarding
the beef herd called something to hor
that was lost in the bawling of the
cuttle. From the motion of his hand
sho know that hujwus telling her to
got back to tho car. Hut tho girl saw
no reiiBon for obeyhig the orders of n
rango-rlder she hud nover seen beforo
nnd never expected to seo agnln. No
body hnd ever told her that a rider Is
fairly sufo among the wildest hill cat
(Je, but n man on foot Is llnblo to at
tack at any tlmo when a herd Is ex
cited. A Bhout of, warning startled her.
Abovo tho bellowing of the herd sho
heard another yell.
"Ul-yl-yn-a I"
A red-eyed steer, tall up, wns crash
ing through tho small brush toward
tho brunders. There was a wild spur
ry for safety. Tho men Uropped Iron
and ropcB nnd fled to their saddles, De
flected by pursuers, tho nulmnl turned.
By chance It thundered straight for
tho girl on tho sund spit.
'J-Sbo stood paralyzed for u moment,
Out of the gathering darkness a volco
camo to her sharp nnd, clear. "Don't
ttdVo'l" It rang so vibrant with crisp
command thnt tho girl, poised for
flight, stood still und waited In whlto
terror whllo tlio hugo steer lumbered
toward her.
A cow pony, wheeled as on a dol
lar, Jumped to an instant gallop. Tho
mail rldbjg it wns tho ono who had
warned ficr back to tho car, Horse and
laalxro pounded over tho ground toward
her. Bach stride brought them closer
to each other as thoy'convcrged toward
the sand spit It camo to her with a
gust o panicky despalt that thoy
wo rid collide on tho very spot whero
slip stood. Yet sho did not run.
The rider, lifting his bronco forward
at 'full speed, won by a fraction of a
SMOod. He guided In such a way as
6 pfing his horse between her and the
eteer. Without slackening his pace
inathe least as ho swept past, the man
Ktooped lowt caught the girl beneath
- Town
m
li
bufid
by
mimnacleodMnelM
... i n
iuusiruuons dj
Ram
the armpits, and swung her In front
of him to the back of the horse. The
steer pounded past ho close behind
that one of Its horns grazed tlio tall of
the cow pony.
It was a superb piece of horseman
ship, perfectly timed, us perfectly exe
cuted. The girl luy breathless In the arms
of t,1( 'nan, her heurt beating ngnlnst
his, her face burled in his shoulder.
She was dazed, half fainting from tlio
reaction of her fear. The next she
remembered clearly was being lowered
Into the nrms of her father.
lie held her tight, his face tortured
with emotion. She was the very light
of his soul, and she had shaved death
by a hair's breadth. A miracle had
saved her, but ho would nover forget
the terror that had gripped him.
The girl snuggled closer to him, her
arms round his neck.
A young man descended from the
car, handsome, trim, and well got up.
lie hnd been tailored by the best man's
outfitter In New York. Nobody on
Broadwny could order a dinner better
than he. The latest dnnces ho could do
perfectly. He had the reputation of
knowing exactly the best thing to say
on every occasion. Now he proceeded
to say It.
"Corking bit of riding never saw
better. I'll give you my hand on that,
my mnn."
The cowpuncher found a bunch of
manicured fingers In his rough, brown
paw. Ho found something else, for
after the pink nand had gone there
He Guided In Such a Way as to Bring
His Horse Between Her and the
Steer.
romulned a llfty-dollar bill. He looked
at It helplessly for a moment ; then,
beneath tho brown outdoor tan, u Hush
of nngcr beat Into his fnco. Without
a word ho leaned forwnrd und pressed
tho noto Into the mouth of tho bronco.
Tho buckskin know Its master for a
very good friend. If he gave it some
thing to ont well, there wns no hurra
in trying it once. The buckskin
chowed placidly for n fow seconds, de
cided that this was u practical Joke,
und ejected from Its mouth slimy
green pulp that had recently beou a
treasury note.
The father stammered his thanks, to
Uio rescuer of the girl. "1 don't know
what 1 can over do toslot you know
... I don't know how I can over
pay you for saving . , ,
"Forget It I" snapped tho brown man
curtly. Ho was an evoH-(empon.Kl
youth, us gcnlnWnml friendly as a half
grown pup, but Just now tho word
"pay" Irritated him as a red rag 'does
a sulky bull.
"If there's unythtng at nil I can do
for you "
"Not a thing."
Tho Nev Yorker felt thnt ho was
not expressing himself at nil happily.
wnat no wanted was to Bhow this
young follow that ho had put him un
der a llfeioug obligation ho could nev
er bono to wlno out.
"If you ever e'omo to New York"
tin not llauio to go these, I don't
oolong tnoro any moro than you do
hero. Better drift hack to Tucson,
stranger. Tako a fool's advlco and hit
tho trail for town prouto before you
uump uuo moro trouble."
Tho tldor swung round his pony and
camcreu oncu to ruo ueer herd.
Ho left behind him a much-nnnovni
clubman, a perplexed and distressed
rawer, mm a girt both hurt nnd in.
dlgnant nt his brusquo rejection of her
fatlfcr's friendly advanoea. Tho episode
of Uio ilfty-dollar bill had taken place
onUrcly under covor. Tho man who
nna givon uio noto and the ono who
had refused to accept it wero tho only
ones who know of it. Tho girl saw
only that this splendid horseman who
bad snatched her from under tho very
fcot of tlic tntllno hud shown n boor
lsU discourtesy. The savor had gone
out of her adventure. Her hcurt wno
sick wltn disappointment uiid Indignation.
CHAPTER I
A Stre'ct Twelve Miles Long.
"I like yore outfit," Red Holllster
grumbled. "You're nice boys, and good
to yore mothers what few of you ain't
wore their gray hairs to the grave
with yore frolicsome ways. You know
yore business und you got n good
cook. Hut I'm darned if I like this
thing of two meals a day, one nt n
quurte- to twelve ut night and the
other a qunrter pnst twelve, also nnd
likewise nt night."
Hed's grumbling wns n pretense. He
would not have been anywhere else for
twice the pny. This wns whnt he lived
for.
Johnnie Green, commonly known ns
"Uio Hunt," helped himself to another
llnnk steak. He was not much of a
cow-hand, but when it enme to eating
Johnnie was ulways conscientiously on
the Job.
"These here New Yorkers must bo
awful hardy," he ventured, npropos of
nothing. "Seems like they're night
birds for fnlr. Never do go to bod, far
as I can mnke out. They tramp tho
streets nil day and dance nt tnem cabby-rets
ull night. My feet would bo
all wore out."
Stnco Wnllls grinned. "So would my
pocketbook. I've heard tell how a fel
low can pay as high as four or five
dollars for un cat at them places."
Clay Lindsay laughed. "You boys
know n lot about New York, Just about
as much as I do. I've read that a
guy cun drop a, hundred dollars n night
In n enburet if ho has n friend or two
along, nnd never make a ripple on
Brondwny."
"Well, I rend there's n street there
twelve miles long. If n fellow started
at one end of that street with a thirst
ho'd sure be salivated beforo ho
readied tho other end of it," Stace
said with a grin.
"Wonder if n fellow could get a Job
there. They wouldn't be no use for a
puncher, I reckon," Slim drawled.
"Bctchn Clay could get a Job
all right," answered Johnnie Gr,cen
promptly. "He'd be top hand any
where, Clay would."
Johnnie wns the lost dog of the
B-ln-n-Box ranch. It wns his nature to
follow somebody nnd lick hi" hnnd
whenover It wns permitted. The some
body he followed wns Clay 'Lindsay.
Johnnlo wns his slnve, the echo of his
opinions, the booster of his merits.
He asked no greater happiness than to
trail in the wake of his friend and get
a kind word occasionally.
Tho Hunt had chosen as his Admir
able Crlchtwn a most engaging youth.
it never had been hard for uny girl
to look nt Clny Lindsay. His sun
tnwncd good looks, tho warmth of his
gay smile, the poise nnd the ensy stride
of him, mnde Lindsay a marked man
even in a country where men of splen
did physique were no exception.
Ills eyes new were watching tho leap
of the fire glow. The talk of Now York
hnd carried him back to a night on tlio
round-up three years before. He was
thinking ubout n slim girl standing on
a sand spit with a wild steer rushing
toward her, of her warm, slender body
lying in his nrms for Ave Immortal
seconds, of her dnrk, shy eyes shining
out of the dusk nt him llko live coals.
Ho remembered and It hurt him to
recall It how his wounded prido had
lashed out In resentment of the pntron
agu of these New Yorkers. The young
er mun hnd Insulted him, but he knew
In his heart now that the girl's father
had meant nothing of the kind. Of
course the girl had forgotten him long
since.
"Question Is, could you land a Job
In Now York If you wanted one," ex
plained Staco to the dreamer.
"If It's neck meat or nothln' a fel
low can 'most always get somethln' to
do," said Lindsay In the gcntlo voice
ho used. The vaguo Impulses of many
days crystallzed suddenly into a reso
lution. "Anyhow I'm goin' to try. Soon
as tho rodeo Is over I'm goln' to hit
tho .trail for the big town."
"Tucson?" Interpreted Johnnie dubi
ously. "Now York."
Tlio bow-legged little puncher looked
ut his friend and gasped.
Clny flushed on him the warm smile
Umt endeared htm to all his friends.
"I'm goln' to rldo dowu Broadway and
shoot up tho town, Johnnie. Want to
come along?"
CHAPTER II
Clay Appoints Himself Chaperon.
As ho traveled east Cluy began 'to
slough Uio outwurd marks of his call
ing. Ho gavo his spurs to Johnnlo bV
foro ho left the ranch. At Tucsou ho
shed his chaps nnd left them In caro
of a friend ut tho Longhom corral.
Tho six-gun with which ho had shot
rattlesnakes ho paeked Into his suit
case at El 1'aso. Hta wldc-rlmmed felt
hat flew off whllo tho head beneath U
was stuck out of a window of Uio
coach somewhere south of Denver. Be
fore ho passed under tho Welcome
inch in Uiat city tho silk kerchief had
been removed from his brown neck
nu'd retired to the hip pocket which
formerly hold his forty-flve.
Tho young catUeman began to flutter
himself Uiat nobody could now tell
ho was a wild mnn from the hills who
had nover been curried. Ho might
imvo spared himself the illusion. The
lightness of his stride, tho breadth of
tho woll-pncked shoulders, tho frank
ness of tho steady eyes, all advertised
him as a Bon of Arlzoini.
It was Just beforo noon nt ono of the
small plains towns east of Denver.thnt
a girl got on the train nnd "wns tnken
by Uie porter to a section bnck of Clny
Lindsay. Tho man from Arlzbnn no-
tlced that sho was refreshingly pretty
in an unsophlsUcatcd way.
A little later he had a chance to
confirm this Judgment, for the dining
car manager seated her opposite him
at a table for two. When Clay handed
her the menu enrd she murmured
"Thank youl" with a rusti of color to
lier cheeks and looked helplessly at
Uie list In her hand. Quite plainly she
was taking her first long Journey.
The cow puncher helped her fill the
order card. She put herself entirely In
tils hands and was willing to ent what
ever he suggested unblused by prefer
ences of her own.
She was a round, soft, little person
with constant IntlmnUons of a child
hood not long outgrown. During Uie
course of luncli she confided that her
name was Kitty Mason, thut she was
an orpnnn, and that sho was on her
way to Now York to study at a school
for moving-picture actresses.
"I sent my photograph and the mnn
agcr wrote back that my face was one
hundred per cent perfect for the
movies," Uie girl explained. It was
clear that she was expecting to be
manufactured, into a film star In a
week or two.
After they had finished eaUng, the
range-rider turned in at the smoking
compartment and enjoyed a cigar. He
fell Into casual talk with an army ofil
cor who had served In the Southwest,
and It was three hours later when he
returned to his own seat In the car.
A hard-faced man In a suit of checks
more than a shade too loud was sit
ting In the secUon beside the girl from
Brush. He wns making talk in nn as
sured, famlllur way, nnd tho girl was
listening to hlra shyly and yet eagerfy.
The man was a variation of a type
known to Lindsay. That type was Uie
Arizona bad-man. If this expensively
dressed fellow was not the eastern
equivalent of the western gunman,
Clay's experience was bndly nt fault.
Clny hnd nlrcndy mado friends with
Ute I'ullman conductor. He drifted to
him now on the search for Informa
tion. "The hard-faced guy with the Httlo
girl?" he asked casually after the
proffer of a cigar. "The one with the
muscles! bulging out all over him
who Is he?" '
"Ho comes by that tough mug hon
estly. That's Jerry Durand."
"The prize-fighter?"
"Yep. Used to be. He's a gang
leader In New York now. Runs a
gambling house of Ids own, I've heard.
You can't prove it by me.''
When Lindsay returned to his place
he settled himself with a magazine In
a seat where ho could sec Kitty and
her new friend. The very vitality of
. Uie girl's young life was no doubt a
temptation to this man. The soft,
rounded throat line, the oval cheek's
rich coloring so easily moved to abb
Wand flow, the carmine of the full red
Hps; every detail helped to confirm Uio
Impression of a sensuous young crea
ture,, Innocent ns n wild thing of the
forests and as yet almost, as un
splrltunl. Durand took the girl In to dinner
with liliu nnd they sat not far from
Lindsay. Kitty was lost to nny mem-
Kltty Was Lost to Any Memory ef
Those About Her.
pry of those nbout her. She wns flirt
lug Joyously wltji a' sense of newly
awakened powers. Tho man from Gra
ham county, Arizona, felt uneasy in his
mind. Tho girl was flushed with life.
In a way she was celebrating her es
cape from Uie narrow horizon In which
she had lived. In her unsopliistlcation
danger lay. For sho was plainly
easily Influenced, and in tho beat of
her healthy young blood probably
there was latent passion.
They left Uio diner before Clay. He
passed them lator in Uie vestibule of
tho sleeper. They were looking out to
gcUter on tho moonlit plain through
which Uio train was rushing. Tho arm
of tho man was stretched behind her
to the ratling and with the motion of
Uio car the girl swayed back slightly
against him.
Again Clay Bqught the smoking com
partment and was led Into talk' by the
ofllcer. It wns well post eleven when
ho rose, yawned, and announced, "I'm
goin' to hit Uie hay."
Most of the berUis wero made up
nnd it wns with a Httlo shock of sur
prlso Uiat his eyes fell' on Kitty Mason
mnl her new friend, tho sleek black
head of tho man close to her fair cuns,
his steady eyes holding her llko a
charmed bird while his caressing volco
wove the fairy tale of Now York to
which sho yielded herself In strange
delight.
"Don't you-all want yo berth made
up lady?"
It wns the Impatient porter who in
terrupted them. The girl sprang up
tremulously to uccept.
"Oh. please. Is It late?" Her glance
swept dewu the car and took In Uio
fact that her section alone was not
made up. "I didn't know why, what
time Is It?"
"Most twelve, ma'am," replied the
aggrieved porter severely.
She Hashed a look of reproach at
h(r companion and blushed agnln as
she lied with her hag to the Indies'
dressing room.
The train wus rolling through Uie
cornfields of Uie Middle West when the
Arlzonan invoke. He wus up early,
but not long before Kitty Mason, who
wns Joined at once by Durand.
"Shucks! Nothln' to ltn-tnll," Uie
range-rider assured himself. "That
111' girl must have the number of this
guy. She's fllrtln' with him to bent
three of a kind, but I'll bet a dogle
she knows right where she's at."
Clny did not In the least believe his
own nrgument. If he had come from a
city he would have dismissed the mat
ter as none of his business. But he
came from the clean Southwest where
every straight girl Is under the pro
tection of every decent man. If she
wns In danger because of her Inno
cence It was up to him to lok after
her. There was no more competent
man In Grnham county than Clay
Lindsay, but ho recognized thnt this
was a dellcnte nffnlr In which he must
move wnrlly.
On his way to the diner at noon the
range-rider nnssed her aaln. She was
nlone for the moment nnd as she
leaned bnck her soft round throat
showed a beating pulse. Her cheeks
were burning nnd her stnrry eyes were
looking Into the future with n happy
smile.
"You poie HtUe maverick," the man
commented silently. jjj
The two had the table opposite him.
As the wheels raced over a culvert to
Uio comparative quiet of the ballasted
track beyond, the words of Uie man
reached Clay.
". . . and we'll have all day to
sec the city, Kid."
Kitty shook her head. There was
hesitation in her manner, and Uie man
was quick to mnke the most of It.
"And It won't cost you a cent, girlie,"
he added.
But the long lashes of the girl lifted
and her baby-blue eyes met his with
shy reproach. "I don't think I ought,"
she breathed, color sweeping her face
in a vivid flame.
-'You should worry," he scoffed.
Lindsay knew the girl was weaken
ing. She was no match for this big,
dominant, two-fisted man.
The Jaw of the cow puncher set.
This child was not fair game for a
man llko Durand. When Clay roso to
leave the diner he knew "that he meant
to sit Id and take a hand.
The train was creeping through "the
thickly setUed quarter wliere the poor
er people ore herded when Clay
touched Durand on the shoulder.
"Like to see you a moment, In the
vestibule," he said la his gentle voice.
The eyes of Uie two men mot and
the gambler knew at once that Uils
man and he were destined to be en
emies. No mnn had ever said that Jerry
Durand was not game. He rose prompt
ly and followed tho. westerner from the
car, swinging along with the -light, cat
like tread acquired by many pugilists.
Tlio floor of the vestibule had Been
raised and the outer door of the car
opened. Durand found time to won
der why. .
The cowpuncher turned on him with
an abrupt question. "Can you swim?"
The eyes of Uie ward boss narrowed.
''What's Uiat to yoiiT' he demanded
truculenUy.
"Nothln' to me, but a good deal to
you. I'm almln' to drop you in the
river when wo cross."
"Is that so?" snarled Durand.
"You're quite a'Joker, ain't you? Well,
suit me. But let's get this clear so
we'll know where we're at. What'o
allln' you, rube?"'
"I don't llko the color of yore hair
or the cut of yoro clothed,"' d-awled
Lindsay. "You've got a sure-enough
bad eye, and I'm tired of travelin' in
yore company. Let's get off, me or
you one."
In the slltted eyes of Uio Bowery
graduate there was no heat at all.
They were bleak as a heavy winter
morn. "Suits me fine. You'll not travel
with mo much farUier. Here's where
you beat Uio place."
The' professional lashed out sudden
ly with his left But Clay was not at
tho receiving end of Uio blow. Always
quick as lightning, he had ducked and
clinched. His steel-muscled arms tight
ened about the waist of the oUi'er. A
short-arm Jolt to the cheek ho disre
garded. '
Beforo Durand had set himself to
meet tho plunge he found .himself fly
ing through space. Tho gambler caught
at tho rail, missed It, landed on the
cinders besldo tho roadbed, was flung
Instantly from his feet, and rolled over
and over down an incline to a muddy
gully.
Clay, hanging to Uie brass railing,
leaned out and looked back. Durand
had staggered to his feet, plastered
with mud from head to knees, and was
shaking furiously a fist at him. The
face of tho man wns venomous with
rage.
Tho cowpuncher waved a debonair
hand und mounted tho steps again.
Tho poV-terf was standing in Uio vesti
bule looking at him wlfh amazement
"You tarowed a. man offn'thls -train,
mlstah," ho charged.
"So I did," admitted Clay, and to
save his lifo ho could not keep from
smiling.
The porter sputtered. This beat any
thing hi His previous experience. "But
but It ain't allowed to open up Uio
cah. Was you-all bavin' trouble?"
"No trouble a-tnll. He hot ma a
cigar I couldn't put him oft."
Cluy palmed a dollar and handed it
to the porter ns ho passed Into Uio
car. The eyes of that outraged official
rolled after him. The book of rules
did not say anything about wrestling
matches In the vestibule. Besldos, it
happened thut Durand had called him
down sharply uot un hour before. Ha
decided to brush off his passengers and
forget whnt he hnd seen."
Clny stopped In front of Kitty and
said he hoped she would have no
trouble making her transfer In Uio
city. The girl was no fool. She had
sensed the antagonism that had flared
up between them In that moment when
they hnd faced ench other five minutes
before.
"Where's Mr. Durand?" she asked.
"He got off."
"But the train hasn't stopped."
"It's Just cruwlin' along, and he was
In a hurry."
Her gaze rested upon an angry
bruise oi. his check. It had not been
there whei. last she snw him.
"I don't understand It," sho mur
mured, hall' to herself. "Why would
he get off before we reached tho do
pot?" She was full of suspicions, and the
bruise on tho westerner's cheek did
not tend to allay them. They wero
still unsatisfied when tho porter took
her to the end of tho car to brush
her clothes.
The dlscreUon of that young man
had Its limits. While ho brushed Uie
gJrl ho told her rapidly what ho had
seen In the vestibule.
"Was he hurt?" she asked breath
lessly. "No'm. I looked out and seen him
standln' beside the track Jos' a-cussln'
a blue streak. He's a sho-'nongh bad
actor, that Jerry Durand."
Kitty marched straight to her sec
tion. Tho eyes of the girl flashed
anger.
"Please leave my sent, sir," she told
Clay.
The Arlzonan rose at once. Ho know
that she knew. "I was lntendln' t
help you off with yore grips," he said
She flamed into passionate resent
ment of his interference. "I'll attend
to them. I can look out for myself,
sir."
With that she turned her back on
him.
CHAPTER III
The Big Town.
When Clay stepped from the staUon
at tho Thirty-fourth Street entrance
New York burst upon him with what
seemed almost a Uirent. Ho could hear
Uie roar of It like a river rushing down
a canyon. Clay had faced a catUe
stampede. He had. ridden out a bliz
zard hunched up with the drifting
herd. He had lived rough all his young
and joyous Ufa But for a moment ho
felt a chill drench at his heart Uiat
was almost dread. Ho did not know a
soul In, this vast populace. He was
alono among seven or eight million
crazy Human beings.
He had checked his suitcase to ba
free to look about. He had no desUna
Uon and was In no hurry. All Uie day
was before him, all of many days. He
drifted down the street and across to
Sixth avenue.
Chance swept him up, Sixth to Her
ald square. He was caught In tho
river of humanity Uiat races up Broad
way. He wondered where all Uils rush
of people was going. What crazy Im
pulses sent tliem surging to and fro?
And Uie girls Clay surrendered to
them at discretion. He had not sup
posed there were so many pretty, well
dressed girls in the world.
"FJj-st off I'm goln' to get me a real
city suit of clothes," he promised him
self. "This here wrinkled outfit la
some too woolly for Uie big town. If a
a good suit yet 'most as good as when
I bought It at the Boston store In
Tucson three years ago. But I reckon
I'll savo It to go home In."
He stopped in front of a storo above
which was tho legend "L Bernstein,
"Might You Would Want a Good 8ult
of Quality Clothes, My Frtendt?' He
Suggested.
Men's Garments." A small man with
sharp HtUe eyes and well-doflned noso
was standing In the doorway.
"MlgJit you would want a good suit
of quality clothes, my frlendt," he sug
gested. "Tou'.vc pegged me right," agreed
the westerner with his ready smllo
"Lead me to U."
TO BH CONTINUED