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About The Red Cloud chief. (Red Cloud, Webster Co., Neb.) 1873-1923 | View Entire Issue (May 17, 1923)
1 RED OLOUD. NEBRASKA, OHIEF ii The Light of XOestern Stars "I MET A LADY" SYNOPSIS. Arriving nt the lone y Utile tiillroml station of Kl Cnjon, Now Mexico. Mnilclliic Hammond, Now York rocloty Klrl, Hnils no nno in inrt't her. While. In tlie uniting room, a ilninlmn cowlmy entiT. iihUh If she Is miirrlcil, find ilenrtn, I paving her terrlllul. Mo rotorim with ii priest, who koch through mime urt of ceremony, nnd the row hoy forcc-H Jicr to ny "SI." Anting her nntiie nnd livirnlim her Identity tlio cowboy mi-iiih dazed. In u nhootltiK rcrupt) outmdn the room a Mexican Ih killed. The row lioy letM n Klrl, Hntiltn, take hln horto and escape, then conducts Madeline to llorenco KltiKHloy, friend nf her hi other, norenco veh "inert her, leanm her Mory, and (llnmlHSi'H tho cowlmy. Ocno Stew nrt. Next day Alfrecl Hammond, Madeline's brother, tnkes Stewart to tank. Madeliiui uxonerotcN him of iinv uionK Intent. Alfred, hcIoii of n wenlthy family, had been dls iuImhi'iI from hln home becaiiso of hlH dlHHlpatlon. Madellno neeH that the WoHt lint redeemed him. Sho meets Mlllwell, AI'h employer, typ ical western ranchman. CHAPTER III Continued. 3 "Wnl, wnl, Al, this 'a the proudest inootln' of my life," replied Stlllwell, In u booming voice. He uxtondcil n huge hum!. "Miss Miss Majesty, Mght of yon Is as welcome hb tlie ruin im tlie flowers to an old desert cuttle inun." Madeline greeted him, nnd It was nil bliu could do to repress a cry at the way he crunched her hand In n grasp of Iron. lie was old, white-haired, weather-beaten, with long furrows down Ids cheeks nnd with gray eyes almost hidden In wrinkles. If ho was Mulling sho fancied It n most extraor dinary smile. Tho next Instant she realized thnt It laid been a smile, for his face appeared to stop rippling, the light died, and suddenly It was llko rudely chiseled stone. The quality of hardness she had noon In Stewart was Immeasurably intensllled In this old man's face. "Miss Majesty, it's plumb humlllatln' to all of us thet we wasn't on hand to meet you," Stlllwell said. "I'm sure afraid It wns n bit unpleasunt fer you last night at the station. Wnl, I'm Home glad to tell you thet there's no man In these pnrts except your brother thet I'd as lief hev met you ua Geno Stewart." "Indeed?" "Yes, an' t hot's tnkln' Into considera tion Cieue's weakness, too. I'm alius fond of suln' of myself thet I'm the last of the old cattlemen. Wnl, Stew art's not a native westerner, but he's my pick of the lust of the cowboys. Sure, he's young, but he's the Inst of ,the old style the pleturcsiiue an (chivalrous, too, I make bold to say, Miss Majesty, as well as the old hard rlilln' kind. Folks ore down on Stew urr. An' I'm only sayln' a good word for him because he Is down, nn' mebbe last nltiht he might hev scared you, you beln' fresh from the Knst." Madeline liked the old fellow for his loyalty to the cowboy he evidently cared for; hut as there did not seem anything for her to say, sho remnlnod silent. "Miss Majesty, I reckon, beln' ns you're In the West now, thet you must take things ns thej come, an' mind "Miss Majesty, It's Plumb Humlllatln' To All of Uo Thet We Wasn't on Hand to Meet You," Stlllwell Bald. each thing a little less than the one before. If we old fellers hedn't been thet way we'd never hev lasted. "Last night wasn't particular bnd, rutin' with somo other nights lately. There wasn't much doln. Hut I had n hard knock. Yesterday when wo started in with a bunch of cnttlo I sent one of my cowboys, Danny Mains, along ahead, carryln money I lied to pay off hands an' my bills, an' I want od thet money to got in town boforo jdurk. Wal, Danny was hold up. I (don't distrust the lad. There's been Itcunjia Greqsers In town lately, an' 'Jtt " Copyright by Harper and Brother mebbe they know about the money comln'. "Wal, when I arrived with the cat tle I was some put to It to make ends meet. An todiiy I wasn't In no angelic humor. When I hod my business all done I went around pokln my nose lieali nn' there, tryln' to got scent of thet money. An I happened tu at a hall we hev thet does duty for Jnll un' hospital an' election-post nn' what not. Wal, Just then It was doln' duly as a hospital. I.ust night was llesta night those CSreasers hev n llesta ev ery week or so an' one Oreaser who had boon bud hurt was layln' In the hull, whore he hod been fetched from the station. "The hull was full of cowboys, ranch ers, Grousers, miners, an' town folks, along with some strangers. I was about to got started up this way when Put Ilawe come In. "Pat, he's the sheriff. He come Into the hall, an' he was roarln' about things. He was goln' to arrest Danny Mains on sight. Wal, I Jest pollto-llke told Pat thet tho money was mine an' he needn't get riled nhout It. An' If I wanted to trail the thief I reckon I could do It as well as anybody. "Then he cooled down u bit an' was askln' questions nhout the wounded Grouser when Gene Stewart comes In. Whenever Pat an' Gene come together It reminds me of the early days back In tho 'seventies. Jest naturally ev erybody .shut up. l'er Pat hates Gene, nn' I reckon Geno ain't very sweet on Pat. "'Hello Stewart I You're tho feller I'm lookln' for,' said Pat. 'There was somo queer goings-on last night thet you know somethln' about. Danny Mains robbed Stlllwell's money gone your ronn horse gone an' this Greaser gone, too. Now, seeln'' thet you was up Into an' prowlln' round tho station whero this Grensor wag found, It ain't onrensonablo to think you might know how ho got plugged is It?' "Stewart laughed kind of cold, an' he rolled a clguretto, all the time eyeln' Pat, an then ho said If he'd plugged the Grouser it'd never hev been slch a buuglln Job. " 'I can arrest you on suspicion, Stewart, but boforo I go thet far I want some evidence. I want to llnd out what's become of your boss. You've never lent him since you bed him, un' there ulu't enough rnldoru across tho border to steal him from you. It's got a queer look thet boss beln' gone. You was drunk last night?' "Stewart never batted an eye. " 'You mot some woman on Number Klghr, didn't you?' shouted Unwe. "'I met a lady,' replied Stewart, quiet an' mouaclii' like. '"You met Al Hammond's sister, an' you took her up to Klngsley's. An' cinch tills, my cowboy cavalier, Pin goln' up there an' ask this grand diuuo some questions, un' If she's as close mouthed us you are I'll arrest her!' "Gone Stewart turned white. I fer one expected to Bee lilm Jump like Uglituln,' as he does when he's riled sudden-. Hut he was calm an' he wns thlnkln' bard. Presently ho said: " 'Pat, tliot's a fool Idee, an' If you do the trick It'll hurt you all the rest of your life. There's absolutely no rea son to frighten Miss Hammond. An' tryln' to arrest her would be such a d d outrage as won't bo stood fer In IJI Cajon. If you're sore on mo send me to Jail. I'll go. If you want to hurt Al Hammond, go an' do It some mail kind of way. Don't take your spite out on us by Insultln' a lady who has come hyar to hev u little visit. We're bad enough without beln' low down as Grousers.' "It was a long talk for Gene, nn' I was as surprised as the rest of the fel lers, it was plain to me an' others who spoke of it afterward thet Pat Ilawe hod forgotten tho law an' tho otllcor in tlie man an' his hate. "Tin u-goln, an' Pin a-goln' right now!' ho shouted. "Stewart seemed kind of chokln. an' he seemed to hev been bewildered by the idee of Hnwo's coufrontln' you. "An' llnally ho burst out: 'Hut, man, think who It Is! It's Miss Ham mond ! If you seen her, even If you wns locoed or drunk, you you couldn't do It.' "Couldn't I? Wal, I'll show you d n quick. What do I cure who she Is? Them swell enstern women I've heerd of them. They're not so much. This Hammond woman ' "Suddenly Hnwe shut up, an' with his rod mug turnln' green he went for his gun." Stlllwell paused In his narrative to got breath, and he wiped his moist brow. And now bis faco begun to lose Its cragglno.ss. It changed, It softened, It rippled and wrinkled, and nil that strange mobility focused and shone In a wonderful smile. "An' then, Miss Majesty, then thcro wns somothin' happened. Stowart took Pat's gun away from lilm and throw ed It on the lloor. An' what followed was beautiful. Suro It wns tho beautiful est sight I over seen. Only It wns over 60 soon 1 A llttlo while nfter, when tho doctor came, ho hod another patient besides the wounded Greaser, an' ho said thet this now ono would re quire about four months to bo up an' 1 around cheerful-llko. again. An' Geno l Romance 'By Zane Grey Stewart bed hit tho trnil for the bor der." CHAPTER IV A Ride From Sunrise to Sunsst, Next morning, when Mndcllne was aroused by her brother, it was not yet daybreak; the air chilled her, and In the gray gloom she had to feel around for matches and lamp. Her usual languid manner vanished at a touch of the cold water Presently, when Alfred knocked on her door and said he was leaving a pitcher of hot water outside, she replied, with chattering teeth, "Th-thank y-you, b-but 1 d-don't no-need any now." Sho found it neces sary, however, to warm her numb lin gers before sho could fasten hooks and "Well, If 1 Haven't Some Color!" Sho Exclaimed. buttons. And when sho was dressed she marked In tho dim mirror that there were tinges of red In her cheeks. "Well, If I haven't some color!" sho exclaimed. Breakfast waited for her In the dining-room. The sisters nto with her. Madellno quickly cnught tho fkellng of brisk action that seemed to be In the nlr. Then Alfred came stamping In. "Mnjesty, here's whero you get tho real thing," ho announced, merrily. "Wo'ro rushing you off, I'm sorry to fitiy; but we must hustlo back to the ranch. The fall round-up begins to morrow. You will rldo in the buck- hoard with Florence nnd Stlllwell. I'll rldo on ahead with tho boys and fix up a little for you ut the ranch. It's u long title out nonrly fifty miles by wagon-road. Flo, don't forget n couple of robes. Wrap her tip well. And hustle getting ready. We're waiting." A little later, when Madeline went out with Florence, tho gray gloom was lightening. Horses were champing bits ami pounding gravel. "Mawnlir, Miss Majesty," said Stlll well, grtillly, from tho front seat of a high vehicle. Alfred bundled her up Into the bnck sent, and Florence nfter her, nnd wrapped them with robes. Then he mounted bis horse nnd started off. As Madellno gazed about her and listened to her companions, the sun rose higher and grow warm and soared and grew hot; the horses bold tire lessly to their steady trot, and mile after mile of rolling land slipped by. From tho top of u ridge Madeline saw down Into a hollow where u few of tho cowboys bnd stopped and were sitting round a fire, evidently busy at the noonday meal. Their horses wore feeding on tho long, gray grass. "Wal, smell of thet burnln' grease wood makes my mouth wnter," said Stlllwell. "I'm sure hungry. We'll noon hyar an' lot tho bosses rest. It's u long pull to the ranch." During lunch-tlmo Madellno observed that sho was an object of manifestly groat Interest to the three cowboys. She returned tho compliment, and was amused to soo that a glance their way caused them painful embarrassment. They were grown men one of whom had white hair yet they acted like boys caught In the act of stealing a forbidden look at a pretty girl. "Cowboys are sure all IIIrK" said Florence, ns If stating nn uninteresting fact. Hut Madeline detected a merry twinkle In her clear oos. The cow boys hoard, and the effect iynn them was magical. They fell to shamed 'confusion and to hurried useless- tnsks. "Daw, haw!" roared Stlllwell. "Flor ence, you Jest lilt the nail on tho bald. Cowboys are all plumb lllrts. I wns wondorln' why them boys noonod hyar. This ain't no place to noon. Ain't no grazln' or wood wuth burnln' or iiuth In'. Them boys Jest held up, t browed the packs an waited for us. It ain't so surpiisln' fer Hooly nn' Nod they're young an' coltish but Nels tbore, why, he's old enough to bo the pnw of both you girls. It suro Is nmaz In' strange." A sllenco ensued. Tho whlte-hnlred cowboy, Nels, fussed nlrclessly over tho camptlre. nnd then straightened up with a very rod face. "Bill, you're n dog-gone Ilnr," he said. "I reckon I won't stand to bo classed with Hooly an' Ned. There nln't no cowboy on this range that's moro npprcclntln' of tho ladles than me, but I shore nln't rldln' out of my way. I reckon I hev enough rldln' to do. Now, Hill, If you've sich dog-gone good eyes mohbe you seen somethln' on the way out?" "Nels, I lievn't seen nothln'," bo re plied, bluntly. "Jest take n squint at these boss trades," said Nels, and ho drew Stlll well a few puces nslde and pointed to large hoofprlnts In tho dust. "I reckon you know the boss thet mudo them?" "Gene Stewart's roan, or I'm n son-of-n-gnnl" exclaimed Stlllwell, and he dropped heavily to his knees nnd began to scrutinize the tracks. Nels, who ever was straddlln' Stewart's boss mot somebody. An' thoy hauled up u bit, but didn't git down." "Tolerable good for you, Hill, thet roasonln'," replied the cowboy. "I reckon you know what boss made the other tracks?" "I'm thlnkln' hard, hut I ain't sure." "It was Danny Mains' bronc." "How do you know thet?" demanded Stlllwell, sharply. "Hill, the loft front foot of thet little boss always wears a shoo thet sots ' crooked. Any of the boys can toll you. I'd know thet track If I was blind." "Nels, you don't think the boy's sloped with thet llttlo hussy, Honlta?" "Bill, he shore was sweet on Honlta. same as Gene was, an' lCd Linton be fore ho got ongnged, an' all the boys. She's shore chaln-llghtniii', timt llttlo black-eyed devil. Danny might hev sloped with her all light. Danny was held up on the way to town, an' then in the shame of It ho got drunk. But he'll show up s "n." "Wal, mebbe ui nn' the boys are right. I believe vou are. Nels, there ain't no doubt on arth about who was rldln' Stewart's boss?" "Tliot's as p' dn as the boss' tracks." "Wal, It's ti'l amnzln' strange. It bouts me. I wish the boys would ease up on drlnkln'. I wns pretty fond of Danny an' Gone. I'm afraid Gene's done fer, sure. If hecrossos the bor der where he enn tight It won't tnko long fer hint to get plugged. I guess I'm gettln' old. I don't stand things llko I used to." "Bill, I reckon I'd better hit the Pel onclllo trail. Mebbe I can find Danny." "I reckon you had, Nels," replied Stlllwell. "But don't tnko more'n a couple of days. Wo can't do much on the round-up without you. I'm short of boys." Thnt ended the conversation. Stlll well Immediately began to hitch up his team, and the cowboys went out to fetch Uiolr strayed horses. Made fine iiad lieeh curiously Interested, and sho saw that Florence knew It. "Things happen, MIS3 Hammond," she said, soberly, almost sadly. Madeline thought'. And then straight way Florence began brightly to hum a tune nnd to busy herself repacking whnt was left of the lunch. Madeline suddenly conceived a strong liking nnd respect for this Western girl. Soon they wore once more bowling along tho road down u gradual in cline, and then they began to climb a long ridge that had for hours hidden what lay beyond. That climb was rather tiresome, owing to the sun and the dust and the restricted view. Presently, at the top of the steep ascent, Stlllwell got out and walked, loading the tenm. During this long climb fatigue claimed Madeline, and sho drowsily closed her eyes, to llnd when she opened them again that the glaring white sky had changed to a steel-blue. The sun had sunk behind the foothills and the nlr was growing chilly. Stlllwell had returned to the driving-seat and was chuckling to the horses. Shadows crept up out of the hollows. "Wnl, Flo," said Stlllwell, "I reckon we'd hotter hev the rest of thet there lunch before dark." "You didn't leave much of It," laughed Florence, as she produced the basket from under the seat. While they ate, tho short twilight shaded and gloom filled the hollows. Madeline was glud to have the robes close around her and to loan against Florence. There were drowsier spells In which she lost a fooling of where sho was, and these wore disturbed by the Jolt of wheels over a rough place. Then came a blank Interval, short or long, which ended In n more violent lurch of tho buckboard. Madeline awoke to find her head on Florence's shoulder. Sho sat up laughing nnd apologizing for her laziness. Florence assured her they would soon reach the ranch. CHAPTER V The Round-Up. It wnn n crackling and roaring of fire that awakened Madeline next morning, and the first thing she saw was a huge stone fireplnce In which lay a bundle of blnzlng slicks. Somo one bail kindled n lire while she slept. For n moment tlie curious sensation of be ing lost returned to her. Sho Just dimly remembered reaching the ranch and being taken Into a huge house and a huge, dimly lighted room. And It seemed to her that she had gone to sleep at once, nnd hud awakened with out remembering how she had gotten to bed. With n knock on the door nnd a cheerful greeting, Florence entered, carrying steaming hot water. "Good niawnln', Miss Hammond. Ilopo you slept well. You suro were tired lust night. I lmngino you'll llnd this old ranch-house as cold as a barn. It'll warm up directly. Al's gone with tho boys nnd Hill. Wo'ro to rldo down on tho range nfter n while when your baggngo comes. Breakfast will bo ready soon, and after thnt we'll look about tho place, Matieun .efls- churned with the old Spanish house, nnd the more she naw of It the more sho thought what a de lightful homo it could bo made. All tho doors opened Into u courtyard, or patio, ns Florence cnlled it. The house was low, In tho shape of a rect angle, nnd so Immense in size that Madellno wondered If it had been a Spanish barracks. Florence led tho way out on n porch nnd waved a hand at a vast, colored void. "That's what Hill likes," sho said. At ilrst Madellno could not toll wlmt wns sky and what was land. The Im mensity of the scene stunned her facul ties of conception. She sat down In one of the old rocklng-chulrs and looked and looked, and knew that she was not grasping tho reality of what stretched wondrously before her. "We're tip ut the edge of the foot hills," Florence said. "It'll sure take you n llttlo while to get used to being up high nnd seeing so much That's the secret we're up high, the air Is clear, and there's the whole bare world beneath us. Here see that cloud of dust down In tho vnlloy? It's the round-up. Tho boys are there, nnd tho cattle. Walt, I'll got the glasses." "The round-up! I want to know all about It to see It," declared Madeline. "Please toll me what It means, what It's for, and then take me down there." "It'll sure open your eyes, Miss Ham mond. I'm glad you care to know. Your brother would liuve made a big success In this cattle business If It hadn't been for crooked work by rival ranchers. He'll make It yet, In spite of thorn." "Indeed ho shnll," replied Madeline. "But tell me, please, all about the round-up." "Well, in the first place, every cat tleman bus to hnve a brand to Identify his stock. Without It no cattleman, nor liulf a hundred cowboys, If lie bnd so many, could ever recognize all the cattle In n big herd. There are no fences on our ranges. They are all open to everybody. Every year we have two big round-ups, but the boys do some branding nil the year. A calf should be branded ns soon ns lt'a found. This Is n safeguard against cnttle-tblevcs. We don't have the rustling of herds nnd bunches of cat tle like wo used to. "We have our big round-up In the fall, when there's plenty of grass and water, and nil the riding-stock as well as tho cattle are In fine shnpe. Tho cattlemen In tlie valley meet with their cowboys and drive In nil the cattle they can llnd. Then they brand and cut out each man's herd and drive It toward home. Then they go on up or down the valley, make another camp, and drive In moro cattle. It tnkes weeks." - . For Madeline the morning hours flew by, with a goodly part of the tlmo spent on the porch gazing out over that ever-changing vista. At noon a team ster drove up with her trunks. Then while Florence helped the Mexican woman get lunch Mndcllne unpneked part of her effects and got out thing for which sho would hnve Immediate need. After lunch sho ohnngod her dress for n rldlng-hnblt and, going out side, found Florence waiting with the horses. As Madeline rodo along sho mnde good use of her eyes. The soil was sandy and porous, nnd she understood why the rain and water from the few springs disappeared so quickly. What surprised her was the fact that, though she and Florence had .seemed to be riding quite awhile, they had apparently not drawn any closer to tho round-up. The slope of the valley was noticeable after some miles bad boon traversed. Gradually black dots enlarged and assumed shupo of cattle and horses moving round a great dusty patch. In another half-hour Madellno rodo be hind Florence to the outskirts of tho N? ,vsv Gradually Dlack Dots Enlarged and Assumed Shape of Cattle and Horses Moving Around a Great Dusty Patch. scene of action. A roar of tramping hoots filled her ears. The lines of mnrchlng cattle had merged Into a gren't, moving herd half obscured by dust. "I hope I have found myself my work, my happiness, here under the light of that western star." (TO UIJ CONTINUED.) Tree Pest Has Bothered Europe. Tho Douglas lir tree chalcld, an in sect Introduced Into Denmark from American seed, Is a much greater pest ui EuroDQ than In this country After Every Meat WRKLEYS Chew .youf food well, Alien use WRIGLEY'S ta aid dlnedllon. It also keeps the teeth clean, breatui sweet appetite keen. 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