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Show P , "der der " . , I + / ; IWVCC ? p14 p14f f f 1/ 1 1jaw / ' jaw jawi ; , i Sk Skr r ' 1 anc ancCr , IJYFRANK Cr CrSPEARMAN / . } FRANK \ " \ H . SPEARMAN SPEARMANy , SPEARMANWNIJ y CpPypGMr rRANKItSPEARMAN WNIJ wNU SfRVIC SERVICe ! CHAPTERc CHAPTER I1 I CHAPTER1 c } ; " -1- 1 - 1WAS 1WAS 1 1WAS - WAS the Fourth of or July , , . and andeep1 andeepy andeepy ; eep1 eepy Cat-tbat Cat tbat Cat-that that Cat - that sunswept sunsept sunsnept " , little littlet littleIrt t town bordering borderJng on the Verynds Veryads Very VeryJnds nds ads of ot the arid South Southwest- Southwest Southwestr Souths " , e e&t et & t- t tdusty - r Jnds dusty ity . "t t " t was wag not unusual In Sleepy.j Sleepyj Sleepyto Sleepy , . to . be dusty waspits was Jts pits ts normal normalMon normalfllon Mon JUon ; when not Dot dusty , . Sleepy Sleepyas Sleepywas as dead . , it at ut you needn't neednt ' be scared of or this"or this "or or " " of ot dust , " explained Doctor Doctoriy Doctory 1 y ' , . who , . sitting ' " vutn witn Itn his feet up upnst uplist upnat nst list the tbe porch handrail handrall of ot his hisy Illsyf 1 y Cat Cnt hotel , , , vis w ' " , 'lS lS is ' talking tnlIdng toVan toVan to Van Tambel 'Its Its * ' It Its s not dIrt dirt'dust dirtdust , ' dust-not dust not - not JI like e your ChIcagoIt's ChicagoIt's Chicago It's Its ' clean dean volcanic volcanJc ash that thats s ; up from the Spanish Smhsut Sinksat Sinks Smhs Sinksput put ut at toward sundown sundonn ' " when hen thesettles thesettles the thesettles settles over onr the Superstition Superstitionige Superstitioni Superstitiong'e i g'e ge ' and the sun shines through throughhe throughfhc he air shows every color of ot the thebow thebow theibow bow . That snow on ' "Music Music 'ruslc ruslc " moun mounDr mounDr moiini " " -Dr Dr - Dr . Carpy Cnrpy polnted- polnted polntedlooks pointed - = ' looks looksand looksand looksFand and red and purple You 11 11It 11It 11i It out here " Be e disagreed dlsareed " , vigorously . "Oh Oh "OhIt's OhIts " , ? It's Its ' goIng goln ? to be awfully loneafter loneafter lone- lone loneafter - - , ? after city life Ufe , " she sbe declared declaredvelr declaredvely declaredlively velr vely . , 'oull oull ' ou n never neer neser ne\ ne ' \ er be lonesome In inI Inpy 1 I Cat-unless Cat unless Cat - unless you're youre ' good good"rved goodrved , " rved the doctor cvnicillv cvnlc\l1v cvnlc l1v cvnic'tliv cvnictliv ' \ ' "Oth Oth "Oth-e "Oth Oth e " 0th- 0th 0thyou'il - . | you'il youil ; ou'll oull ou'n oun ' ' flnd tlnd find things generallyn generallyIn gencraJIn generally gencraJ ] In n Sleepy Cat C1t . , . " rcertalnly "certninly certninly certainly " Is lively Ilvely today . , " con conthe conthe cona the dlssaU dissatisfied < ; Oed city girl girlwas girlwas girlwas was Horsemen , not a few of ofcon ofcowmen oft con cowmen men , clattered np up ap andFront andFront and " Front street and nnd River llIver streetJT streety street ! 1 y to heir he'lr helr ' their own noise And Andb Andb b of ot miners and pro"pcctorsThief prospectorsr prospectors pro"pcctors propcctors " r ( Thief Uh River Riser er had come up for forlebrlltlon forT forelebrntlon T lebrlltlon lebratlon and the tIle hOI hoise Boise se races racesn racesi racestea i n out on the ralrgroundsaSktd I'alrgroundsasked Fairgrounds ralrgrounds I'alrgrounds Ialrgrounds ' , aSktd asked ? the tbe doctor , contlntlln continuing continuinghat continuingat at with Jane 'Seen Seen * ' Seen any of ofees ofces ofaces ees ces 7 ? ' ' 1 saw w the Indian races rtlces this morn mornDeh morns mornsuch s Deh uch yipping and yeng yelling ] } ! And AndTextlns Andc AndrTeians c Textlns Teraas that rode Into town townrdavthey townrdavthey townrd rdav-they rdav they T - they yelled yeUed louder tban than tbanndlnns thanndians thanndlans ndlnns ndlnnsII ndians II " IIat at outfit has just dcllvered delivered dcllveredthonsand deliveredthousand deliveredthousand thonsand thousand head of cattle to the theock theock thepck ock Agency . They checked checkedIn checkedin checkedJn in In yesterday . Some old time timei timey timej y i Catters In that bunch-Hen bunch Hen bunch-lien lien bunchHenwdy bunchlienI bunch - HenWdy I wdy and John Lefever made maderive maderive madeIrivc rive with the outfit-aU outfit aU outfit-all all outfit - all the thep thep theDp S HelS p from the Rio Grande Hel Helexclaimed Helexclaimed - exclaimed the doctor lazily lazl1y , w wcomes ' comes Sawdy now . " rather ther they tall man , well wen rounded roundedomewhat roundedr roundedomewhat : r ; omewhat bow legged.strongly leggedstrongly leggedostrongly legged.stronglyand leggedostronglyand legged , . stronglyand and con confident den . , If It not nggresIn aggresIn nggrcs nggres aggres nggrcsn In manner . , was comIng tip up the then n steps tcps leading from the tbe side- side sideto sideto side-to side to - - - to the hotel botel oftlce office . . Carpy Carpyhim Carpyhim Carpy1 him . Sawdy poised under tinder an anhelming anhelming anrhelming helming sombrero , . turned nnd and nndtoward andtoward andId toward the tbe doctor and hisryl his hispry pry ryt ryl I " exclaimed ezclatmed the doctor doctorblamed doctorblamed doctorblamed | blamed old longhorn , . I never neverto neverto neverp to iee see you back In Sleepyn't Sleepy Sleepyn't la lae [ n't nt ' no warrants out agin agln me meticr , | e . : " ? ' , asked Sawdy In calm calmbut , but spirited fashion . ere must be one or more agln aglnown a aginown In InOWD OWD own along the Rio mo Grande , . , " retorted the doctor , . "or or "orouldn't "orouldn't "orrouldn't orrouldnt " ouldn't ouldnt ' be so 50 far from trom theof the theot > rot < ot of the eultar guitar ' , with lth winteron winter { on Meet r.I1 rI1 : . Miss < ; s Van Tam- Tam Tamneveomer - . Tarn-'newcomer Tarn 'newcomer newcomer ' ne\veomer ne veomer newcomer \ Bince sInce you went wentMr wentMr wentMr Mr . Sawdy , . Miss Jane . . " In hand , Sawdy stared stnred : "Miss Miss "Missnmbelf "MissambelT "Missrarnbel Missrarnbel " nmbelf ambelT ? " ' he echoed . Did , # DId DJd 1 I 1e Ie Iie e Dime name right rlghti ? ' . he be asked nsodded asodded as ns asodded -odded odded - odded to his greeting . rot got It rifeht rJfht rlbht , , , " remarked Car Car- . - J CarJ ly " . t l Ii , " , ' returned Sawdy . + swal1ow- swal1ow swal1ow70U - swallow- swallow swallowcould - ? 70U could get a few more - newcomers like Uke this . , Doc , . you'd youd you'dhave you'dhave you'dhave youdhave ' have a lire Hve live town She's Shes ' no relation relationto relationto to- to to"Gus - - " to"Gus " "Gus Gus " Van Tambel TambeJ ? ? Yes , " nodded noddedCarpy noddedCarpy noddedCarpy Carpy , . easily antlclpatlve antlcJpative anticipative "She's Shes "She'shis "She'shis "She'sbis Shesbis " ' his d1ughter-only d1ughter only daughter-only daughter daughter - only daughter ; only onlychnd onlychild onlychild chnd child . , In fact tact " . Sawdy swallowed again "WeH WeH "Well Well "Well.I'll Well.Ill WellIll " . , I'll Ill ' ' say any man might be proud to toclaim toclaim toclaim claim her . I used to work for your yourfather yourfather yourfather father Is he alive al1ve yet ? ' "Alive Alive Al1ve " . , yes , . " Interposed Carpy , . 'but but ' but a sIcL sIck men IIa\ IIa Have IIae Hase \ e you had a ahorce ahorse ahorse horce horse ; race this morning , Henr Henri Henry ; ) ? 'asked asked ' asked Carpy In teasing fashion . Sa\\ Sa Sawdy Sattd Sad \ \ d , } snorted snortell . "Hintin Hintin "HJnUn HJnUn "Hintln Hintln " ' at nt that thatsell thatsell seU sell iesterda yesterday esterda , } , , . eh eb ? I Iso ' o horse race at atall atall atall all , ' , ' he \ went \ ent on angrily Rngrlly 'It It ' was wasjust wasjust wasjust just a plain steil ste\l ste l ste'tl stetl ' \ ' , Doc-begg'JD Doc begg'JD beggJD Doc-beggin beggin Doc - beggin ' ' par pardon pardon pardon don , mlcs-a mlcs a mks-a mks ml ; < ; s - a sieil ste-II ste II steel - put up by tbls this tblssaloon thissaloon thissaloon saloon keeper , . Boland bland , and a crool crook crooked crooked ed cowman , McCrossen 3lcCrossen , and that thatThlpf thatThief thatThipf Thlpf Thief TIn Ihver Miser er butcher , Ciubfoot Clubfoot " Jane started McCrossen IcCrossen was wasthe wasthe wastlie the Van Tambel foreman at Gun Gunlock Gunlock Gunlock lock Uanch'Tell Ranch Uanch 'Tell Tell ' Tell us about that race , . " inter interposed interposed Interposed posed Carpy . "w w "Well Well " " e11 ell , , . " began the cowman reluc reluctantly reluctantly reluctantly tantly , . " "night night "nlght nlght " before list hst last we bedded beddedthe beddedthe beddedthe the herd down about three miles mUes be below below below low Thief Tblet River nIver town About sun sundon sundown sundown don down n Clubroot Ciubroot rode Into camp on a . agood Bgoodlookin good loo1.Jn loo1Jn lookin . ' bay mare I didn't didnt ' see seehim seehim seehim him , . I ' , was as on guard He said he hehe hehe hehe he was on his w \ ' wiy 1y iy up to Sleepy Cat CatJohn . , John Lefever , . our foreman . , Invited Invitedhim invitedhim Invitedhim him to tal take e supper and bunk for forthe forthe forthe the nIght'lie night 'lie lie * ' lie He said snld he wis W'lS WlS w'ts wts ' ' a prospector go goIn goin goIn In ' out on the Gunlock range He Hestarted Hestarted Hestarted started talkin tal1.ln tal1ln . ' ' horses and said he hen hewanted hewanted wanted n anted to sell sel ) his ponv-calmed ponv calmed pony-claimed pony claimed ponv - ] claimed be he beh1d hehid hehid h1d hid the fastest mare along the theSmhs theSinks theSinks Smhs Sinks lie blowed about that pony ponyuntil ponyuntil ponyuntil until John got touchy about his own ownllttle ownlittle ownlittle llttle little chestnut gelding , and Jobn John Jobnfinally Johnfinally Johnfinally finally * . promised him a rice r1ce ricevbenwe "hen hen when "henn whenwe " \vbenwe vbenwe \ we n e got to Sleepy Cat Nobody Nobolly In Inour inour Inour our bunch bUDch not havin havln ' seen the fel- fel fellow fel fellows - . low lows s horse run , . John waited tin till tinevenbody tilleverybody tilleverybody even-body even body everybody - got to sleep and tales takes talesClubfoot's takesClubfoot's takesClubfoot's takesClubfoots , Clubfoot's Clubfoots ' mare off oft her picket plchet rope ropefor ropefor ropefor for a tryout tr . } out . Shucks bhuc1.s bhuc1s . ' She had no nospeed nospeed nospeed speed at all an ' .Ne Ne . Next Nest t day they arranged the race raceand , and we e boys put up our dough-- dough dough- doughevery doughevery dough doughevery - every dollar doHar In the outfit . What do doyou doou you } , ou think thln1 . of us for suckers suc1.ers suc1ers . ? Wben When Wbenthe Whenthe Whenthe the race started , that cussed pros prospectorbeggln prospectorbeggln prospector pector-beggln pector beggln - beggin ' your pardon , mlss-- mlss miss- miss mlssrun missrun miss missrun - run In a ringer on us-another us another us - another bay baymare baymare baymare mare , . looked exactly like l1ke the one onehe onebe onehe he be rode Into camp . , That mare run runllhe runlike runlike llhe like a streah--covered streah covered streak-covered streak streak - - covered five bundred hundred bundredyards hundredyards hundredyards yards before John's Johns Jobn's Jobns ' gelding got bls his blsfeet hisfeet hisfeet feet picked up Then we got the thestory thestory thestory story . Ciubfoot 'Clubfoot Clubfoot ' turned out to be a side sideswIpe sideswipe sideswipe swIpe for this saloon keeper Boland Bolandhere Bolandhere Bolandhere here heretI tI " "Henry Henry " , . I thought thougbt you and John Johnwere Johnwere Johnwere were too wise wJse to get stung llk IIk I1k- I1k I1ktbat . - * ' * tbat that tbatHow thatHow thatHow How YOtI you yon going to get even ? Smash SmashIng Smashlag SmashIng Ing lag glassware won't wont ' do It " "I I " don't dont ' know , . Doc , , . I r rdon't rdont don't dont ' know . " " "Henry Henry "Benry Benry " , . " observed Carpy , . "what what "whatyou "whatyou "whatyou whatyou " you mean Is you yotl know hnow but you youwon't youwon't youwon't youwont won't wont ' telL " * ' The races ain't aint ' all a11 over yet yetThen yetThen yetThen Then there s the ropin ropln ' and throw- throw throwIn throwIn throw-In throw In - In- In InCarpy In - ' - " Carpy nodded'nd nodded'nd nodded - " -'nd 'nd nd - ' 'nd nd ' the trick riding All AU ' I'll Ill ' say sayIs sayis sayIs Is- Is IsSawdy - " Sawdy hesltatell'S'lY hesitated hesltatell 'S'lY SlY ' Siy Sip ' all aU you ' " want ant to before this thisyoung thisyoung thisyoung young lady . She won't wont ' spllL splIL spill I'll Ill I'llguarnntee I'llguarantee ' I'llguarantee Illguarantee ' guarnntee guarantee her , . " said Carpy . "We We "Well Well " 1Ve11 ] , . It if that's thats ' so , . miss-and miss and missandyou missandyou miss - andyou you certilnly cert'llnly certllnly certainly ' look lool hook . up to the bragI'11 brag- brag bragI'll brag bragI'll - ' I'll Ill I'11 I11 ' ' say McCrossen , . that new fore fore- foreman foreman foreman - - man of yours , " , vas v'as ' as In on that shin skin ekin-nin ekin nin ekinninve - . nln ' w " \ve ve "e e \ e took-at took at took - at least , we think so soThat's soThat's soThat's soThats That's Thats ' nothin notbJn ' In the world against againstyou againstyou againstyou , " . . you "Jane Jane oJnne " ! spoke spohe franl frankly ly : "Oh Oh " , rm rmglad rmglad I'mglad Imglad ' glad . , Mr . Sawdy , you don't dont ' bring brJng me Into it It , , for I really reany don't dont ' know nny any nnymore anymore nnymore more about It than a babe unborn " "I I 101 " hear McCrossen Is quite a n rider rId- rId rIder rid rider - er ; , . " obsen obsers observed ed Sawdy tentatively tcntatively . "That's Thats " ' ' " what hat everybody everybody says sa savs ) s , , . " re returned returned returned turned Jane * ' He certainly certaJnly Is won won- wonderful wonderful . - derful In the saddle saddleII II " IISawdy Sawdy nodded wisely wJsely , . ns as If 1t it mere mere- merely merely merely - - ly to 'It It ' It tI " tII tI"Sawdy say SilY , . Is welltI well I "Sawdy Sawdy " , . " demanded Carpy , . "what what "whatyou "whatyou whatyou " "hat hat "hatyou " you got up your sleeve ? ' I .Nothin Nothin "NothJn NothJn "Nothln Nothln " . ' at all aU , . Doc-not Doc not Doe-not Doe Doe - - not a n thIng thIngIn thingin thingIn In the world " . "You You " * * ron can't cant ' fool me me , , you old de desert desertrat desertrat < ; ert ertrat rat rat . , " persisted Carpy . "Well Well 'VeIJ VeIJ " ' , Doc . , since you're youre ' so smart smartwill , . will you back what ' I've Ive ' got up tip my mysleeve mysleeve mysleeve sleeve for fifty dollarsVill dollars ? Will wm \Vill Vill \ you do doIt doIt doIt It , . Doc ? ' Fve rye I've Ive Just come from Jahe Jake JaheSpotts JakeSpotts JakeSpotts Spotts ' place He lent me flfty-- flfty fifty- fifty flftyCarpy fiftyCarpy fifty - " Carpy reiched re1ched reached Into his trousers trouserspocket trouserspocket trouserspocket pocket and drew out a roll roU of bl11s bills bl11s"Go bills"Go bills"Go billsGo "Go Go " along , you critter crJtter 1 I ! ' ' he ex exchimed exchimed exclilmed chimed Indignantly . , "I I " might have haveknown haveknown haveknown known your long winded story would wouldcost wouldcost wouldcost cost me money . But I didn't didnt ' look lookt'or lookfor lookfor t'or tor for ' It to be fifty dollars dol1ars " . "Make Make 'Make " ' It a hundred , Doc , . " sen senLured \ ventured en entured tured Lured Sa Sawdy Sandy ' " dy In his rich , persuasIve persuasIvevoice persuasivevoice persuasivevoice voice . . . / ' " "Not Not " on your life lire . , Henry . You'll Youll You'lllose You'lllose You'lllose Youlllose ' lose this , any anyway " ny . . , " "We We " get paid tomorrow-cough tomorrow cough tomorrowcoughup tomorrow - coughup up for me " 'Go Go ' Go . .hang hang . ' I |