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Show _ e- e e'I % - - ' - _ _ _ _ 'I I ' - - - ' _ , e - \ _ ' a ar'1 ' -r'1 r'1 r1 - ' ' c.p cp _ _ . _ - : - - - / _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ I - ' \ * MY FRIEND FRIENDB B , FL I CK CKtiJ9 > MAROI-IARA MAROI IARA MAROIIARAI - tiJ9 ? I LIIAPTJR JIAPTEIt ( : I , I111gb High HllCh 111gb up on the loi 101 lot g hill they called calledthe calledthe calledthe the baddle Saddle Back I3ack bet ind hid the tht ' rai rar rat eh ch ehand chand chand and the county road the b tx 1) 1 ) ( y sat sal his hishorse hishorse hiahorse horse fad fael faci g east eatt hia his eyes dalzled dazzled dalzledby dazzledby dazzledby by il U tie e rising 8l am amThe i nThe n nThe The si III at g hu huillod I lied tied r fa ft f of the theranch theranch , ranch h use way below 1\ 1 1n t 1 i \ n ri bg rn-g rn g beg - b < -g g - II iiIt nU It ( be red ir it stead it ( f just dark and andI andthe andthe andthe I the Bpl api IIplltry l.ry lry Iiry ( . arms f tl It Ite e wi In 11 inU In its InU itsu U ( e _ g reglrtcd rfcP rbe , K\ K Kt \ I Ir t r tcd tLd ai al ill 1 I tw 1W kle kId 1 I They Theywert Theywero Fheywere wert wero ' tir Sir In 111 iii h ( _ , t 1 nek lick ark at ti It II I . < - s a 111Good UiGood in 111 Ui inGood Good n n rr rt It Ir g n Istrri Ist'r Istr isterl ( ' ! si 5t ted tedKe tedKc ledKe Ke Kc gwl swl awl j . , i . , g i t 1 Is ii arm in salutear saluteat salute ar at I the ft d s-i s i - ky i r wr wt n ii .II II di . iiie e he r de degave degave degave gave a wild Ie Ic ii iiTo i ( To keep his sea scat seat t ridir ridle g t 1 tarebackas a reback areback arebackas rebackas as he was he cIall clailtd claiid ul his heels Into Intoher intoher Intoher her sides aides and sl ii 1 e lelll leai lea ( ( ' ed 'd d afeam abaln again this thistime thistime thistime time with her lead t I ead cad d wn Stiff Stifflegged Stifflegged StifTlegged legged and with arched back .he he she shelanded . shelanded .helanded landed and arid then buckt.dOnce buckedOnce bucktd buckt.d bucked bucktdOnce . Once twice three times and Kena Ken Kenwaf Kenwas waf was * of oT ofT ( ! & slui &Iur Iur slut g under her nose hang hanging hangtrig hangIng ing trig on to the reinsShe reinsShe reins reinsShe She ba backed cked a away way and pulled to get gettree getfree getfree tree free braced like a dog tugging tugglna at a aman aman aman man s I trouser legShe legShe leg legShe She jerked her head viciously viciouslytrom viciouslyfrom viciouslyfrom trom from . side .Ide Ide aide to & side &Ide Ide Ken s a teeth set setIn setin setIn In anger If It you break another anotherbridle anotherbridle anotherbridle bridle- bridle - - bridleThis bridleThis This thought made him crafty and andhi andhis andhis hi his . voice fell teU to a coaxing noteNow noteNow note noteNow Now Cigarette be a good girl girlthatsa glrl- glrl girl- girl glrltha girlthatsa - tha thatsa ts . baby-glod baby glod baby-god god baby - g < od glrl- glrl girl- girl glrlKen girlKen girl - Ken got Ifot warily warfly to his feet fl'et flet . ' and andwent andwent andwent went to her head itlll stili still talking sooth sooth1n1l1Y soothingly soothIngly 1n1l1Y ingly , but with Ins ilting siting wor worls woris is ' . D you think I d ever ride a or ornery ornery ornery nery old plug like you if It I had a aborse ahorse ahorse borse horse of my own like Howard s a s7 s7The ? ' The 'Yhe Yhe frown faded from his face and andhili andhis andhis hili his eyes tookon took on a dreamy look If IfJ IfI ItI J I had bad a colt- colt coltHe coltHe colt - ' He had been saying that for f0r a . along along lonr long time Ume Sometimes he said It II Inbis In InhJ Inhis hJ his sleep at t night It was the firstthing first firstthln firstthing thln thing he had thought when he got to tothe tothe tothe the ranch fanch three days ago He lie said It or thought It every .aw aw saw sawhis . sawhis .awhis his brother riding Highboy And Andwhen Andwhen Andwhen when he looked at his father the thelonging thelonging thelonging longing In his eyes was for that-for that for thatfora that - for a colt of his ownHe ownHe own ownHe He must get on Cigarette Rgaln again RgalnFirst againFirst againFirst First he had an apology to make makeIn makeIn In all aU fairness he must tell Ciga Clga CigareUe Clgarette Cigarette reUe rette that the fault had been his hisown hisown hisown own He Ho had put his heels Into her ber berHe herHe Ho He knew exactly what his fatherwould fatherwould father fatherwould would say lay if it he told him about It it . . Cigarette bucked and tossed tossedme tossedroe tossedme tossedmeWhat me roe meWhat roeWhat What did you do do7 ? Put ) our heels heelsinto heelsinto heelsInto into her herYes ? Yes Yea sirHe sir " He and Howard hnd hc1 to any 811Y say Yea Yea.Ir Yeaair Yegsir .Ir Ir air . and No sir to ti U ( ' cir 'Ir Ir father be because because because cause he had been be'n ben ( ' an Army oft\cer oft cer officer oftcerbefore officerbefore officerbefore \ before he had the ranch and be belIeved belleved belleved lIeved lleved In respect and discipline disciplineHe He took hold of her hl'r hlr ' withers and andback andback andback back jumped and pulled landed landedwell landedwell landedwell well up against her held stiffly stirny there thereby thereby thereby by his arms then caret caref illy .wung wung swung swunghis . twunghis .wunghis his blue tm tro IS isered erect Ifover leg If/ If ' / { over and andBlowly andslowly andslowly Blowly slowly 1 j ) ist 1St sst like his fat fait fat ! ! er or settled settledto settledto to her bnck back legs hang i r t g straightd straightth straight straightdcwn dcwn thwn th ( wn dcwnCigarette Cigarette wnCigarette was a Cf CT 1m Im He lie tigi tlgt t"ned tned tened t"nedhis tenedhis tenedhis ( " his rein M sci sq ] ( " ec/ed ec ed "e7'd e7d cezed / ( ' the calves f his hislegs hislegs hislegs legs a lltlle little and she m ni vcd v'd vd ved ( ' ofTOne ofTOne oT ofT oTOne ( One f t tie tl e ( ' ex 'x x cx t g I { tllr tl tI Ir iB " , s . ahmt ahmtcomlr abol ahot t tcomir tcomli comlr comir K g up tr fr m 8 Sl sh < h 1 I In I nramieto aramleto aramle to thl thl- thlart th > > - SIT art si i i ' er f'r fr vllrltloAI vncntloi vllrl\tlo\ vllrl tlo vaentioi \ \ at AI He tte HerAnch tteranch tt eranch rAnch " , uns ant as ( tt II I e \ % nil e'lll elll ciii ' pr er Alwuys Always Alwayss AlwuysS S etlI etlti eti etl ti i ' " i , , d ig 19 g 'A A ' \ \ lq\ lq lqrl t Is n ! \ rt rl it ral mi ralb mib raib b wsanicalrr ws wa aol an ! rnirr rain s v I y vs tt II ti an anell'ctrlc anelectric anelectric ell'ctrlc ellctrlc electric ' ct it t r r-n r n n Ti - or IrtB fr Ir sls -tB tB - Iq r rr e ( ' I t 1 lz liz lzrards lizzamds ! lizzards rards zamds : Pt r * i t IP II ' ( s ii tI 1 J I It \ < . s q B t I se seot seof seof ot of the thl . ' eitj ei ef , , ' l t I IiS tl Ii S ! 1ft i f r t all alt a It t IeHe teHe Ie te IeHe He I iut ut I Is fq iB he 1 i 1i 1'1 11 1 ' i k 1\1 1 at \ aid ri d s a eked cked ekedIn ckedin ekedIn In the s f ; ndl 01'11 0111 ni-It ni It ' - of 111 tl1 th dc ' cic I'll Ill ' f ' cs PS q ai al at d ci dthe cithe dthe the grc grl gre ' I ' c's cs CBS ' q a 0 d ci trip thl the ' i " n A 1 i the themin the\\nilness the nilness min \ \ \ In ) lness Ilness ! a all fl so shnrp sharp n ! \ 1 I leav leavf 1 i mv mve cavc f e ' ly lv lyThis lvThis This Thisa This1 \a- a \1\ 1 \ a1 1d \ - " ' d ' 1 i t I he h ( ' hn ha tin 1 i t I I1111 MiltIng \1111 1111 'nit nit 'nittrig \ ' 1111Ing Ing trig for All thr Rh qh gh the Inst 111 last 11\ 11 \ < 1 u ubearD uhearat uhearntIe bearD hearat I Ie te n i t U B . < t of set sd ci 0 o 1 I U II u c e end endIe endIc endIP Ie Ic s a cl1\R cl1 R cinssrs clatsrs \ < e It II e evnn e'Cnn eCnn c'uin cuin ' ' Innti In\tl In tl mmii ! \ qAt BAt s q B sAt At tIq tiB tl tI i q B nn tin in r t re e c fortallf fortat fortal Ie le ' tr trlll fee ffLllrglliclh -lll lll < - lit g gJ gIs J Is . , Isii ( , i ii I I I ' el i h If ltii HIso I s n a I t 111 111irlsreI II 11 11sir sir \irlsreI irlsreI \ 'I I ' r I s are arei rf ' I rt carq car earls Is ! i lal IRi t I arrl\cd arrl cd Rrrl\'d Rrrl 'd d arrised \ ( ' In Yf'st"r Yfstr yester yesterI ' ( " I ! 1\ 1 is \ 1S > \ s n 1 I tI U ( t a l"ttL lttL lettir letter ( " r fr m the theI I rl ri c i 1 nl at rUe f t tiC tt ti P C f- f S , f1 - 1 I 1 I artlr's artlrs ad artIresscd tressed ( ' ed to totheIr totheir totheir theIr flit Intl ( sti ! ' f-r f r f'r fr er - C i t I t-iin t iin tiin , - In Mcl McI Mel n a hhlln hhllnAdM thllnA , htIn htInA AdM A d dM M la In ) . } , h ht nlnbndsl I n h had 1\ 1 \ 1d d s si I I ig igthononthe g th then e n on onthe onthe the d dcskt desk dcsk ( ' k t , I tt tl ) s c < ; e f ' rill rners a [ I'IS IIS ems ' and Bnd bills billsto billsto bllltto to open opl'n opln ' lat lot r Bv fly tl U ti etime e e- - time Ken gback g II : t thack thack hack back to t I nkfist e'lkhsl elkhsl eikf-ist eikf ist ' - "un un curdy " ; ur ly Iy his biB hi . falterw fatlerw fatl fatler er erw w Id lei hlf hit hl\ hl ho \ e f ' i ' pned f'lwd flwd cried them thpm Th Tb re 'as as v.as vas 'asthAt v.asthat " ' Viasthat . thAt e'l el ct exi ' ( s , I int I'lt Ilt ' it Ken ki kl kr ew he heha heha heha ha In t I d It i r e C ' S \ , ( ' cry 'ry ry cryicll is " \icll icll \ icllHe I'll Ill elI I'lllie elIlIe ' He lie si \ rforFl rif'rt"1 rifrt1 cu-mi cu mi rforFlhat rif'rt"1hat ' - " \hat hat shat \ tin tine f e ' It 'BB BB 'BBnow " ' wa wanow as asnow now Hf 1If lii- lii liiI ' - 1 I kN krd ked ! Isn 1 I \ vn sn n at tt t ! tie e ranch r/lnch r lnch rlnchIt ranchIt ranchIt / It v ' s . I Hn tin in t be 1 I g before brel\k brel k break brelktqt breakfast brenkfait \ t\qt t qt fast ! \ Fr Fr3t F r3t r } ) t I dy 'ely ely dyH8 > ' > wss \H8 H8 sat \ , ! awnke a"lIke alIke asmake " Gnj 0rig G 0 nj rig rigdo ngdo { do n'lt nlt tist nstiirs ' .lrs lrs sirs . his n ther Iher " would "ould ould ssoutd call call'TIme call'Time callTime 'TIme TIme ' ' t kct ket let ci ui ; t 1 ' vsl 'sit sit sl His Ills father fatheras fatherwas 'as as " ' % as sltt aitt siting ng rig I > p In bd b"d bed b"dolth b ( " < -d d - \ with \\olth olth his hii hair hairr r impled itripled pajan BS 118 as rumlle-d rumlle d rum ( ; led - hand handreaching handreaching handreaching reaching out for a cigarette cigaretteC cigaretteqh , C C qh sh h It If his father fa the-r the r - had read relld the rep rts And nd that wasn t there therewas therewas was the saddle bla bin iket 1ket sket too the lost lostsaddle lostsaddle lostsaddle saddle blanket blankel blankeltie blanket-He blanket He . - He tie turned from trom looking at the theral therat therai ral rat ch house and letSs let ! \ his \Ss Ss f'Yf'S fYfS eyes ' eye ' 6 seep seepthe sweepthe ' " eep eeptile tile the hillside hl1lslde Saddle Sadole Saddt bla bta ke-l ke l ket - , , slldrtle saddle slldrtleblanket saddleblanket saddleblanket saddleblankete blanket blanketeery -eery eery -e e - , ery tI tine tiTC ne TC heasked he he- - asked his hisfa hi hisfather . fa father ther for tor a colt 1 M 1\1 1 \ % ! I 1 IA 1a a Ih ( ghlln ghlin Jln .ald ald said . laidI saidI .aldI I 11 gis give ! \ e you one is ' " when h"n hn hen ( " > ) u decer dp de ; ef\ ef efe efo er\eo er eo \ \ e eon o on e onA eA A jack jark ralb rai rat b t I a sin 81r'1 81r1 ; mi ' g U ui ; alr10st alt alriostun alr10stun ost ostUn un l lr It'd Itd terf < ' -r r - ( t C ( . C , te j ) I ) ; cd I'd Id cci ' butKm but butKen butKen Ken tat 5At t I th gh n . : " a is 1 t I BS as the rat ral b bited t t1 11f'11 11f11 ited ' 1rd ' aw ass a " , \ - \ Ie in ) e f g : fe c ce \e e se \ a yell andI andci and I ' ci j f fcr l'r lr ' < - ( L . 5 . m ( I m I eo ed a eo grod < d run . Leaning back as Rob McLaughlin McLaughlinhad McLaughllnhad had taught his boyg boys tc do feet for forward forward forward ward and out cut re me ns free Ken rode rodelike rodelike rodelike like a steeple cha8erRabbit chaserRabbit chaser cha8er chaserRabbit Rabbit . , p ny a i \ i t y dlsapp disappeared disappearedover ared aredover over the crest of U tl ti e ' > Saddle dddle BackNell Back I3ack BackNell Nell NI"I1 NII1 " Meughlln Mc Mcl Me ! ! nughlln \ughlln ughlln tsughlin ! \ p pilled pitied Jlled tile the me drop- drop dropleaf dropleaf drop-leaf drop leaf - - - leaf cherry table out from the cor cor- corner cor- cor cortier corner - - ner tier opened the lea leaves ves so tha that thatit thatIt t tIt It w uld comff comf cnmh < rtably rtuuly accommodatef accommodatet accommodateIr accomntnodatef accomntnodateir accommodate accomntnodate t f ir peJpe peiple peple ! and fl fi 11 ing 109 mg a redLhecked rediiiecked red Lhecked iiiecked checkedcl LheckedeI iiieckedci eI ci th tll lb over itThe itThe It ItThe The roomy kUct kite kttct ! ( ' pn 'n n en was full of ofbright ofbright ofbright bright sunshine fr y 0 p ' the windows windowsI windowswI windowswI windowswt I wI ich kh icho 01 o oicltd I'r Ir ci ' cd d C ( < n fl the front frotit t'rrace trrace terrace tprraceIt terraceIt ! ' ' It ma Ie Ic s 8 i iu ires If < ( f g Id 10 n ii the tile tue t'rraceI i dint- dint aint- aint dinte ainte ainl-el ainl el - - I e J I apple gn gr ( en flu nu r ar at aid d li Ie it fre frc frontof nt ntof ntof of sli sit k ni al as d ci stove itove and atid baking table tablethere tablethere tablethere there were h oked < kcd k'd kd ( ' oval rugs with withgay withgay withgay gay flower pa patterns Herns A little brown browncat browncat browncat cat sat iat by the stove washing wdshlng ber her berface herface herface herfaceNeither face faceNeither Neither motherhood motllerhood nor the hardliving hard hardliving hardliving living at ' die 'he he se ranch had del dci de ( rived rivedNeU rivedNeU rivedNell NeU of her figure or her maidenll mnaidemili maidenllnen mnaidemiliness maldenllness nen ness At It U ii irty seven Beven she looked lookedDot lookednot lookednot Dot not much older elder than when she had hadwon hadwon hadwon won a . silver cup at Bryn Dryn Mawr Mawrfor Mawrfor Mawrfor for being the best beat au all round athlete athleteI athleteot athleteof athleteof ot of her classOf class classOf I Of 01 medium height with a long long.lender longslender longslender .lender lender slender . waist her curves were held heldwhere heldwhere heldwhere where they belonged by trained trainedmuscles trainedmuscles trainedmuscles muscles and as she walked there therewas therewas therewas was a lightness about her whichcame which whichcame whichcame came partly tn tr fr < m natural vigor and andpartly andpartly partly from the way , her narrow narrowhead narrowhead narrowhead head lifted lItted from the shoulders to toface toface toface face whatever was to be faced a . adanger adanger danger a storm a loved one a hope hopeor hopeor hopeor or a fearKen fearKen fear fearKen Ken was late to breakfastComing breakfastComing breakfast breakfastComing Coming In he looked first at his histather hisfather hisfather tather father to see 11 If he bad opened the thereport thereport thereport report cardsThen cardsThen cards cardsThen Then he said Good momlnl morning momlnlMother morningMother morningMother | Mother good morning Dad pulled pulledout pulledout pulledout out the one empty chair chalr-B chalr B chair-a chair a - a greenpainted green greenpainted greenpainted | painted ladder back chair with seat seatwoven seatwoven seatwoven woven of rawhide thongs-and thongs and thongs - and sat satdown satdown satdown down His liii heart was beating hard : I & , ' , _ i - : IA\ IA # \ - _ . ----N N - - - IAN - r rIi : Ii 14 S SV SStiff , V htlft burr Stiff lecgi leggl lcgg ( 1 I and "llh llh isith " withshe all arhed hrd bal hack hackthe k she the laudedbeen landed lalldf"d lalldfd lauded landedbeen " ! - been x-ca x ca ise his hther fither titheglirli s . i face fnce had It itsglint its itsard I Ighrll ghrll glint g 1 I k ni nl as I 11 It HH "ard ard ssard " ard was SIT so gIl g gkd II Il vard ard alws al1)s al1s alvis alw- alw " , , ' - > > ) s g gM t I good |