OCR Text |
Show 1 7 . 1 1t ' - 6 6W : J ; " r $ tt ' tf i ' 41 ( . J lJpttr.Jlt lJpttrJlt . ; ' ( (1\ (1 1 (17 \ t W\ W \ ) il r 'F F ' "i i ' ; . , { } . t tt t > . " . , 'f f ' ot , ; fY ax axl lA } lAI ijt /I I ' / 1 ( 'i i ' , ( ? l lf l la lTai f { t t'fv Tai Taife 'fv fv ' ; . : r . j j.p w .p p . " - + fl . " , ' , Ijf "t'f tf " ' ! " bt lAI t l tf I I1I r : 1I ( f . B"jJ BjJ B"jJr . ttlt lt IJ IJJ ( 2 J . EM ' " a \ tl " , r . lJpttr.JltI " ' " , } . .t t . ; , , , ,1 1 i2 G tai 1:1 11 : 4'f9W1 4f9W1 z I fe fer , it.Vfll itVfll ; : . : r " " nI nIy ' y h ' ; It.A.f ItA.f ItAf ' { ; . . , . 1 . .1'f.f.i"r 1ff.ir 1ffir . ' . ! . ; " . . JM JMflt.1l0 flt\.1l0 flt.1l0 flt .1l0 1l0 flt.1l0It \ . r ; ! Kt\r Kt r Ktr1t It . , . C NN 'f f 6'1 61 6'1lItE ilW ' lItE lItEril r\il r il \ { ' . 1.hr 1hr . j > ; .6 6 1 rdtta rdttar.u : Y f , r i i.cp ; } .cp cp . r.u ru " . ? tJ 1 1J J ( " ' . ad9 " yk1 , \ 1 1a a \1t 1t \ lrrk ' " . , \ ' ( ' V i t tqS qS . ilWI a . ' .N N r rrt . I/ I / . Igff rt " ' " u ar ' F gff gffj , -j j - . , " . ; - usw LEW DURNKT DURNST DUEtNBZ , tI.cUDt tIcUDt riding . rma .ac ac baek . aeh _ t tasoame fjawurarex , . na narent I ITessa rent Tessa 'rom rom from ' r a Ms IdI Isla " wyMiteittiraaca Wyomthgaa tm i j ta " toff toffpprang th .prID prID pprang , . , rrr ' of t 1115 1678 Ws.mtSM WsmtSM , . taletaf . * . a ' ' .u u 0t4 otdrtt . . " ' " trawyniLLT " ppelrp ppelrpwILLY 'i i 'iWILLY ' * WILLY NlCK N1CHLlti MicKtWwaa r"JIokn.1dm rJIokn.1dm rJIokn1dm IVbO " Jtttts , . tells 1dm U- U Uihatthe - tut that ihatthe ihatthebank . tA4 tA4rants . bank rants at Ol OK ox 01f pot n W itas . as * beeD beet aa , ; ri tbbboo Tihk ' ' , , , K _ ge gealso * . iic also .ay ay says . ay . Ulaa that ta ,1'0 10 ' , you TOft . AUiOLp AnltOLD o . , owner . m . . r , of&he ofbe t of &he he & ( be CrO'1 CrO1 Cross Cr * ' T r&t/.cb rt.cb r&t rt .cb cb ratoCb ra & / . , B , . 111 to . BlaaalBf p1unIar pltantug t tb * lDo moire moirebas MOTkl . * . bJs bas . berd nerd ker f to wyopdap Wytlai WJOtDita " , , BBB nd ' 1IJ blots U tS tht tbaf ta t Trlalt Trlaltwill T B Bwill " will "Ill Ill Deed need e a . trail &raU raU tTW & bolL kMt . . . \ ' WW , WlUy ' Tt 'I'OJ IOJ ' maces * t b41dlattae b41 . dislike dlattae i.llk illk . * 01 of ( CLAT CLAY MANNING alANNJNO MANN1No ) , , WCB ranch ' _ b far- far to'4I- to'4I to4I to'4ImaD fo faro ' * - maD mao ? OD On o Ur the aliat ntgbt DIb , 0 of ' the ta Wary obbery < ' 1Ie . " , , WQy 1r1U7 Willy 1r1U7.ay Willypay .ay ay pay , . y . $ he h aaw aaN Toma'f Tomaf ) Ttsa'S TtsaS TCJQI : ' ' , ton ( " 0 ' " .t t . ? $ WWW Smva TUVC A.a Aa Mt , . ARNOLD * . NOLD HOLD rldIaI.sUa rldIaIsUa rftoi rMhtg . with ( tear four our itraacm .Udcer Udcer atratigert . . , . wdt7 Wi1y wdt7also Wi1yJpo WtftyU WtftyUeBUaas ? also $ , Jpo , -eBUaas eBUaas meDdollll mentions - UWt &bat bat that & lOtne _ ( om Bar . Cft sang , ut is 1 t . stelQiag stelQiagborne ( . , faUJIf , ; h horae borne rel * . ' fr 'rom rom from ' M Ur &ht ht tho & CfSS Ciaa Cross , 'I I T ' B be bend r " . , La LiiU7 " .Ut Ut . UyHilly , . Willy fll &e1lJ e1lJ tells & Lew that duta tbat JOT t JO 'J J ' " AttNOLD AnNOLD ARNOLD has baa bas baaaol baspot aol pot t yt yet atBrriea m.rrtecl mrrtecl mtrrted . ht fit Jaet * ' luce flan uii . , Clay ctq cfsy ClayMn ctqHannIDC cfsyNanning Mn HannIDC Nanning * l l 1 r ra 1i . ' i a < It > el d ) - - cnArrEB VDAt'TI VDAtTI OIIAI'Tlrit OIIAITlrit VDAt'TIt OIIAI'TlritLew ' : ' \t t \ a aLew Lew reflected refiected that ha he fie heneeded needed oh17 only onlycattle oh17cattle onlyc cattle tU or money moneJ ' to stock hij b1J bit Wyo-mint Wyo mint W7 Wyo- Wyo Wyoming - - mlng ming ranch . . . , . , That brought brpucbt brught himback him himback himback back to toTom Tom -Tom - Arnold's Arnolds Afno1d Anold'e Anolde # ' . letter lettet aletter , . puz-iled puz iled puz purr purr'led . - ded 'led led ' and wondering wonderlnt , , . aUre etlre a4f . of 9f 4f 'Oi.O Oi.O OiO ore ' onthingTom ! . thin thing thingTom . : Tom s promIae5 promtaeawera promilJeefe promilJe were \efe efe \ ' ( narer never t iroall 'Pnan Pnan small ' , , , You coma come comeegouttt .bUut bUut egouttt . outh , and'boss andboss and"bass andbass a11ltltb ; ' " teliirau Ptt hfi hfitrail . tra trail U drive toy fot toi ' me'tie metie ne'the nethe e , " " " " 't t " ' ' ' i ' it > ' letter lattet t tet katd kald . .1Ii 1Ii . , 'and and ' and ' I'll Ill ' make male * , you u a " a , propoiltlon ptopositton proposltton ' " ; . " ' As A * . always alwa7i W When eq riding tiding the th Little Littlecomanche LittleComanche Littlecomanch comanche * certain familiar tatnU1ar fal'nfllar falnfllar ' 18qd land- land landmarks tendmarki * . - marks rose ro * ahead , eicb eAch e&cb ecb & one on * with wJth aspecial aspecial a pecial special meaning , , and be h could c01114 see .ee ee seein . .eeIn In ( them the th ten year rears years ; * he hO b * had bad .pent pent spent spenthere . .pentbere penthere bere here ever since he be b * was waa a . hOIl\8- hOIl 8 bone- bone hOIl8less boneless home-less home less \ - - less drifting Idd kid of tourteea fourteen and androm andTom andTom rom Tom Arnold had bad * taken akm ( him In . In . He coula could sea .ee ee . those Bose Jos crowing J1'owt J1owt growing ' g yeara Jeara years Jearaof yearsof of f ichool school and ranch life Ute aad end d the theelose theclose theclose elose close , wil w wild d * companionship eomphnfonshlp omp nf9nshp ! of 1'bree 1bree Three 1'breeApachesb1mseU ThreeApacheshimself ' ThreeApaches Apaches-b1mseU Apaches b1mseU Apaches-himself himself - himself and Joy J07 and andSteve andSteve andBtev Steve In la hia h hUs yoimg young wa way ) " then he hebad hebad h hhad had bad thouebt thought it would eo go on like Uke that thatas thatas thata as * lone long aa as they ther ; Uv lived d . Tha 'J'be Jbe The ' three thre of ofthem ofthem ofthem them would wo\l1d wo l1d \ alwaya alwan always be b tol together.Even togetherEven together ther . Even earlier earl1er la in fn that venlag evenidg ev J'W1 JW1 ' . of the theOx theOx th thOx Ox Bow dance daDce , , a o . , year elir 8'0 80 ago ao ( ' . , , there therehad therebad tb r rbad bad had been aotbihg notbJbg nothing to warn him . . . That Thatwas Thatwas Thatwas was why wby It bad had * ( tru truck k so . o hard bard , . He remembered reI1)mbete4 reI1mbete4 ) Joy 1.07 107 Joy's Joys . ! * ' . atranga strange si- si al I - . ienee lence on n tea be e ride fid t1d * homa home o . , with Cl Clay ClayManning ClayManning y yManning Manning hol holding lng hi hl9 . , horca hone horse dor close clol to tober toher toher ber her ttlrrup stirrup , . 'hts hts ills ' hit talkt talka talk a1k a and Cd find laupter laughter lauptereven laughtereven laughtereven even more icusty gusb gusty ' than usual , , and andthen andthen andthen then tea the aecret secret that bad bunt burst from fromhim fromhim fromhim him against Joy'a Joya 107's 107s Joy's Joys ' ' audden sudden protest . , No Clayt Clayl Clay ! Not Notyetl yeti : " But Clay had said .ald ald . , , ' "Why Why 'Why ' " nat not nod ? l'U lU I'll Ill l'Utell I'lltell I'Utell IUtell ' tell the whola whole world , b honey ney , Jou're Joure you're youre Jou'reomg you'regoing you'retome youretome ' going , omg to be my wifel wife . ; " He H * remembered how that word'wife word 'wife wife , ' wife ' bad atruck struck Into bla his hi . brain brain.She brainShe . . She waa was only 0017 a . little UtUe girll SIrU girl ) But thenhe then thenhe thenhe he had looked across his aaddle saddle ather at atber ather ber her in a new way wa ) " , brought by thatword that thatword thatword word and ah she * waa was no longer a littlegirl UtUe little UtUeirl littlegirl girl , irl she sbe waa was a woman woman , , nineteenready oIneteen nineteen . , ready to marry mar17 a man . . . Something had ended for him b1m teataleht that thatnight thatnight night , , something he bad had taken forgranted for forgranted granted anted and counted countedon on , unknowingly unknowing1y unknowing 1y ly until it waa was suddenly StJdd nly gone Heaad He Hehad Hehad had tried to nil ftll fill that gap with aaew a anew anew new life hfe late in Wyoming and knew nowthat now nowthat nowthat that he never could It waa was notonly not notonly notonly only Joy , . b be * realized It wai was whatthe wbat what wbatthe whatthe the three 01 of I them had had bad togeteerhimself together , hImself and Joy J07 .toy toy . and SteveGuardedly SteveGuardedly Steve SteveGuardedly Guardedly , with all aU bla his alert alert.enses alertsenses alertensei .enses enses senses ( . centered on the dark choked chokedgrowth chokedgrowte rowth growth < at 01 of Cra Crazy % . ) ' Woman'a Womana Woman.s Womans Woman's ' . mouth . , be he bemoved hemoved hemoved moved acrosa across the narrow entrance entranceat at a alow slow pace , watching for signs signs.Then signsThen . . Then in a aand sand waab wash below the theopening theopening teeopening opening he came cam * upon a awath swath of oftracks oftracks oftracki tracks and baited halted to read teem them with witha a detailed detaUed careThey careThey care careThey They were all aU ot of borses horses hor ea , unshod unshod.all unshodall . , all going gomg into Cra Crazy % . ) ' Woman none nonecommg nonecoming noneconning commg coming out . . That would have bave been beenthe beenthe beenthe the bunch he be judged which old oldW oldWily oldWily W Wily lly Nickl Nickle * bad had told about last lastI11ght lastnight lastmeht I11ght night At leaat least twenty In tee the berdHe herdHe herd berd herdHe He urged his black borae borse horse forward forwardand . , and in another hour , when a patcb patch patchof patcbof of willow at Ten Mile Mil * Spring blocked blockedthe blockedthe blockedthe the way it was bia bis his eagemer eagerness that thatmade thatmade teatmade made him cut into an opening openingthrough openingthrough openingthrough through the trunk trunks * instead of ot going goingaround goingaround goingaround around He knew Instantly it was a aknistake ahaistake ahiistake knistake haistake Nothing had bad warned him This Thiswas Thiswas Thiswas was an isolated five acres of growth growteon growthon on the barren valley floor 600r But it itwas itwas itwas was also , . be he saw at once an Ideal Ideallookout ideallookout ideallookout lookout post for tor tee the men stationed stationedhere stationedhere stationedhere stationedhereHis here hereHIs His first rst urge was eas as to rein back backand backand backand and make a run Yet it was already alreadytoo alreadytoo alreadytoo too late for teat that . . Four men hadspread hadspread had hadpread pread spread out In a little l1tUe clearing di- di directly di directly . - rectly reclly ahead o > < ( him , . handa bands hands close to totheIr totheir totheir theIr holstered guns And teen then , evenas even evenas 88 as the urge urle ran through througb him andwa and andwas andwas was gone gone,49ie gone49ie . , ; lllle aa tocw kxlaw b w that th t whatevergame whatever whatevergame whatevergame game hi be he waa was to play her here * on teaLittle the theLittle theLittle Little Comancba Comanche : would have to open openomc openlame opensome lame some omc time He Be might as well . openit open openit openit it itnow now He nowHe rode roden in -n n . - and Stepped tepped down fromhi from fromhis fromhis his * saddle , . while the outspread fourclosed four fourclosed fourclosed closed In again 81aln to face him bim acrossthe a ross across acrossthe rossthe the ashes ash ashes . of their camp He Be lie nod nod- nodded nodded . - ded How now Ilow are you . , gentlemen ? Had"ij Hadij Had HadDIy Hadmy DIy my " eye eyes * . peeled for tor bucks and feath feath- feathers feathers . - ers Ql Gl Glad d to see white men again"He againHe again . ? . " ' He lie jerked bis his bead head south . . "Maybeyou Maybeyou "Maybe Maybe "MaybeYou "Maybeyou " You c can an tell ten me bow how tar far to Ox Bow Bowtown Bowtown Bowtawn town ' " ' ' , That eased teem them It placed laced him himas himas hima as * a stranger He Be aaw saw tee the tiahtreadiness tightreadiness tight tiaht tidiness readiness go eo out of their ann arms . a aIItUe alittle alittle alittleOne IItUe little IItUeOne littleOne One . asked .sked sked . , ' "You You " " headed beaded tor for Ox OxBow OxBow OxBow- OxBow OxBow"And Bow ' , - ' , ' "And And " beyond . , . , " . he be . said .aid aid He pulled pulledout pulled"t pulledt pulledOU OU\ OU out OUhIs " " \ his ptpe plppe ppa ! and loaded It it . , explalD explain explainteg explalDinL explainln ln inL , , Been coming down tee the traiL trail"Quailing trailQuailing . " Squatting , he be searched tee the ashesfor ashes ashe ashesr . for r a live coal . He found . the ashe ashes asheswarm asheswirni . warm with wltb witha a . bed of fire fir * underneath underneath.so underneathso . . So these men bad had cooked a noon noonDleal noonmeal noon"leal noonleal Dleal meal " here and were wer * waiting-tor waiting tor waiting-for for waitingtorwhat waitingforwhat waiting - torwhat what what ? ? Miine RIsing kiting . , ho hEl be taeed faced ( aeed tea the one man wbo who wbohad whohad whohaa had hadspoken tpoken spoken " "What What " s tee the brand onthis onthis on onl this l * range rane ? " Thean.wer The anawer an.wer anwer answer . came'Cro came gruffly grttffy . \'Cro 'Cro Cro "Cross Cross "CrossT \ " ' CrosBT . . T Know . " ' it UP in ? He shook JU his . hi * Mead head . . . . "New New .New " . to 10 W m me . . " . be The ' H . ' h'ati hati ) n1af ' atrw . WaslbA > ! hW 14f1 . > ? C CN C'hlaf N \ ' WW 'hlaf hlaf 'hlaf@e ' @e @ t l a41i ii * W ; & , tQdj and , ? ttwer W . ul > "v v " b bt t " 1 ackbear4ed ackbear4edtdvver ck.b ckb . , . e4 tdvver ver.a vera n a . AWgnaclou pdgqacloua lltiggaciouit : * jaw jatw j w ; shrewd abtewd Ct greyayes gray grey grayyea " " ey ayes thecattiem yea . , . "j j " 1'be 1be 1'be.i Thertlr ' TDW .i i . > WMI WU waa tH tb ; J OOk * at of of11 \11 11 \ the tilcattlamAft , * toyhilihands fortisbands catUem cattiem ln 11)Qbt 11Qbt about ) bout Jilin . hitm hlul . , except eicept 'ot ot fortis ' " W . h bands . , . tven JtVeQ E1ien gloves novCl ' e could lie not not ' hlWO have hlWOprotecfe haveprotectel k vprotected protecfe protectel protectelltbemA ltbemA } ) them tbem .k k . much mucli tro troh iron : from } th \h h \ the thecalluses thcalIusM calIusM- calIusM caUUea calluses calIusMand caUUeaand callusesand . $ - and buttu burtu burnat ! ( ot of b . eowman eowman'd eowmand eowman'drope cowmattropa ' " * behis rope . , . ' They 'Jbey Jbey obey werG were wr .qt qt sef . oft ti * ; : tbi the o * akin t1dn .b b . * be ha e ebI bI bis his . writts WrIst tvristd ; was wa waVhIw was . irhlfr wblterfi \VhIw VhIw wblter ' \ - , r fi f r " . tt . " t W WThe " 4 i iThe cuti6tT 0uftV TIt The . 'qat qat aggat ' squat , * man asked a * . ke li1J'Wba li1JWba < t ; t'Wha tWha t'Wha0u ' 'What What ' iOU 0u Att ! ftV ' . ' ; . S . . , ilU ) I , r ! ' rS rr q r " 'i i ' t \ J Jb"CIrClaDotf namer b"CIrClaDotf bCIrClaDotf ; "CircleDottf CircleDottf t"CircleDottf " " 'Clrcl Clrcl ' . , , Dot/ Dot Dott / , * ' t tIlW < w .afC\ .afC . $ .afCnamt aid ua \ , ' ' , naminga namt name ' a aa a r brand brand ra d far t at t tof to tobe Ur \be be the \ .outh outh south . outh . . , Bai He $ laW aw that the th J1'a1.qe J1a1.qe J1a1qe gray ' ray eyes < . ye . Bold a . ro sn snment's 19 ' " ment'a menta ment's ments ment ' . speculation Ipecu1aUon , . mov move to tee the oth othp other othpJr oth- oth other - er Jr er ! 1reeljntenj 1reeljntenja three ( hre , men rnenatid -a a < - aod d paus pause , . and ther therseamed 1 there thereseemed t . seamed .eerped eerped seemed . a silent .nent nent . question questton asked aslteed aadanswered and andanswered andanswered answered . They The ) ' came came ame back bade tbt tb tb < fn.veiled fnveiled . , veUed veiled : behind drp drpc droopthg < > > plny plng Uda lids l1d . . |