Show SERIAL S STORY a LANGFORD of th the e ia THREE BARS BAR s sj KATE AND VIRGIL D BOYLES IL loper co abt gb t by A C X C arg ur co 1101 1907 SYNOPSIS george a poor ranchman high minded and cultured searches lor for cattle miss missi g from his ranch the lazy S on a wooded spot in the river rivers s bed toed that would I 1 ave been an island had the missouri Mis souil been at high water he discovers a band of horse tl ti leves engaged in work worl ing over brands on cattle attle he ile creeps near enough to note the changing ot of tie tl e tl TI ree reet bars brand on one steer to the J IL brand paul langford the rich 0 owner ner of tl e tl ree bars ranch Is sent tor for by A V III ston and Is informed of tl ti e operations of tl ti e gang of cattle thieves a band of outlaws headed by jesse black who long have defied the law and author aties of kemal county south dakota with ty but who heretofore had not dared to n blest any of the property of the great tl TI ree bars ranch willis ton shows I 1 Is in opposing a band so powerful in too politics lipics and so dreaded by all tie tl e community langford Lang tord pledges his frend fr friendship ship it he will assist in bringing jesse black and his ills gatig gang to justice langford Lang tord is struck with the beauty ol 01 mary commonly known as Willis Will istona tons little girl louise dale an expert court stenographer rapier er who had followed I 1 er uncle judge hammond dale from the east to the Dakota hs and who Is living with him at wind city Is requested by the county attorney richard got gaidon don to come to kemah and take testimony in the pre prel 19 m nary amft hear ear ing ot of jesse black she accepts the inai tatlyn and makes her first trip into the wild I 1 d indian country Ar arriving at velpen across the river from kemah she Is met by jim munson a hot headed cowboy of the three bars ranch in waiting tor for the train munson looks at some cattle I 1 in the stock pen in the herd be ng sl dipped to sioux city by bill brown he detects old mag a well known onery steer belonging to his employer of the three bars ranch munson and louise start for or they take tale lunch at a the bon ami restaurant conducted by mrs hig gins a great admirer of richard gordon the county attorney lou se is told of a meat poisoning plot which resulted in the illness of williston langford and other witnesses for the state in the cattle thief case against jesse black A buckboard tries to block the way of munson s team at the entrance to pontoon bridge across the river munson crowds past the buck board team wrecking the buckboard tl 71 ey arrive at will ston s crowds as in justice james R mcallisters McAll McAlli lster s court for tl e preliminary hearing jesse black springs the first of many great surprises via waiving iving examination through jake sanderson a member of the out law gang he had learned that the steer mag had been recovered and thus saw the uselessness of fighting against being bound over CHAPTER VII vil continued Conti nud but what makes you think they are mixed up in this affair they the had their eyes on me to see what was I 1 a doln in velpen and I 1 was a doln doin things too langford Lang tord gave a long low whistle 0 of comprehension that would e ex plain the unexpected waiving of exam in jesse biach knew the steer had been recovered and saw the fu in tilita of fighting against his being bound over now aint she a hummer insist ed jim admiringly but added slight angly homely though as all git tut out mouse hair plumb homely on the contrary I 1 think she Is plumb pretty retorted langford Lang tord a laugh in his blue eyes jim fairly gasped with chagrin unconcerned grinning black slouch ed to the door and out once straight en out that lazy bool ing body and you would have a big man in jesse black yes a big one and alid a quick one too maybe fhe rhe crowd made way tor for him unconsciously no one jostled him he was a marked man from that day his lawyer small leaned back in his chair radiating waves of tion as though he had just gained a disputed point it was a manner he affected when not on oil the floor in a frenzy of words and muscular action jim munson contrived to pass by jake sanderson so you followed me to find out about mag did you youa heap 0 good it did you we knew you knew he bragged insultingly the man mans s face went white with wrath damn you he cried his hand dropped to his belt the two glared at each like fighting cocks men alen crowded around sudden ly aware that a quarrel was on the three bar bars a a gittin busy I 1 jeered jim come jim I 1 want you it was gordons gordon a quiel quie voice he laid a re straining hand on munson a our arm dick gordon this ain aint t your put in snarled sanderson git out the way he shoved slimed him roughly aside now snapping turtle to jim the three bars d better git busy A reint at a blow a clever little twist of 0 the feet and munson sprawl ed on the floor men pressing back to give him the full force of the fall they believed in fair play but jim was up with the nimbleness of a monkey hit away he cried tauntingly I 1 know nough bough to swear out a warrant you T wont be so lonesome lor for jesse now breakie stones over to sioux falls jim it was gordon s quiet au votee voice once more I 1 told you I 1 wanted you he threw his arm over the belligerents shoulder wu comin dick I 1 dida t m man an to blab so much jim answered contritely they moved away sanderson fol lowed them ua D ck goi gaidon don he said with cool deliberateness you youre re too damned anxious to stick your nose into other people peoples s affairs learn i 3 our lesson will you youa my favorite stunt is to teach meddlers how to mind their own business this way it was not a fair blow gordon doubled up with the force of the punch in his stomach in a moment all was contusion confusion men drew their pistols it looked as it if there was to be a tree free for all fight langford Lang tord sprang to his friend friends s aid using his fists with plentiful freedom in his haste to get to him never mind me whispered gor don he was leaning heavily on jim a shoulder his face was pals but he smiled reassuringly there was some thing very sweet about his mouth when he smiled never mind me he repeated get the girls out of this quick paul mary and louise had sought refuge behind the big table quick the back door cried lang ford leading the way and as the three passed out he closed the door behind them saying you are all right now run to the hotel I 1 must see how dick dla Is coming on do aou ou think he is badly hurta asked louise can t we help I 1 think you had best get out of this as quickly as you can I 1 don t believe he is knocked out by any means but I 1 want ta be on hand for any future events which may be called just fly now both of you ahe unfair blow in the stomach had given the sympathy of most of the bystanders tor for the time being at least to gordon men forgot momentarily their grudge against him understand ing from the black looks that he was not in touch with the crowd sander son laughed a short snort of con tempt and slipped out of the door unable to resist the impulse jim bounded out after bis his enemy when paul hastened around to the front of the building the crowd was nearly all in the street the tension was relaxed A dazed expression pre availed brought to life by the sudden ness with which the affair had devel aped to such interesting proportions and the quickness with which it had flattened out to nothing for sander son had disappeared completely mysteriously and in all the level land there was no trace of him nor sign see a balloon jim asked lang ford slapping him on the shoulder with the glimmer of a smile well 16 4 0 y the man a face went white with wrath your redheaded red headed friend won t be down in a parachute kite yet are you all right dick old mau maii yes where are the they are all right I 1 took them through the back door and sent them to the hotel you kin bet on the boss every time when it comes to petticoats said jim disconsolately why jim what a up 9 asked lang ford in amused surprise but jim only turned and walked away with his head ia the air the serpent was leering at him CHAPTER VIII vill the county attorney I 1 too am going to wind city said a pleasant voice at her side you will let me help you with your things will you note the slender girl standing before the ticket window stuffing change into her coin purse turned quickly why mr air co 0 o doa 1 e aid hold ing out a sall anu unu a nd with frank pleas ure how very ni nice acet thank you will you take my raincoat rain ceaf it has been such a bother I 1 would bring it right in the face of uncle hammond s oh ob sections he said it never rained out this way but I 1 surely have suffered a plenty for my waywardness don t you think so soa it behooves a tenderfoot like you to sit and diligently learn of such ex perien ced and toughened old timers as we are rather than flaunt your un tried ideas in our faces responded gordon with a smile that transformed the keen gray eyes of this man of much labor much lofty ambition and much sorrow so that they seemed for the moment strangely young laughing untroubled as clear of taint of evil knowledge as the source of a stream leaping joyously into the sun light from some mountain solitude it was a revelation to louise I 1 will try to be a good and dill gent seeker after knowledge of 0 this strange land of yours she answered with a little laugh halt half of embarras em baras barass A fc ment halt half of enjoyment of this play of nonsense and leading the way to her suit case and mary outside when I 1 make mistakes will you tell me about them down east you know our feet travel in the ancient pre scribed ascribed bed circles of our forefathers and they are apt to go somewhat gainly it if thrust into new paths and this laughing clever girl had cried with homesickness well vell no wonder the worst ot of it was she could never hope to be acclimated she was not their kind sooner or later she must go back to god s coun try to her surprise gordon though he laughed softly tor for a moment answer ed rather gravely it if my somewhat niggardly fate should grant me that good fortune that I 1 may do something tor for you I 1 ask that you be not afraid to trust to my help it would not be half hearted I 1 assure you she looked up at him gratefully ills shoulders slightly stooped betook ening the grind at college and the bur den bearing in later years instead of suggesting any inherent weakness in the man rather inspired her with an intuitive faith in their quiet ing utter thank you she eald said simply I 1 am so glad they did not hurt you much that day in the courtroom we worried mary and I 1 thank you there wag was not the least danger they were merely vent ing their spite on me they would not have dared more there a my brakeman said louise when she and gordon had found a seat near the rear mary had gone and a brakeman had swung onto the last car as it glided past the platform and ca came me down the aisle with a grin of recognition for his little white lamb how flow nice it all seems just as it if I 1 had been gone months instead of days and was coming home again if it would be tunny funny if I 1 should be home sick for the range when I 1 get to wind city t it if let us pray assiduously that it may be so answered gordon with one of 0 his rare smiles he busied himself a moment in stowing away her belongings to the best advantage ge it gets in one a blood how or when one never knows they rode in silence for a while tell me about your big fight said louise presently the roadbed wai wak fairly good and they were spinning along on a down grade he must needs needa bend closer to hear her she was good to look at fair and sweet and it had been weary years yeara since women had come close to gor don s life in the old college days before this hard disappointing unequal fight 9 t against the dominant forces ol 01 9 greed reed ag against ainest tolerance of might over coming right had begun to sap his vitality he had gone tog deeply into his studies s to have much time left for the gayeties gayet les and gallantries of the social side in university life he had not been popular with women they did not know him yet though dubbed a dig by his fellow colleg lans fans the men liked him they liked him tor for his trustworthiness admired him for his rugged honesty desired his friendship tor for the inspiration of his high ideals what shall I 1 talk about miss dale it Is all very prosaic and interesting resting g lin I 1 m afraid shockingly primitive glar angly new I 1 breakfasted with a stanch friend of yours this morning answered louise somewhat irrelevantly she had a feeling a woman a feeling that this earnest hardworking reserved man would never bairt out things about himself with the bland self cent redness of most men she must use all her woman a wit to draw him out she did not know yet that he was starved for sympathy tor for under standing she could not know yet that two affinities had drifted through space near together A feather zephyr blowing where it listed might widen the space between to an infinity of distance so that they might never know how nearly they had once met or it might as its whim dictated blow them together so that for weal or for woe they would know each the other to be cont aued |