Show 10 I 1 tip afflick AM N lit MAIZY OHARA 11 THE STORY so FARI FAR ten year oh ken mclaughlin given elver an opportunity to hoose boose any yearling on his hl family wyoming ranch picks the filly of a loco ware named RD hochel CIet ills father a retired army officer to li dt disappointed sap pointed b by y kens choice aud and by his hi sons soni allure fallar e in school nut but he is pleased at the change in ren ken since he has had a colt ot of his 0 own w n when micka the filly Is badly h hurt urt trying to jump tits the corral lence fence ken takes tahe the opportunity to care for or her and to make friends with her me laughlin however Is still convinced the uly filly Is no good and refuses to have anything to do with what he be considers kens kena bad bargain now continue with the story CHAPTER XIV the fillys physical gondi condition tion was improving she ran all over the calf pasture on three legs she was up on the hillside near the three pines in the early morning broadside to the sun getting what nell said was her radium treatment and tha first thing when ken woke in thi the morning he looked out of his window and saw her there standing in profile motionless as a statue her ber head hanging low and relaxed the achievement which ken had been getting just a hint of like the scent of something delicious but far away tickling the nostrils of a hound was more than a hint now it was a reality A victory that filled his lungs and shone from his eyes and gave strength to his hands bucka was his folcka had recovered lecove rod blicka loved him there was wa sonly only one more thing dad he said at supper that night Flick as my friend now she likes me im glad of that son said me laughlan ln its a fine thing to have L a jeorse fora tora friend kena face was strained and he her r legs better he said it hurt her so P well what well weve got to find out dont wi w find out what it ashes loco cocot oh mclaughlin blin grunted and frowned ashes not loco adut but you said we know until we began her training 11 have you had that in your head all this time that little fillys got as nice a disposition as any horse I 1 iver ever knew but dad how do we know she might be crazy like rocket like she was herself up in the stables if va we tried to put a rope on her and ashes got to be halter broke 11 mclaughlin Al cLaughlin looked at his small son with a quizzical grin on his face oh what you want Is it some help in breaking thai that v ald woman I 1 jennie nodded robs eyes sought nells and then he pushed back his chair took out his pipe and looked out the window gravely 1 I think we might do that tomorrow he said finally yes I 1 think I 1 ill ii have time right bight alter after breakfast daiv when supper was over ken fled from the table and ran to take folcka her oats he told her all about it he stood smoothing her mane he begged her to be good ile he assured her there was nothing to be afraid of in being halter broken he told her how bow he and howard had halter broken the colts that the colts had liked it they had all had fun together he begged her he begged herl oh folcka he began to think of what would happen if she good he thought of rocket and then the hole and then he laid his face ace against as mane and stopped talking to her because he tell her about those things she just understand nell came looking for him she liked to pay a little visit every day to folcka they walked up through the pasture together the air was sweet with the perfume of wild roses in the sunset there were long horizontal band ot of deep rose and golden pink dark blue sky in between there was a mass of mauve and violet cloud above A sickle moon rode in the midst of the color with one star drawn close nell seized ken by the shoulder and whirled him around before he saw it theres a new moon in the sky kengle look at it over your left shoulder and good luck ken obediently looked he want to stop looking it if it was good luck oh if it was good luck when gus leaned in at the door next morning and said today day boss mclaughlin began to outline a full days work lie he was planning the haying begin in mid august the grass was deep and ripe they could cut early this year the weather had been so fine that all the ranch ers in the neighborhood were getting ready to cut along the roadsides the mowing machines were already laying swathes of fragrant hay flat the air smelled different it was said that when hay was cut in wyoming the perfume of it was on the wind tor for hundreds of 0 miles the mowing machines with all their small razor sharp blades must be gone over bolts tightened lightened worn parts replaced harness mended new prongs prong put in the rakes some soine repairs jadoon the staci cers ken sat in an anguish of suspense while his father gave cave gus dirc dir c alons that surely meant a full days work and gus added mclaughlin right now before we begin with all that th a 16 ken Is going to halter break his filly I 1 want you and tim on hand gus eyes opened in astonishment he glanced at kens scarlet downcast face ja boss vere will ve vc do it in the calf pasture call tim mclaughlin rose from the table well do it right now and get it over with tim and gus came down from the stable carrying lariat halter and a lead rope they stood in a group just inside the fence and mclaughlin walked forward a short distance with ken and told him to call the filly ally ken obeyed presently folcka appeared coming around the shoulder of the hill she trotted up to ken mclaughlin ln undid the red bandana from kins kens neck handed it to him and said just sling that around her neck and tie it in a loose knot puzzled by these strange directions ken obeyed and blicka returned what apparently she kem 1 id call that halter broken said mclaughlin thought was a caress nuzzling his neck with her nose and now take your belt off said mclaughlin ln here 1 said ken in a complete fog slip it through the bandana said his father when ken had done that the belt hung in a loop under Flick as neck mclaughlin ln waved his hand now go down the path put your arm through that loop ken did so while mclaughlin ln stepped backward put his arm across his cifes shoulders and pretended tend e d to le lean n his weight on her he was thoroughly enjoying himself ken walked down the path and blicka hopped by his side close to him when they reached the cotton woods on the hill ln call called eld now turn around and come back let go the loop just hold your hand tn in the air under her chin ken obeyed the leather belt the bandana hung loose on the fillys neck kens hand was in the air under her chin he led her by an invisible bridle and the filly followed as close as she could id call that halter broken reald mclaughlin ln grinning as the hoy boy reached him ken was stun nod but dad he be said but its not net a halter dad you take some convincing young teller feller said rob but all right give us a halter gus gus stepped forward and gave him the halter now put it on her said handing it to ken ken almost most shook he held the halter in his hands and turned to blicka but dared not take a step to in her direction how shall I 1 put it on her he asked thinking of the way he and howard had to struggle with th the e first halter and the colts just the way I 1 put the halter on Ta taggert baigert igert said his father ken thought about that his father walked up to taggert holding the halter openly in his hands and taggert stood there and stuck her head in it he fie summoned all his courage went to folcka and held out the halter blicka who loved his hands bands and had never felt the touch of them except in gentleness and affection came closer and ken slipped the halter over her head and hooked it under her throat now lead her said his father ken obeyed and went down the path twenty yards or so an easy halt and turn and b ick back again with blicka following id so closi close the lead rove rooe was slack but dad said ken completely dazed how did she get halter broke mclaughlin ln did not answer direct ly all folks he said turning to the small audience gus and tim were both grinning the way we break bleak horses on the goose bar ranch I 1 wish ross duckley buckley had been here to see that but dad protested ken sup slip ping the halter off of Flick as head she stood beside him nosing losing at it nipping at it with her lips figure it out said mclaughlin ln boisterously y as he walked away come on gus well get at those machines that night when keri ken came back from taking folcka her oats he walked to the terrace where its Is parents were sitting and said wagging his head more poultices icis please pl e ase nell who was laughing stopped es as she heard keps words and turned to look ht at him the matter her hock Is swelled up again and she holds the leg up both his parents sat satsa 89 still and so gravely tor for a moment that it made ken anxious the poultices cured it before cure it again doni they nell got up iud suddenly delilY ill go down to look at it kendl ken mclaughlin went too they looked looke d at the wound mind which was swollen find and obviously painful her right for foreleg ewAs was swollen too all thi the way wai kro faconi the knob knee up to the sear scar of the chest wound ken was alarmed when his father pointed out to him the econe I 1 infection can we put poul poultices ices on that loo he said anxiously nell nodded sure eure i it wont be an easy place to bandage but well amanaki manage next time ln went to town he brought back backi a bottle 0 of serum and gave folcka a hypodermic injection j it tor for dad asked ken anxiously for a generalized infection like this generalized infection yes she had just one infected place on her leg chest wound was all healed up and never had been infected now its infected the infection came through her bloodstream from her leg called a generalized infection mclaughlin ln spoke in a casual matter of fact way an and d kins kens anxiety was allayed will it get her well quick kutck dad he asked hope so son sometimes it helps a lot sometimes they seem to do as well without it you get M it 1 I got it from dr hicks the name of the vet always made ken think of money ind and it gave him a shock that thing his father had said you cost me money every time you turn around how much did it cost dad i they were walking back together jt it cost ten dollars ken stopped walking and mclaughlin laughlin bi strode on an without him heading tor for the tool house near which gus was working on one of the mowing machines ten dollars dollar sl ten dollars when his father crabbed about every penny the boys spent about a forkful of hay ken ran after his father me mclaughlin was already arguing over the blades with gus dad he began well yell mclaughlins ins head was raised from the machine 1 I 1 I 1 know what you said gaid you remember well out with it roared mc impatiently that I 1 cost you money every time I 1 turn around I 1 see how I 1 could but now why daal ten dollars thanks ever so much dad ten dollars dollar sl shouted his father with the twisted sardonic gardon lc grin on his mouth why for or you fou kennie nothing A me ere wave ot of the hand youre the boy that threw sway away three hundred dollars just looking out the window for an hour why chyi erthree nev hun bun dred drea dollars go on awa away and let me work roared his father and bent his head again over oer the machine ken to aund nd his mother she was busy too sorting the laundry laundr sit ting on her heels on the floor picking over a big pile of shirts blue jeans socks and linen ken posed the problem how did I 1 mother I 1 never did did I 1 nell laughed and wrote six pra blue jeans oti on her list yes you did you looked out the window tor for an hour when you should have been writing a composition so you promoted and you have to repeat the grade and it costs about three hundred dollars for on eyears schooling scho 0 ling tor for you three hundred dollars breathed kennie kehnle with awe how can it count it up eight months board at 2500 a month A hundred dollars tor for tuition and books you wasted all that you see if you vou had written th the composition your father have had I 1 to 0 pay th that at ov over e r didin again tor for you jou TO BE CONTINUED |