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Show THE RICH COUNTY REAPER. RANDOLPH. UTAH By FRANK H. SPEARMAN Frank H. Spearman WNU Service of the day at which the hostess and SYNOPSIS Don Alfredo, wealthy, Spanish owner of a Southern California rancho, refuses to heed several warnings of a raid by a band of outlaws. Sierra Indians. 'One day after be has finally decided to seek the protection of the nearby mission for his wife and family, the Indians strike. Don Alfredo is killed and his two young daughters are torn from the arms of the family's faithful maid, Monica, and are carried away to the hills. Padre Pasqual, missionary friend of the family, arrives at the ruins of the ranch and learns the story of the raid from Monica. After a trying and difficult trip across the plains and mountains from Texas to California, youthful Henry Bowie, a Texas adventurer, with his friends, Ben Pardaloe and Simmie, an Indian scout, sight the party of Indians who have carried off the two little girls. The three Texans attack the war party of fifty-od- d Indians and through a clever ruse, scatter the savages to the hills. The girls are saved.' The group makes its way out of the hills and meets the distraught Monica, the children's maid. The girls are left with Monica and the friendly Padre at a mission, and the Texans proceed to Monterey. Here Bowie completes his business for Gen. Sam Houston of Texas, who has commissioned him to deliver an Important message. Bowie decides to have a look at the wild untamed country that California was in the middle Nineteenth century.' Bowie disappears from California but returns eight years later and makes the acquaintance of a friendly Spanish family at the Rancho Guadalupe. He is attracted by the lovely Carmen, daughter of Don Ramon, the rancho's owner. CHAPTER VI Continued 7 Bowie listened, indeed, to the words of Don Ramon; but he heard the cadences of another voice a d voice of music, strange to the ear but bewildering in utterance. For the first time in his life the Texan, without realizing it, began to love the strange tongue in which Californians spoke and to listen for every syllable that might fall from, the lips of the young Spanish girl. The clinging black of her gown did not hide the tender slope of her shoulders; it contrasted with the ivory of her slender neck; and above this, from a perfectly poised head, fell soft masses of brown hair. They framed the features of one just at the threshold of adolescence: lips filling with promise of a richer maidenhood; eyes that retired under long dark lashes and opened with a searching light. You want to start tomorrow? Don Francisco was asking. Bowie her daughter were formally dressed. After the family had settled about the fire in the living room and the conversation had shown signs of lagging, Don Ramon made a request of Carmen. Carmen took her place at the family harp, ran her fingers over the strings and sang a Spanish song. The conversation and the words of the song were lost on Bowie, but not the clear, true notes of the girls voice. Don Francisco explained that the song was the appeal of a lover to the stars to bear witness of his devotion to his mistress. Carmen sang again, a French chanson. It was very slight, but it echoed in Bowies ears most of the night. It bothered Bowie, that in these household meetings be could never manage to catch the eye of Carmen. He was discreet enough not to attempt to coax her glance his way and old enough to be ashamed oi himself for his curiosity. But curiosity persisted. Toward the end ol his stay a natural resentment at the aloofness of one who had for a week enlisted his lively interest impelled him to practice such retaliatory measure as he could. The least satisfactory feature of his attempt to ignore her was that this made no apparent difference whatever to Carmen. If she were aware, there was no evidence of it for her, he seemed not to exist. Don Francisco, on the other hand, grew increasingly attached to Bowie. Everything about the Texan interested the youth. Especially was he fascinated by the plainsmans novel revolver. Indeed, the whole male population of Rancho Guadalupe marveled at a pistol that would shoot six bullets without recharging. The matanza always brought down an army of bears from the hills, and Don Francisco, seeking excuse to prolong the stay of the hunters, promised them as many bear fights as they had stomach for black bers, cinnamon bears and occasionally the famed monarch of the Sierras, the grizzly, the highly respected oso pardo, as Don Francisco nodded. called him. This prospect of adBut I have an idea. suggested venture interested the two scouts. Francisco. My uncle is having They added their appeal to that ol this week. ' HeJs slaughtering Don Francisco, and Bowie not surplus cattle for the tallow. Cap- loath to linger near the flame of the tain Davis, with whom my uncle distant candle he had lighted for trades, is in port at Monterey from himself consented. f China. He will want much tallow Hardly had night fallen when the for South America and Boston it vanguard of the bears arrived from will be a big matanza. You should the hills. Tempted by the rejected see one. Much attention, much ex- meat and offal of the matanza, the citement, much work Stay over a bears would come down at nightfall day or two. The streams will then for a feast. This gave the hunters, be fordable, and you and your disposed for sport, their chance. scouts, in the meantime, will be well Shortly the matanza ground was entertained. Plenty of bears I well filled with the hairy monsters, Bears? echoed Bowie. gorging, growling, fighting among Dozens. They themselves and snapping ferociously Francisco nodded. coma down from the mountains at at those bolder coyotes who dared night after the matanza offal. Plenty trespass on the preserves of their of chance for a bear fight if you like banqueting betters. ' one. The Texans watched. Don Ramon, rlr ja ; The Texan showed interest, asked circling a chosen bear, lassoed him more questions, and said he would by the neck; Don Francisco, watchtalk to his scouts. ing his chance, executed the more The next morning Bowie and his difficult feat of roping the bears host rode out to where the matanza hind legs; and the two horsemen, was in progress. Pardaloe and Sim- riding then in. opposite directions, mie were already on the scene, forced the bear to fight his utmost to save himself. In the end he was watching every move of the vaque-ro- s killed. The vaqueros made nightly as one rode quietly into the corral, lassoed a steer by the horns sport with the big fellows. The Texans, seeing bear after bear brought and brought him outside. to the knife, were not greatly imWhen the rider had the beast well placed, a second vaquero roped the pressed. In the morning Don Ramon invitsteers hind legs, threw him and, with two ropes taut, tied his feet in ed Bowie for a canter over the a bunch and, with a knife, gave him rancho. He particularly .wanted to see how the rain had left the footthe golpe de gracia. What interested the Texan, sea- bridge leading across the river to the grain fields which stretched in soned as to cattle and horses, was toward the bay. Rethe skill and speod with which the rolling acres he a short cut turning, suggested vaqueros worked and the almost through the hills. ' The two men of their horses human intelligence were riding briskly abreast when, the perfection of their response to a canyon, they stumbled crossing every hint of their rider in snaring suddenly, almost on top of a bear and handling a steer. It was paron with two her along ambling ticularly this skill of the horses that cubs to the matanza way ground. made the work proceed rapidly withMira! Cuidado! Oso pardo, out mishap or hitch. cried Don Ramon. For two days the work went forThe warning was well ordered. ward speedily. The matanza ground The bear, reared with the was a scene of the greatest activity. swiftness ofenraged, a on her To the Texan the spectacle of such huge feet and sprang, as luck would abundance, such profusion of waste have it, at Don Ramon. She struck and such indifference to everything him with a raking blow of her claw. but the work in hand was a source It caught his trouser leg. The stout A hearty lunch cloth, unhappily for the rider, held ol amazement. served to the family at noon was and the unlucky Don found himself followed by a heartier dinner for torn from the saddle. In catapultthe evening, with the difference that ing headfirst to the ground his foot r. native wine accompanied the caught in the stirrup, and his frenwas the This family gathering zied horse dashed down the canyon, dragging the rider a dozen yards before the Don could release himself. As he kicked clear with a mighty effort his head struck a rock, and he sprawled on the canyon floor, half conscious, The bear dashed awkward but swiftly after the fleeing horse and the helpless rider. ' Bowie, close at hand, had barely seconds to head his panicky mount toward the angry beast and uncoil his lasso. Yelling to the Don to flee, Bowie flung his rope at the loping grizzly. It settled over her head and Bowie, spurring swiftly back despite the weight and size of the grizzly, jerked the monster around and threw her off her feet. Only for an instant. Rolling over, the bear, doubly infuriated, seized the lasso in her claw and began reeling Bowie and his horse hand over hand toward her. The Texan perceived his peril. His horse strove vainly to pit his strength against the strength of his enormous enemy. It was a hopeless endeavor. Relentlessly the bear dragged horse and rider toward him. Luckily a sizable tree stood near. With shout and spur Bowie, plunging forward, whirled the horse and managed to circle the tree before the bear could take up all the slack. It gave the Texan an instant of respite, and he dismounted. But in that instant the bear charged him. The tree between the two was of little consequence, as the hunted man was aware, and the grizzlys leap was far beyond the nimblest feat of a runner. Taking what was at best a merely desperate chance, Bowie, as he jumped, fired shot aft- - . ; . - jack-in-the-b- din-ae- ox Amigo! he exclaimed. Thanks to God that you are alive! Tell me: what happened in that can- yon? 'T'HE hum of the wind in the treetops has always been good music to me, and tne face of the fields has often comforted me more than the faces of men. John Burroughs. The firmest friendships have been formed in mutual adversity; as iron is most strongly united by the fiercest flame. Colton. He who embraces unity of soul by subordinating animal instincts to reason will be able to escape dissolution. Lao Tze. There is nothing which makes men rich and strong but that which they carry inside of them. John Milton. Pattern No. Z9256 pROM Africa, China, Scotland, England and France comes the cosmopolitan group decorating this new tea towel set. Each, busy at his own particular specialty, may be quickly sketched in outline ' on a daily tea towel square; on Sundays towel, the entire group is shown in festive attire. Pattern for the 7 clever tea towels and two matching panholders is Z9256, 15c. Send order to: AUNT MARTHA Box Kansas City, Mo. Enclose 15 cents for each pattern desired. Pattern No Name Address 166-- The padre put up his hand. He is too weak to talk. But in a. few words, begged Don Francisco. In a few words, responded BowHelp to Relieve Distress ef ie dryly, we had more or less of a fight. Madre de Dios! exclaimed Don Francisco. I would call it more PERIODIC than less of a fight. Pedro has never seen so big a bear no, not in all his life, he truly says. But Bowie, Try Lydia E. Pinkhams Vegetable you must know Padre Martinez. He Compound to help relieve monthly has been our surgeon, amigo. We headaches, backache and pain, ALSO calm irritable nerves due to had none else to call on. Dr. Doane monthly functional disturbances. was in Santa Barbara. Doctors are Pinkhams Compound is simply marvelous to help buUd up resistscarce in California, very scarce. ance against distress of difficult We feared you would die from all days." Famous for over 60 years Hundreds of thousands of girls and the blood you lost. But Padre Women report remarkable benefits. who graduated a surgeon in WORTH. TRYING! V Spain before he became a mission-e- r, came quickly to our aid and you see! Bowie weakly acknowlKindness Reconciles edged his obligation by pressing the Harshness will alienate a bosom hand of Padre Martinez, who sat and kindness reconcile a beside his bed, and the padre si- friend, foe. deadly lenced Don Francisco by waving him out of the room and then following him. At the door he encountered Don Ramon just coming to speak to Bowie and, in matter of fact, to apologize for exposing his guests life to such danger Don Ramon brought back his nephew Francisco for translator. Only a few words, Padre, exclaimed Don Ramon. But he saved my life. I must, at least, thank him. Bowie, who in the everyday course of the life of a frontiersman would not have looked on his narrow escape as an extraordinary event, found himself the hero of the ranchd Pardaloe and Simmie, shining in the penumbra of his prestige and though secretly elated at the feat, put on airs of indifference among the vaqueros to intimate that where they came from such incidents were ev, full-bloom- ed . Bowie woke in bed to see a tall bald man in the brown woolen habit of a Franciscan padre sitting in a chair beside him and eying him with a suspicion of a smile. As Bowie opened his eyes the padre raised the forefinger of his right hand and laid it across his own lips as if to enjoin silence. Dos palabros, amigo, no mas! he said in a low sympathetic voice Few words from you for some time yet. I want to see some nourishment for you before you expend any strength you left most of that, amigo, in the canyon. Yes, he continued, still in English, I know what you want to ask. You were brought back to the ranch house, given up for dead. When they sent for me at the mission I, asked, Who is this man? A Texan, mangled by a grizzly, they told me. A Texan? I repeated. And when they assured me you were, I said, The Texan is not dead; I have seen many men torn by grizzlies; but the Texan outlasts the bear. However, I say to you seriously, few words and on your back till we can get more, blood coursing through your veins. Bowie lay so utterly weak he could hardly find voice, but speak he would. Padre," he said, breathing with difficulty, if the bear is dead I want my knife. My knife, he repeated with an effort, and my revolver. For answer the Franciscan rose, turned to the bureau in the bedroom, took from it the long knife and the Colt revolver They have been 'cared for, amigo, as you see. But I advise you to rest up for at least three months before you resume with a grizzly . . . That is, indeed, a knife, remarked the padre, holding up the bowie knife for interested inspection. Where did you get it, amigo? The blade was made from a blacksmiths file, returned Bowie with a trace of pride in his weakness. And calls for a long strong arm to wield it, mused the padre. Don Francisco entered the room on tiptoe. He greeted Bowie warm- ly. , za Gems of Thought - sweet-throate- ma-tan- CHAPTER VII j FEMALE But in that instant the bear charged him. er shot into the bears mouth and head. Then he dropped the empty revolver, whipped out his knife and, waiting not a second, plunged directly into the bears arms for what was likely to prove a fatal embrace. Only one of the two, he knew could come out alive. The foreman Pedro was riding away from the corral when he saw Don Ramons riderless horse racing out of the hills. The d realized at once there was trouble. Shouting to near-b- y vaqueros to follow, he spurred for the hills. Before he reached them Bowies hors4, dragging the broken rope, shot out of the canyon and gave him the direction. At the same moment he heard pistol shots echoing down the canyon walls. Urging his companions who were stringing along behind to follow fast, Pedro galloped into the canyon. His practiced eye told him the story as he rode. Whatever it had been, it was over, for the canyon was as still as the grave. On he galloped until, rounding a bend, he saw the bodies of the grizzly and the Texan lying less than ten yards apart, both apparently dead. But Pedro dared take no chances. His horse was frantic, and he knew the deadly danger of a wounded bear. Casting a hasty glance at Bowie, who lay on his face, he urged his frightened horse closer, to the fallen monster of the Sierras. The vaquero eyed the beast narrowly while he rode his horse, kicking and flinging, around him until he caught sight of the handle of a bowie knife sunk to the hilt between the ribs under the left forepaw. The grizzly lay quite dead.. Hastening to Bowie, Pedro slipped from his horse to examine him. and mangled, the Texan lay in a rapidly widening pool of his own blood. His heart was beating faintly, and Pedro, giving hurried orders to his comrades, raised the unconscious man in his arms, pushed up from one ear a flap of scalp torn from Bowies temple, and, shouting for puffballs, plastered the dry spores as best he could over the unconscious mans head, shoulders and arms. half-bree- Dust-cover- ed COMPLAINTS I Mar-,-tin- ez, eryday occurrences. The t days went slowly, almost painfully, for an active man like Dona Maria, realizing that her husbands life had been spared through the diversion of the bears fury, was unremitting in her solicitude for the Texans comfort. And when he was ready to sit up, Carmen sent flowers and a Chinese confection to. him. During the impatient days that followed, Bowie had one faithful attendant. Don Francisco spent hours at his bedside and entertained him with stories of California and of his people, the rancheros. Bowie was a good listener. One day while Don Francisco sat with Bowie a jar of Canton ginger was sent in with the compliments of Carmen. Bowie, assuming such indifference as he could muster, asked why Carmen wore black. . Bowie. (TO BE CONTINUED) Carmsa of the Rancho T MOTEL BOISE. IDAHO Largest and finest hotel in Idaho. Two hundred beautifully appointed rooms. Only fireproof hotel in Boise. Located in heart of dvie, gov--. emmental and business dis- trict. EXCELLENT FOOD MODERATE RATES mnaoumnt or vmaiL e. mc ms |