Down the Mother Lode

idly that our

levies marshal

shly that our g

e prizes for wh

t Ha

have come first. However, we shall leave the "theorizin"' to be settled by the lips of the first mummy whose centuries-old tissues shall

te productions of humans to enjoy a contest of stress and s

chance, and it often reverted in bizarre tangents. This, then

all my importunit

to a decision, Mr. Saul," answered Mistress P

rsisted Slick-heels Saul. "As for what your father is owing me, it shal

ence in the gambler's allusion to her i

it, "no ulterior motive for worldly advance

sider my proposit

y eyes of the foppish scape-grace before her. She lowered her own ey

k of races, you sha

cisco, shall enter into a profession more fitting the social station of the lady who is to bec

be some way to pay my father's debts beside this extremity, to which death is almost preferable. There is still a week

the mesa near the speed-track at the spot we had agreed u

Saul again. W

rought over his whole stableful of saddle horses and I was raised in Kentucky. Do not despair, we shall beat

cky or Missouri. All that had the stamina to get to Californy, the one thin

m are faster than

ay have me own opinion, but it's to meself I'll kape it till afther the races ar

e in with the bunch of cattle f

at anythin' on four legs, even jack rabbits an' antelope. The prec

at the silent girl and the

have ye visit

I should

pan o' dirt, they will be saltin' ivery pan wit' nuggets for ye! Eric, lad," he called back to the tall young man, "ye might look the cow hor

s me to see," though Eric, as he hurried off to t

just putting up a pair

this horse. Can he beat this rat-tai

," who had just enough mustang to give him the stamina and s

d, turning to the cattle horse. She was long necked, long legged, long haired, wall-eyed, lean, and badly in ne

us driving power in the steel muscles of the hind quarters, but she

ust up

down at String-halt Eddie's place, an' the boys are goin' to try the plugs out before they put

ke the air," her way was blocked by a clamoring crowd of

you would not take advantage of a poor old man and his honest, hard-work

cattle lout! If you don't pay up your bets, we'll take it out of you

ide, sick at heart. This was the creatur

edly under a liveoak bush. "Sir," she began timidly, "y

"Now, bless your kind heart, Miss,

Mr. Saul said to

erything you mention. Could you, now, b

s,

e I came here I have heard-of you," he finished, with

u not accept it? Yesterday, at the claims, I panned it out myself. I am sorry

. Can

. Your extremity is

bag in his hand. "'Tis why they are where they are today." Then his keen old eyes softened. "And why they are what they are, today. Bles

ised of the sure thing and flocked to

ey, Eric?" asked Irish M

aid Eric

ewd gave slid from t

gathered in the information fr'm th' express agent that the auld cattle man owns a big Spanish grant down in the

you ever see

pile sport

the fiesta and the fa

d cattle man wit

med with a brace o' Colts apiece. 'Tis fun

l, you are

last day of grace.

r the foot race between Cherokee Bob an'

men with guns every te

lackens his gait by ever so little, the b'ys will begin shootin' sthraight before th

t ne

ass fight, an'

away, Red Pete suddenly took to the bru

s, an' ivery man he owes

e was quittin so d-- much pick handlin, an' a-practicin' up. It's a reflection on the comm

did that little nigger jockey come fr

ly your hor

t know,

t! He m

me native isle," chuckled Irish Mike. "Patty, m

u can't

ar up, Asthore, the darkest hour is just f

t look. Eric-The black is getting the whip. Good horse! They are even again! Ah, it is only for a moment. The mare... is over the line, firs

ty,

but natural. I must accept my fate with what fortitude I can summon

e at the boarding-house steps, she was as stately an

ng, but still I hold

ise, sir," she

he answered meani

de!" thund

ish Mike. "Not with th

you go! I will shoo

r's honor. Hush, he is coming. I m

s the cattle man with his followers and his strong-box. What

ul was bowing

levolently), "but I have he-e-re a something for Mistress Patty Laughton," pretending to read

fold. Blessed are the pure in heart for they are of the children of God,'

y must have put a rock or two in the wee buckskin bag," he thought, but aloud he said, "I never spile sport, an' I could not tell ye befor

on line to Mariposa in the south. Even gettin' filled wit' tanglefoot is part of

about th

he others She could not run top speed in th'm f'r love nor gold. Yesterday she was shod in light racin' pads, an' under her own jockey.

s Knight o 'the Green Cloth a swate an' long

n and the