Hope Hathaway

t when he turned his dripping bay horse in with the others. Then he picked up his saddle, bridle, and blanket and carried them up to the cook-tent, where he

rod! What in the devil's

bles and seated himself on a roll of bedding beside the first speaker. "Too bad he couldn't knock the roof off'n our heads. He

supper, but the "Cap" from under his bushy red eyebrows hardly noticed them as he took the necessary dish

An' here's a kidney stew I've been savin' fer you," taking from the oven a well conceal

Henry's nose. The "Cap" gave one sniff. "Phew! T

with a sudden spasm which they tried in vain to control. Away went the contents of the pan, leaving a streak of kidney-stew almost down

s measure of strong coffee into a large tin cup, t

ng a seat upon the ground near the front of the tent, where he crossed his lank legs in front of him. The cow-puncher sank back upon his case of tomatoes while the "Cap" ate in

u can't trust 'em no more'n you can a rattler, no, sir! All of 'em quit last night, an' Long Bill along with 'em! I'd never thought it o' Bill. Been ridin' all the evenin' an' couldn't find hair or hide of him. It's enough to make a man swear a blue streak, yes, sir! Well,

ys got up, threw his dishes in

rd to-night?" as

cow-puncher. "Goin

their chuck; it's mighty nigh time to turn in no

en putting his head back into the tent, exclai

ad no more than got the words out of his mouth before a man,

e spell." He stooped and held down for inspection a hand bandaged in a much-stained bandanna hand

te over into the dish pan, and rose stiffly to

ared out Long Bill. "I sent

the bandage, and, with an air of bravado, held out his hand for inspection. Some of the men crowded ab

hen grunted again, while his eyelids contracted until only

ike you'd held up your hand to the muzzle of your gun an' pulled the trigger! Yes, sir, only there ain't no powder marks; so I calculate the dog must 'a' been some distance away when he took aim! The hole's clean through, just as slick as any bullet could 'a' made it. That dog must

hey'll be wantin' a job in a day or so when they sober up, an' I'll send 'em 'round here. I'll be

ou're on your way stop at Hathaway's an' give him or Jim McCullen a letter

Bill Henry stalked over to his bed, took from the roll a pad

s tarp-covered bed, with his back to the few straggling cow-punchers about the tents, he proceeded in a determined, business-like way to write the lett

atisfied and whose duties for the time being were over. Two of the men who had just come up on horseback joined these, while Captain Bill

Creek country, anyhow. Hathaway's reps all left me awhile back, an' Long Bill, he's leavin' to-day-got bit by a mad dog over here. Jackson's wagon an' the U Bar ain't goin' to join me till we git down in t

n can take word over to the ranch. He's

y horse can pack your message to the bos

rought up the trail-herds were paid off; he attended to the haying, the small irrigating plant that had been started, and to all the innumerable details that go toward the smooth running of a large ranch. Now the "boss" had sent him on a mission whose import he understood perfectly-something altogether out of the line of his usual duties, but of greater importance than anything he had ever undertaken. He was going back to the ranch in t

toward Harris' ranch. "Long Bill, here, he's been unfortunate. Went up there a-courtin' one o'

lookin' fist there," he chuckled. "Must 'a' bled

as I was startin' to

tor. "That's mighty bad after sitti

reed girls," remarked Captain Bill Henr

my likin'," he boasted. "An' from the sweet looks she g

remained motionless, the blood streaming from his nose and mouth. Old Jim straightened up and looked down at the fallen giant with utmos

a bit," he remarked easily,

. It might have been an every day occurrence, so little interest they showed, yet

ile a very old woman wrapped in a dingy white blanket came boldly up to the group of men, and in a jargon of French and Indian asked for the refuse of the newly killed yearling. The foreman pointed

in English, facing the cowboys with a

ow-puncher who was unrolling his

eed no telling," replied anot

"I sure thought witch

who began to show signs of consciousness. Sh

you would like me to tell what I read in your lives. I know! I know! I know everything!" Her voice reached a high, weird cry. Her blanket had slip

s fortunes-cards or t

r hand or the stars ab

keeps her broomsti

out of the cook-tent a

se," he remarked, and w

, throwing mad, incoherent words at him. Fi

you alone love the white girl so that no man can speak her name? Oh, you can't deny you love her! You, who ride an

you old--!" said McCull

rth! You beat him in the face-him with one hand! See! How did he get it? Why are some of my other son-in-laws limping about with bullets in their legs? Why is a man lying dead up in the mountains? Why a

h placid, expressionless face she made her way to where the yearling had been butchered and hurriedly stuffed

rse who?" he asked. "Curse me, I reckon fe

mounted his horse. Long Bill pulled him

k," he said. "I did

lly. She's like my own child. I've almost brought her up. Learned her little baby fingers to shoot, an' had her on a horse before she could talk plain. Don't let her find this out, for I'm plumb sorry I had to hur