The Flying U Ranch

hich he was beginning more and more to lean, his brother-in-law, Chip Bennett. As matters stood, Weary could not even bring himself to let then know anything ab

unobserving nor unthinking-nor, for the matter of that, were the rest of the Happy Family. It needed no Happy Jack, with his foreboding

l-but that creek had its source somewhere up near the head of Denson coulee. J. G. Whitmore had, to his regret, been unable to claim the whole earth-or at least that portion of it-for his own; so, when he was constrained to make a choice, he settled himself in the wider, more fertile coulee, which he thereafter called the Flying U. While it is good policy to locate as near as possible to the source of those erratic little creeks which water

he change might be unpleasant If he had sold to Dunk Whittaker-the Flying U boys faced tha

the Flying U fence, which was the southern boundary. The bug-killer and the other were there, and they noted that the features of that other bore witness

ng to get off and lick that son-of-a-gun myself, just for luck," he stated d

ssuaded. "You'll likely have all the

n't responsible-and I sure am going to take a fall or two out of these geesers. They're a-w-l together too stuck on themselves to suit me." Pink did not say that he was thin

nt as a baby's, probably deceived that herder, just as they had deceived many another. For Pink was a good deal like a stick of dynamite wrapped in white

ghtful frankness of purpose he pulled off his coat and threw it on the

ary about spanking the kid if Weary didn't make him behave. Speedi

hird time to get up. "A friend of mine worked yuh over a little, this morning, and I j

r him, but Pink would not even give

iller, and then I'll feel better. They've both got it coming-come on!" This because Weary showed a strong inclination to take the trail and keep it to his destination. "Well, I'll go alone, then. I'v

s comment; but he rode over with Pink to where the bug-killer was standing with his lon

h practice-such as stoning disobedient dogs, and the like-and, when Pink rushed at him furiously, the herder caught him very neatly alongside the head with his stick. These l

w," he observed, dimpling rather one

expressing any disapproval of the incident. Weary was a peace-loving soul, whenever peace was compatible wi

a man could ride up to a couple of our bunch, and thrash one at a time without the other fellow having something to say about it?" He turned in the saddle and looked back. "So help me, Josephine, I've got a good mind to go b

pleasure, but now a covered buggy, evidently just arrived, bore mute witness to the new order of things. There were more horses about the place, a

somberly. "And, if that ain't old Dunk himself

e and a wide mouth, which stretched easily into a smile, but which was none the pleasanter for that. When he turned inquiringly toward them they saw that he

man, whom he judged to be Oleson,

free of the stirrup, as men who ride much have learned to do when they stop for

I suppose I am," Dunk

sheep, back there on the hill?"

they had reached the gate and Dunk pas

called out, in the mildest of tones, twisting the reins aro

r members of the Happy Family. He came back and stood by the gate, ungraciously enough, to be sure; still, he came back. Weary smiled un

ng them. They drove the bunch across our coulee just exactly three times. There ain't enough grass left in our lower field to graze a prairi

hem pleasantly. "But, seeing the grass is eat up, we'll let yuh

o-day. I suppose the herders brought them out where th

eye on those herders, or they might let you in for another grass bill. The Flying U has got quite a lot of range, right around her

e to stay. We've bought this place, and some other land to go with it, and we expect to stay right here and make a living. It happens that we expect to make a

r meek and lovely sheepman wants. You want it all-core, seeds and peeling. Dunk," he said with a more impatient disgust than he was in

to me that public land is open to the use of the public. Now, as Oleson says, we expect to raise sheep here, and we expect your outfit to leave us alone. As far as our sheep crossing

slap on the jaw which must have stung considerably-and the full reason for his violence lay four years behind t

ry inquired, after a minute during which nothing what

hing from a jackass but a bray, you know-and one doesn't feel compelled to bray because the jackass does." He smiled that supercilious

r present it in the usual way." Dunk drew down his black brows, li

he said, without looking up from the latch, which seemed somewhat out of repair, like the rest of the Denson property. "That's a poor

ned and rode back home again, frowning thoughtfully at the trail ahead

down and thump the daylights out of that black son-of-a-gun? I came pretty near walking into him myself, only I hate to butt

rotested. "You couldn't either, Cadwalloper. You'd

Pink retorted passionately. "He'll do

e'll hit back-but he won't hit me; he'll aim at the outfit. If the

e when he saw the careworn look in Weary's face. "All they can do is gobble all the range a

ther of the dollar end of it. He's tickled to death to get a whack at the outfit.

ause it was perfectly true and every man of them knew it. Beyond keeping the sheep off Flying U land, there was nothing they could do without stepping over the li