Flowing Gold

apidly disappearing. A turbulent lifetime spent in administering the law in a lawless region had stamped

er in Pullman car or automobile, most of that vast region lying between the Arkansas and the Pecos, the Cimarron, and the Sabine-virtually all of what is now Texas and Oklahoma

ad played his part. The times had caught up with and passed him, and no longer in the administration

espect did he believe his age to be apparent. His smoke-blue eyes were as bright as ever, his hand was quick; realization that he had been shunted upon a side track filled him with surprise and bewilderment. It was characte

tient order of things, and none but old-timers and his particular cronies were aware of the fact that he had another side to his character. It was not generally known, for instance, that he was a kind and indulgent f

me "shallow production," from which Tom had derived a small royalty-this was when Barbara Parker went East and before the Burk-burnett wells hit deep sand-but income from that source had been used up faster than it had come in, and "Bob," as Tom insisted upon calling her, would have had to come home had it not been for an interesting discovery on her father's part-viz., the discovery of a quaint device of the law entitled

ped upon his desk. It was here that Tom could usually be found, and when one of those hateful statements arrived from the East he merely roused himself, put on his wide gray hat, limped around to the bank, and pledged more of his oil royalties or signed another mortgage. What insurance policies he wrote were brought to him by his old pals; the money derived there from he sent on to "Bob"

rge would have aroused his instant indignation, and Tom Parker indignant was a man to shun. As

st out of the most orderly house, but he was jealous of his task and he refused to share it with other hands. Pots and pans, rusty from disuse or bearing the accumulated evidence of many hastily prepared meals, he took out in the back yard and scrubbed with sand, leaving his bony knuckles skinned and bleeding from the process; he put down a new carpet in "Bob's" room, no easy task for a man with an ossifie

s, it seemed to him that everything shone like new and that the place was as neat and as clean as on the day "Bob" went away. Probably Hercules thought the Augean stables were spotless and fragrant when he had finished with them. And perhap

he had failed, it was because he knew nothing about raising girls and-nature hadn't cut him out to be a father, anyhow. He had been considerably older than Barbara's mother when he married her, and he had never ceased to wonder what there

office and waited-with the jumps. Repeatedly he consulted his heavy gold watch, engraved: "With the admiration and gratitude of the citizens of Burling

home. The judge always did that, too. Old Tom had lied diligently to the judge every day for a month now, for he

form of deceit," the judge indignantly announced. "

don't-not

last week, but I could always read you like a book, Tom Parker. You know, all ri

"Your pitiful attempts to mislead Barbara's admirers expose you to ridicule, and offend those of us who tolerate you out of regard for her." (The

uired, in a deceitfully mild tone. Inwardly he was rag

ed tone: "D'you suppose she has forgotten all her native accomplishments, Tom? I wonder if she can still ride and rop

r forget how to

e or a rope or a gun as

declared, with

le ground for disagreement. "A wonderful girl! And I'll wager they haven't spoiled her. Even you couldn't spoil 'Bob.'" He raised his red,

a girl, but-I don't know as a boy could of turned

to that rigid arm, moreover, despite Tom's surly displeasure. Not until a friend stopped them for a word or two was the distracted parent enabled to escape f

b' is coming home to-day and the old Mountain Lion is on edge," he explained. "I must warn the boys

them. Such love is perfect, absolute. He took no thought, therefore, of the changes time and poverty had wrought in his appearance: "Bob" wouldn't notice. He bet she wouldn't care if he was plumb ragged. They were one and indivisible; she was his, just like his right arm; she was his boy and his girl; his son-daughter. The old

d against his breast. It was only upon occasions like this that "Bob" kissed her father, for she had been reared as a boy and taught to shun emotional display. Boys kiss their mothers. She snuggled close, and Tom could feel her whole bod

time!" Those were the first w

rom his eyes with the heel of one harsh palm, then leveled a defiant glare over her head, directed at anyone who might be looking on at his weakness. It

cried, huskily;

she ran a small gloved hand into the pocket of his coat and brought forth a bandana handkerchief which she thrust i

her dainty French heels, and although her suit was not expensive, it was worn with an air and was perhaps as fetching as any that had ever come to Wichita

ere are about the same as when you left 'em." Tom spoke with pride and satisfac

ad rotted through, the yard was an unkempt tangle of matted grass and weeds and neglected shrubbery. The sight of it was like a stab to her, for she remembered the place as it had

ged a mite," sh

of its nest. This time it was more difficult to counterfeit an exclamation of joy, but the catch in "Bob's" voice, the moisture in her eyes, was

s! How wonderfully you've kept house! You

om explained. "She got-shiftless and I been sort

bouquet of wild flowers garnered from the yard. She held it there for a moment b

much to do but rememb

usiness bad?" "Bob's"

ll probably feel like doing more. I got a lot of wo

verything with

look, and-well, a man gets used to doing

self-restraint. She petted and she cooed over objects dear to her; she loved every inch of everything; she laughed and she e

carpentry-for he hoped she'd kiss it. And she did. Not until she had "shooed" him out and sent him downstairs, smiling and chuckling at her radiant happiness, did sh

she had the house running and went down to put his office in order. Then, indeed, she learned at what cost had come those four expensive years in the East, and the truth left her limp. She went through Tom's dust

ties were pledged; a crow could not pick

id nothing to her father. She knew every one of his shortcomings, and they endeared him to her, quite as a son's faults and failures deepen a mother's love, but she knew, too, that he was cantankerous and required careful han

a new hand needed to mend the family fort

rike at Burkburnett, a few miles northwest, and excitement was mounting as new wells continued to come in. Central north Texas was nearing an epoch-making petroleum boom, for Ranger, away to the south, had set the oil world by the ears, and now this new sand at "Burk" lent color to the wild assertion that these north counties were c

low wells that had kept her in college, and what is more, she knew most of the property owner

ideration she decided to enter th

so full of scamps it looks like Rodeo Day, and most of 'em are doing we

You run the insurance and

een away so long it seems like I can't have you close enough." Another thought presented itself, and he manifested sudden excitement. "I tell you! I'll get a new sign painted, too! 'Tom

f it, and, rising, she laid her hand upon his shoulde

E

y. But-it wasn't my fault, and maybe I'll show