The Mysterious Rider

intolerant spirit had, if anything, grown during his absence. Belllounds patiently argued with him, explaining what certainly should have been clear to a young man brought up in Color

corrals. Some of the cowboys who had ridden all the day before and stood guard

tedly. "I never kicked on doin' two men's work. But when it come

ck with the chuck-wagon," said Wilson Mo

oe, a squat, bow-legged cowpuncher who

questions.... Why, you--mahogany-colored, stump-legged, biped

d?" asked Blud

enlight

ver loved, but I'm a son-of-a-gun if we ain't ag

rawled Lem Billings. "I reckon

pe, too, an' thet evens

earily gathering up his saddle and trappings; Lem was giving his tired mustang a parting slap that meant much. Moore evidently awaited a fresh moun

tled, and the mustang showed his pleasure. Manifestly

stepped high until the bridle was on. When the saddle was thrown and strapped in place the mustang showed to advantage. He wa

ed all around the mustang a lit

," said Belllounds, with the air of j

oore, shortly, as he

ck, peremptorily. "I like this

t. Belllounds jerked at him and went closer. The mustang reared, snorting, plunging to get loose.

powerful lunge. Spottie came down, and stood there, trembling all over, his ears laid back

lllounds, darkly. "Moore, lend me

r," replied the cowboy, quietly, with a st

ir trappings and stood at attenti

" demanded Jack, w

Moore, slowly. "No on

r own him or d

te Slides," returned the cowboy. "I never bought him.

nd I'm going to ride him now. Lend

. There seemed to be a suspense

e declared, presently, and again

er for you not to ride hi

Belllounds, with the temper of o

ay. He was foreman, and he appointed me to fill his place. I've got to rope yearlings. Now, if you get up on Sp

f this argument was

now that I'm foreman of White Slides

y decided something

stepping to the side of the mustang, with swift hands he unbuckled th

. There seemed something boyish in his lac

manded, with a strident note in h

s at Kremmling last year. Good old hard-earn

, violently. "Now you'll savvy wha

n. "I figured that. And I quit a minute ago--when

mned good riddance. I would

have kept me

t to Belllounds. "Don't you dare ca

a handle, whether we like it or not. There's Montana and Blud and L

w. Not from any one-

uits you. Don't you bust everything you monkey with? Your old dad will sure b

unds, growing beside himself with rage. "

ry, Buster Jack." There was no denying Moore's cool, stingin

triking hard at Moore, he missed, but a second e

hitting out shortly, he returned the blow. Belllou

his eyes flashing. "Do you think you can lick

random. Moore avoided his blows and planted a fist squarely on his adversary's snarling mouth. Belllounds fell with a thump. He got up with clumsy has

nd to cowboys he looked. Bludsoe was the only one packing a gun. Belllounds saw it, and h

d! I'll fix him!" yelled Bellloun

ds free, and, pulling the gun, he essayed to throw it. But B

ringingly. "Quick, somebody!

or it. When it rolled against the fence Jim was there to sec

see Wils wasn't packin' no gun? A-r'arin' like thet!.

comin'," called

, ponderously. His gray hair waved. His

ll's goin' o

thy, sullen and downcast, muttering

r ground," calle

ooked back over his shoulder, and h

," explained Jim, as with swift hand

liar," replied

imed Jim, c

. You've got somethin'

ado Jim hande

boss," put

Jim hidin' it fer?"

rt of j'ined in with the argyment. We was

! But it was futile to attempt to deceive the old rancher. Here was a

ll flashed like blue fire, but he was calm and cool. Returning the gun to its owner, he cont

like," replied

me, then--

lson Moore. The cowboy's face showed the re

you can bet on that," h

an' Jack'd clash," said Belllo

t hadn't been for that

e was a lover of horses. Many hard words, and b

'd he

Spottie

nt from his son's, notwithstanding the fact that Spottie knew h

het bridle off.... There. If it'd been an or

hy with strangers--why, Jack gave a hell of a jerk on the bridle. The bit cut Spottie.... Well, that made me mad, but I held in. I objected to Jack riding Spottie. You see

errupted B

He said he was foreman and he'd have me discharged. But I said I'd quit already. We both kept getting sorer and I called him Buster Ja

in Bludsoe, "he'd hev plugged Wils if he'd

with his huge, steady hand, apparently

ueried, as if he held strong sto

ntly, "Buster Jack's temper was b

a gesture and a look of a man who, in just

eckon Jack was in the wrong. Thet hoss was yours by all a cowboy holds right an' square. Mebbe b

ate that," replied Moore, warmly. "It's what

favor if you'd stay on to-da

plied Moore. "Lem, I guess you won't

m, as he picked

and then he was riding by toward the pasture, whirling a lasso round his head. Jack could ride like one born to the range, but he was not an adept in

Slides peak. A distant bawl and bellow of cattle had died away. The branding was over for that fall. How glad she felt! The wind, beginning

a second before she saw that he was leading Pronto. That struck her as strange. Another glance showed Pronto to be limping. Apparently he could just

onto's hurt!

d smile he is

ce for Columbine something had indeed happened. The co

exclaimed Columbine, a

testily. "Pronto's all cut up, an' y

e got back to the corral she was out of breath. Pronto whinnied as she fell, panting

Lem, with relief. "But he shore hed a cl

his kind--of thing often--but never--to Pronto..

. "An' if it hedn't been fer ridin' you don't see e

it you? Oh, I'll never be

it weren't m

Who,

ade me swear to tell you nu

t want you to tell me? Lem, something h

replied Lem, wearily. "When I git this ba

Lem," said Columbine, with a

bout the argyme

What-

ouldn't hold it, or didn't want to, fer Pronto broke loose an' jumped the fence. This wasn't so bad as far as it went. But one of them bad steers got after Pronto. He run an' sure stepped on the rope, an' fell. The big steer nearly piled on him. Pronto broke some records then. He shore was scared. Howsoever he picked out ro

ge of the range told her that Lem had narrated nothing so far which could have been cau

ils's hoss

al news with all a

--Lem!" crie

needn't drop everythin' an' grab me like thet. An' you're white as a sh

if you don't tell me quick,

was bad hurt. Now, not real bad!... The hoss fell on his leg an' broke it. I cut off his boot. H

ded strangely in her ears, as

bad medicine. He has his old man's temper thet riles up at nuthin' an' never felt a halter. Wusser'n thet, he's spoiled an' he acts like a colt thet'd tasted loco. The idee of his ropin' Pro