Oh, You Tex!

er an arm of it. He puffed at a corncob pipe, and through the smoke watched narrowly

llow," he said brusquely. "Take it or le

miled. "Thanks,

In the phrase which he had just used, he would "go through" anything he undertook. Men who had bucked blizzards with him in the old days admitted that Clint would do to take along. But Ridley's awe of him was due

on him by an old friend, but there was something friendly and genial about the boy that won a place for

s, a decent reputation, and energy enough to carry a man to success along conventional lines. In those days the frontier West demanded first that a man be game, and second that he be one to tie to. He might be good or ba

ks from to-day. Understand?" The cattleman knocked the a

e, sir-with the six thousand dolla

-shooter. Can you shoot?" W

d belonged to a gun-club at home, and since coming to the

y well

-if it was

s roofed by the heavy thatch of brow. "I thi

o have any trouble on this trip. Don't let anybody know why you are at the fort. Don't gamble or drink. Get the money from Ma

f the house. A pile of empty cans, symbol of the arid lands, lay beside the p

e it," he

he bullet whistled past across the prairie. His second shot scor

er can," comm

man, flashed into sight a pair of revolvers almost quicker than the eye could follow. Both shots came instantly an

but the evidence was written there that all four bullets had pierced the tin. The E

O thrust into place

n to use 'em, son. If you don't, some bad-m

spring. Slim and lissome, the dew of childhood was still on her lips, and the mist of it in her eyes. But when she slanted her long lashes toward Ar

wntown, Dad,"

lifted his hat. "May I wa

f the buckboard driver is in with

made a couple to ca

eable to girls. He could talk nonsense charmingly and could hold his own in the jolly give-and-take of repartee. His good looks

at her temples as she moved down the street light as a deer. Little jets of laughter bubbled from her round, birdlike throat. In her fre

ith jingling spurs to meet them. At sight of Ramona his eyes lighted. From h

re were still a million unspent sm

Captain Ellis

He shook his head with decision.

you've fed me candy ever sinc

in't little 'Mona Wadley. No! Why, you are a young lady all dressed up in

the girl cried. "And I want y

h with his broad-brimmed ranger hat. "By dog

e passed dow

her companion. "He isn't really my uncle, but I've known h

. He thought that it was no merit in Ellis

k," was all

her cheek. She liked his compliments

th Dad?" she asked, by wa

money for the beeves, and if I fall down

re afraid of Da

now it. I sure enough a

im round my little

y daughter and the pretti

e you sure you're taki

Mason and Dixon's

ou. I can tell when

ple turned a corner into the main street of the town. Down it was moving toward them a cloud of yellow dust stirred up by a bun

of a sea. The dust would irreparably soil the clean frock fresh from the hands of her b

caught the eye of the bull leading the van. It gave a

s. She could not run. The fascination of terror held her paralyzed.

all that followed. The galloping horse gained, was at the heels of the maddened animal, drew up side by side. It seemed

ced knee to knee. Then the miracle came. The rider leaned far out from the saddle, loosene

e animal. With every ounce of strength given by his rough life in the open the cowboy hung on, dragging the head of the bull dow

object of the animal was to free itself. The bull tossed wildly in frantic rage to shake off this incubus that had fastened itself to its horns. The man hung on for life. All his power and weight were centered in an effort to twist the head of the bull sideways and back. Slo

ounce of strength into one last twist. The b

up, roped the bull, a

ped forward to the girl lea

ht to have brought the herd throu

mona heard her dry

in surprise. "

her father's new foreman, the man she had been introduced to a few days before. Hard on that memory came anothe

around so,"

' longhorn when I have it to do, ma'

urt?" another

ed Arthur Ridley. Where had he been

look at Ridley. A queer feeling of shame

p for you," the bo

you," s

of her friendship had fled in panic; the one she hated for bullying and mistrea

tam. "What do you mean by drivin' these wild critters through town? Ain't yo

d in midair. His arms were round Ra

s acutely uncomfortable at having made this young woman weep. "I ain't go

at twelve o'clock, young fellow. Hea

idn't go for to scare the young lady. Wil

got a tongue, I reckon," snorted Elli

is hair. "I-I-I'm turrible sorry, m

le of his pony without touching the stirrups, and fa