————Ol and later to be hadi as PAWNEE BILL; by : JOE CRAIG, foreman of the Bar K ranch, who takes Tony to the Bar K to live, and by COLONEL TITUS MOORE, owner of the ranch. Lillie thinks preiapy of — _DAVID PAYNE, for © opening of the Indian territory ixeae but he wets an offer of a school teaching post Pawnee and accepts it. d CHHAPTER VI Joe Craig rcde up the gentle rise and when he reached the to ) reined in his horse. “Just pull up a minute, Tony,” he called to hie companion. “Ain't that pretty sight?’” From their Uttle eminence ‘ they eould ees the rough ranch house of the Bar K. South or them flowed the Salt Fork of the ing seco veverel miles away; and in bet a vast her, maneues ac at the succulent ¢ The sky was ftawieee, the h a carpet of gree y had Just returned from Colonel Chivine: tom's ranch near Turkey Creek with a sinall herd of yearlings. Other matters had intervened to ela their trip several days, but the job was done and the yearlings turned some choice bottom and 1 sometimes think I should of been Dorn a poet.” Tony Harrison smiled. Yes," Craig continued, “I should of been. You know, it ain't right to look on a ogee like thie being out belng ab I can rope a pron with the next man and tame the meanest cayuse that ever reared back on two legs and pawed at the eun. But it just ain't In me to as- semble words pp ogee so's they @ound pleasing to the “Take the Salt Fork, tor instance; the only worde I could ever rhyme with them two was salt pe eee this is beef country, Tony Tony threw bac is head and Yanghed—and the eaeainey fell _— music on Joe Craig's i ehadow of tragedy that had faiten yot ‘Toay Horris ‘eine * but it was lifting, and under the magic of Joe Craig's arm com- panionship the blow had softened and the boy’s moroseness was dis- Sinpaving. His appearance, fone a change. healthily tanned, ranch life, for a eo appetite, too had under- readyf he was and a week of with man-sized meals had been regarded hig Pleased ailence. He lifted his head and was about to speak when something in the direct young of the ranch house caught his eye. It was: peta toward them like a comet, only it was on a horse. Tony saw it, toa: “Who'e that, Joe?" Joe emiled. “That? Oh that’s a cyclone, 1 reckon." e spat carefully at a dandelion. “It's got red hair, ain't {t? Your eyes are younger'n mine." Tony squinte “Yea, it has. It looks like a little girl. She rides Hke a Commanche. “Son, you're all wrong. She rides Hke all hell turned loose. She's 12 years old and she's been in the sad- dle pretty mear ten. That's Colonel Moore'e daughter, apt ea and forward. We'll go and meet hep before she breaks her neck.” ut Tony stayed irresolutely. He frowned. “You go ahead. I'll ride ever by myself.” “Why Tony, that'd be downright Impolite. You can't treat the ladies Hke that. Come on, aon." He rode forward, waving his cin sand. getting an answering from the little demon that was iat Tony. Soping toward them. Tony reluc- tantly followed. Twenty Spin away the a brought her horse to a sudden The animal reared back on his hind eel and its rider rose in etir- * “Hi, Joe,” she called. THE OLD, RELIABLE | IAALALAAA rr T fe al 3 sunt 4 ot “Howdy, Miss Rita. \How’ve you been? I de¢lare to* goddness hair's redder than ever.) vourselHt Angi Craig. Tl y da you it +-etop teasing Tae * “Well, I can’t help telling — the Mise Rita, this is my friend, Tony! ‘Harrison. He's etaying at the Bar K." “Daddy was telling me abuat him.” She etudied Tony coolly much to. the boy's- embarrassment. ‘I'm glad to know you,” she said, “and we're glad to have you with us. Joe. I'll race you back to the honse.’’ Sh wheeled ber horee quickly and was gone, ond Craig laughingly raced after her. . Rita Moore _ mgr “akseteas her ad hair from her father. From. him also.she had inherited a masterful disposition. She wae the only per- son that Titus Moore did not with an iron hand. She was. flery, imperious; even the colonel himself was like so” much’ putty in her hands . She and her mother spent most of the year in City, where Rita attended a “boarding achool. Kather- iné Moo rehad readily persuaded her husband that rough ranch life, while it was desirable from many points-of | ® view, held forth very little In the way =i ee Ee opportunities .for oung girls. As for Kansas City, that Gas a tg ce ha Katherine Moore n saa City had been agreed on, with the colonel assenting to an eastern school when the time ahould ¢o The colonel's wife was a Pi gentle creature with considerable pride in her ibldod. aang and, what w ore. Above dveryidine else, she wanted her daughter to be reared as a lady and eventually to make the right kind of marriage. She disap- proved of Rita's tomboyishness, al- cen the colonel laughed at her and seemed to be quite satisfied, and she waa forever fretting about the | girl's recklessness. “I'm afraid she'll break her neck, Titus, the way she rides that hore of hers. And. Titue Moore chuckled. the girl alone, Katherine. “Let She can You con "t — take care of hergelf, Ri like a hothouse plan She’ too much like her daddy.” ‘This lat- ter with quite evident pride. Mra. Moore si “Marqneritti’ | (she was the only ons who called ‘her Marguerita) “will, do something fool- - some day when ehe'’s a little old- r, and yorr'ly see that I was right.’’ Men. she added, didn’t understand it if I were you. That was the way such discussions always ended. As for Rita herself, the coming of Tony Harrison meant but one thing to her: that one more person was alone to do her bidding. All of e cow hands, from Joe Craig down had been her slaves, and there was no reason for her treating Tony any differenti. The day after they had first seen each other she came upon him while =e was helping in the building of ome fence. She jumped down from Nar small horse and looked on cur- foualy. Finally she spoke. “Why you come for a ride with me?” Tony appeared to notice her for the first time. “I'm working,” he announced briefly “B want am to don't come with He turned his back and resumed ‘his t ask. She sepeaind to a higher “Joe,” she addressed geo “ma him quit and come with m Craig acratched his teat and Lg ed undecided, ‘Well, rial gan, but a etamp of her little “toot, and a frown, stampeded him. “Tony,” he sald weakly, “you'd better go for a while, This fence can get along without you for a bit. Besides, it’s bout 2 o'clock now, and, I figure that's knocking off time for a youngster like When they had ae he gazed after them and shook his head hope- le . “Heck, he sald to the re- maining hand, “you just can't argue with her." Heck agreed. ea just bound to have her own wa That ovening Gorton Lillie rode up to the rauch, on his way to Paw- nee . He had been to Wellington, he said, to bid his family goodby. On his return to Caldwell he had bought a horse. He told Joe Craig about his new job. “And I just had to ride a little out of my way to ace ow the Harrieon boy was getting along.” rate did not agree with Lillie on the isdom decision. “You're going to keep one of them Pawnee ‘bucks in, after school some day to discipline him and the next “ped your scalp will be dangling from Heard anything more of court. Tom Benton Lillie seook hie head. “I learned there was a train holdup near Wich- ita a few daye before we last aaw him. The description of one of the men sort of fitted Benton, if ‘that ae anything. You remember he had of money on him—that little pis of gold coi Craig nodded. “TIT wouldn’t put it mast him.” He caught that curious a on Tony’s face that he ha r}on the unwilling _Foul wi su ngs. Pa “No? well, I wouldn't bother about ke ep, his. leg crushed where Outlaw Rita Moore again got her clutches and was the ony cause of his nearly being killed, CHAPTER. VIL ’ Rita had come upon Tony all alone. He had just come back from an arduous ride with Joe Craig, had been helping the latter cut out some stock bearing the LK brand that had drifted onto the Bar K rang And-Tony--was tired: -He tooked decidedly uneomfortable when Rita spprodek oF aod besought him to ac- company “Mr, Tony Harrison,” she said sweetly, “my daddy told me to ‘tell von to stop working and play with ne." (What her ipo had told her, after congide was tha Li moisture Ip “Oh-hoh! a, Katherine. boy HesHike-a yrgintaes he gaid, “Tou mean ue say) my daughter would lie to me?” Tony's mouth set in a dogged ae “She's trying to take the blame me: Ldian t have tor beg rail The parses pain in his leg forced his eyes sh The Sian looked at him queerly. “No, you didn't magpie to ride him, that’s true. ut, 0 little game-cock, darned if yo you didn't risk your own neck to p Rita frem breaking her own.” He blew nose rather hard and strode to door, There was a tell-tale bit “ot hig t-he—-did _ ew with Steg you ord pei = bullhended and went ahead n. alone. He’ 6 Biter a: to be your teacher, ‘Tony. He er. Here bac he his: pistol ea rab might be epprokeued on the subject, but she must not insist.) res, ma'am,” Tony said resign- edly. ‘What was it you wanted to do?” She smiled archly. ‘Well, I have a beautiful doll we could pisy with, ‘ve almost ——— it, though Tony's mouth eet in a firm, hard line. She sensed somehow that she had outraged him and was a little qorey. Besides, he might get stwb- oT don't eere girls,” she 6a ae ma’ any I don’t,” he replied blunt! "Ont" She shook her red curls angrily and her gray eyes snapped. To Tony's intense relief, she appear- ed to be on the point of leaving hfm. But she lingered indecisively a mo- ment and then sat down on the ground, “Why?" she asked. He made no aa and she did not press the point Tony was studying, with admiring eyes, a horse that stood not 20 yarde away from them, just ontside Titus Moore's rough excuse for a-barn, It was Outlaw, the most temperamen- tal saddle horse on the Bar K. It be- longed to one of the riders, Lafe Whitney. No one else ever rode him, 'becauge the animal resown me’ but one master. ‘Rita, following Tony's gaze, saw him, too, and motivated by some sud- den purpose, she sprang to her feet and bade Tony follow. “I dare you,” she s as they drew near the barn and she noticed that Whitney was nowhere around, “to ride Outlaw." For a moment the boy was too as- tonished to;'speak. “Why, why that’s Late Whitey" 8 loo He won't let anyone elée ride th She toased her nsad Imperioualy. ae ty afraid?" you. like little eontradicted, usulted me a nites” while ago; yo you didn’t like *ittle Fite. I intend to be see oot me tor a rattlesnake!" Ne 1 murmured softly. His wife etared at Tony with.a strange, expression, then pee over to the beastde and strok- ed his forehead with her soft hand. Taking Rita by the hand, she left the room. It a week and more before Tony left the bed, and then only to sit rather helplessly in a comfort- able chair, his mending leg stuck straightl¥ out in front of him. Rita | was his a constant attendant. he girl seemed stricken to the heart with remorse and she embarrassed! him terribly with her ceaseless sug-| gestions to his comfort. | She brought him books to read and | sat by the hour beside him, strum-| ming her guftar and einging pro little songs that she had learned at, School. It was during his convales- cence that some of her questions broke through his reticence and he told her sQething of the lonely life | he and his father had led Hia father, he samitted, had senat ambler as far back as he could recall but before his mother’s death, Tony told her, he had been a lawyer. | Since then, nothing had seemed. to matter much to Jeff Harrison; he had abandoned his practice for the gaming table. ’ There were times when Jeff Har- rison had been rolling in: money: others when, moody and despond- ent. he had spent almost his last| dollar for a-railroad ticket to some| new place on the chance that ‘a| change in scenery would bring with | it a change in the tide of fortune. “But he used to say,” Tony told! her, “that he was cut out for a! ambler, because he was so unlucky with the things that really counted: in life. I don't know what he or exactly." \ Tony ‘told her, In answer, to her! question concerning his schooling.| that Jeff .Harrigon had been his only | teacher “Wa } ‘were Never in any one aacel ulJong-enoughfor'mé@to go to school, | but my father was a smart man and. guess you think girls can’t do what boys can do. I'll ride him myself.” She took a determined step toward Outlaw . He sprang forward, 6elzing her armf™“'You can't do that, He'd You'd hurt yourself.” | throw you. She pulled herself away. Con-/ temptuously she sald, “If you're ne tage I'm not. I'm going to ride “T'll ride him myself first.’ He| barred her path. His face had gone white and big dark eyes were gone | and blazing. Before she could stop/| him he had caught the pommel po f vaulted into the saddle, as ithe and: agile asa little panther. She called to him to nothing could have stopped him th The surprised Outlaw, feeling the unaccustomed lightness h eet out for the It was over in half a minute, and Tony was being dragged over the ground, one foot caught in the stir-| ad sideew im ag ro. Lafe Whitney—trurrying—in/ answer to Rita's screame, found the boy on the ground, unconscious, and bore him to the ranch honse, Colonel Moore, with his ‘soldier's knowledge of rough war surgery, set the broken bong with the help of itney, encased the leg in splints and penare fsed the dressing of num- ) . cu e job , done, he shook his head doubtfully. “I'm a little ecared of that leg,” he pronounced, “but I guess I did all that any one armed sawbones could do.” He turn- ed to: his daughter, who had been ‘badly scared witness of the proceed- ings, “Rita, how did this happen? Somehow I've got a notion that you were at the bottom o. “Titus!” his wit e protested. do you say that The colonel pr her. about it, Rita?” he smiled. Rita contritely confeased and burst into tears, this juncture Tony spoke from the bed where they had laid hi “She's not telling the truth, Col- one! Moore. She tried to stop me, “Why “How saddle, reared aaiseauely and then} le arn, he taught me a lot.’ He surprised her with his knowl- edge of books. “That's about all I} used to do—read and study. Twa or three nights a week my father | would ait up late with me’ and ask! me questions, and he always graded | me, just like a teacher." | Colonel Moore ¢ame one afternoon while Rita was play- ing her guitar. He brought with'|- -_ S rude. pair of crutches eckon you're getting “thred of enter ‘S one place, ere's a temporary palr of legs. They'll get you srosnmeaneit you're able to ‘use the damaged one." Heck Sherman, one explained, had upon them ail and he can do moat anything." He critically inapected the broken ef. i “Doing better than I thought it! would. Be able to tell better when we take the splints off and you try to use ft. “It had- been a compound fracture and particularly nasty one. “If you'd been a man instead of a “growing ‘boy I’m—afraid have stiffened on you. As is, I'm willing to bet you'll be around good as ever in two or three weeks." @ assisted Tony fromthe chair, slipped the crutches beneath his arm pits and, carefully supporting him at Bret, started him: off. he boy hob- bled around for ten minutes yn so and then Titus Moore ordered him back 2 his —_ Fr the colonel drew a beautiful slonder-barrellad revolver. “Joe Craig was telling me he didn't think anything would amuse you more during your convalescence than revolver practice. I've told Heck! Sherman to build you a target. This| gun fs yours. It's one I've had for | years and it was at os special. It'a! a emall calibre and r ve gat a ton of; ammunition for ned To Tony the volver was the/ most beautiful thing he had ever seen. He Hesitated about accepting it. “Colonel, I can’t take this. | might break it or something.’ Titus Moore looked indignant | you learn not to argue when I pi tem CPHE ait of perfect arrangement and ap- en er our, Service of Sincerity. “There you go again. When \ ‘ Paper, Don’t stop my paper, epee Don't strike my name off y You know oe t And the But I'll work-a little That's wh | They don’t just say, but mean it, “Why don't you have your own." (To Be Continued.) { Craig encounters s familiar face Caldwell in. the next. chapter. nds explanations. shoots an eo F-know, though ae waa another man I once t might have comes Joe Craig. re tricks with a eix- stack up had to go par 3 lose . dollars | I can't afford to drop it; I find it would not pay at do without your paper, Ww PeT| You can’t tell how I miss it, If it, by any fate, Should happen not to reach us, te: Or come a little we. cannot do without it; You know the reason The apes folks want the etorles |. am anxious too, " lat fiat to glance it over, nd then to esi it through, ©\I cannot do without it, ®| Then rei is in a hubbub, things go It i | For other people “the it, And printer, so must I. imes are stringent, | at I mean to do, And get the dimes together, And send them off to you. 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