A RANCHMAN'S RECOLLECTIONS 



Then there war nine more, all good ones — Blutcher, 

 Alma, Polecat, Tatterslip, Bead Eye, Louscage, Pos- 

 sum, Silver Dollar, an' Badger, three of 'em from 

 Shorty's own mount. 



" 'Kid,' says Shorty, 'you got as good as the best o' 

 'em. I wants fer you to mind thet on this here work 

 you're representin' this here outfit. Keep yore head, 

 an' come back with it up. But I'd bet my life on you, 

 an' this here outfit is trailin' you to the las' ditch'." 



Mage's voice was getting low here, and he swal- 

 lowed on the last words, paused for a moment, then 

 with that laugh of his continued: "Well, I'm string- 

 in' 'em out a mile here, when I ought to have 'em 

 bunched. Thet wus a great summer. I worked in 

 the big outfit with men an' bosses thet knowed how 

 to turn a cow, an' the captain o' the round-up got to 

 puttin' me an' Stud into the thick o' it purty reg'ler. 

 It alius seemed thet when I rode Stud, Split Miller 

 rode a little boss called Midnight, an' he sure wus a 

 boss ; black as midnight, 'cept fer a white star in the 

 forehead, short-coupled an' quicker then forked light- 

 nin'. He would cut with the bridle off, and fast? He 

 was a cyclone. Every night 'roun' the camp fire 

 Split kep' pickin' a load in to me 'bout the Stud. 

 Onct it wus, 'Well, Kid, I seed you bed the little 

 scrub out watchin' Midnight work.' Or, 'Say, Kid, 

 I believe if you hed somethin' to ride you'd be a 

 hand.' I swelled up some, but I 'membered what 

 Shorty Owen sed, 'Keep yore head an' come back 



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