“SADDLE STRINGS”

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 279, 25 November 1939, Page 4

“SADDLE STRINGS”

Synopsis of Preceding Instalments:

Instalment 27.

Ed Bradley is prosperous and head of the Arizona Cattlemen's Associn tion when gold is found on his Bar B ranch. He sells the mine for 100,000 dollar*, disposes of the ranch too cheaply at 12,000 dollars and buys a house for 30,000 dollars in Phoenix, moving there with his wife Martha, Alita, an attractive girl of 23, and Don, 18. At a ball, Milton Girardeau meets Alita and monopolises her. Previously he had convinced six politicians of the advantages to them of running Ed Bradley for Governor on a “State Service” ticket. He sees Alita daily now. While Ed is campaigning Girardeau and his gang collect funds for such things us the slot-machine “franchise.” Luther Pool, who as an orphan had grown up with Alita and adores her, now owns tho lOU ranch. He goes with her to the Phoenix Country Club. Milton, jealous, tries to make the cowboy look ridiculous. Milton gets 50,000 dollars from Ed in a fake gold mine deal and Ed is broke, having lost in the stock market. That night Milton proposes to Alita and they elope by 'plane to Los Angeles. There she learns he does not intend to marry her, fights her way out of his “aunt's” apartment and goes home. When Luther hears this he disappears, saying he has a business deal on. The Bradleys move to a small cottage and Ed's campaign lags. Alita sells some jewellery, buys a used car and she and Don leave on a secret mission. Lnther traces Milton to New York aud gets all he has, 41,860 dollars, for Bradley. Luther returns just as Ed is riding at the head of a parade to celebrate his election.

It was nearly one o ’clock before Luther Pool got near the Bradleys again, lie had been able to converse a little with Alita by shouting over the heads of people, but it had all necessarily been jubilant talk about tho election. The Arizona Republic tower kept posting new returns every few and Ed Bradley's election as Governor was beyond question now. In fact, two of tho other candidates had graciously conceded their defeat; the third, a notorious grouch, anyway, had offeaed no congratulations, had even' su&rhjd at newspaper men who suggested be make some statement.

“They're all saying you'll make a goo® Governor, Mr. Bradley,” Luther informed him, eventually. “Even some who didn't vote for you seem pleased now. I been circulating among them.” “Did yon vote for pop, Luther!” Don teased, grinning. “No, matter of fact, I didn’t.”

“Why, Lntherl Shame! ” Mrs. Bradley and Alita pretended to be offended.

"No’m, he didn’t give me a single cigar, nor promise me a job. Beside that, I was out of the State and just got back to-night. I been to New York.'*

“New York!” All the Bradleys echoed that.

“Yep. Fact.” “Let's get out of this jam, Luther,” Mr. Bradley urged. “I am about petered out, anyway. And we can talk among ourselves a little. ’'

The driver relinquished the steering wheel —it was a borrowed car which Ed would return to-morrow —and Luther himself got in to drive them home. Automatically he started north, the Governor-ciect bowing a farewell to the people. Tho car had reached Thomas Road, near Country Club Manor, before anybody noticed. “Hey!” Don called. “This isn't the way, Lnther. We live out on West Vaa Boren now.”

“Yealif” Lnther thought he was kidding. The explanations had to be verified, in somo embarrassing detail. The news, however, made Luther's own good news all the sweeter, he felt. He waited until they were alone in the little auto court cottage before he started in to tell them. At half-past one the night was chilly, and Don lighted a small gas stove. “I got your money back, Mr. Bradley,” Luther said then, simply. “Eh!”

“Yes, sir. I said I run that Girardeau down, put a ring in his nose, and got your money.” “You mean—! You—l”

“Yes, sir, just what I said. Most of it, I mean. It's on deposit in New York in my name. It's not quite all, but it ’a over 44,000 dollars. I trailed him from coast to coast; he left a crooked Lack just like the snake he is. I'd oughta cracked his neck. I did, some.” The telling took more than an hour. He had to go over and over it, relating every minute detail. Tears, a tual tears, came into Ed Bradley's eyes, and the Governor-elect's voice broke when he tried to thank his yonng friend. “Aw, shocks, Mr. Bradley!” Luther was embarrassed. “You are all wore out. Yon go on to bed and get yourself some sleep, sir." He swore he wasn't exhausted, though. Just grateful. They knew he was a stranger to physical exhaustion, for they had all seen him work with cattle for thirty-six hours or longer in a stretch, barely leaving his saddle to gulp a cup of coffee and a piece of meat and bread. The exicteraent of election day, pins an hour of shaking hands, was nothing physically. But a man’s emotions sometimes give out before his muscles do. “I'm not sleepy, son,” the older mau declared. “I—l got a lot to tell you, myself. I can't get around thanking you now for catching Girardeau. Anyhow, that’s—well, let me tell you what all happened here. I bet you're surprised to sec me elected.”

“You deserved it, sir. Everybody knows that.”

“All right. But nobody expected it, toward the last. I got off for a good start, bet Girardeau broke up our fortune, and—and Alita—” He paused to

(By OREN ARNOLD)

look at her. She smiled, but her eyes had a dangerous flash in thorn. “He made a fool of me, Luther. I'll never live it down, in my own mind.” “Aw, shucks, Alita! It’s nothing.” “Well, anyhow,” Mr. Bradley resumed, “I had no money left. Hardly a dollar, son! Had to sell our big house. Couldn't get macli in the way of work, barely enough to clean up some of the debts and have groceries. Wasn't mentally in any state to do any good, I suppose. Naturally the campaign went to pot.” “But you had friends!” “I shore did!” The older man's hand shook a little as he gestured. He was still overwhelmed with it all. “But L didn’t realise what kind, and how many! And my own children—that's what I'm trying to tell you, Luther, my bey! ”

“You mean Alita and Don!” “I shore do! Those two kids here.” “What did they do? What happened, Mr. Bradley?'* “When I was down and out, or thought I was, Alita and Don sold their own belongings, bought a second-hand car, and stumped the State for me, by George! ” “No!”

I “Yes, by George! They didn't even [tell me what they were about. Well, they went all over this State and drummed up votes. They took it on the chin when I lost my money. Alita Lad been insulted and mistreated by Girardeau. Iler own heart was broken, I guess, aud she might have sulked and cried around, but she come up fighting. She helped her mother get settled in this little auto camp shack, then she pitched in to pull me out of the dust. I tell you, Luther—” Mr. Bradley had to stop for a moment. He reached over to take his daughter's arm and squeeze it lovingly. She looked at him a little tearfully, but smiling. “Aw,” said Don.

“My glory!” Luther was incredulous, yet believing. “What’d they do? Take a guitar and sing and dance and get votes, like tho new Governor in Texas did? I can't imagine Alita—” “No. Not that way, Luther, not my kids! They just turned off the main highways and went to every ranch house in Arizona, dang near. I know most of the ranchers, as you know. 1 was their association president. We are friends. Well, sir, they are quiet folks, and when Alita and Don told them what a spot I’d got myself into, why those old saddle-settin' boys got their dander up and went campaigning for me, by George!''

“Say, Mr. Bradley, that’s sur6 swell! ” Luther was beaming. ‘‘lt shore is, son! The kids here didn't miss anybody, I reckon. Old Mr. Boggs—the crippled fellow, you know—he sort of directed them from time to time. Wrote letters to a lot of the ranchers and backed up Alita and Don. Ths ranchmen sent their women around, too. All in all, they got out a. quiet bunch of voters. Not people who cared anything about campaign noise and promises and—and—and, well, ballyhoo. But folks with salt in their git-up, and —well, you know the kind I mean, Luther. You're one of them yourself, son. You were off at New York proving it. How can I ever pay all you people back!'*

“Now, now, Mr. Bradley, sir! Ton don’t owe— ’’

He interrupted Luther. “Lemme tell you what them kids got into—haw-haw-haw! Alita, she plumped smack into something she never met before—you’d oughta hear old Oscar Morgan tell about it, now that Mrs. Morgan’s out of any danger with her young un—haw-haw-haw! ”

They sat up another hour, discussing that. Mr. Bradley and Alita and Don; all three had a hand in tolling it, while Luther listened with great interest.

• • • Ant * all I could hear was the clock ticking in that big ranch livingroom, Luther,” Alita was relating at two o'clock, smiling. “I heard tho stirring, and the low groan, so I opened the bedroom door cautiously—and there on a bed lay Mrs. Morgan herself! She was almost unconscious, and too weak to call out, but sho had heard me and made the faint noises. I went in, and lo and behold her baby had been born about half-an-hour before! She had known it was coming that day, so Mr. Morgan had taken their car and dashed off to get a doctor, but you know how roads and distances are up there. He hadn’t been able to beat the stork.

“As for me, I was scared to death, Luther. Just plain scare#! Mrs. Morgan couldn't even talk to me for a long time. And nobody else was there. Things were in a pretty state, let me tell you, and tho way I had to jump around for the next hour or two was a caution. I guess something comes out of us to help us in an emergency like that, Luther, for I did right well, the doctor said, when he finally did get there.

“I boiled some water in a hurry, and got tho baby cleaned and wrapped in a soft blanket and all, and got Mrs. Morgan comfortable, and, Luther, it's the darlingest baby I ever saw in all my life and guess what they have named it? Guess!”

“Why I—l couldn’t guess. Oscar, I imagine, for Mr.— ”

“No, silly, it's a girl baby! The cutest thing that ever breathed. It is! And they named it for me, Luther. She ia named Alita Morgan. I'm knitting her some things, and I'm—” “Ha!” Don interrupted. “ She's already sent enough stuff up there to do for ten babies. And dad and mother sent a box, and—” “Well, Oscar’s all right,” Mr. Bradley avowed. “He quit all his ranch work after that, and spent every minute night and day till election to-day travelling around getting votes for me, and I never promised him a thing and he don't waDt a single thing from me,