BAT WING BOWLES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16032, 25 September 1915, Page 3 (Supplement)

BAT WING BOWLES.

BY DANE COOLIDGE, Author of "Hidden Water" and "The Texican." (COPYRIGHT.) CHAPTER XXlH.—(Continued.) "No,"- protested Brigham petulantly; "mViey won't buy me nothin' with her. I'm up ag'in the whole Mormon church | —and if you knew half of what I do J about 'em, you'd know that you can't I buck these bishops. The Mormon folks is fine people—they'll feed you, and kelp you, and do anything in the world fer you—but them priests and apostles and bishops—umph-umm '. The more you know about 'em. the worse .it scares you upand I'm shore down on their black books. No, pardner, I ain't got a chanc'st, so let's fergit it. I talked it all over with Dix, and she kinder heartened me up ; but it ain't •no use. Mji r girl don't like me enough to cut loose and quit her people, and I won't turn Mormon fer nobody— there you are. Come on, let's go to bed 1" It was a Hard and tragic problem, and long after the fatalist Brig had gone to sleep, Bowles lay awake and tried to find a way out. His own petty i griefs seemed sordid by the side of it, and all the way to town he turned it over in his mind. But, now that he had dismissed it forever, Brigham Clark became his old carefree self again. "ill tell you what, we'll do!" he exclaimed, as they talked of their trip to the hills. > " We'll hunt up old Bill Jump, and show him the latest in lies. I betcher I can make that old feller ashamed of himse'f—he's jest one of these here common, long-haired liars that don't know nothin' i but to go you one better, anyway. Butyou wait till I pull that Hippodrome stuff on —I betcher that'll make his jaw drop. Never did git to spring that on the boysßay, tell me that ag'in about the clown that fished up bulldogs outer the —and them, elephants comin' over the waterfall Yes, sir; if old Bill is up in them White Mountains, we'll certainly make him look sick!"

it was a glorious thing to contemplate, and, once in town, they made haste to lay in their supplies; but when Brigbam came back from his interview with the boss Bowles could see that his enthusiasm had been shaken. For reasons of his own, Bowles had preferred not to meet the Lees, and he had asked Brig to convey his regrets and a release for his two months pay. If eighty dollars would compensate fo.' the defunct Dunbar, Mr. Bowles was satisfied; otherwise, he would oc glad to meet the difference. But the trouble in Brigham's eye was not one of dollars and cents.

"Say,"' he said, as he beckoned Bowles to a corner of the corral, "what d'ye think Mrs. Lee -sprung on me when I went around fer my pay? And, by the way, they was a deputy sheriff inquirin' fer you when I come out by the desk, so come away from that gate—but what d'ye think she said?"

" Why, I'm eure I can't imagine," answered Bowles, with his old-time calm. " What was it?"

'• Well, she had a big yeller telegraph in her hand that.she" was kinder wavm' around— never did find out what it was all about—but when I come in to the hotel she flew at me like and says: " ' Mr. Clark, do you know who that: young man is you're travelin' (with?' ; Well, eir, the way she said it made me mad clean through, and I says to her: " ' No, Mrs. Lee, I don't—and, what's more, I don't care! He's a good partner, that's all 1 —and that's all 1 want to know!'

"' And then I turned around and walked out. I don't know what them Lees have gut to be so proud about, the way old Henry used to cave around, but I showed tier, by grab, they was one puncher she couldn't run it over! She always did make me mad," observed Brig, as he stole quiet glances at his friend, "but I knowed mighty well you wasn't no crook and and 1 don't care what you done!" "Well, thank you just as muchl haven't done anything ? Brig," answered Bowles with a reassuring smile. > "But." he added, "that's no reason for. not getting out of town." They packed their horse hurriedly, and Bowles rode on ahead, but- once on the open prairie he gave way to a hearty laugh. . .-'. ■'' • Brig," he said, "what in the world do you think I've done!" "Well, I dunho," mumbled Brig, look-i ing him over shrewdly. "Of course, Ij knowed all along they was nothin'- to that Christabel —stands to reason a man wouldn't leave home for a little thing like that. About that, aunt, now, that sounds a little more likely. " Yes but, this deputy sheriff—and all that!"' • . -.

" We-ell," drawled Brigham, with a sly twinkle in his eye. "I heeard a little more from him than what I told you at ithe first!" Y ■:..; , ~: : :-^,

Oh, indeed! And what.else did you hear?" - t#■*%* \

"Wei! Brig stopped and stuck His! tongue in his cheek roguishly. He said it was * -woman that wanted you!"" ?■' "My aunt exclaimed Bowles, striking his leg; butt Brig only spat and grinned! Sure he said, and grinned again. "I have it!" cried Bowles. "Mrs. Lee wrote back and told her sister I "was here—and then my aunt began 'telegraphing! That telegram Mrs. Lee had was from her!"" - <-'. V ; .v: t -

"Sure thing," agreed Brig; - and Bowlea looked up to find him smirking. -■'. - : • "Well, what's the < matter?" he j de- J manded. " Say, you're pretty smart, aren't' you, Brig?" he observed, with pitying scorn. "They don't put one over on you very often, do they? * v t "No, indeedy!" swaggered Brigham; and then they both laughedto themselves. But the jest put an effectual end to the discussion, since Brigham did not know what it was he was supposed to have discovered, and Bowles took -no pains to enlighten him. It was enough that Brig considered him a very gay dog indeed, and he did .not deny the soft impeachment. So, each With his satisfied smile, they jogged along across the plains, dragging their pack animal behind them and heading for the Bat Wing. Ail that cay they rode on through the mellow sunshine, and the next morning found them still on their way; but just as the well-remembered ranch came into view there was a rattle of wheels from behind and they swung out to give Henry Lee the road. * He was driving the fiery greys, and they fought gamely agauist the delay, but he pulled them down to a walk while he handed Bowles a note. I " Telegram for you, Mr. Bowles," he | seid. " Brig, stop at the ranch when you I go by—l want to talk with you." There was much more that might have been said, and Mrs. Lee smiled approvingly at Bowles, but the greys were within sight of the haystack and they cut the talk short -with a bolt. Then 1 Bowles glanced through the telegram and thrust it into his shirt.

My aunt"- he began, and as the grin on Brig's face widened, he stopped short and 1 fell into a . sulk. "No use telling you anything, Brig" he said -at last; " you can guess by the colour of my eye." " Sure!" said Brig, after a moment of baffled silence. " Yore aunt seems to think a whole lot of you. And, speakin' about women-folks, what's this comin' down off the hill? "

He nodded at the foothills to the west, and as Bowles gazed he saw Dixie Lee coming down the broad slope like an arrow. She was riding Wa-ha-lote, too, and at sight of that noble charger the heart of Bat Wing Bowles became sad— or perhaps it was at sight of Dixie. However that may be, he continued on his way- with melancholy' resignation; while Brig viewed her coming with alarm. " Here's where I ketch hell for- somethin' !" he muttered, as she sighted him from afar; and when she rode up and faced him he hung his head like a truant. "You Brig! " she said at last, whipping the hair from her eyes with one Hand, " you haven't got git-up enough in you to win an Indian squaw ! You'll make a lovely husband for - somebody, and that's a fact— way you do your courting. Who do you think is up to the big house waiting for you?" ■ Huh ?" demanded Brig, now suddenly ' all attention. "Well, she's' been there for more than a. day—while you were out shooting prauie-dogs. What she sees in you is more than I can say, but—"

- " Who're ye talking about?". bark** Brigham, -throwing loose bis leading--rope. " I'm talking about Ji your girl," answered Dixie with - Spartan directness. Here, I'll lead your packgo ahead :-" and show her vonr dust. ■ S m

"I'll do that," said Brig,. leaning forward as she spoke; and, . passing ; over ; the rope, he went spurring up the road. Dixie Lee gave Bowies a level ', look from beneath her tumbled . hair, and touched Wa-ha-lote with the spur. Her manner seemed to-be a disclaimer of any responsibility for their being left together, and yet somehow it was very obvious that the stage had been set for an interview. But if Dixie had any in-« tentions, she concealed them effectually, and her manner was one of good-natured tolerance.

" Well, look at that crazy fool ride," she observed, as Brig disappeared in his own dust. " You'd think from the way be travels he was the keenest lover in the world." She paused here and laughed to herself. " Yes, indeed! " responded Bowles, with a certain brotherly pride. " Old Brig thinks a lot of that girl." "Well, maybe he does," conceded Dixie; "but he certainly makes me provoked. I declare, the way some of these men , she paused again and bit her lip. Mr. Bowles was one of those men, too. " I reckon it's all right," she continued resignedly ; " but when a woman has to ride clear over to the Gila, and propose for a man, and steal his girl for him, and then round him up and send him in, I guess she has some excuse to speak her mind. Don't you think bo, Mr. Bowles? Well, then, if your friend Brigham had had his way, he would have hit for the summit- of the White Mountains, and his girl would have been married to a Mormon! It makes me mad, Mr. Bowles, I declare it does ! The idea of leaving that poor little girl over there and never going near her, when all the time she was begging him to come back, and her folks were reading her letters. She couldn't write it to him— had to tell —and he never showed up at all. Please don't apologise for him, Mr. Bowles 5 I'm sure there's not a word to be said."

Mr. Bowlea bowed his head and felt very humble indeed, as if he, too, in some inexplicable way, had erred and been rebuked. " And now," said Dixie at . last, "Father'fl make Mr. Brig his waggonboss-, and they'll get married and live at the ranch. Simple, isn't it?" < " Why, it seems so," admitted Bowles; " but how do you know he will?"

" How do I know," repeated Dixie, rolling her eyes on him. "Why, Mr. Bowleg, have you been- around the Bat Wing for two months and failed to note who was boss? Eight after you "and Brigham Clark kit I went down and fired that Hardy Atkins—eo you don't need to be bashful about coming back." Her voice trailed off a little as she ended, and Bowles. started and looked at the ground. New worlds and vistas appeared before him, and' visions and sudden dreamsand then he was back by her. side, and the road was passing

"I'm sorry," he said' at last. " It's my own fault— should have explained at the beginning. But now your mother has written to. her sister, and she has told my aunt, and so I've got to move on. She's telegraphing already." He showed her the yellow message and slipped it hack into his pocket. " And there was a deputy sheriff inquiring for me," he added bitterly. •. ■> .'.=.'«. -_■ .;- "-s}. " Oh, dear'." pouted Dixie, yanking at: the reluctant pack-horse. >" I just knew she'd do it. Mother means well, but she's a New Yorker, and—well, ?I f hope I she's satisfied ;.j./'s.,Y'.":-..:/ ' -riv ■'-.;, :-J'-' "Yes, I hope so too," added Bowles. " I never did have anything to he ashamed of, but—do you know who I am?"^//vtI " No, I don't," answered Dixie Ma v.v, "And I don't" care, either," she added, glancing across at him with clear-seeing eyes. " I always knew you were a,"gentleman, and—say, what's the matter with that pack?" • *;-V-~ l * She dismounted quickly as she spoke, and Bowlea dropped off to help. P Then, after the ropes.had been, tightened, they stood k silent within the circle "of their i horses! '.."."jr.'.., '.7 •^^^:rt-«^":,^^>- ; S':J>">." " "Mr. Bowies,'* began Dixie, leaning one arm on the pack and looking thoughtfully; away, " being the man * you are, you—you % wouldn't compel ; a lady to apologise to you, would you?" ?-* ~ " Why,, no, / no—certainly not!" gasped Bowles, alarmed by a mistiness in her :: eyes.'" " Because :If that's what you're going - away for—" '. "Oh, my dear -Miss: tee !*'-. protested Bowles, how suddenly stirred to the -depths. "Don't think of - it—not ftr.s moment! No, indeed! I will confess that I was a little hurt by your—bat that's« all right! That's all right! Yon don't know my aunt, do you, Miss Lea? *cl can't explain it to you, but—well, she's a very ~ determined woman, in her way, and—well" .; she wants me to come home." -'-.-W- -*-..■ ..; "Yes?": - •-': ; ,~, :,. : ; / . ; "Yes,'and.so I'd better move on. I'm • sorry that Brig can't go ■ along with * r me, ~- butwell, I can go alone. Do you re-V member one time, when we were •: coming: West, I;. spoke about the- spirit of a the % country—the spirit .of * the West? Well, I have found it—it is ;to move on!" ;.-■-•=".s;* :■ --■- / v And never come back?" inquired Dixie, quickly. fl"*?.'; .'"/";;' '-/-"*. f-.~=- -. " Well, something like that," admitted-': Bowles.-;,- -.-'■--. 1. -> - -'-""? ■

"Yes, I; do remember that," responded Dixie, with a reminiscent smile. " I remember • it; well. ;. We ■■ -were alone on - the - train and we said all kinds of things—l - v didn't know you very -well then. 'I re-- r member you told me once, it I'd help you ?, = J find the Far West, you'd be my faithful : , knight all that. .;; And ". I: helped you, Z'J; i' too, didn't -I?"-- • : "Why, yes!" said : Bowles, puzzled by ,: her air. ■ 'v'■';-"' ;: " '--9. : - fe ->. .^U-' ; -..- r :«.''=v--'-;> §M Well, what about being my. knight?" demanded * Dixie, with sudden. frankness. '' i" "You've done well out here. Mr. Bowles, -'Ji but there's one thing I'm disappointed' in J; . : —you don't keep the customs of the coun- '"'- : : try -'-' - ;:■'. ■■" :'-' ■: ~/''■ f "Why, what do you mean, Miss Lee?'* ig inquired Bowles. -•■-.• ■„.;-■"- ; -.*;■:;.,,? A sudden smile illuminated Dixie's face —the same smile that had taken posses- V:J| sion of him when he had forgotten and, . stolen a kiss —and then she turned away V and blushed. ■» " Well," she said, " you're the first Bat Wing man that has gone away without-— i- > without proposing to me!" ;. •""-' r .'."' ;, :"." : She glanced at him defiantly and folded \ ; her armsand Bowles; felt his reason , eclipsed, and the world go , dark .before ".i , him. A thousand riotous thoughts dam-, oured suddenly for recognition, . and his: brain reeled at the shock.. Then he opened -■*'. his eves, and she was still j smiling at '■'■■/ £ him, but the smile had a twinkle of mis- : ; ? chief in it.- The memory of her legion of ..; suitors came over him now, and her care- ,:-;■. ; free, jesting ways, > and he became of a sudden calm. They had all proposed, and'.-.. C she had led them on, and then; she hadTj •-' told them no. But she should never *deal that ignominy to him. If she scorned his,-., .- humble suit and desired only to add. bis Ui scalp to the rest, he would escape at least ■.;■'. with his pride— would never let her -.i say he had proposed. '*„.' .*.,*'-*<■'* "'Ah you must excuse me, Miss Lee," ; j he said, speaking with a formal : restraint. "..-;': "Much as I value your happiness, I—l '. "f> cannot observe" this—custom of the ; country !" -.-« : --^'-^5;.^.^-;^-;.-'-vf;;V: s f S H*s He spat the rwords out bitterly, and _ f closed bis lips—as if there was "more" he " ; might say: But; Dixie did not lose her smile. •--_-- -•' ..■■■■■-■"-■ " Maybe I'd accent you,"'she suggested : with a roguish twinkle, and once more he gazed into her eyes to read- there if she was his' friend. \ But a .woman's eyes are deceptive, and hers spoke of many things —she smiled, the old dazzling smile, but there was mischief in the depths.'-He - sighed and drew away. ,;, ' v; "Ah,-- no." he said, "you cannot under- -."; stand." 'Then, as she waited, his heart \ }.J.* turned -.to bitterness and he spoke on »as 'f ; '.- the thoughts came. "Really, Miss -Lee, :.■ it pains —I cannot believe it. ' What is one man, more or less, that '-you should >.ri hurt me like , this? Dixie"— raised w his downcast eves and regarded her re- -. .- proachfully— I have dreamed about "you. I have worshipped you from afar —I have - , fought my way to ybe near you. --s.You',;;.',-;.-; don't know how it would -pain-me—after Ky- -'; all I have hoped—to. have you— i. • " Aw, Bowles,"; chided Dixie, reaching t t'i out her hand, " can't you see that I want >■';.- 5 And then -■'■.. dream came true, ' .' -"" And then Bowles : dream; came tree. _ - . THE KKD. -