Part 16 (1/2)
Ugly Collins was driving Hulls Barroas in the seat beside him with a rifle across his knees Maizie was on a low chair in the rear, surrounded by bedding, boxes, tables, chairs, and all h, were held in place by stakes and stout ropes
”Why, hit's old Landy Spencer,” said Hulls as he returned the gun to its place on his knees ”What's got ye outen the bed so early?”
”I was harassed outa bed by this pesterin' friend of mine who left the circus at Cheyenne to come out fer a visit en to view the scenery I want ye to meet him, en he'p me answer his questions Folks, meet Mister Davy Lannarck, a circuser, that's curious to see hoe live Davy, that's my old friend Mister Hulls Barrow, en that's Mister Collins, en you are Miss Maizie, I take hit,” Landy added as Maizie stood up to see as going on ”My young friend here was cut down to a boy's size in heft en stature but he shore addin' about When he rousedaround this way en let you all he'p ot word that ere comin' en are makin' a hasty move to avoid sich a visit”
The hed aloud
”It's the other way,” she said ”You put off your visit until you saw that ereto be entertained Had you coo we could have helped”
”I wasn't here teeks ago,” interposed Davy ”Then ere in the Northwest, looking for a toith enough ht on a lot of circus ani for such a place and never did find it”
”Well, we're going to where there's ,” pleaded the et ”I haven't seen 'loose on at Grand Park in April”
”What's this, Hulls!” demanded Landy ”Are ye shi+ftin' pastures?”
”I shore aittin' outa the thistles en sage to whar thar's decent folks I'm a-leavin' these hellions to rot in their tracks while I have a few days of peace en quiet But don't say anything, Landy, until we git goin' en outa the country”
”Shore I won't!” pledged Landy ”That's your business--not theirs
Have ye laid out a considerable trip?”
”Yes, we're goin' to Nevady, dohar they're buildin' a big water-da stir on down thar Everybody's a-workin' en Archie wants our he'p”
”Well, I'lad fer this chance I've wanted to see Archie ever since he he'ped it theot a chance to pay” Here Landy searched a bill out of his billfold and handed it to Hulls
”Tell Archie that that ought to take keer of debt en int'rest Ye see, I didn't have any money with me that day, en anyhow, Archie poo-pooed the idee of pay at the time, but I alant to pay for he'p thataway But I never saw Archie again en I'lad of this chance to ease my mind”
Hulls folded the bill and put it in his pocket He looked at the sun
”I expect that we'd better git goin'; we've put in the whole night a-loadin' up, en we got down here a piece en found out that we forgot the dog en we had to go back En say, Landy,” he called as the wagon started, ”I forgot to turn theo out that ill ye open the gate en let 'eer reply
Landy resuon and its little cloud of dust disappear over a distant swell When he rejoined his friend he rode in front of Frosty to halt for a conference
”You've ht estimate, Landy, they're not bad people As hurried as they were, they had ti People that do that sort of things are not bad I feel sorry for 'em”
”Well, yer sorrow is sortalives Hulls is a-gettin' out of a mess that had no other outlet; Maizie is to see a lot of new scenery en will git to he'p Archie spend thearound Maizie while he eats at least two steady ot more money in his pocket than he ever had in all his born days He's evidently sold off about ten cows en calves to Mooney Whitset of the Diaive hit to him, en the five I jist handed him--that Archie will never see--so, all told, they are in clover Hit will take 'em about teeks to ive 'em a royal welcome
”Ye see, son, old Matt--ner the boys--ever made a dime out of this place--never wanted to Jist fiddled around, huntin', fishi+n' en loafin' The whole thing wasn't any bigger an asset than a job as a section hand on the U P Their sales of scrawny cattle jist about paid the taxes en bought their salt en terbacker
”Now, son, ye are on the Bar-O The line runs from thee of trees Then add two sections of rough land around the Cliffs, en that's hit The Barrows never did much fencin' Jist a bresh fence around the truck patch en a fairly good corral at the stables is about all The cows are down thar by the spring We'll turn the bulls out en go down en count 'eed in the requested task Davy took hasty survey of the surroundings The stables and house were of the sa structures that seeht The front door of the house was open