[YI STORY C^J
[LANGFORD]
of the
_ THREE =
BARSS F
tßj- S
KATE AND VIRGIL D. BOYLES
J
(Copyrltfbt by A. C. Mc< !lurg & Co., ISW2.)
SYNOPSIS.
George Williston, a poor ranchman,
li igh-mi ruled and cultured, searches for
rattle missing from Ills ram h-the "Lazy
6." On a wooded spot In the river's bed
that would have been an island had the
Missouri been at high water, he dis
covers a band of horse thieves engaged
In working over brands on cattle. He
creeps near enough to note the chang
ing of the"Three Bars" brand on one
uteer to tiie "J. R." brand. Paul Lang
ford, the rich owner of the"Three
Bars," is informed of the operations of
the gang of cattle thieves—a band of i
outlaws headed by Jesse Hlark, who
long have defied the law and authori
ties of Kemah county. South Dakota,
Langford is struck with the beauty of
Mary, commonly known as "Williston's
little girl." Louise Dale, an expert
court stenographer, who had followed
Iter uncle. Judge Hammond Dale, from
the east to the "Dakotahs," and who
Is living with him at Wind City, Is
requested by the county attorney,
Richard Gordon, to come to Kemah and
take testimony in the preliminary
hearing of Jesse Black. Jim Munson, in
waiting at the train for Louise, looks
fit a herd of cattle being shipped by
Bill Brown and there detects old
Mag," a well known "ornery" steer be
longing to his employer of the"Three
Bars" ranch. Munson and Louise start
for Kemah. Crowds assemble in Justice
James R. McAllister's court for the
preliminary hearing. Jesse Black
springs the first of many great sur
prises, waiving examination. Through
Jake Sanderson, a member of the out
law gang, he had learned that the
steer "Mag" had been recovered and tlius
saw the uselessness of fighting against
being bound over. Richard Gordon, the
rounty attorney, who is unpopular be
cause of his many failures to secure con
victions in court, wins the admiration of
Louise, which is mutual. County Attorney
Gordon accompanies Louise Dale on her
return to Wind City, lie tells her of the
disappointments of his office, of witnesses
that can be bribed and of the system of
tampering with justice which prevents
liim from securing a conviction, lie has
the girl's sympathy. While Williston
stands in the light in Lis door at night a
shot is lircd at him. The house is atacked
anil a battle ensues between Williston and
bis daughter, on one side, and the out
laws on the other. The house is set
on fire. As an outlaw raises his rifle to
shoot Williston a shot from an unknown
source pierces his arms and the rifle falls
to the ground. Aid has come to Williston.
but he and his daughter are captured and
borne away by the outlaws. Jim Munson
late at night heard tlie shots, discovered
the attack on Williston's house, hurried
to the Three Bars ranch and summoned
Langford and his brave men to the res
cue. It was Langford who fired the shot
which saved Williston's life. Langford
rescues Mary from her captor,
CHAPTER X.—Continued.
"Poor little girl," he breateheel over
her as her white face dropped with
unconscious pathos against his big
shoulder. "Poor little girl—l'm sorry
>—l didn't mean to —honest —I'm sor
ry." He chafed her hands gently.
"And I don't know where your father
is, either. Are you hurt anywhere, or
have you only fainted? God knows I
don't wonder. It was hellish. Why,
child, child, your arm! It is broken!
Oh, little girl, I didn't mean to—hon
est —honest. I'm sorry."
.Jim rode up panting, eyes blood
shot.
"We can't find him, boss. They've
carried him off, dead or alive."
"Is it so, Jim? Are you sure? How
far did you follow?"
"We must have followed the wrong
lead. If any one was ridin' double, it
wasn't the ones we were after, that's
one thing sure. The blamed hoss
thieves pulled clean away from us,
Our bosses were plumb winded any
way. And —there's a deader out there,
boss," lowering his \"oice; "1 found
him as I came back."
"That explains why no one was rid
ing double," said Langford, thought
fully.
"How's the gal, boss?"
"I don't know, Jim. I —don't know
what to do now."
His eyes were full of trouble.
"Ain't no use cryin' over spilt milk
and that's a fac'. 'Bout as sensible as
a tryin' to pick it up after it is spilt
We won't find Williston this here
night, that's one thing sure. So we'l
just tote the little gal home to the
Three liars with us."
The boys were returning, silent
gloomy, disconsolate. They eyed the
boss tentatively. Would they receive
praise or censure? They had workec
hard.
"You're all right, boys," said Lang
ford, smiling away their gloom. "Bui
about the girl. There is no woman al
the Three Bars, you know "
"So you'd leave her out all night te
the dew and the coyotes and the hoss
thieves, would you," interrupted Jim
with a fine sarcasm, "jest because
there ain't no growed-up woman at the
Three Bars? What d'ye think Willis
ton's little gal'd care for style? She
ain't afraid o' us ol' grizzled fellers
1 hope to the Lord there wpn't nevei
be no growed-up woman at the Three
'Bars —yep, that's what I hope,
think that mouse-haired gal reportei
'd be just turrible fussy, and I thinl
she's a goin' to marry a down eastern
er chap, anyway."
"Just pick up that fellow, will you
boys, and strap him io his horse, ane
we'll take him along," said Langford
"I don't believe he's dead."
"What fellow?" asked the Scribe
peering casually about.
Langford had uncemsclously rlddei
forward a bit to meet the boys as they
had clattered up shamefacedly. Now
he turned.
"Why, that fellow over there. 1
knocked him out?'
He rode back slowly. There was no
man there, no the trace of a man.
They stared at each other a moment,
Silently. Then Langford spoke.
"No, I am not going to leave Willis
ton's little girl out in the dew," he
said, with an inscrutable smile.
"While some of you ride into get
some one to see about that body out
there and bring out. the doctor, I'll
take her over to White's for to-night,
anyway. Mrs. White will care for her.
Then perhaps we will send for the 'gal
reporter,' Jim."
CHAPTER XI.
"You Are —the Boss."
She held out her left hand with a
sad little smile. "It is good of you to
come so soon," she said, simply.
She had begged so earnestly to sit
up that Mrs. White had improvised an |
invalid's chair out of a huge old rocker i
and a cracker box. It did very well.
Then she had partially clothed the j
girl in a skimpy wrapper of the sort j
Langfeird abominated, throwing a j
man's silk handkerchief where the j
wrapper failed to meet, and around
the injured arm. Mrs. White had
then recalled her husband from the
stables where he was on the point, of
mounting to join the relief party that
was to set off in search of Williston
at 10 o'clock. The ntarting point unan
mously agreed upon was to be the
pitiful remnants of Williston's home.
Men shook their heads dubiously
whenever the question of a possible
leading trail was broached. The soil
was hard and dry from an almost
rainless July and August. The fugi
tives might strike across country any
where with meager chances of their
trail being traced by any.
Mrs. White and her husband, kindly
souls both, lifted the girl as gently as
might be from the bed to the rudely
contsructed invalid's chair by the sit
ting-room window. Then they left J
her —the woman to putter around her i
kitchen, the man to make good Ills
appointment. But the exertion had
been to much for Mary. She had,
I* ' - v !
J
"I'll Have to Ride Like Kingdom
Come."
counted on strength that she did not
posses. Where had she lost it? she
wonderexl, lacking comprehension of
her exceeding weakness. To be sure,
her arm alternately ached and smart
ed, but one's arm was really such a
small part of one, and she had been
so strong—always. She tried to shake
of the faintness creeping over her. It
was effort thrown away. She lay back
on her pollow, very white and worn,
her pretty hair tangled and loosened
from its coils.
Paul came. Hp was dusty and trav
el-stained. He had been almost con
tinuously in his saddle since near mid
night of the night before. Ho was
here, big, strong and worthy. Mary
did not cry, but she remembered how
she had wanted to a few hours ago
and she wondered that she coulel not
now. Strangely enough, it was Paul
who wanted to cry now—but he didn't,
life only swallowed hard and held her
poor hand with all gentleness, afraid
to let go lest he also let go his mas
tery over the almost insurmountable
lump in his throat.
"I tried to come sooner," he said,
huskily, at last, releasing her hand
anel standing before her. "But I've
been riding all over—for men, you
know—and I had a talk with Gordon,
too. It took time. He is coming out
to see you this afternoon. He is com
ing with doc. Don't you think you had
better go back to bed now? You are
so—so white. me carry you back
to bed before I go."
"Are you going, too?" asked Mary,
looking at him with wide eyes of grat
itude.
"Surely," he responded, quickly.
"Did you think I wouldn't?"
"I —I —didn't know. I thought—
there we re a lot going—there would
be enough without you. But—l am
glad. If you go, it will be all right.
You will find him if any one can."
"Won't you let me carry you back
to bed till doc comes?" said Langford,
brokenly.
"I could not boar it in bed," she caid,
clearly. Her brown eyes were begin
ning to shine with fever, and red spots
had broken out in her pale cheeks.
"If you make me go,l shall die. I
hear it all the time when I an) lying
down—galloping, galloping, galloping.
They never stop. They always begin
all over again."
"What galloping, little girl?" asked
Langford, soothingly. He saw she
was becoming dellrous. If doc and
Dick would only come before he had
CAMER-ON COUNTY PRESS, THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 1908.
to go. But they were not com*
ing until after dinner. He gazed
down the dusty road. They would wait
for hini, the others. He was their
leader by the natural-born right of
push and energy, as well as by his
having been the sole participant with
his own cowboys, in the last night's
tragedy. But would he do well tc
keep them waiting? They had already
delayed too long. And yet how could
he leave Williston's little girl like this
—even to find Williston?
"They are carrying my father
away," she said, with startling dis
tinctness. "Don't you hear them? If
you would listen, you could hear them.
Do listen! They are getting faint
now—you can hardly hear them. They
are fainter —fainter —fainter "
She had raised her head. There
was an alert look on her face. She
leaned slightly toward the window.
"Good God! A man can't stand
everything!" cried Langford, hoarsely.
He tore the knotted handkerchief
from his throat. It was as if he was
choking. Then he put his cool, strong
hand to her burning forehead and
gently smoothed back the rough hair.
Gradually, the fixed look of an inde
scrible horror passed away from her
face. The strained, hard eyes soften
ed. became dewy. She looked at him,
a clinging helplessness in her eyes,
but sweet and sane.
"Don't you worry, child," he said
comfortingly. "They can't help find
ing him. Twenty men with the sheriff
start on tho trail. There'll be 50 be
fore night. They can't help finding
him. I'm going to stay right here
v/ith you till doc comes. I'll catch
up with them before they've gone far.
I'll send word to the boys not to wait.
Must be somebody around the house, I
reckon, besides the old lady."
He started cheerily for the door.
"Mr. Langford!"
"Yes?"
"Please come back."
He came quickly to her.
"What is it?"
"Mr. Langford, will you grant me a
favor?"
"Certainly, Miss Mary. Anything in
this world that I can do for you I will
do. You know that, don't you?"
"I am all right now. I don't think
I shall get crazy again if you will let
me sit here by this window and look
out. If I can watch for him, it will
give me something to do. You see, I
could be hatching all the time for the
party to come back over that little
rise up the road. I want you to
promise me," she went on, steadily,
"that I may sit here and wait for
you—to come back."
"God knows you may, little girl, any
way till doc comes."
"You are wiser than doc," pursued
the girl. "He is a good fellow, but
foolish, you know, sometimes. He
might not understand. He might like
to use authority over me because I
am his patient—when he did not un
derstand. Promise that I may sit "till
you come back."
"I do promise, little girl. Tell him I
said so. Tell him "
"I will tell him you are—the boss,"
she said, with a pitiful little attempt
at a jest, and smiling wanly. "He will
mind —the boss."
i Langford XVas in agony. Perspira-
I tion was springing out on his fore
-1 head though August was wearing
| away peacefully in soft coolness with
j drifting depths of white cloud as a
• lounging-robe—a blessed reprieve
j from the blazing sun of the long
| weeks which had gone before.
I"And then I want you to promise
i me," went on Mary, quietly, "that you
1 ■"fill not think any more of staying be
! hind. I could not bear that. I trust
j you to go. You will, won't you?"
j "Yes, I will go. I will do anything
| you say. And I want you to believe
j that every thing will be all right. They
I would not dare to kill him now, know-
I ing that we are after them. If we are
j not back to-night, you will not worry,
| will you? They had so much the start
of us."
"I will try not to worry."
"Well, good-bye. Be a good girl,
won't you?"
"1 will try," she answered, wearily.
With a last look into the brave,
sweet face, and smothering a mad, un
cowman-like desire to stay and com
fort this dear little woman while oth
ers rode away in stirring qufcst, Lang
ford strode from the sick-room into
the kitchen.
"Don't let her bo alone any more
than you can help, Mother White," he
said, brusquely, "and don't worry her
about going to bed."
"Have a bite afore yon start, Mr.
Langford, do," urged the good woman,
hospitably. "You're that worn out
you're white around the gills. I'll bet
you havn't had ary bite o' breakfast."
"I had forgotten—but you are right.
No, thank you, I'll not stop for any
thing now. I'll hjfve to ride like king
dom come. I'm late. Be good to her,
Mother White," this last oter his
shoulder as he sprang to his mount
from the kitchen stoop.
(To Be Continued.)
Up-to-Date Laundress.
Users of the telephone are becom
ing so numerous that it is not surpris
ing to find one installed in almost
every home, but it did seem rather an
up-fo-date affair for a negress to have
one in the back room that comprised
her "apartments." A woman who
wanted an extra bit of washing done
in a hurry had gone into the small al
ley in search of her. "O, Miss
Brown," said the washerwoman, "you
needn't to have come clear down here
for me. I've got a telephone." And,
sure enough, there sat one beside her
tubs. The astonished patron said:
"But Lizzie, I though you didn't wash
for but three persons; do you need a
telephone?" "Well, Misn Brown," said
Lizzie, modestly, "I ain'l got but three
women to wash for, but I got a pret
ty daughter."—Philadelphia Record.
RAISED FROM A SICK BED.
After Being an Invalid with Kldn*y
Disorders for Many Years.
John Armstrong, Cloverport, Ky„
wtys: "I was an Invalid with kidney
t complaints for many
years, and cannot
tell what agony I
endured from back
ache. My limbs
were swollen twice
natural size and my
sight was weaken
ing. The kidney se
cretions were d Ib
colored and had a sediment. When I
wished to eat my wife had to raise
me up in bed. Physicians were un
able to help me and I was going down
fast when I began using Doan's Kid
ney Pills. After a short time I felt
a great improvement and am now as
strong and healthy as a man could be.
I give Doan's Kidney Pills all the
credit for it."
Sold by all dealers. 50 cents a box.
Foster-Milburn Co., Buffalo. N. Y.
PROBABLY HE WAS.
Doctor—Can't yon put your tongue
out a little further, Mrs. Mugg?
Mrs. Mugg—Are you one of those
people, doctor, who believe that there
Is no end to a woman's tongue?
HOW TO APPLY PAINT.
Greatest care should be taken when
painting buildings or implements
which are exposed to the weather, to
have the paint applied properly. No
excellence of material can make up
for carelessness of application, any
more than care in applying it can
make poor paint wear well.
The surface to be painted should be
dry and scraped and sandpapered
hard and smooth. Pure white lead
should be mixed with pure linseed oil,
fresh for the job, and should be well
brushed out, not flowed on thick.
When painting is done in this manner
with National Lead Company's pure
white lead (trade marked with "The
Dutch Boy Painter") there is every
chance that the job will be satisfac
tory. White lead is capable of ab
solute test for purity. National Lead
Company, Woodbridge Building, New
York, will send a testing outfit free to
any one interested.
A Good Point.
The critic is often hard put as he
stands between the work he is asked
to pass judgment upon and its com
plaisant creator. He cannot always
get off so well as did the critic men
tioned in the Baltimore American.
"There are some consistent features
of nature in this rural landscape," hq
said, as he scrutinized the picture.
"What are they?" asked the anxious
artist.
"The brow of the hill, which, I see,
is placed above the mouth of the
stream," was the illuminating answer.
—Youth's Companion.
BTAT* or OHIO, CITY or TOLEDO, I .
LD.'LS COUTY. F '
FRANK J. CHENEY malcefl oath that he Is senior
partner of tho firm of F. J. CHKNKY & Co., dultig
business In the City of Toledo. County and State
aforesaid, and that Bald firm will pay the sum of
ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS for each and every
caHe of CATIKRH that oauuut bo cared by the use of
HALL'S CAIAKBU CUBK.
FRANK J. CHENET.
Sworn to before me and subscribed In my presence,
this 6th day of December, A. D., 18SC.
A. W. GLEASON,
■J B |£ *LJ NOTARY FCBLIO.
Hall's Catarrh Cure !» taken Internally and tcta
directly on the blood and mucous surfacea of ths
•ystem. Scud for testimonials, free.
F. J. CHENEY & CO., Toledo, O.
Sold by all Druggists. 75c.
Take Hail's Family Fills for constipation. •'
Restaurant Prize Seat.
A novel method of advertising a
table d'hote has been invented by a
New York restauranteur. Every Sat
urday night he selects a certain chair
in his restaurant and places its num
ber in a sealed envelope in charge of
the cashier. All the guests select
their own seats. The person who is
lucky enough to occupy the selected
chair receives, as a present, a hand
some gold watch.
His Idea of One.
The teacher in the Darktown school
was hearing the class in geography.
"What is known as the Great Di
vide?" she asked.
"Cuttin' a big watermelon!" an
swered little 'Rastus with a grin that
showed all his ivories.
Mr*. Wlnslow'B Soothing Syrup.
For children teething, ivoftens the gurus, reduces In
flammation, allay H pain, cures wind cullc. 25c a bottle.
Assist yourself and heaven will aa
sist you.—Latin. '
fh S'JACSBS OIL
r CONQUERS
PAIN
POR STIFFNESS, SORENESS, SPRAIN OR BRUISE,
NOTHING IS BETTER THAT VOU CAN USE}
LUMBAGO'S PAIN, RHEUMATIC TWINGE,
YOUR BACK FEELS LIKE A RUSTY HINGE;
M BCIATIC ACHES ALL PLEASURES SPOIL,
26c. -ALL DRUGGISTS- 60e. FOR USE ST. JACOBS OIL.
Gentle Persuasion.
A young chap from the couth, who
recently took up his residence in Bos
ton with the purpose of pursuing cer
tain technical studies at the Hub, en
gaged board and lodgings at "a select
establishment" In Columbus avenue.
It was not long after his Install
ment therein that the southerner
found himself obliged to complain to
the landlady with reference to the
noisy doings of some of his fellow
lodgers.
"The people in the room next to
mine," said he, "quarrel in a loud tone
regularly every evening much to my
distress. What's the trouble, any
way?"
"Oh, you mustn't mind them," said
the landlady. "That occurs very often,
at least once a week. It's only Prof.
Whiteside, the hypnotist, trying to per
suade his wife togo to the band con
cert." —Illustrated Sunday Magazine.
Perils of Fence Mending.
"I understand that member of con
gress hurried home to mend his
fences."
"Yes. But he doesn't appear to
have made a neat job of it. His pros
pects look as If he had gotten Into a
tangle with a lot of barbed wire."
It Cures While You Walk.
Allen's Foot-Ease is a certain cure fcrr
hot, sweating, callous, and swollen, aching
feet. Sold by all Druggists. Price 25c. Don t
accept any mibstit'ite. Trial package FRIMS.
Address Allen S. Olmsted, Le Roy, N. Y.
Did you «ver hear a man with an
obese bank balance say that the lore
of money was the root of all evil?
To insure the direct and quick cleans
ing of the system, take Garfield Tea, the
Mild Herb Laxative. It purifies the blood,
eradicates disease and brings Good Health.
The ancestor of every action la ft
thought.—Emerson.
IS3MP
*0: For Infants and Children.
&lpMjfißill The Kind You Have
Always Bought
ALCOHOL—3 PER * M
AXfegctable Preparation for As- _ , M
I Bears the Ll
|| ii.inviyiaiiii'i'impif Signature //\m
ST Promotes Digestion,Checrful- M Jf 4 If'
fj nessandßest.Contains neither nf #fl\/Vtf
H\ Opium .Morphine nor Mineral v m \\ If*
hj Not Narcotic/ I ftkuy
& fajptSouorSMwmazat
H| f\u*p)nn S—df g %
. pfj?- I . W / |
a Buii. i' a .n* in
$. gsafe< ,J VX.
,n? > /JfL J p II
if'o A perfect Remedy forConsftpa- AVT II S n
Mil lion, Sour Stomach.Diarrhoea, I ■ |r
$!o Worms .Convulsions .Feverish- 1 If/ «
ness and LOSS OF SLEEP- %\ M LQI* [lUgf
facsimile Signature of i
I ,IS: Thirty Years
S& NEW YORK/, _ _
Bract Copy of Wrapper. THI eianua CAAMM. «n ran MT.
'iER S Or THE" XS
MEN, BOYS, WOMEN, MISSES AND CHILDREN. U /Mf A Q
W. L. Dougictt makon and mollis mora • ft
®»> mtsn'ms3.6o, 93.U0 rrd SS.BOahooa ***
„ . Man «ny othor manufaoturur In ihm YVnK«ivjoiw
fliy"' world, booauao thoy hold thalr Y®\Wyaw fW
mhapa, tit hotter, vtemr lon par, mnd tm( &>«•
era 0/ op«s(cp valua than itny other mnr n* Wi \W i^p/ Suite*
""■-J ahoom ht tho world to-day. ®»
W. L. Douglas $4 and $6 GUI Edge Shoes Cannot Bo Equalled At Any Price
BV t'AI'TIOV. W. 1.. Donglas name and prloe U stamped on bottom. STo S.ih.tltiitfc
by the best shoe donlora everywliero. ttho** mauled from to .V*?..TT. m
toated Catalog free to auy addroaa. W. L. DOUGLAS, Brockton, Mom.
TI>nTA A V A WRITE US FOR BOOKLET CONCERNING
I K If Bivi& I M II I IRRIGATED,LANDS IN THE ORF.AT TWIfJI
Ai\L\sL\firSk JL luM JUrSLII MJ%3 FALLS AND JEROME COUNTRY. IDAHO.
Altitude only 3700 feet above the sea level. Icyxhaustlble water -supply. take* from
the great Snake River, the seventh largest river in America. »So alkali, BO cyclones.
420,000 acres of the fluent fruit and agricultural land in the West.
The man who wants a home where everything grows that makes farming profitable—
on easy terrn.H—or the man who wants land for investment should write us, as we quota
nothing but absolutely reliable information. Address
H. A. STROUD & COMPANY, Twin Falls, Idaho,
Man anil Wnirun We wc"™ l positions of every
men ana YY omen kin d for yon task for part lea
lars. 11. J. MAY CO. t Dept. h\, Petersburg!!, N. Y.
The
General Demand
of tho Well-informed of the World hwr
always been for a simple, pleasant &a 4
efficient liquid laxativa remedy of known
value; a laxative which physicians could
(•auction for family use because its com
ponent parts are known to them to b*
wholesome and truly beneficial in effect,
acceptable to the system and gentle, yet
prompt, in action.
In supplying that demand with its ex
cellent combination of Syrup of Figs and'
Elixir of Senna, the California Fig Syrup
Co. proceeds along ethical lines and relics
on the merits of tho laxative for its remark
able 6uccess.
That is one of many reasono why
Syrup of Figs and Elixir of Senna is give®
the preference by the Well-informed.
To get its beneficial effects always buy
the genuine—manufactured by the Cali
fornia Fig Syrup Co., only, and for sale
by all leading druggists. Price fifty cents
r*r bottle.
\
1 IT IS FOUND ONLY P
IPUREWHITE LEADI
A. N. K.—C (1908—15) 2225.
TOILET ANTISEPTIC
Keeps the breath, teeth, mouth and body
entiseptieally clean and free from un
healthy germ-life and disagreeable odors,
which water, soap and tooth preparations
alone cannot do. A _
fecting and deodor
izing toilet requisite
cellence and econ- | 11 *|
omy. Invaluable
for inflamed eyes,
Large Trial Sample fe§?li§§§P
WITH "HCALTH AMD BEAUTY" BOOK BINT Ffttft
THE PfIXTON TOILET CO., Boston, Mist
7