Red Saunders | Page 9

went.
"They came back at sunset, when the whole world was glowing red the
same as they were. I reached for the field glasses and took a squint at
them. There was no harm in that, for they were well-behaved young
folks. One look at their faces was enough. There were three of us in the
bull-pen--Bob, and Wind-River Smith, and myself. We'd brought up a
herd of calves from Nanley's ranch, and we were taking it easy. 'Boys,'
says I, under my breath, 'they've made the riffle.'
"'No!' says they, and then everybody had to take a pull at the glasses.
"'Well, I'm glad,' says Smithy. And darn my buttons if that old
hardshell's voice didn't shake. 'They're two of as nice kids as you'd find
in many a weary day,' says he. 'And I wish 'em all the luck in the
world.'
"'So do I,' says I, 'and I really think the best we could do for 'em would
be to shoot Jones.'
"'Man! Won't he sizz!' says Bob. And you can't blame us old codgers if
we had a laugh at that, although it was such a powerful serious matter
to the youngsters.
"'Let's go out and meet 'em,' says I. And away we went. They weren't a
particle surprised. I suppose they thought the whole universe had
stopped to look on. We pump-handled away and laughed, and Loys she
laughed kind of teary, and Kyle he looked red in the face and proud and
happy and ashamed of himself, and we all felt loosened up considerable,
but I told him on the quiet, 'Take that fool grin off your face, unless you
want Uncle Jones to drop the moment he sees you.'
"Now they only had three days left to get an action on them, as that was
the time set for Loys to go back to college.

"Next day they held a council behind the big barn, and they called in
Uncle Red--otherwise known as Big Red Saunders, or Chanta Seechee
Red, which means 'Bad-heart Red' in Sioux language, and doesn't
explain me by a durn sight--to get the benefit of his valuable advice.
"'Skip,' says I. 'Fly for town and get married, and come back and tell
Jonesy about it. It's a pesky sight stronger argument to tell him what
you have done than what you're going to do.'
"They couldn't quite agree with that. They thought it was sneaky.
"'So it is,' says I. 'The first art of war is understanding how to make a
grand sneak. If you don't want to take my advice you can wait.' That
didn't hit 'em just right either.
"'What will we wait for?' says Kyle.
"'Exercise--and the kind you won't take when you get as old and as
sensible as me. You're taking long chances, both of you; but it's just
like playing cards, you might as well put all your money on the first
turn, win or lose, as to try and play system. Systems don't work in faro,
nor love affairs, nor any other game of chance. Be gone. Put your
marker on the grand raffle. In other words take the first horse to town
and get married. Ten chances to one Jonesy will have the laugh on you
before the year is out.'
"'I don't think you are a bit nice to-day, Red,' says Loys.
"'He's jealous,' says Kyle.
"'That's what I am, young man,' says I. 'If I had ten years off my
shoulders, and a little of the glow off my hair, I'd give you a run for
your alley that would leave you breathless at the wind-up.'
"'I think your hair is a beautiful color, Red,' says Loys. 'Many a woman
would like to have it.'
"'Of course they would,' I answered. 'But they don't get it. I'm foxy, I
am.' Still I was touched in a tender spot. That young woman knew Just
the right thing to say, by nature. 'Well, what are you young folks going
to do?' I asked them.
"They decided that they'd think it over until next day, but that turned
out to be too late, for what must Kyle do but get chucked from his
horse and have his leg broke near the hip. You don't want to take any
love affairs onto the back of a bad horse, now you mark me! There was
no such thing as downing that boy when he was in his right mind.
"Now here was a hurrah! Loys, she dasn't cry, for fear of uncle, and

Kyle, he used the sinfullest language known to the tongue of man.
'Twas the first time I'd ever heard him say anything much, but he made
it clear that it wasn't because he couldn't.
"'What will we do, Red? What will we do?'