The Fighting Shepherdess | Page 8

he stared at the town site indicated.
"It seems turrible fur from water," he commented finally.

"Sink--drill--artesian well--maybe we'll strike a regular subterranean
river. Anyway, 'twould be no trick at all to run a ditch from Dead Horse
Canyon and get all the water we want." He waved his arm at the distant
mountains and settled that objection.
"Wouldn't them alkali bogs breedin' a billion 'no-see-'ems' a second be
kind of a drawback?" inquired Teeters tentatively.
"That'll all be drained, covered with sile and seeded down in lawns,"
replied the Major quickly. "In two year that spot'll be bloomin' like the
Garden of Eden.
"I've got to be movin'," the Major continued. "I'm on my way from a
cornerstone layin' at Buffalo Waller to a barbecue at No Wood Crick.
I'm kind of an orator," he added modestly.
"And I got about three hundred head of calves to drag to the fire, if I
kin git my rope on 'em," said Teeters, straightening in the saddle.
The Major asked in instant interest:
"Oh, you're workin' for that wealthy eastern outfit?"
"Don't know how wealthy they be, but they're plenty eastern," Teeters
replied dryly.
"I was thinkin' I might stop over night with 'em and git acquainted. The
Scissors Outfit can't be more'n fifteen mile out of my way, and it'll be a
kind of a change from the Widder Taylor's, whur I stop generally."
The cowboy combed the horse's mane with his fingers in silence. After
waiting a reasonable time for the invitation which should have been
forthcoming, the Major inquired:
"They're--sociable, ain't they?"
"They ain't never yit run out in the road and drug anybody off his
horse," replied Teeters grimly. "They charge four bits a meal to
strangers."

"What?" Surely his ears had deceived him.
Inspired by the Major's dumbfounded expression, the cowboy
continued:
"They have their big meal at night and call it dinner, and they wash
their hands at the table when they git done eatin', and Big Liz has to
lope in from the kitchen when she hears the bell tinkle and pass 'em
somethin' either one of 'em could git by reachin'." He lowered his voice
confidentially, "Most any meal I look fur her to hit one of 'em between
the horns."
The Major stared round-eyed, breathless, like a child listening to a fairy
tale which he feared would end if he interrupted.
"In the evenin' the boss puts on a kind of eatin' jacket, a sawed-off coat
that makes a growed man look plumb foolish, and she comes out in silk
and satin that shows considerable hide. Have you met this here
Toomey?"
"Not yet; that's a pleasure still in store for me."
"Pleasure!" exclaimed Teeters, who took the polite phrase literally.
"More like you'll want to knock his head off. Old Timer," he leaned
over the saddle horn, "seein' as you're from Missoury, I'll tell you
private that you'd better keep on travelin'. Company ain't wanted at the
Scissor Outfit, and they'd high-tone it over you so 'twouldn't be noways
enjoyable."
"There is plenty of ranches where I am welcome," replied the Major
with dignity. "I kin make the Widder Taylor's by sundown."
"Miss Maggie plays good on the pianner," Teeters commented,
expectorating violently to conceal a certain embarrassment.
"And the doughnuts the old lady keeps in that crock on the kitchen
table is worth a day's ride to git to." The Major closed an eye and with
the other looked quizzically at Teeters, adding, "If it wa'nt for

Starlight--"
"Starlight is shore some Injun," replied the cowboy, grinning
understandingly.
"Now what for an outfit's that?"
The moving cloud of dust which the Major had forgotten in his keen
interest in the conversation was almost upon them. "A band of woolies,
a pack burro, one feller walkin', and another ridin'."
The cowboy's eyes were unfriendly, though he made no comment as
they waited.
"Howdy!" called the Major genially as, with a nod, the herder would
have passed without speaking.
The stranger responded briefly, but stopped.
"Come fur?" inquired the Major sociably.
"Utah."
"Goin' fur?"
"Until I find a location. I rather like the looks of this section."
"Sheep spells 'trouble' in this country," said the cowboy, significantly.
"Think so?" indifferently.
Seeing Teeters was about to say something further, the Major
interrupted:
"What might I call your name, sir?"
"Just say 'Joe,' and I'll answer."
The Major looked a trifle disconcerted, but in his rôle of Master of

Ceremonies continued:
"I'll make you acquainted with Mr. Teeters."
The two men nodded coldly.
To break the strained silence the Major observed:
"Got a boy helpin' you, I notice."
"Girl," replied the sheepherder briefly.
"Girl? Oh, I see! Them overalls deceived me. Daughter, I presume."
"Pardner," laconically.
The Major looked incredulous but said nothing, and while he sought for