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GUNLOCK RANCH ’ by Frank H. Spaarnoa SYNOPSIS SImpt Cat, d*aart towr of lha South- w**t la calabratlnc tha Pourth of Jaljr. Jana Van Tambal. ftaaHttful dauchtar of Qua Van Tambal, hatad ownar of Gunlock ranch, haa arrlvad from tha Kaat for tha flrat tlma Sha watchaa tha Prontlar Day calabratlon In company with Dr. Carpy. cruaty, tendar-haartad friend of tha community. Henry Bawdy of the Circle Dot ranch, tricked In a fake hgrae race the day before by Dave McCroasen. foreman at Gunlock, plana revenue. He entera BUI Denlaon, a handsome younK Texas wranRler, In the rodeo which MoCroaaen la favored to win, and lays heavy beta on him with Harry Boland, saloonkeeper and crony of McCroasen. Unknown to the crowd, Denison Is a champion horse man. McCroasen and the younK atramcer tie In the various events. They are then asked to propose their own stunts. McCrossen wlnnlnK the toss, picks up a handkerchief from the K rnund rldlnK full speed, faclnK backward. Denison easily follows suit. CHAPTER I—Continued —3— It was now the Texan’s turn. Snwdy ran out on the track to his side. “C.lve him the saddle and bridle trick,” he whispered. The wrangler, still breathing fast, de murred. “He’s seen It done. Probably he can do It himself, Sawdy.” “No matter. It’ll make a hit, tire him out.” “I’m getting tired of this show my- aelf. It’s been pretty long.” objected the rider. ‘T.eave It to me, will you? I’ll give him one he’s never seen—one you’ve never seen.” There was a fur- iier whispered conference. “Oo to It!" exclaimed Sawdy, after a moment, seemingly confident of his repreaentstlve. Then he turned to the little grsndstand. “Ijidles ’n’ gentlemen an’ honorabl* Judges,” he began. "Circle Dot has tried to contribute In a humble way to yoor entertainment thla afternoo*. You r* all anxlooa to see thla contest, grand aa It haa been, brought to a de rision. Our entry for the prise will bow present a feat never before seen in Sleepy Cat." Reining to the middle of the track, the wrangler drew from a buttoned breast pocket of his Jersey a packet of rlgarefto paper* and a small aack of tobacco, Seated oa bla pawing horse ho rolled bla cigarette, pat away the makings, bang the cigarette oa bla Up. and lifted bla hat aa be looked ep at the spectator* and felt In another pocket for a match. While doing no ho awkwardly dropped the rtgnrette; It fell from hie lip te the daety track. II# hast ever la the saddle te took regret f*lly down at tha cigarette where H lay : thee tarsed hie hocae and awwty circled the rod leg abject aa he c*ro fatty arrvtlalaed the tie Hewdy atepped te tbe aide ef the graodetend and after hie wewal aelete ti«o. began, hat la hand “thw Ctrrfte tSag wrangler sremi t* he a Utile a*i ward te«tay -aeevawe. awyho Tea ere. lod.ee he heon t had eark a bevy of elegant eomea te look at foe assay, many weeks Wove bora ea a Uag. herd drive aa' haveel sera oe mark as a part are ef a omen girt fee sigh threw aeealhe— ae wwadee Ne t aerveaa* “Hear I Hear T cried Carpy sad hie “Where r * he demaaded. And getting rely a tough omtlaoed W halevee the rraeua. ledtea so gent* the hoy has dropped hie rigs retle Ilea mehia' motions ts am ta H< h It sp Rat It's toe mark Is ask of a fat mas let him pirfc ap the cigarette hlaasrlf (»o, buy. gar* As the wrangler cantered leisurely down the track. Sawdy. os spicier. r*a tinned te eiplaln : “He will »<>w try ridtn' at top speed, to pick op his cigarette If he sac credo. I am sure yoe will all be wtllia’ to ore him enjoy omokia' It. after a hard hour s work. If be falls under these speed conditions, he will retire aa gracefully as i>oasthle frtm the track an' turn a similar Job over to bla esteemed rival. Our wrangler will use the quirt oo bis pony for the drat time today. All we'll s*k Is. Just please give the boy quiet when he rbleo up." The wrangler had wheeled his horse fifty yards down the track and sat waiting for Sawdy’a signal. The cowman raised a warning hand. “Are you ready?" The wrangler nod ded. “Go!” shouted Sawdy. , Quirting his pnn^ smartly and bend ing In the saddle ns the wiry little gelding sprang In long leaps ahead, the wrangler, nearing the stand, swung over to the right so low In the saddle that he trailed his hand in the dust. He was going very fast, and his Job In this straining posture was to locate a narrow smudge of brown paper lying in yellow dust. CHAPTER II In the grandstand there was a cran ing of necks, a straining of eyes, and a hush. Only the soft clatter of the pony’s hoofs as he now flew down toward the grandstand struck the ear. A slender streak of dust rose from where the An gers trailed along the track. As he neared the vicinity of the cigarette, the wrangler lifted his fingers Just above the dust and bent his straining eyes ahead. He passed the grandstand like k flash. Aa he did so, his right hand was Hung out, jnst once, and his fingers •truck at the dust. He dashed ahead, straightened himself gradually In the saddle, and, holding bla right hand high, checked tbe pony and rode slowly back. Th« judges clambered down from tbatr stand and ran oat on the track Oaevflsbt rvwak M WHO ‘ They looked In vain dretamfor a trace of the cigarette; stirred op the dust where It might he hidden. But the wrangler, riding back toward them, held the damaged cigarette between the thumb and the forefinger of hla right hand. Boland was wild. He rushed out to Join the Judges. "It's a plain trick!" he shouted. “He pretended to pick up one cigarette an’ had another In hla hand." “Hell!” blurted out BUI Pardaloe. "Where's the cigarette he dropped here In the first place?" he asked, pointing to the track. “It was right here. I seen It." He appealed to the other Judges, "You seen It.” The two nodded assent. “What you talkin' about, Bo?” Boland was Industriously searching the track. "Find It! But be damned care ful you don’t try to drop another ciga rette like It! Watch him, John,” warned I’ardaloe, wrought up. "The horse might have picked It up on his hoof," bellowed Boland. "Yes,” commented Selwood. “Yes. Examine the pony’s mouth, too, Boland. He may not have swallowed It yet. I say, gen tlemen,’’ he added, "the Circle Dot boy has done a clean Job. Now let’s see McCrossen perform.” But McCrossen, stubbornly rejecting all his backers’ entreaties, refused to perform. “Wouldn’t I be a sucker to try to beat a man at hla own game?" he demanded. "That trick's do part of frontier rldin'. It's never been done before at a Sleepy Cat celebration.” “It's progress, gentlemen; progress, I call It If It ain’t been done In Sleepy Qkt It’s been done plenty at other cel ebrations. So you," thundered Sawdy, “want a brilliant crowd of fair women and brave men to aet here year after year an’ be bored stiff with the same old tricks? Gents P be appealed to tbe Judges. "I call for Jadgment" Tbe Judges huddled. At a Unit dis tance Sawdy aad Lefever huddled with tbe wrangler oa tbe gelding, ly Lefever stepped ever te tl "Dents." h< A •at* t*s R**y Tt tide, we make mas will sew any trick o* e ckampio* vasts te try. We waat te he perfectly fair." "To* mesa." retorted Selwood. “you r* mesa enough ta beat tha boots off him aa' carry away the boots. Wed, Boland." he called out. turning ta tbs saloon keeper, “you heard tbaL Do you want to take that challenge?" “MctTwaaen haa done all tbe tricks and done ’em well." “If you decline,” declared Selwood. "Judgment for the fancy rldin’ goes to Circle IH>L It la so ordered. Stop your yawp, Harry Boland.” Boland continued to protest, but the verdict, announced to the spectators, met with wild approval. They declined to let the wrangler go. Thby swarmed out on the track and refused to let him ride away. He was assailed with cries. “Do It again! . . . Once more! . . . Again!” Sawdy, after a conference with the favorite, made a stentorian announce ment: “If you’ll all get off the track and shut up,” he began, "our lad will give you one more exhibition.” When the track was cleared and the men were again seated, the portly spieler continued: "To show there was no trick in the cigarette ride, and to show there's no collusion. I’ll ask any lady In the audience to throw any lit tle personal ornament of wear out on the track. Now hold on.” He held up his hand In warning as several.women began to search for something to throw out. “The object must be not too small to grasp. ... A ring? Doubtful. ... A hatpin? No, for God’s sake, nothin’ sharp. Hold still. That young lady next to Dr. Carpy"—he pointed—*‘Isn’t that a small bracelet I see on her left arm? Just the thing. I^dy, if you’d lend us that bracelet for a minute, we'll show you some rldin’.” Sawdy was addressing Jane Van TambeL “Oh. I won't do It!” exclaimed Jane. Sawdy looked pained, but kept hla eye fixed on tbe bracelet. “Oo ahead, girl, throw It out!" suggested Carpy. “Never! Tbe pony might step on I it"* protested Jena. • » Vexed, hot unwilling to Ignore tbe growing clamor of the spectators, Jane rone reluctantly, peaked the slender gold band over her wrist, and, pausing for an awkward feminine throir« flung It out ungraciously on the track. The crowd applauded. Jane blushed. The bracelet fell cloae to the grand stand side of the track. Sawdy thought too cloae, but tbe wrangler, riding over, nodded that he could make It. The wrangler wheeled bla horse, snd cantered down the track. Wheeling again, he patted hla pony's neck and headed up ' toward the grandstand. Again the pony took the quirt, leaped ahead, and, with the onlookers mostly standing to see and holding their breath, the wrangler dashed for the bracelet. Once more he swung over to the right of his saddle till he could trail his hand easily along In the dust of the track. With eyes straining an<f every nerve taut, the wrangler, sighting the shining object, struck for It. At the same Instant, out of perfect silence a sudden vicious yell rang from some where about the grandstand. The pony, startled, sprang straight sidewise, throwing his rider head first Into the dust, and bolted across the track, drag ging the wrangler, caught by one foot In the stirrup. A murmur rose, breaking Into cries of anger and shame. Every eye was fixed on the dragging rider. The pony headed for the Inside guard rail of the track fence. Half a dozen Circle Dot riders now shot after him. If the panic-stricken horse should leap the fence, he would dash the wrangler against It. probably to death. Bat while the panicky specta tors stared, speechless, the wrangler, dragged along at breakneck speed, shook loo*e hla foot and. rolling with the momentum over and over on tbe track, sprang to hla feet, covered with dust The boltiiy pony cleared the fence and dashed across tbe field. Tbe angry wrangler steadied himself after a step or twe, hla eye* roving over the faces before him. striving to catch bla breath. With bis qalrt still bsnglBg from bla wrist, his hair rum pled and bis browsed features dost smeared, hie shirt torn half off bis beck, and brsathlog bard and fast, be •toed eyeinc tbe crowd and raised bis voles Is • lewd and riser drawl: "If tbe calf that Jam bedewed far milt Isn't tee mart ef a coward ta walk dewa here. It agree la bettie- fsed him wttb a aaftvt." There were a few sppUedlac laa«ha. has way that De Year Own Thinking He abo thinks for himself Is amoaf thus# whs ara solving tha vorida Shirtwaister for School Girl has a canter pleat and pockets for trimming. Buttons—a matter of choice. A small collar, tie, and belt complete this moat effective frock. By way of suggestion, make the collar and cuffs in con trast, and detachable to fee readi ly removed for laundering Barbara Bell Pattern No. 1959-B is available for sizes 8, 10, 12, 14 and 1<L Size 12 requires two and three-eighths yards of 35-inch ma terial with one-third yard of 35- inch contrasting material and one yard of ribbon for fcr>w. With long sleeves it requires two and five- eighths yards. Send for the Barbara Bell Fall Pattern Book containing 100 well- planned, easy-to-make patterns. Exclusive fashions for children, young women, and matrons. Send 15 cents for your copy. Send your order to The Sewing Circle Pattern Dept., 367 W. Ad ams St., Chicago, III. <S> Bell Syndicate.—WNU Service. Mufti* * tfftu HO*t Dfjr ClF&ttR 10< 40< 6S< BoTTifs All OPUCCI^TS MUSTI SMOff WHITS ■dSeeffd Opening for FEMALE AGENTS • Makers of a wall known, highly ethical cosmetic preparation arc •asking am&la agents, either now or curxsntly engaged in similar work. Highly ^fictivs now sslling angle makes it a sure-firs ssllsc in 90% of cases. It will not be nscsssary to pur chaos sample mer chandise if satisfactory credit ref erences are furnished with letter of inquiry. Write today, to DENTON’S COSMETIC CO. 4M2-2M SL, Law Mari CM), t V. FIRST-AID RELIEF FOR MINOR BKIDIS,S(ALIIS.nin SOOTHES QUICKLY-HELP5 HEAUMB For simple bums and cuts, Cuticura Ointment is a wonder fully soothing dressing. Excludes air from sensitive spots^ relieves irritation, promotes quick healing. a smooth, velvety 1959-B. Here is the frock for juniors to make for school days. A com bination of rhythm in its hemline, rhyme in its color scheme and racy in its style. For late sum mer wear, try tub silk, linen, cot ton or shantung with long or short sleeves. For autumn snd winter —“tweedy” silk crepe or broad cloth. ' The waist, gathered slightly to the shoulder yoke front snd back. Household « • Ques/jans CUio fo’i RED ROUGH HANDS CUTICURA OINTMENT sods Will remora man-fra. n china I • • Te clans i gt*M m over with •nnp snd WSt#f • • M. UM r a • * w * Wo g PCMM dl fall CM then wi all •. in • • e Always lay a riatfe the e e e If” WNh La- Pull out riaaa bad strarb »t "Yeafe a fared rearil bead. "I saver fed Ik* A leag haired, edld voiced ladtas steadies seer bla spoke ep: "Tan yea did. I stood right botiad yoe. I beard yoe!" Jane was sitting so close te tbs ah terratloe sbs could have tooebed tbe nearest man. She rose la slana. Dr. Carpy pushed her te hla other side. She heard Sandy thunder, "Ns more lyin’, Barney! There’s two wltneeees.” That was almost all she could re member. There were a few more sharp words. Then tbe dusty wrangler, short ening his quirt, sprang at Rebstock. knocked off hla hat with one hand, and with the other brought the heavy han dle down savagely on Rebstock’s fore head. Jane saw the red follow the blow like the cut of a knife. There was Instant uproar. McCros sen sprang forward to defend Reb stock. Hd was too late. Ills hand slipped to his gun holster. Carpy, Jumping up, stood almost over the brawlers. “Hold on, there! Hold on!” he thundered. "The first man tha? draws a gun here, I’ll run out of Sleepy Cat!” Dr. Carpy was the only man In Sleepy Cat who could have done It But. his word was the last word in Sleepy Cat. No one cared to face hla wrath. He turned to Jane. “Don’t be frightened, girl. It’s all over." Cheers greeted the wrangler as he walked back with his cronies to where the contrite pony stood oo ths track Although his attire was In much dis array, his manner put his hearers per fectly at ease. “I know,” he said to those who had returned to the grand- stanu, and patting his mount, “that this generally well-behaved little Texas pony is as much ashamed of his con duct as 1 am, and I know he would like to apologize, if you'll glvs him a chance.” (TO BE CONTINUED uf fla • a ■ win mek garden later at the If a thick cloth Is plac bottom of a pea or bowl defecate chins or glass washed tha iangsr of will be laaafewd This will else prevent silver from batng scratched • • • • Woodwork which has to be painted should be well smssrad with lima water, which can be obtained at any druggist's. Lot dry and then paint. Tha pdint will dry in half the time. Put tha brush in water when you have finished. It will be quite soft for next day. • Aoaeclatad Nvwtpapara.—WNU Sarvlea. fee “Fine Quaff cast, li t casf. JuM Jmn oted rcfeO with Quaker Setae Noar the mileage You II hod yam go tanker before you have co add (hr hoc quart. TVs retail price it 35# pee quart Quaker Seme Oil Co., OU Gey. I QUAKER STATE MOTOR Oil In All Things IA hero is—as though one should ! say—a man of high exploits—who does things that are heroics!, and in all his actions and demeanor is a hero indeed.—H. Brooke: Best Geides Our guides, we pretend, must be sinless; as if those were not often the best teachers who only yesterday got corrected for their mistakes.—George Eliot. I : *+*• »P»» V yt PR. PAUL G. 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