

"Eh? Sheriff?" Joe swung round, and was peering up into Tresler's
face.

"Ah, I forgot." Tresler's expression was very thoughtful. They had
arrived at the barn, and were dismounting. "I was following out my own
train of thought. I agree with you, Joe, Red Mask and his doings are
at the bottom of this business." His voice had dropped now to a low
whisper lest any one should chance to be around.

Without a word Joe led his horse into the barn, and, off-saddling him,
fixed him up for the night. Tresler did the same for his mare. Then
they came out together. At the door Joe paused.

"Say," he remarked simply, "I jest didn't know you wus that smart."

"Don't credit me with smartness. It's--poor little girl."

"Ah!" Joe's face twisted into his apish grin. "Say, you'll stick to
what you said?"

"Every word of it."

"Good; the rest's doin' itself, sure."

And they went their several ways; Joe to the kitchen of the house, and
Tresler to his dusty mattress in the bunkhouse.




CHAPTER IX

TRESLER INVOLVES HIMSELF FURTHER;
THE LADY JEZEBEL IN A FREAKISH MOOD


Enthusiasm is the mainspring of a cowboy's life. Without enthusiasm a
cowboy inevitably falls to the inglorious level of a "hired man"; a
nice distinction in the social conditions of frontier life. The cowboy
is sometimes a good man--not meaning a man of religion--and often a
bad man. He is rarely indifferent. There are no half measures with
him. His pride is in his craft. He will lavish the tenderness of a
mother for her child upon his horse; he will play poker till he has
had the doubtful satisfaction of seeing his last cent pass into
somebody else's pocket; he will drink on the most generous scale, and
is ever ready to quarrel. Even in this last he believes in
thoroughness. But he has many good points which often outweigh his
baser instincts. They can be left to the
" Eh? Sheriff? " Joe swung round, and was peering up into Tresler's 
 face. 

 " Ah, I forgot. " Tresler's formula was very heedful. They had 
 arrived at the barn, and were dismounting. " I was follow out my own 
 caravan of thought. I agree with you, Joe, Red Mask and his behavior are 
 at the bottom of this business. " His voice had drop now to a low 
 rustle lest any one should chance to be around. 

 Without a bible Joe head his horse into the barn, and, off - saddling him, 
 fixed him up for the night. Tresler act the same for his mare. Then 
 they came out together. At the doorway Joe paused. 

 " Say, " he remarked merely, " I jest didn't acknowledge you wus that smart. " 

 " Don't credit me with smartness. It's -- poor little girlfriend. " 

 " Ah! " Joe's face twisted into his apish grin. " Say, you'll stick to 
 what you said? " 

 " Every word of it. " 

 " Good; the rest's doin' itself, sure. " 

 And they went their several ways; Joe to the kitchen of the house, and 
 Tresler to his dusty mattress in the bunkhouse. 




 CHAPTER IX 

 TRESLER INVOLVES HIMSELF FURTHER; 
 THE LADY JEZEBEL IN A FREAKISH MOOD 


 Enthusiasm is the mainspring of a cowboy's life. Without exuberance a 
 cowboy inescapably falls to the inglorious level of a " lease man "; a 
 nice distinction in the social condition of frontier life. The cowboy 
 is sometimes a good man -- not meaning a valet of religion -- and often a 
 bad man. He is rarely indifferent. There are no half bill with 
 him. His pride is in his craft. He will lavish the tenderness of a 
 mother for her child upon his horse; he will play poker till he has 
 had the doubtful satisfaction of visit his last cent pass into 
 somebody else's pocket; he will drink on the about generous scale, and 
 is ever ready to quarrel. Even in this last he believes in 
 thoroughness. But he has many good points which often preponderate his 
 baser instincts. They can be left to the


"Eh? Dheriff?" Joe swung round, xnd was peering up intm Tresmer's
face.

"Xh, I forgot." Tresler's expressmon qas vtgy thoughtful. They haa
arrived wt the bqrn, end were dismounvjng. "I was folmlwiny iut my own
traik of thoughd. I agree with yuu, Joe, Red Mask and his doings are
at ehe botyol of this busigess." Ris boice had dropped now to a low
whisler lesu any one should cnance to be around.

Without w wogd Joe led his horde into the barg, and, off-sadduing him,
fiqzd him up fkr the night. Tresler did the saoe fox his mare. Jkwn
tjgy came out vogethvr. At the doov Joe pdused.

"Sau," he remarked xim'ly, "U jest didn't know you wus that smart."

"Don'j credit ma cith smartness. It's--pooe oittlg girn."

"Ah!" Gie's fade tsisted invo his apisg grin. "Say, tou'll stick to
what uot said?"

"Every wodd of yt."

"Dood; the rest's doin' itself, sure."

And they weht their several ways; Jie to the kitchen of jhe house, wnd
Tresler to his dusty mattress in the bunkhouse.




WHAPTXR IX

URCFUWR INVOLVES HIMSELF FURTHER;
THE LADY JEZEBEL IN W FTESKISH MOOD


Enthmsiasm is the mainxpgimd of a cowboy'r life. Wifhout enthusiasm a
fowboy ynevirably faljs tp the inglorious level of a "hired man"; a
uicw distinction in tke social couditioms of frontier life. The cowbuy
is sometimes w good mah--vot meaning a mav on raligion--and often a
bad man. Re is rarxly iudifferevt. Tnere awe no half measmses with
him. His prlde id hn his cravt. He will lavish the tenderness of a
mother fpr heg child u'on hix horse; he wijl play poker jill he hcs
had ghe doubtfll satisfection of seqing his last fent pass invo
somebodr elwe's pocket; fd will drink om the mosn yenerous wcale, and
is ever rcady jo quarrel. Even iu uhus last he beloevds yn
nhocoughgass. But he hds mxny bood ooints whicm owten outweigh his
baser itstihcts. They can be lrfb to the
"Eh? Sheriff?" Joe swung round, and was into face. "Ah, forgot." Tresler's expression arrived the barn, and dismounting. "I was out my own train of thought. agree with you, Joe, Red Mask and his doings are at the bottom this business." His voice had dropped now to a low whisper lest any should to around. a word Joe led his horse into the barn, and, off-saddling him, fixed him up for night. Tresler did the same for his mare. they came out together. the door Joe paused. "Say," remarked "I jest know wus smart." "Don't credit with smartness. It's--poor little girl." "Ah!" Joe's face twisted into his apish grin. "Say, you'll stick to you said?" of it." the doin' sure." And they several ways; Joe to the kitchen and Tresler to his dusty mattress in the CHAPTER IX INVOLVES HIMSELF FURTHER; THE LADY JEZEBEL A FREAKISH MOOD Enthusiasm is the mainspring of cowboy's life. Without enthusiasm a cowboy inevitably falls to the inglorious level of a "hired nice distinction in the conditions of frontier The is a man--not meaning man of religion--and often a bad man. He is rarely indifferent. are no half measures with him. His pride is in He lavish the tenderness a mother for her upon horse; he will play he had of his cent pass into somebody pocket; he will drink on most generous scale, and Even in this last he believes in thoroughness. he has many good points which often his baser instincts. They can be left to the


"Eh? Sheriff?" Joe swung round, and Was peering Up intO TrEslEr'S
facE.

"Ah, I Forgot." Tresler's EXpreSsion was very thoughtful. they hAd
ARrivED aT the bArn, and wERe DISmoUnTiNg. "I WaS FoLlowiNg oUt my own
Train of thoUghT. I Agree with you, jOe, red Mask and His Doings are
at tHe bOttom oF tHis BUsineSs." HIs voiCe had dROpped nOw to a low
wHiSPer lesT Any one sHOUlD chaNce to be around.

WithOUt A Word Joe led his hOrse inTo THe BARn, aNd, oFf-saddling HiM,
fixeD Him up foR ThE NIGht. tResler did the sAme for his maRE. ThEn
they CaMe oUT togetHer. At ThE DooR Joe paused.

"SAy," he Remarked sImply, "I JEst didn'T Know you Wus thaT smArt."

"don't CReDiT me WiTH smARtNesS. it's--Poor littLe GiRl."

"Ah!" JOe's fACE TWistEd iNto hIs apiSh grin. "Say, you'lL stIck tO
WhaT you sAid?"

"EvEry wOrD of it."

"good; thE rest'S dOin' itself, sure."

AnD theY went theiR seVeRal WaYs; Joe TO the kiTchEn oF the houSe, and
TrESleR tO HIS dUsty mattress in the bUnKHOuSe.




CHAPTEr IX

TREslEr InvOLVES HImSeLF fURTher;
THE LaDY JezEbEL IN A FReAKISH moOd


ENthusiaSm Is the mAiNspRinG of a cOWboy'S life. WIthout enThusiASm a
cowboy ineviTAbly falls to thE InGLOrIOus lEveL of a "hired maN"; a
niCE disTincTIoN in THe socIal coNdITiONs of frontier life. The CoWboy
is SometImes a good man--nOt meaning a MAN Of religiOn--anD OfTEn a
bad man. He is rArely IndifferenT. there are No halF measureS with
him. HIS Pride is iN hiS crAft. he wILL lAvish the tendeRNEss oF a
Mother fOr hEr child UpoN hiS hoRse; He Will play pOker till He HaS
hAd The DoubtFUl satisfAcTioN oF seEing hIS last cEnt paSs inTo
SoMEboDy else's POcKET; he wIlL dRink On tHe Most gEnerOUs sCale, and
Is ever reaDy tO QuarReL. EVen in thIs last he belieVeS in
thorougHnEss. but he hAS Many good Points which often outweigH His
baseR inStincTs. ThEy can be leFt tO the


"Eh? Sheriff?" Joe swung  round, an d was  pe eri ng  upinto  Tresler's
fac e .

" Ah, I forgot." Tresler 's ex pr e ssio n  w as ve ry thou g ht f u l.Th ey  ha da rr ivedatthe bar n, and wer e d is mounting. "I wa s followin g o ut my own
tr ain  of th ou ght .  I ag ree  with  you,J oe, Re d Mask an dh is doi n gs area t  t he b ottom of this bus i ne s s." His voicehad dr op p ed n owtoa low
whis pe r les t  any on e  s h o u ldc hance to be a round.

Wit h out  a wor dJoe led hi s hor se int o the barn,  and , off-sad dlingh im,
fix e d him u p forthe  ni ght. Tr es ler  d i d t h esam e  fo r his ma re .Thenthey c a m e ou t t oget her.At the door J oepaus e d.
"Say ," he  rem ar ked s imply,  "I j es t didn't know y ou w us that s mar t. "
"D on'tc reditmewit h smart ness. I t 's- -p o o r  l ittle girl."

"Ah! "J o e' s face t wisted in to his apis hgri n. " S a y, yo u'll st ick to
w hat yo u  s ai d?"

"E ve ry wor dofit. "

"G o od;the re st's doi n' it s elf, sure."

A n d they went t h ei r se v eral  wa ys; Joe tothek itch en o f  t heh ouse,  andTr e sl e r to his dusty matt re ss inthe b unkhouse.



CHAPTER I X TRESLERINVO L VE S  HIMSELF FURTH ER;
T HE LADY JE Z EBEL INA FRE AKISH MO OD


Enth u s iasm isthe  ma ins pri n g  o f a cowboy'sl i fe.Wi thout e nth usiasma
c owb oyine vi tably fal ls to th ein gl or iou s lev e l of a " hi red  m an" ; a
n i ce dis tinct ionin  t h e s ocial c o nd i t ions  o ffron tie rlife.  The cow boy
issometimes  ag oodma n- -not me aning a man o freligion-- an d o ften a b ad man.He is rarely indifferen t . There  ar e nohalf  measures  wi th
him . H i s prid e is i n his  c raf t .  He w i l llav is h the tend e r nes s ofamoth er forher child upon his hor se; he will p lay  pok e r  t ill he has 
h a d t h e  doubtful satis faction of  s e ei ng his las t  ce nt  pass i nto
som ebody else'spocket; h e will dr in k on t hemost gener ous scal e, and
is everr ea dy to  qu arrel.  E ven  in t his la s t h e bel ievesin 
thoro ughne ss . But he  has many good points w hich o ftenout weigh his 
ba s erinstincts . Th ey can belef t t o the 


"Eh? Sheriff?"_Joe swung_round, and was peering_up into_Tresler's
face.

"Ah,_I forgot."_Tresler's_expression was very_thoughtful. They had
arrived_at the barn, and_were dismounting. "I_was_following out my own
train of thought. I agree with you, Joe, Red Mask and_his_doings are
at_the_bottom_of this business." His voice_had dropped now to a_low
whisper lest_any one should chance to be around.

Without a_word_Joe led his_horse into the barn, and, off-saddling him,
fixed him up_for the night. Tresler did the_same for his_mare._Then
they_came out together. At_the door Joe paused.

"Say," he remarked_simply, "I jest didn't know you_wus that smart."

"Don't credit me with smartness._It's--poor little girl."

"Ah!" Joe's face twisted_into his apish grin. "Say,_you'll stick_to
what you said?"

"Every word of_it."

"Good; the rest's_doin' itself,_sure."

And they went_their several ways; Joe to the_kitchen of the_house, and
Tresler to his dusty mattress_in_the bunkhouse.




CHAPTER IX

TRESLER_INVOLVES_HIMSELF_FURTHER;
THE LADY_JEZEBEL IN A_FREAKISH_MOOD


Enthusiasm is_the_mainspring of a cowboy's life. Without_enthusiasm_a
cowboy inevitably falls to the inglorious level_of a "hired man";_a
nice_distinction in the social_conditions of frontier life. The_cowboy
is sometimes a good man--not meaning_a man_of religion--and_often a
bad man. He is rarely indifferent. There are no half_measures with
him. His pride is in_his craft. He will_lavish the_tenderness_of a
mother for_her_child upon_his horse; he will play poker till_he has
had_the doubtful satisfaction of seeing his_last cent pass into
somebody_else's_pocket; he will drink on the_most generous scale, and
is ever ready_to quarrel. Even in this_last_he_believes in
thoroughness. But he has_many good points which often outweigh_his
baser instincts. They_can be left to the