United States or Mayotte ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
The rancher, Belllounds, who was on the porch, greeted the visitors, and then they all went into the house. "Boys, it's what I've been lookin' for," replied Wade. "Shore. Reckon we all have idees. An' if my idee is correct I'm agoin' to git pretty damn sore pronto," declared Lem. They were all silent for a few moments, meditating over this singular occurrence, and watching the house.
"I think it took dad longer to read something strange and convincing in Jack than it took me. Anyway, dad got the stunning consciousness that Jack knew by some divine or intuitive power that his reformation was inevitable, if I loved him. Never have I had such a distressing and terrible moment as that revelation brought to me! I felt the truth. I could save Jack Belllounds.
Wade divined the tragedy, and a pang of great compassion overcame him. Whatever Jack Belllounds was in character, he had inherited his father's power to love, and he was human. Wade felt the death in that stricken soul, and it was the last flash of pity he ever had for Jack Belllounds. "You you " muttered Belllounds, raising a hand that gathered speed and strength in the action.
It was a country that attracted prospectors, cattlemen, lumbermen. The summer season was not long enough to grow grain, and the nights too frosty for corn; otherwise Middle Park would have increased rapidly in population. In the years that succeeded the departure of the Utes Bill Belllounds developed several cattle-ranches and acquired others.
"Wal no, I didn't," slowly replied Belllounds, and his pause, with the keener look he bestowed upon Wade, told how the latter's query had struck home. "Wade Bent Wade," said Wade, with quiet distinctness. "Not Hell-Bent Wade!" ejaculated Belllounds. "The same.... I ain't proud of the handle, but I never sail under false colors." "Wal, I'll be damned!" went on the rancher.
Strange that Wade's memory returned a vivid picture of Jack Belllounds in just that act of violence! The only other thing around the place which earned scrutiny from Wade was a number of horseshoe tracks outside, with the left front shoe track familiar to him. He examined the clearest imprints very carefully.
"I'll make you swallow that," snarled Belllounds, and this time he swung his fist, aiming a heavy blow at Moore. Then the cowboy whirled aloft the heavy crutch. "If you hit at me again I'll let out what little brains you've got. God knows that's little enough!... Belllounds, I'm going to call you to your face before this girl your bat-eyed old man means to give you. You're not drunk.
"I sure do both smokin' an' chewin', an' I can spare more chewin'. A little goes a long ways with me." "Wal, gimme some of both, most chewin'," replied Blair, with evident satisfaction. "You acquainted with Belllounds?" asked Wade, as he handed over the tobacco. "Wal, yes, everybody knows Bill. You'd never find a whiter boss in these hills." "Has he any family?"
Burley's back was toward Belllounds and his son, so it was impossible for them to see the sudden little curious light that gleamed in his eyes as he looked hard at Wade, and then at Moore. "Wils Moore. How d'ye do? I reckon I remember you, though I don't ride up this way much of late years." The cowboy returned the greeting civilly enough, but with brevity.
Belllounds softly left the room and closed the door behind him. Nature was prodigal with her colors that autumn. The frosts came late, so that the leaves did not gradually change their green. One day, as if by magic, there was gold among the green, and in another there was purple and red.
Word Of The Day