All-Story Weekly, Vol. 112, No. 1 — page 108: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

98 just leaving in a cloud of dust and Nora hung over the gate, a smile of anticipation wreathing her rosy-cheeked face. When she saw ‘Tige, the smile faded slowly, but her dimples were still showing and her dark eyes sparkled. ‘“ He’s asked you to go to that dance at Grasshopper to-night?” said Tige through clenched teeth. Nora nodded her pretty head, a gleam of mischief darting from beneath her heavily lashed lids. ‘And you’re going—with that?” Another nod of Nora’s head, this time with a sign of indignation. Tige’s look of ‘utter contempt stirred the girl’s independent nature. ‘“My, that’s a grand car and Gary sure can drive it,” said she, sweetly ignoring Tige’s hlack mood by adding more fuel to it. Tige wheeled his pony abruptly and rode away, refusing further argument with the belle of Willow Creek Valley. She had thrown him down hard for a second-hand automobile and Gary Bumey! Jealousy seethed within Tige’s breast. This Gary Burney had been cutting too wide a swathe since his arrival at Buck- jump Ranch. The girls were silly about his good looks, his reckless horsemanship, his dancing. And who was this Gary Burney? ‘That’s what Tige wanted to know. He had ridden up to the Buckjump Ranch, flat broke, in the midst of the spring roundup and the boss had taken him on. Gary had made good—and now he was regarded as more or less of a fixture; but Tige had never taken a shine to him—there was a yellow streak in the man—of that Tige was posi- tive. Tige was in a good fit to commit murder when Ike Berg overtook him. Ike was head rider over at the Smoke Lake Ranch and outside of a bit of rivalry the two cow-punchers were upon fairly good terms with one another. ‘* Ain’t run across a small bunch o’ steers wearin’ our brand, have you Tige?”’ in- quired Ike, familiarly dubbed “ Iceberg.” ‘“ Nope,” replied Tige shortly.- “Well, there ain’t no-reason you should ALL-STORY WEEKLY. snap a guy’s head off, is there?” growled Iceberg. Tige proffered no response, for the honk of a siren sounded and within a minute the rakish-looking car whirred past, leaving in Its wake a thick cloud of dust. “Wasn't that Gary Bumey driving?” inquired Iceberg. “Yep,” was Tige’s curt answer. ‘““Humph! Gary musta struck a easy mark—he was trying to pry a hundred off’n me last week,” said Iceberg. Tige lifted his head. Something cleared up his despondent mood. To the rhythmic beat of his pinto’s hoofs he silently re- peated the words: ‘‘ Ycllow streak, yellow streak!”’ Before the dust kicked up by the speed- ing car. had settled, Tige was in earnest conversation with Iceberg. Over at the Buckjump Ranch, Loop and Dummy were constantly on the alert to note the arrival of Tige. Gary pretended supreme indifference, but he was restless and several times suggested that the trio make an early start for the dance at Grass- hopper. ‘Yd sure like to cut a dash before Tige, the old son of a gun! This is the first real good trick we’ve ever pulled on him. ’Cause we can rub it in good and proper to-morrow about the swell time we had at the dance,” said Dummy. “Yep; and we won’t forget the going and coming in our'car. Tige never’d quit crowing if he’d given us a jolt like this,” exclaimed Loop, arranging the robes in the back seat. “Time to start, ain’t it?” suggested Gary, coming out of the bunk-house door arrayed in a boiled shirt, red tie and his Sunday trousers. It was half after six and they figured on making the run to Grasshopper in some- thing over two hours’ time, so Loop and Dummy hastily put the finishing touches to their toilets and Gary climbed into the driver’s seat. ‘“-Reckon as how we'd better pick up Nora first and get Belle and Jennie on the way out. That jake with you, Gary?” Gary nodded his head and the car slid away from the Buckjump Ranch. The cCoOmiclbooks C©