The Argosy, August 1905 — page 128: what you’re looking at

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

EE 7 18 “THE ARGOSY. “Are you the only man on the ranch?” I inquired. “Qh, no, senor. Many. My brother, he is in charge of the horses and sheep in the hills. His name is Manuel. Then Jose Nicko, he is with three boys down with the cattle, and I am there also. But I see to all, sefior; | see to all.” “T haye no doubt you are faithful. How many head of cattle have we?” “Two thousand.” “That's a lot. How many sheep?” “One thousand.” “Wow! How many horses?” “Five hundred ponies.” “Good. How many hogs?” “ No hogs only a half-breed who eats everything. His name it is Dumfer, He is no good. He is with Manuel.” “Then the ranch is really worth somethings.” “Oh. yes; ver’ good ranch for Ari- zona. Some time much rain, then grass good an’ wool good. The cattle they get fat. Good money then. This year, no rain, wool coarse an’ short. No good. Wait till rain come, then be good.” ** Any neighbors?” “Such a way, like that,’ he said, pointing toward the north, “ Mr. Be- thune. Ver nice man; ver’ nice. An’ the sefiorita ver’ nice.” “ How old is this very nice girl?” “Oh, some time twenty; maybe twenty-two.” I looked around me again. If this wasn’t a dandy place for a girl twenty- two years old, I was willing to swallow a lump of my own ranch. I had swallowed some, any way... “ Look here,” Isaid, “ I can’t find any drinking water.” *“ Not here. Old man he never drank any water. He get whisky down to Mackinville.” “That was his drmk, eh? But what about maling coffee and tea. I found in a barrel outside some water that looked and tasted like stagnant rain water. I used some. It wouldn’t hurt after it was boiled.” “Old man he carry water from the creek. QOver there. Yes, deep, some places. Big falls. Pretty place.” “We must improve that. That do. Where do you sleep?” “We got a little shack down in meadow. Yes, logs. We live in that.” “T think you had better move in with me. Then we can talk over matters evenings.” ‘“‘ As you say, senor.” He rode away about nine, and being weary after my day of excitement and the long ride, I went to bed. I slept like a log, seareely stirring. Once I heard a peculiar ery, as of a dog. I learned afterward that it was the ery of a hungry coyote. In the morning while I was getting breakfast I heard the clatter of hoofs again, and went to the door. It was Miguel, and he had a fine young pony with him, saddled and bridled. * You take a look at your ranch, senior?” he asked. “I brought a pony for you.” “<7 thank you, Miguel. your breakfast? ” “Yes, I have had breakfast, senor. Shall I wait for you?” “ce Yes.”’ T swallowed my breakfast, got on the pony’s back and we started off. I shall not go into a wearisome de- tailed account of my long, dusty ride over my possessions. Jt was in reality a vast domain. Had it been well watered, undoubtedly it would make its owner rich. : There was about as much prospect of making it better as there was of carrying it to New York. For a mile on the south the line ran straight, marked by pine posts painted white, set at such a distance from one another that from any one you eould see another in either direction. Then there was a peculiar turn and it ran on a slant to. the north, and the northern boundary was irregular. The eastern boundary was the main road that led from Mackinville to Pres- cott, having turned from a _ westerly to a northerly direction at Santa Rosa. My ranch comprised all sorts of land. There were hills covered with pine. There was a gorge through which a pretty stream tumbled and foamed. The gorge was about a hundred feet deep in some places and in others less or more. The stream, so Miguel told me, emptied into the Colorado, Have you had .. 4 ~. -~ 4 _ “ os. + ~ ae lage comicbooks.c -. om |