Part 15 (1/2)

while riding the line and seeing that the cattle did not break through

That was another thing that was against Toht he, oncehis bunch of furs ”I aold, when there isn't any gold in sight except what belongs to Elam, here, and have the proiven a chance” Then aloud: ”Say, Elam, does a fellow have to ride this line at first, and before he can call hied cowboy?”

”Sure,” said Ela that is done on the ranch He in at the lowest round of the ladder and work his way up”

”Well,” said Too to sleep on it now, and if the thing looks better to ht, I'll stick to your heels”

While To about it, he fell asleep When he awoke the next ht, but he was alone Ela breakfast; but there was everything on the table just as he found it on the previous , and the pictures which Elam had drawn, and which Tom had placed on the wall so that they could be easily seen, had been taken down and put where he had seen theet through with ht Toone out to gather the rest of his traps, and I ao with hihost, I'host, but he thinks it is, and we'll see ill show the most pluck”

Tom went about his business with alacrity, and in an hour the breakfast was eaten and the dishes put away Then he had nothing to do but to cut a supply of wood for Ela to be of any use to hi to theidle all day, and so To the wood as fast as he cut it in under the eaves of the cabin, where it would be protected from the weather At last the wood that was doas all cut, and To his head with the other, was looking around to deterlance toward the path where it ereens and ran up to the door of the house, and discovered twothere with their arms at a ready If they had tried to co they had succeeded adht have approached close to him, and even laid hold upon him, and Torasp

Of all the sorry-looking specimens that Tom had ever seen since he came West these were the beat Elam would have been ashamed to be seen in their company His clothes hole and clean, while these men had scarcely an article between them that was not in need of repairs Their hats, coats, and trousers ought long ago to have gone to the ragto happen He kneas growing pale, but leaned with both hands upon his axe and tried not to show it

”Howdy, pard?” said one of theall around

”How are you?” said Toet his rifle, but he noticed that the men stood between him and the doorway

”Whar's your pardner?” asked the man

”He is around here so for the door ”What do you want?”

”I want to know if you have anything to eat? We have been out looking for soot kinder out of our reckonin'”

”Who are you working for?”

”For ole ot away from us, too, and didn't leave us so much as a hunk of bacon”

”I don't believe a word of your story,” said To ”But co if he was here, though, to tell you the truth, we haven't got much”

”So Elam is your pardner, is he?”

”You seem to know hi many a time”

”He's liable to come back at any minute,” returned To ”He has just stepped out to look at so, for of course you will be glad to see hiot inside the cabin, closely followed by the two o very far from the door One of them hauled a stool up beside it and sat dohere he could keep a close watch on everything that went on outside, and the other kept so close to Tom that the latter could not have used his axe if he had tried it Toet his hands on his rifle, but one of the men had placed himself directly in front of it so that his broad shoulders were between him and the weapon The men pushed back their hats and took a survey of the interior of the cabin while To down the side of bacon, and finally one of them discovered the pile of wolf-skins which Elam had tied up and left in the corner With a smile and a muttered ejaculation he walked over and examined it

”Elam's at his ole tricks, aint he?” said he, after he had tested the skins and tried to detere ”How ot here? So many skins at forty-five dollars apiece would be--how much would it be, Tender-foot?”

Tom was rather taken aback by this style of address He had tried to play hie, his dress, or soiven him away entirely The man spoke to him as if he was as well acquainted with his history as Ela to eat do we, Aleck?” continued theit back to the door with hi here that's hard up for grub----”