Fred Fearnot's New Ranch

ranch-house some day and spend the day with her, and the mother gladly accepted the invitation

hat they were contemplating making on the ranch and of the re

xclaimed. "You're sho gwine to

chmen within a hundred miles of us who want to sell a hundred or two be

sell any cattle other then to the market, but I reckon y

e do you want t

housand," wa

u'll have a b

the ranch and keep them fat, too, f

aise grass on our farms all summer.

t year, for the use of our horses

o raise

al hundred people, as well as the cattle on the range and ducks, pigs and chicken. I believe that our dairyman is making some of the finest butter ever seen in this part of the South. It is sweet and rich and as yellow as

rom his corncob pipe; "but I reckon you'll have co

anch has a Winchester rifle, and a lead pill from one of them makes a cattle thief sick. Then, too, a rope is something very distasteful to that breed of mankind, an

fences cost a

will pay for themse

having made their little purchases in the sto

es and told him that his wife and daughters had promised to come over and spend the day with her in th

he. "I'll let 'em come a

ou down at the head of the table a

fer me any jerked bee

table. We'll give you fish, prairie chicken, quail, jack-ra

on, too. Bacon and greens is a dish fit for a king

coffee, and if you are fond of coffee, brother and Mr. F

I do lo

y lifted off their feet by catching them around the waist and lifting them up as though they were li

ing their handkerchiefs

s. The mother is a good woman and the girls do their sh

tree again, you must start an inquiry for a good colored cook among your lady friends. Tell them you want a good one, who understands washing and ironing and al

the cooking at pr

u now; but you would get

the woods you go to sleep on the ground on blankets and do your ow

ant to come down here out of curiosity and for a change. We are going to have two additional rooms built onto the

at up quite late ta

usical instrument on the ranch, so sister h

ng," she exclaimed. "The idea of a piano on

but for all that we

must go in after

we must have; and, besides that, we mus

m," Evelyn

Fred, "and a

as soon as she heard the little chickens peeping around she spr

looked on for a while, and finally took up a pail and b

he exclaimed. "Where did

"I made all the butter from two splendid cows, and

have believed it if I hadn't

he dairyman when Fred

an alarm when you got up so

eak up little boys' slee

kled at the retor

urned it over to the dairyman

like to take a ride over the ranch?

uch, provided you give

d up North, and she greatly admired them. She stood there in the lot waiting for them to be made ready, and then, without going into the house

thout your hat, E

an do me no harm, for it has

he dairyman went to the outer gate and

re Fred dismounted, went to where a big, native-raised gourd was ha

ly of it, smacked

n taste both sulphu

in its composition, if it were nearer to

ve enough to form plenty of shade. Then if you build a few cottages, or maybe a hotel, it would easily become a resort–that is, if I am any

y direction, skirting the timber, and at almost every ten

elyn suddenly saw something running through th

, "aren't those

d in the direction in

glimpse of their backs

and he put spurs to his horse and dashed off after them. Evelyn

e was about the swiftest little animal of the kind anywhere, s

the brutes turned, growled, sho

med, "they are timber wolves!" a

her horse right a

defying us, which is a mighty bold thi

full of fight. When within fifteen feet of them he fired and the wounded wolf yelped with pain, while his mate seemed on the point of charging upon them. He fired the second time and

s fangs until another shot stretched h

ed at them after they were dead, "is it possible

and send two cowboys down here to get the wolves' pelts, for we always let them have the pelts of any wild beasts that we kill." So they rode back to the house, and just as Terry and Jack were placing breakfast on the table Fred dismounted and assisted Evelyn to the ground. She ra

e Evelyn had acquainted Terry

e the only ranches between here and the river. There are farms, though; but they don't raise cattle enough to tempt the wolves to leave the swamp, and they kept their hogs pretty well protected by wire fences. I am surprised, though, that only two wolves were seen, for generally

n to the table, on which was fried

d Evelyn, "and I don't think I ever sat d

the brisk ride in the morning

eks," said Fred, "did your eve

rning down here if she tak

delighted in cooking since t

uail and any other kind of game,

last night Fred said that you would have t

guess

rom me and tell them that I want them to pick out a good cook for me. Not that I am too lazy to do the

e!" rema

wo young ladies down

esome yet by any means. I don't believe I would ever get lone

to take all that responsi

be boss of the entire

od!" excl

nd her sitting on the fence somewhere yelling to you to do this and to do that, and be quick about it. I know what it is to w

train that came along. Nearly a score of trains passed the ranch every twenty-four hours, going either east or west, it was about an hour's ride from the ranch to Crabtree. Terry sent the

lroad superintendent, said that she

the ranch within a day or two. We will give her good wages and, besides, allow

ked, "did your siste

me tell you there is no woman, North or