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might make quite an income in the
next year if I would travel with a
circus, giving some clever cowboy
stunts. I expect a visit soon from a
showman and may. close with him, if
it would lead to getting that two
thousand dollars."
Then Tempest and his master were
away like the wind. Five miles, ten
miles, a dazzling dash and turning
across a treeless waste, Dan suddenly
halted Tempest and fixed his eyes on
the far western horizon with a pro
longed: " "Hello!"
Across the sky suddenly and with
out warning there had spread a
broad black ribbon. Rising above
this, a second seething strata of
clouds boiled, bubbled, tumbled, ap
proaching with appalling swiftness.
For the skilled plainesman a prac
ticed eye read these menaces of a
coming storm. He calculated to a
second when it might cross his trail.
As he touched up his horse, the in
telligent animal sniffed and threw up
its head as if scenting excitement and
danger.
' Half way across the desolate
stretch of moorland Dan brought
Tempest to an abrupt halt. It was
where he observed the daintiest little
lady he had ever seen. The rain had
started, the wind nearly blew her off
her feet. He noticed her rich attire,
her fair patrician face, but had she
been a scrub-woman the chivalrous
sentiments of Dan would have been
equally aroused.
"Quick!" he spoke rapidly with a
superb sweep reaching directly the
side of the young lady. "There is not
a moment to lose. Get into the sad
dle and then a dash for our lives.
We're a-goner if that storm over
takes us!"
Miss Nina Grant drew back and re
garded this unceremonious stranger
with disturbed dignity, despite her
environment. Dan, for all his crude
western ways, read the oracle. He
reached down, seized her by the slen
der waist and planted her on the. sad
dle in front of him before the aston
ished maiden could realize it all.
"How dare you," she flashed out.
"Scold me later," retorted Dan.
"Just now there she comes! Temp
est, old boy, do your best!"
Nina could not help but admire the
manly strength and determination,
of the young man. She was chagrin
ed for all that at his masterly ways.
As he landed her, wet through but
safe, on the porch of the first home
they came to, she remarked rather?
sharply:
"You see, sir, the storm was not
so harmful after all!"
"Not here, young lady," returned
Dan, "but look yonder. We got out
of the scrimmage just in time."
Nine shuddered as she looked.back
the course they had come. ' A, verit
able cyclone had swept the route just
covered and flying debris and uproot
ed trees told what she had escaped.
"Sorry I offended you,"'said Dan in
his offhanded way.
"Oh, no!" cried Nina quickly. "You
don't know how grateful I am" and
then each had the time to observe the
other. It was love at first sight. A
week later the whole town was dis
cussing "the rare catch" the young
ranchman had made, of the daughter
of proud, aristocratic Judge Grant.
In the midst of his love-making bad
luck came to Dan. One night Tem
pest kicked the shed he was in to
pieces and started forthwith to rav
age several gardens. The animal
came home limping, a load of buck
shot in one limb. The veterinary sur
geon said he would never do his clev
er tricks again, as he was lamed for
life.
"No sale of Tempest now!" Dan
sighed to Nina. "YTcll, t.vo will have
to wait a year longer."
One afternoon during a storm, a
woman hastening to shelter with a
shriek saw the little grandchild of
old Martin Dobbs fall into the creek.
She was helpless to aid him. Tem
pest, near by, plunged into the swift
current, seized the loose clothing $
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