Page Six
Illinois Valley News, Thursday, July 10, 1941
W. N.U. Release
GMWIAM)
/?/CE
INSTALLMENT 7
Dusty King and Lew Gordon had built
up a vast string of ranches which
stretched from Texas to Montana King
was killed by his powerful and unscrupu­
lous competitor. Ben Thorpe Bill Rop­
er. King’s adopted son. undertook to
break Thorpe a power
His first step
THE STORY 80 FAR:
was to 1 start a cattle war In Texas. He
made this decision against the opposi­
tion of Lew Gordon and the tearful
pleading of his sweetheart. Jody Gor­
don. With the aid of Dry Camp Pierce
and other outlaw gunmen. Roper con­
ducted raid after raid upon Thorpe's
herds.
Cleve Tanner, manager of
Thorpe's Texas holdings, seemed help­
less to stop him. In spite of hl* dar­
ing plans. Roper’s resources had dwin­
dled dangerously low by the time winter
came. And Thorpe seemed not to feel
the lasses Inflicted upon him.
\IrHETHER it’s $3,000,000
’ v $4,000,000, Tom Yawkey of the
Boston Red Sox has put out more
money in his pennant pursuit than
any man in baseball history.
In these days, what's a million,
one way or another? Or even a bil­
lion? The point is
that Owner Yawkey
is at least getting a
run for his money
with the best club
in baseball, outside
of the pitching.
At least no one
will argue that he
hasn't the strongest
club on all-around
offense. Few pitch­
ers care about step­
Grantland Rice ping out against
Ted Williams, Joe
Cronin, Hom DiMaggio, Jimmy
Foxx. Bobby Doerr, Jim Tabor,
Lou Finney and others.
Few remember the fact that Tom
Yawkey’s Red Sox led the Ameri­
can league over a longer stretch LfASY stitchery—a little time—
and this appealing panel is
last season than any other club, only
to crumble in the stretch. Being an ready to be hung up—a brightener
Incurable optimist. Owner Yawkey
is pretty sure this time they won’t
Common Friendship
crumble.
> •
• • •
! knows his cattle counts better than ner, a little trickle of trail cattle
me. But—I’ve been all up and dowm began to move toward the gather­
The winter dragged out slowly. this country, and I don’t see but ing grounds on the Red. The in­
Roper’s plans, bold as they were, . what he can.”
come from these sales helped a lit­
had been well laid. He had per-
"Well, anyway,” Roper said, "the tle; but the proceeds were principal­
ceived from the first that success or border gangs are going good. We’ll ly absorbed by debts incurred in
failure depended upon whether or go on with it. and keep going on . ,‘f behalf of the individual ranches. The
not he could make his war with
"Bill,” Shoshone said, "how long improvement in his situation which
Tanner self sustaining. To gnaw can you go on, the way it’s costing Roper had hoped for did not come.
away at the Tanner herds was one iyou now?”
It was deep into March when Tex
thing; to turn their captures into
“Not much farther, I guess.”
Long quit.
cash was altogether another.
"You going to have to quit?”
"Look," Tex Long said, “look."
Roper had hoped that he could ini­
Roper shook his head. "1'11 never
tiate his own drives to the north, quit now, Shoshone; I can’t quit. He did not talk easily; whatever
but he had found this out of the | While I've got one rider left with he said was matter-of-fact, even
"I got to pull out of this
question. On the other hand, the me, or no riders, I'll still be work­ now
trail drivers had found themselves ing on Cleve Tanner. But I think game.”
Bill Roper looked at him, without t
so vulnerable that none of them we’re going to beat him, Wilce. Aft-
wanted to buy cattle of questiona­ er all, the border gangs—we can expression. "All right. How much ,
you figure I owe you?”
ble ownership.
count on them.”
Tex smiled. "Nothing."
The Thorpe-Tanner organization
Roper continued to count on his
A very rare flush of anger came
did not have this problem; they took border gangs for two weeks more,
what they wanted and drove what Then, In the middle of February, into Bill Roper's face. “Tex. what's
they wanted, by means of their own he learned that Lee Harnish was the matter with you?"
trail outfits. But Roper could now through.
Tex Long made a quick, futile
only dispose of cattle for the trail
The first word of difficulty came gesture with his hands. "We used
through ranchers known to be when Dave Shannon pushed a little to be able to jump down on them.
scrupulous and established men.
bunch of seven hundred head through We can't do that now. The Bert
This was the strategic purpose be- 1 the river at Mudcat Turn, and found Johnson place is studded with ri­
In the first place, the Red Sox
hind Roper's rehabilitation of the no vaqueros waiting on the other fles until a man can’t take a step.
eleven outfits which Tanner had orig­ side. Shannon waited three days Every place you’ll find out it's the owner is one of the keenest base-
inally seized, and which Roper had before he was forced to turn the same. There isn’t going to be any­ i ball followers anyone ever saw.
In the second place, he is the
now put back into the hands of their { cattle free and ride.
thing more we can do. We went
The complete news of what had good for a while. But they got or­ i type that wants to win far beyond
proper owners. These re-established
I
the average human being.
ranchers had not only the sympathy ( happened never really came. What ganized, now. We’re through."
but the respect of everyone who Roper learned came in bit by bit,
Tom Yawkey may not show it,
Tex Long was only one of Bill
knew anything about Texas cattle. by way of random riders who had Roper’s picked gunfighters, but he but on the inside he is a tough loser,
Through these men Roper now had talked with a vaquero here, another was one of the best. As March no matter what the competition. If
a safe and sure outlet for the cattle there.
he hadn’t been, Toni would have
drew on, Roper lost four more.
Lee Harnish had been pressing
recovered by Dry Camp's experts,
called it a day or a season some time
Into
the
Big
Bend,
into
the
valley
while the gunfighters under such south with a herd of twelve hundred
ago. He is an extremely genial, lib­
men as Nate Liggett, Tex Daniels, head, He was two days into Mex- of the Nueces, Cleve Tanner had eral citizen, but baseball to him is
and Hat Crick Tommy supplied a ico, and supposed that he was clear; flooded such a power of gunfighters no idle plaything. Winning an Amer­
much needed protection until they he had never had much trouble, as Bill Roper would not have be­ ican league pennant is now an ob­
once he was well below the line. lieved. He had supposed that he session, a matter of personal pride
could get on their feet
could outplace and outsmart Tan­ that goes
beyond any concern with
But this method, promising as it
ner’s warrior outfits. But now his money.
was, was slow. Of necessity the
raiding forces met everywhere a
He has put his full faith in Joe
men whom Roper backed were cow­
stubborn resistance.
Cronin and he has backed Cronin
men without assets other than their
Roper had discounted the quit of up from start to finish.
disputed claim to their ground.
Tex Long; but now other news was
Sometimes by mortgage loans, but
In the last two years Yawkey has
coming in. The Graham outfit—the
principally by silent partnerships,
followed his ball club all over the
first
of
all
those
that
the
Roper
men
Roper had now obtained interests
map. He starts with his men in
had taken—was again in the hands
in nearly a dozen outfits. They
their spring training around Sara­
of Cleve Tanner; and Nate Liggett,
should have been thriving outfits.
sota, and rarely ever gets out of
assigned to protect Graham, had
But Roper found his money drain­
reach.
headed
for
the
tall
without
even
a
ing away with unforeseen swiftness,
( They like him—and he likes them.
report. Hat Crick Tommy was three 1
without hope of any financial re­
Try to suggest that some other ball
weeks
missing.
The
Davis
outfit,
turn until the trail should open in
club has a better player in some po­
left
under
his
protection,
had
gone
the spring Only the Mexican bor­
sition and you jump into the middle
tlie way of all loose outfits, and Tan­
der operations, which depended upon
of
a hot debate.
ner's cowboys rode the range.
Lee Harnish, continued to show a
He realizes that his pitching has
Dry Camp Pierce was almost the
thin trickle of income through the
never been what it should be. He’d
last to come in—of those who came
winter months.
As spring ap-
give $200.000 tomorrow for a pitch­
in
at
all.
proached, Roper found himself near
er good enough to win 20 games or
the end of his string.
Pierce rode into the Pot Hook more. He has already shoveled in
Camp early in April. He was the too much gold to start balking at a
Early in February, Shoshone
same, small wiry man he always mere $200,000.
Wilce came south seeking Bill Rop-
had been—his eyes watery, his jaws
er, and found him at the Pot Hook
But the trouble is you can’t find
poorly shaven.
ranch.
them, no matter how much cash
"Find out anything?” Roper
“Bill, I can't carry these camps
you have, Outside of Bob Feller,
asked.
no more
God knows we strung
how many pitchers in the American
Shoshone Wilce rubbed his badly
with you while we could We've et league could be guaranteed for a
shaved chin with horny fingers. "1
beef. beef, beef without salt or flour, 20-game season? And good clubs are
don’t know as you're going to like
wc-’ve et bobcat meat. But Bill, not selling their best pitchers at any
Uns so very good, Bill.”
there's no lead in our guns, and
price.
"Let's have Uie bad news first—1
there's no patches in our pants,
eat it up.”
and it's time 1 got to let the boys
Harnish look to the brush and
"God knows there’s enough of it;
go. to make out any way they can.”
the hills.
One of Tom Yawkey’s top favor­
there ain't any other kind to be
Bill Roper looked older than Dusty
had. What do you want to know But now. one moonless night, a band King had ever looked; his face was ites is Lefty Grove, Yawkey paid
out a small fortune
first?”
reported as of at least sixty men like granite, with hard lines cut into
for this famous left
"How's Thorpe making out up struck from no place, scattering the it by the weather
arm, only to have it
above?"
herd, and blazing down on Harnish's
“Okay." he said "I understand go deader than a
”1 saw him in Dodge City; he riders almost before they could take
how
you
feel.
Dry
Camp.
”
dodo the first year
was throwing money around wiUi a to the saddle. There had been a
Dry Camp's anger was gone as out.
shovel in each hand. You know sharp running fight as Harnish and
There was a gen­
what 1 think? 1 think he can go his half-dozen boys took to the brush quickly as it had come. "BiU,” he
away and forget Tanner, and write and the hills. Unsatisfied with sei­ said pleadingly, "it's only—it’s on eral outburst of kid
ding for what many
everything he lias in Texas right zure of the herd, the unknown band ly—"
"It s only that you’ve had a lot of called baseball’s
oil the books, and never know the had spent three days trying to hunt
men out working for us.” Bill Roper biggest sucker act
difference! ’’
down Harnish's riders
Tom Yawkey does­
said more reasonably.
Roper locked his hands behind Ins
Lee Harnish himself, wounded in
"Near fifty men.” Dry Camp said. n't like to be on any
head and stared at the celling the first skirmish, had had a hard
Sometimes it seemed to hun that time getting clear; it was not known
“How many you got working sucker list. He isn’t Lefty Grove
that type. So when
trying to break Tanner was like try­ whether or not all of his riders now?”
Grove came rolling back and began
ing to empty the Rio Grande with were elsewhere accounted for.
Dry Camp Pierce hesitated.
a hand dipper. The apparently un­
After an elapse of several weeks,
“Not a damned man,” Bill Roper to win again, the old-timer stopped
bounded resources of Ben Thorpe in an Indian-faced vaquero came hunt­ said bitterly. "And now you quit all the outside kidding.
Uie middle country and in the north, ing Bill Roper; he carried a writ­ Dusty King."
In the last few years, crowding
out of reach <>f the south Texas w ar. ten message from Lee Harnish:
"Look you here.” Dry Camp said. the sunset border line. Grove has
made up a vust reservoir which
'T've strung with you when I more than made the investment look
Tanner could draw on without limit
Don’t
first class.
wouldn't have strung with any other
"How is Tanner himself making
Cleve
Lefty had been smoking since he
man,
let
alone
an
upstart
kid.
I'll
out?"
What
was 12 years old At the age of
say
this
for
you
—
you
’
ve
made
a
"Bill, I've been all up and down
some
' 38 he gave up tobacco for two years
up to game fight. But kid. take my word to help out his condition, before re­
the north and east part of Texas;
for it—they're too big. and they’re
and 1 can't see where we've ac­
suming at a milder pace. At the
too strong."
complished a damned thing "
age of 41, close to his 30l)th major
“You think sc ?” Bill Roper
"You don't know what you're talk­
league victory. Grove is still a fac-
"1 know so. I don’t know
ing about!"
1 tor in this pennant race.
you had, made men like Lee
"You know what I think"" Wilce
Tom Yawkey never bought the
msh and Dave Shannon and
persisted 1 think there’s more cat- thing else to de
Red Sox as a paying investment,
Liggett
throw
in
with
you,
but
those
crossings.
country
than
the
tie in this
orld
lie could have spent far less some
did- the damnedest wild bunch
"About half oi
has any usie for. I don't think you
time
ago and bought Bro.klvn But
as ever seen. Half the renegad
can bother any msin any more. just new American g
he has always been an American
the Long Trail, and your pa
1 munition. They
by fooling with hns cattle."
leaguer at heart and he wanted to
King-Gordon, has gone into be
''Never mind t a hat you thlink. to tlie fence all
win an American league pennant,
Tanner
And
where
ar<
Cicv
ue
through."
Let’s have what you know."
He crashed tn during the tough
now'
"I nosed around and tried to find '
year*—when the Yankees were mop­
It WM • long
’ Well?”
out what promise s Tanner« t>een
ping up, leading the league from
saw l.ee Ha arr
"We aren't t
tell season to season by 12 or 15 games.
accept 11a
you we're be
long He was up against a ball club the
hand; but whet i he had conferred beat!”
mint couldn’t beat, not even with
with Dave Shai inon. «nd others of
April melted into May, and Roper the pick of both leagues.
the border me t in whom he be-
h
had nothuig to fight with any more
lieved, he was t 'rced to accede that
1 happen to know that in the
didn't say any more until he had
Those units of hi* wild bunch that
the border-runn ng phase of the at-
spring
of 1940 he thought the Yan­
got a cigarette rolled. In the mid­
had not quit had not been heard
kees were due for the soapy chute.
dle of rolling his cigarette he went tack on Tar icr was done
from
at
all.
h
ie
knew
already
that
As Febra iry drew to a close, the
into a coughing fit. and spilled the
who had completely failed, He had high hopes of a drcam final­
big herds vere once more being the ones
tobacco, so that he had to start over
prospered, seemingly; ly coming true. The Yankees did
thrown tog< her for the trail. From Cleve Tanner
their skidding. But it was Detroit
again
and al! was well with Ben Thorpe
the cle ■n rehabilitated outfits tn
that dived through the opening, with
"Bill,” he said at last. "Cleve
Bill Roper waited at the Pot Hook
Tanner's going to drive more cattle which Roper was now silent part- now. trying to think of some way Cleveland close. After leading the
league most of the route Yaw key
tin* year than he’» ever drove be­
that he had missed.
King Gor­ saw his Red Sox tied
up around
fore In just one bunch alone he
don denied him. and Lew Gordon
fourth place.
aims to deliver fifteen thousand head
expressedly would advance nothing
Thi* spring tn Florida he still re-
on the bank* of the Red'”
more against Dusty King's share of
fused to accept defeat, even with
"He's crazy!” Roper shouted "He
the partnership which had been bro
rickety pitching and a rickety de­
can't do it—It's Impossible!"
ken by death
tensive infield He still banked on
"Well—ba think* be can. He
ITO HF. CO\TI.\l tl)J
power—on the punch.
About Tom Yawkey
.1 Hot Favorite
Friendship is like rivers, and
the strand of seas, and the air,
common to all the world; but ty­
rants, and evil customs, wars, and
want of love, have made them
proper and peculiar. — Jeremy
Taylor.
for any room. Even the beginner
will find this simple and pleasant
to do.
• • •
Pattern 2797 contains a transfer pattern
of a 13 by 20 inch hanging; illustrations
of stitches; color chart: materials re­
quired. Send your order to:
Sewing Circle Needlecraft Dept.
117 Minna St.
San Francisco, Calif.
Enclose 15 cu ts in coins tor Pat­
tern No..................
Name ...................... . ...............
Address ...................................................
Perhaps His Neighbors
II ere Only Keeping Time
Wilkes had a serious complaint
to make to his landlord.
"It’s the people in the flat above
me!” he stormed. ‘‘They won’t
give me a minute's peace. This
morning at one o'clock they were
jumping up and down on the floor
as hard as they could, I won’t
put up with such behavior, It’s an
outrage!”
The landlord looked sympa-
thetic.
‘‘They woke you up, I presume?”
he inquired.
The victim shook his head.
‘‘No. I hadn’t gone to bed.”
‘‘Ah! You were working late?”
‘‘Yes. I was practicing on my
saxophone!”
helps keep me
ready to go!
says
9 9
AL MCKILLIP
Pire in an
a°^^tC°rn
Cone. IV4 1 by
Swift Growth
Paying Debt
Report, that which no evil thing
There are but two ways of pay­
of any kind is more swift, in­ ing debt—increase of industry in
creases with travel and gains ____
___________
_____
raising
income, increase
of thrift
strength by its progress.—Vergil. | in laying out.—Carlyle.
If you bake at home, use
FLEISCHMANN’S
FRESH YEAST
H f.
lt_ *
The Household
Favorite of Four
Generations!
Rre Women Better O
Shoppers than Men f
GRANTING a woman's reputation for wise buying, let’s trace the
methods by which she has earned it. 'X here does she find out about
the advantages and details of electrical refrigeration? Vi hat tells her
how to keep the w hole household clean — rugs, floors, bathroom
tiling — and have energy left over for golf and parties? How does
aha learn about new and delicious entrees and desserts that surprise
and delight her family? IX here docs she discover those subtleties
of dress and make-up that a man appreciates but never understands?
U’hy, she reads the advertisements. She is a consistent, thought­
ful reader of advertisements, because she ha* found that she can
believe them—and profit thereby. Overlooking the advertisement*
would be depriving herself of data continuously useful in her job
of Purchasing Agent to the Family.
For that matter, watch a wise man buy a car or a suit or an insur­
ance policy. Not a bad shopper himself He reads advertisements,too: