ebush,
jointly the pride and delight of Escondido, ownerless, but cherished by
loving care and "toted" tribute of waste water.

Hither came Jeff and Leo, white with the dust of twenty starlit leagues,
for accumulated mail of Rainbow South. Horse-feeding, breakfast, gossip
with jolly, motherly Ma Sanders, reading and answering of mail--then
their beauty nap; so missing the day's event, the passing of the Flyer.
When they woke Escondido basked drowsily in the low, westering sun. The
far sunset ranges had put off their workaday homespun brown and gray for
chameleon hues of purple and amethyst; their deep, cool shadows, edged
with trembling rose, reached out across the desert; the velvet air
stirred faintly to the promise of the night.

The agent was putting up his switch-lights; from the kitchen came a
cheerful clatter of tinware.

"Now we buy some dry goods and wet," said Leo. They went into the store.

"That decision's come!" shrilled Pappy in tremulous excitement. "It's
too durn bad! Registered letters from Land Office for Taylor and Lake,
besides another for Lake, not registered."

"That one from the Land Office, too?" said Jeff.

"Didn't I jest tell ye? Say, it's a shame! Why don't some of you
fellers----Gosh! If I was only young!"

"It's a travesty on justice!" exclaimed Leo indignantly. "There's really
no doubt but that they decided for Lake, I suppose?"

"Not a bit. He's got the law with him. Then him and the Register is old
cronies. Guess this other letter is from him unofficial, likely."

Jeff seated himself on a box. "How long has this Lake got to do his
filing in, Pappy?"

"Thirty days from the time he signs the receipt for this letter--durn
him!"

"Some one ought to kidnap him," said Leo.

"Why, that's illegal!" Jeff nursed his knee, turned his head to one side
and chanted thoughtfully:

"Said the little Eohippus,
'I'm going to be a horse,
And on my middle fingernails
To run my earthly course'----"

He broke off and smiled at Leo indulgently. Leo glanced at him sharply;
this was Jeff's war-song aforetime. But it was to Pappy that Jeff spoke:

"Dad, you're a better'n any surgeon. Wish you'd go out and look at Leo's
horse. His ankle's all swelled up. I'll be mixin' me up a toddy, if Ma's
got any hot water. I'm feeling kinder squeamish."

"Hot toddy, this weather? Some folks has queer tastes," grumbled Pappy.
"Ex-_cuse_ me! Me and Leo'll go look at the Charley-horse. T