ck to the days of the Double Y.

After an hour had passed, the foreman of the Bar-20 turned to his
companion and then hesitated:

"Did, did--was he a cur?"

Frenchy looked off toward the south and, after an interval, replied:
"Yas." Then, as an after thought, he added, "Yu see, he never reckoned
it would be that way."

Buck nodded, although he did not fully understand, and the subject was
forever closed.

CHAPTER XXIII. Mr. Cassidy Meets a Woman

The work of separating the cattle into herds of the different brands
was not a big contract, and with so many men it took but a comparatively
short time, and in two days all signs of the rustlers had faded. It was
then that good news went the rounds and the men looked forward to a
week of pleasure, which was all the sharper accentuated by the grim
mercilessness of the expedition into the Panhandle. Here was a chance
for unlimited hilarity and a whole week in which to give strict
attention to celebrating the recent victory.

So one day Mr. Hopalong Cassidy rode rapidly over the plain, thinking
about the joys and excitement promised by the carnival to be held
at Muddy Wells. With that rivalry so common to Western towns the
inhabitants maintained that the carnival was to break all records, this
because it was to be held in their town. Perry's Bend and Buckskin had
each promoted a similar affair, and if this year's festivities were
to be an improvement on those which had gone before, they would
most certainly be worth riding miles to see. Perry's Bend had been
unfortunate m being the first to hold a carnival, inasmuch as it only
set a mark to be improved upon, and Buckskin had taken advantage of this
and had added a brass band, and now in turn was to be eclipsed.

The events slated were numerous and varied, the most important being
those which dealt directly with the everyday occupations of the
inhabitants of that section of the country. Broncho busting,
steer-roping and tying, rifle and revolver shooting, trick riding and
fancy roping made up the main features of the programme and were to
be set off by horse and foot racing and other county fair necessities.
Altogether, the proud citizens of the town looked forward with keen
anticipation to the coming excitements, and were prone to swagger a
bit and to rub their hands in condescending egoism, while the crowded
gambling halls and saloons, and the three-card-monte men on the street
corners enriched themselves at the