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LANDSCAPING
Principles & Practices
EI GHTH EDITI O N

Lab Manual
LANDSCAPING
Principles & Practices
EI GHTH EDITI O N

Lab Manual
Alissa F. Smith

Australia ● Brazil ● Mexico ● Singapore ● United Kingdom ● United States

 Landscaping: Principles and Practices, © 2019, 2009 Cengage Learning, Inc.
8th Edition, Lab Manual
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this work covered by the copyright herein
Alissa F. Smith
may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, except as
SVP, GM Skills & Global Product Management: permitted by U.S. copyright law, without the prior written permission of the
Jonathan Lau copyright owner.
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Publisher does not warrant or guarantee any of the products described herein
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disclaims, any obligation to obtain and include information other than that
provided to it by the manufacturer. The reader is expressly warned to consider
and adopt all safety precautions that might be indicated by the activities de-
scribed herein and to avoid all potential hazards. By following the instructions
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pose or merchantability, nor are any such representations implied with respect
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respect to such material. The publisher shall not be liable for any special, con-
sequential, or exemplary damages resulting, in whole or part, from the readers’
use of, or reliance upon, this material.

Printed in the United States of America

Print Number: 01 Print Year: 2018
Contents

Preface vii
About the Author viii

S e c t io n o n e L AndScAPe deSi gn

ex e r c iS e 1 Identifying Materials and Equipment 3

ex e r c iS e 2 Using Equipment and Working with Scale 13

ex e r c iS e 3 Developing Lettering Skills 19

ex e r c iS e 4 Using Symbols in Drawing the Residence 27

ex e r c iS e 5 Using Symbols in Drawing Trees 33

ex e r c iS e 6 Using Symbols in Drawing Shrubs 39

ex e r c iS e 7 Using Symbols in Drawing Ground Covers,

Vines, and Flower Beds 45

ex e r c iS e 8 Drawing Symbols for Nonplant Features 51

ex e r c iS e 9 Understanding Foundation Plantings 57

ex e r c iS e 10 Recognizing Faulty Foundation Design 63

ex e r c iS e 11 Designing a Foundation Planting 69

ex e r c iS e 12 Organizing Space in the Landscape 79

ex e r c iS e 13 Making Thumbnail Sketches 85

ex e r c iS e 14 Designing Walks and Drives 91

ex e r c iS e 15 Drafting Guest Parking and Turnarounds 95

ex e r c iS e 16 Designing Patios 103

ex e r c iS e 17 Designing Decks 109

v
vi ◆ Contents

ex er ci Se 18 Understanding Balance 115

ex er ci Se 19 Designing Curvilinear Gardens 119

ex er ci Se 20 Designing Berms 125

ex er ci Se 21 Understanding Focalization 133

ex er ci Se 22 Organizing/Beginning the Planting Plan 143

ex er ci Se 23 Placing Artificial Features on the Plan 151

ex er ci Se 24 Developing the Design 155

ex er ci Se 25 Selecting Plants 161

ex er ci Se 26 Labeling Plants on a Plan 167

ex er ci Se 27 Preparing a Finished Plant List 171

ex er ci Se 28 Preparing a Title Block 175

ex er ci Se 29 Drafting Details on Landscape Plans 179

S e c t i o n t wo L A n d S c A P e cALcuLAti onS

ex er ci Se 30 Creating a Cost Estimate of

the Landscape Design Plan 187

ex er ci Se 31 Pricing Landscape Maintenance 193

S e c t i o n t h r e e c u S t o me r Servi ce

ex er ci Se 32 Communication and Marketing

of Landscape Business 201

ex er ci Se 33 Measuring Customer Satisfaction 205

ex er ci Se 34 Handling Customer Complaints 209

Section Four L A n d S c A P e m Ai ntenAnce

ex er ci Se 35 Operating a Lawn Mower 215

ex er ci Se 36 Operating a Commercial Dethatcher 221

ex er ci Se 37 Operating a Lawn Aerator 227

ex er ci Se 38 Operating a Walk-Behind Blower 233

ex er ci Se 39 Lawn Renovation (Reseeding) 239

ex er ci Se 40 Lawn Renovation (Overseeding) 243

p r e fa C e

Landscaping: Principles and Practices, 8th Edition, Lab Manual includes exercises that encourage students
to apply what they have learned through their landscaping course readings or lessons. Various activi-
ties require students to further explore design principles, landscape plan development, and soft skills,
to ensure that they are well-versed in these different aspects of the landscaping industry.
Most residential landscapes are planned, installed, and maintained by skilled workers with high
school, technical school, or college training in landscape horticulture. As such, high school programs
should include skills development in landscape design as well as installation and maintenance. This type
of instruction will allow students to leave high school with highly sought-after employability skills.
The purpose of this lab manual is to provide a step-by-step guide to basic skills development in
landscape design, installation, maintenance, and customer service. The materials can be adapted to
large-group instruction or to the individualized format presented. In either case, the student should
master one exercise before moving to another.

Precision Exam Alignment

This eighth edition of Landscaping: Principles and Practices, including text and accompanying lab exer-
cises, is aligned to Precision Exams’ Landscape Management exam, part of the Agriculture, Food and
Natural Resources Career Cluster. The Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources pathway connects in-
dustry with skills taught in the classroom to help students successfully transition from high school to
college and/or career. Working together, Precision Exams and National Geographic Learning/Cengage
focus on preparing students for the workforce, with exams and content that is kept up to date and
relevant to today’s jobs. To access a corresponding correlation guide, visit the accompanying Instruc-
tor Companion Website for Landscaping: Principles and Practices, 8th Edition. For more information on
how to administer the Landscape Management exam or any of the 170+ exams available to your stu-
dents, contact your local NGL/Cengage Sales Consultant.

vii
aBoUt tHe aUtHor

Alissa F. Smith is the Associate Executive Director of the National Association of Agricultural Educa-
tors (NAAE), which is the national professional organization for school-based agricultural educators
across the nation. She is primarily responsible for national professional development for agricultural
educators. Prior to working at NAAE, Alissa was a classroom agriculture teacher in Central Kentucky
who specialized in teaching horticulture and agriscience. She developed curriculum and instructional
material for high school agriculture classes that included Landscaping/Landscape Design, Greenhouse
Technology, and Floriculture/Floral Design. Alissa also focused her time developing agriscience cur-
riculum and serving on state committees to develop a state agriscience pathway in Kentucky.
Alissa completed her undergraduate degree in Agriculture at the University of Kentucky and holds
a teaching certification in agriculture for grades 5 through 12. She also earned her master’s degree in
Agriculture from the University of Kentucky.

viii
 S e c ti o n one

Landscape Design
ex er ci Se 1 Identifying Materials and Equipment 3

ex er ci Se 2 Using Equipment and Working with Scale 13

ex er ci Se 3 Developing Lettering Skills 19

ex er ci Se 4 Using Symbols in Drawing the Residence 27

ex er ci Se 5 Using Symbols in Drawing Trees 33

ex er ci Se 6 Using Symbols in Drawing Shrubs 39

ex er ci Se 7 Using Symbols in Drawing Ground Covers, Vines,

and Flower Beds 45

ex er ci Se 8 Drawing Symbols for Nonplant Features 51

ex er ci Se 9 Understanding Foundation Plantings 57

ex er ci Se 10 Recognizing Faulty Foundation Design 63

ex er ci Se 11 Designing a Foundation Planting 69

ex er ci Se 12 Organizing Space in the Landscape 79

ex er ci Se 13 Making Thumbnail Sketches 85

ex er ci Se 14 Designing Walks and Drives 91

ex er ci Se 15 Drafting Guest Parking and Turnarounds 95

ex er ci Se 16 Designing Patios 103

ex er ci Se 17 Designing Decks 109

ex er ci Se 18 Understanding Balance 115

ex er ci Se 19 Designing Curvilinear Gardens 119

ex er ci Se 20 Designing Berms 125

1
2 ◆ SECTION ONE Landscape Design

e xe rc iS e 21 Understanding Focalization 133

e xe rc iS e 22 Organizing/Beginning the Planting Plan 143

e xe rc iS e 23 Placing Artificial Features on the Plan 151

e xe rc iS e 24 Developing the Design 155

e xe rc iS e 25 Selecting Plants 161

e xe rc iS e 26 Labeling Plants on a Plan 167

e xe rc iS e 27 Preparing a Finished Plant List 171

e xe rc iS e 28 Preparing a Title Block 175

e xe rc iS e 29 Drafting Details on Landscape Plans 179

 exerciSe 1

Identifying Materials
and equipment
o B Je c t i v e
To familiarize students with the tools of landscape drafting and the use(s) of each.

SKiLLS
After studying this unit, you should be able to:
● Identify landscape drafting tools, by name, from line drawings or the actual tools.
● Select the tool needed for a particular task or function.

m At e r i A L S n e ede d *
Drafting board (minimum size 17" 3 22") Engineer’s scale (triangular)
T-square Architect’s scale (triangular)
Triangles (45º–45º–90º and 30º–60º–90º) French curves
Adjustable triangle Compass
2H drawing pencil Protractor
Lead holder Circle template (1y16" to 1" circles, minimum)
Vinyl eraser Drafting paper (plain or gridded)
Eraser shield
*Pictures may be substituted for items not available.

IntroDUCtIon
The landscape designer, like the architect or engineer, must be familiar with the use of basic drafting
tools. Literally thousands of products are on the market today. However, the following is a description
of basic tools with which the beginning student of landscape design should be familiar.

Drafting Boards
The drafting boards give a smooth surface for drafting on paper. It can be used on a table, desk,
or other steady surface. Drafting boards come in various sizes and are made of smooth-sanded

3
4 ◆ SECTION ONE Landscape Design

laminated wood or plastics. Wooden boards or ta-

bles should be covered with a vinyl drafting board
cover. Such covers are more durable than wood and
less subject to damage (Figure 1–1).

T-square
A T-square is used for drawing straight lines that are
parallel to the edge of the drafting board. It may be
used for either vertical or horizontal lines. A T-square
is not required where boards or tables are equipped
with a parallel bar or drafting machine (Figures 1–1 FIGURE 1–1 Drafting board and
parallel bar.
and 1–2).

Drafting Machines
Drafting machines replace T-squares, parallel bars,
and triangles, and allow for more rapid drafting.
A drafting machine is not essential for beginning
students, but students in advanced classes, draftspeople,
or professionals will find it the single most time-saving
mechanical device available (Figure 1–3).
FIGURE 1–2 T-square.
Drafting Paper
Drafting paper is available as opaque or transparent
in a wide variety of sizes. Opaque papers are fine for
rough drafts or final copies where the drawings are
not to be blueprinted. When blueprints are desirable,
it is essential to draw on high-quality vellum made
of 100% cotton and labeled as 100% rag. For ease
in drafting, paper with nonreproductive blue grids is
available as opaque or transparent. When blueprinted
or photocopied, the blue lines do not reproduce.
Gridded paper is usually available in 4 3 4 (1y4" 5 1'),
8 3 8 (1y8" 2 1') or 10 3 10 (1y10" 5 1') (Figure 1–4).
FIGURE 1–3 Drafting machine.

FIGURE 1–4 Gridded papers—4 3 4, 8 × 8, 10 × 10.

 EXERCISE 1 Identifying Materials and Equipment ◆ 5

Triangles
Triangles are used to draw angled lines off any
straight line. The most commonly used angles are
45 degrees and 90 degrees. Angles other than 30, 45,
60, or 90 degrees can be drawn with the aid of a
protractor or an adjustable triangle (Figure 1–5).

Adjustable Triangles
These triangles cost considerably more than standard
fixed triangles but can be used to measure or plot any
angle between 0 and 90 degrees in 1-degree increments FIGURE 1–5 Triangles.
(Figure 1–6).

Protractor
A protractor is used to measure the angle of any two joining lines,
from 0 to 180 degrees, in 1-degree increments for the standard
protractor or 0 to 360 degrees for the round version. It is used to
determine existing angles or to mark nonstandard angles not available
on triangles (Figure 1–7).

Drawing Pencils
Drawing pencils come in varying degrees of hardness, usually 2B, B, HB,
F, H, and 2H through 9H. Drafting is done with lead having an HB rating
or higher. An H-rated pencil contains harder lead and produces lighter
lines that are less likely to smear. Avoid leads with a B rating because
B leads are much softer and are most often used for artwork or
sketching. A good choice for the beginning landscape designers is in FIGURE 1–6 Adjustable
the range of HB to 2H (Figure 1–8). triangle.

Lead Holders
Lead holders, or mechanical pencils, are
more expensive initially but are much less
expensive over the long run. The standard
lead holder uses lead 2 millimeters (mm)
thick and requires a lead pointer. Some
prefer lead holders with smaller lead,
which are available in 0.3-, 0.5-, 0.7-, or
0.9-millimeter thicknesses. These hold-
ers do not usually require sharpening of
the lead, but because of the smaller lead,
breakage of the point is more frequent FIGURE 1–7 Protractor.
(Figure 1–8).

2H F&B Turquoise

Easy Line

FIGURE 1–8 2H pencil and lead holder.

6 ◆ SECTION ONE Landscape Design

Pencil Sharpeners and Lead Pointers

Drafting pencils may be sharpened with any quality standard sharpener, either mechanical or
electric. Lead pointers are essential for lead holders using 2-millimeter leads. Most pointers come
with replaceable carbide blades, and some allow for adjustment of point taper (Figure 1–9).

FIGURE 1–9 Two popular styles of lead pointers.

Erasers Easy−Rub Eraser

Erasers should completely erase errors or changes without rubbing holes
in the drafting paper. The best drafting erasers are made of vinyl and are Vinyl
nonabrasive (Figure 1–10). Electric erasers are faster but are not essential
for the beginning student of design.
FIGURE 1–10 Vinyl eraser.
Eraser Shields
Eraser shields are used to erase unwanted lines or parts of lines
without smudging or erasing desired lines. Shields have various
sizes and shapes of openings to allow you to match the line to
be erased. Eraser shields are inexpensive, and every draftsperson
should have at least one (Figure 1–11).

Circle Templates
Circle templates allow rapid drawing of circles to represent trees,
shrubs, and other landscape features. Templates chosen should FIGURE 1–11 Eraser shield.
have a variety of circle sizes (Figure 1–12). Templates appropri-

KM
Circle
Template

FIGURE 1–12 Circle template.

 EXERCISE 1 Identifying Materials and Equipment ◆ 7

ate for landscape should have circles from 1y16 to 1 inch minimum. A template
with 1y16- to 21y4-inch circles is more useful. Extra-large circles can be drawn with
a compass.

Compass
A compass or bow compass is an adjustable instrument used to draw circles or arcs.
It has two legs—one containing a metal point and the other containing a pencil
or lead. The distance between the two legs is one-half the diameter of the circle.
For example, a 1-inch setting will yield a 2-inch circle. Select a compass with
a threaded adjustment bar to prevent slippage and maintain adjustment while
drawing (Figure 1–13).

Scales
Scales are used for measuring or drawing lines that represent smaller dimensions on
paper than they are actually in “real life.” For example, a 1:10 scale means that 1 inch
on paper represents 10 feet of real space. Triangular scales are popular because each has
six or more scales on one instrument. Engineer’s scales contain scales of 1y10, 1y20, 1y30,
1
y40, 1y50, and 1y60.
Architect’s scales usually contain scales of 1y2 , 1y4 , 1y8 , 1y16 , 3y8 , 3y4 , and 3y16 . FIGURE 1–13
Landscape designers commonly use scales of 1y10 or 1y8 (Figure 1–14). Bow compass.

FIGURE 1–14 Engineer’s scale (top) and architect’s scale (bottom).

Lettering Guides 5
3
10

)
m

Lettering guides are used to draw guidelines essential 2 1

9.

M
75

9 8
c(

2
to attractive lettering. The Ames® Lettering Guide is 8 5
ri

3
et

7
M

6.1 32
an inexpensive, adjustable guide with many different 5 1
4
spacings, both standard and metric (Figure 1–15). 3.08
2
16
1
10 2
4 3
9 8 76 5

Ames® Lettering Guide

68°

FIGURE 1–15 Ames® Lettering Guide.

8 ◆ SECTION ONE Landscape Design

Nonadjustable guides usually have only four line widths, but they allow for rapid drafting of
guidelines (Figure 1–16).

1
4

3
16

5
32

1
8
JM−C
Lettering Guide

FIGURE 1–16 Nonadjustable lettering guide.

French Curves
French curves serve as a guide in making professional-
looking curved lines for bed areas, walks, drives, and
so on. The degree of curve can be changed by moving
the french curve to an edge or section of the sketch
having the same degree curve. There are many curves
available in many price ranges. A package of three
or four is usually adequate for landscape design
(Figure 1–17).
FIGURE 1–17 French curves.

pUt It Into praCtICe

1. Review the pictures included in this exercise, or examine the actual instruments (if provided
by your instructor).
2. Complete the questions without the assistance of the reading in this exercise.
Exercise 1 Activity
Student Name Date Score

Fill in the Blanks

Fill in the blanks with the best answers.
1. A 45-degree line can be drawn quickly with the aid of a .
2. , , and
are useful in drawing lines parallel to the edge of the drafting board.
3. A(n) or a(n) is useful in
drawing nonstandard angles such as 37 degrees.
4. A allows rapid drawing of circles to indicate trees
and shrubs.
5. An H rating indicates that a pencil has lead.
6. Do not use leads with a rating when drafting.
7. give a smooth, professional look to curving lines.
8. The best drafting erasers are made of .
9. Very large circles may be drawn with a .
10. allow you to erase a line without erasing adjacent
or adjoining lines.
11. An scale contains scales that are multiples of 10.
12. A 1:20 scale means that 1 inch equals .

9
10 ◆ SECTION ONE Landscape Design

Identification
Please identify the following items in their corresponding blank spaces:
1. Item A 5. Item E
2. Item B 6. Item F
3. Item C 7. Item G
4. Item D 8. Item H

D
 EXERCISE 1 Identifying Materials and Equipment ◆ 11

E
F

3
5

10

)
m
2 1

9.

(m
M

75
9 2 8

ric
8 5 3

et
7

M
6.1 32
5
4
1
3.08 16
2
1
10 2
H
4 3
9 8 76 5

G Ames® Lettering Guide

68°
12 ◆ SECTION ONE Landscape Design

notes
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
The Project Gutenberg eBook of Thicker than
water
 This ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United
States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away
or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License
included with this ebook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you
are not located in the United States, you will have to check the
laws of the country where you are located before using this
eBook.

Title: Thicker than water

a story of Hashknife Hartley

Author: W. C. Tuttle

Release date: December 28, 2023 [eBook #72528]

Most recently updated: January 17, 2024

Language: English

Original publication: Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company,

1927

Credits: Roger Frank and Sue Clark

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THICKER

THAN WATER ***
THICKER THAN WATER
 W. C. TUTTLE
THICKER THAN WATER
A Story of Hashknife Hartley

HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY

Boston and New York
COPYRIGHT, 1927, BY THE BUTTERICK PUBLISHING COMPANY
COPYRIGHT, 1927, BY WILBUR C. TUTTLE
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

The Riverside Press

CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS
PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.
 CONTENTS
I. The Ace of Spades
II. The Eagle Saloon
III. Lila’s Departure
IV. Chuckwalla Makes a Mistake
V. Father and Son
VI. Lila
VII. Rance Wins Out
VIII. The Overland Makes an Unexpected Stop
IX. At the Circle Spade
X. Scotty Gets an Earful of Dirt
XI. A Horse Trade
XII. The Half-Box R
XIII. Two Suspects
XIV. Rance’s Confession
XV. Escape
XVI. Lost—a Hat
XVII. Kid Glover
XVIII. Hashknife at Work
XIX. Part of the Truth
XX. Fire
XXI. The Finish at the JML
XXII. The Trail Again

THICKER THAN WATER

 CHAPTER I—THE ACE OF SPADES
The two men faced each other across the little table in the living-
room of the Circle Spade ranch-house, in the light of a single oil
lamp. The younger of the two men was Jack McCoy, known as
“Angel,” while the other was Rance McCoy, his father, and owner of
the Circle Spade ranch.
Angel McCoy was rather tall, well muscled, with features as clean-
cut as a cameo. His skin was almost as white as milk, his hair as
black as jet, and he wore it long in front of his ears—a swinging curl
of inky-black against his white cheek. His eyes were brown, shaded
by sharpcut brows. There was no denying the fact that he was
handsome.
Just now he wore a white silk shirt, with a red handkerchief
knotted around his throat, black trousers tucked into the tops of a
pair of fancy, high-heeled boots—and about him was an odor of
perfume.
Rance McCoy’s appearance had nothing in common with his
son’s. He was about fifty years of age, grizzled, hard-faced, with a
skin the color of jerked venison. His eyes were gray, and there were
scars on his face, which showed lighter than the rest of his skin;
scars of many battles. Rance McCoy had been a fighter in his time.
There were other scars, which did not show, where hot lead had
scored him time and again.
He was tough, was Rance McCoy; an old gunman, afraid of
nothing—not even of his handsome son.
“Well, all I can say is that you’ve got some damned queer ideas,”
said Angel slowly.
“Mebby I have,” said the old man.
“No maybe about it,” said Angel sneeringly. “Lila is of age and I’m
of age. If I want to marry her, it’s none of yore business.”
“You think not? Well, everybody is entitled to an opinion. I’ve told
yuh about me, Angel.”
“Yeah, and I don’t think much of yuh.”
 Angel got to his feet and stood there, looking down at his father.
“I knew all along that Lila wasn’t my sister,” he said slowly.
The old man lifted a hand to fend the light from his eyes, as he
looked up at his son.
“Billy DuMond told yuh, Angel?”
“Ten years ago. He said you killed her father and then adopted
her.”
“That drunken thief!” muttered the old man.
“Who—Lila’s father?”
“No—Billy DuMond.”
“I don’t know anythin’ about that part of it,” said Angel. “He merely
told me that she wasn’t my sister. You don’t deny that, do yuh?”
“No, I don’t deny it.”
Angel slowly rolled a cigarette, watching the old man’s face.
“Maybe you think I’m not good enough for her, eh? Was that why
you were willin’ to give me my share of the cattle, and let me buy out
the Eagle? Wanted to get rid of me, eh?”
Angel laughed harshly and lighted his cigarette over the top of the
lamp-chimney.
“There wasn’t any question of gettin’ rid of yuh,” said Rance
McCoy slowly. “It was yore own proposition. You wanted to run a
saloon and be a gambler; so I gave yuh yore share of the cattle. I
sent Lila away to school. It cost me a lot of money to educate her,
Angel.”
“I don’t doubt that.”
Angel exhaled a cloud of smoke through his shapely nostrils.
“But as far as you marryin’ Lila—you’ll not,” declared Rance
McCoy flatly. “I raised the two of yuh together, and I know all about
both of yuh. I’ve heard that you’re a crooked dealer, Angel. Men
don’t hint things like that unless there’s some truth in it. Crooked at
cards, crooked at everythin’.”
Angel McCoy jerked forward, his dark eyes glittering in the yellow
light.
“Crooked, am I?” he laughed harshly. “No man dares say it to my
face. They come and whine to you, do they? And you believe things
like this of yore own son! That’s why you won’t let me marry Lila, eh?
All right; I’ll tell Lila that she ain’t yore daughter. I’ll tell her you killed
her father. I’ll tell——”
“If yuh do”—Rance McCoy’s old face twisted harshly and he
leaned forward, shoving his right shoulder against the table—“If yuh
do, Angel—I’ll kill yuh. A long time ago yuh ceased to be my son.
Oh, yuh’ll get an even break. I never killed any man without givin’
him an even break.”
“Even break!” exclaimed Angel. “What man ever had an even
break with you? I’ve seen yuh draw and shoot, old man.”
The old man laughed mirthlessly. Few men could draw and shoot
with Rance McCoy.
“Yuh always did lose yore nerve in a showdown,” he said.
“I never lost my nerve,” growled Angel. “But this ain’t a shootin’
proposition.”
The old man studied him for a space of several minutes.
“Angel,” he said slowly, “what does Lila know about this? She
wouldn’t marry her own brother. What have yuh told her?”
Angel smiled crookedly and rested his elbows on the table.
“Well, if you’ve got to know—she knows.”
“She knows?”
“I told her tonight.”
“Yuh told her tonight?”
“That you ain’t her father—yes. No, I never asked her to marry me
—not yet. But by God, I’m goin’ to ask her!”
The old man got slowly to his feet, disclosing the fact that he wore
a holstered gun. Angel also wore one, and the mother-of-pearl
handle flashed like an opal in the yellow light. With a twitch of his left
hand the old man jerked out a drawer from the table and produced
an old deck of playing-cards.
He dropped them on the table and looked sharply at Angel, who
was watching him curiously.
“Shuffle ’em,” ordered the old man.
“What’s the idea?”
“I’m givin’ yuh an even break, Angel. You’re a gambler, and I’m
givin’ yuh a gambler’s chance. Shuffle the cards and let me cut ’em.
You can do the dealin’. The one who gets the ace of spades—shoots
first.”
 “You mean——” Angel hesitated.
“You know what I mean, yuh yaller pup.”
Angel flushed quickly and reached for the cards. His long fingers
riffled the cards with mechanical precision. Time after time he split
the deck, until it seemed as though he was trying to wear out the
cards. The old man’s keen eyes watched those hands, and there
was a half-smile on his lips.
“That’s enough,” he said drawlingly. “Let me cut.”
It seemed to Angel that the old man studied the deck rather
carefully before he made the cut.
“The one who gets the ace of spades shoots first, eh?” said Angel,
and it seemed as though his voice trembled.
The old man nodded.
“Go ahead and deal.”
Angel hesitated.
“This is foolishness, old man. If I shoot yuh, they’ll hang me for
murder. Lila’s upstairs.”
“She don’t know you’re here.”
“But the shot would wake her up.”
“How long do yuh think it’ll take yuh to get away? You talk as
though yuh already had the ace of spades. I’ll take my chances. Go
ahead and deal.”
Angel shuddered slightly. It was all so ridiculous, this idea of
dealing for the first shot. But the old man did not seem to mind.
There was not a tremor in the gnarled hand that rested on the old
table-top.
“Go ahead and deal, you coward,” he said coldly.
With a flick of his fingers the gambler threw the first two cards—
ace of hearts, six of clubs. There were fifty more cards in the deck.
King, jack. It was the king of spades.
“Hittin’ close,” said the old man.
Angel licked his lips and dealt the next two slowly—ten, deuce.
“How far for the first shot?” he asked hoarsely.
“Width of the room. Can’t miss. Deal.” Queen, deuce.
“Runnin’ small on yore side,” observed the old man.
Angel licked his lips again and his right hand trembled, as he dealt
himself a trey to Rance’s second king.
 “Why don’tcha git it over with, Angel?” taunted the old man. “Losin’
yore nerve?”
But Angel did not reply. His eyes were staring at the cards as they
fell. The deck was getting thin now. Not over a dozen cards left. It
was difficult for him to swallow. The oil was low in the lamp, and it
had begun to smoke a little.
Six cards left. Ace of diamonds, seven of hearts. Only four left. His
hands felt heavy as lead. He wanted to say something, but his mouth
was too dry. With a super-effort he managed to deal the next two
cards—two deuces.
There were only two cards left in his hand; two old dog-eared
cards that held his fate. He stared down at them as though
fascinated. He looked across the table at the face of his father, who
was laughing at him. Slowly his right hand went to his lips—a hand
that trembled a tattoo against his mouth—and with a strangled word
he dropped the two cards on the floor, turned on his heel, and
stumbled to the door. He flung the door open, and a moment later
came the staccato drumming of his horse’s hoofs, as he rode swiftly
away from the ranch.
The old man still stood beside the table, a half-smile on his lips, as
he looked down at the cards. Then he stepped around the table and
picked up those last two cards—a six of hearts and the joker. Then
he swept up all the cards and opened the table drawer. Looking up
at him from the bottom of the drawer was the ace of spades. It had
been left there when the deck had been taken out.
“Busted his nerve,” whispered the old man. “Lucky thing that old
joker was bent enough to lift up the deck and give me a chance to
cut it on the bottom. Still, I didn’t think he had nerve enough to deal
fifty of ’em—I wouldn’t have had, that’s a cinch.”
 CHAPTER II—THE EAGLE SALOON
Angel McCoy rode back to Red Arrow, his mind filled with mixed
emotions. Although it hurt him deeply, he was obliged to admit to
himself that his father had out-gamed him. He tried to explain to his
conscience that the whole thing had been a colossal piece of
melodrama, and that he feared to get the ace of spades. He was a
good shot. There was little doubt in his mind that his first shot would
settle the whole argument, and he would be branded as a murderer.
There had never been any love lost between himself and his
father. Their natures had always clashed. But Angel, even with his
cold-blooded nature, did not want to be branded a parricide. The
whole thing seemed so ridiculous now. Lila had been away to school
for five years, and had returned a beautiful young lady, fit to turn the
head of any man in the country. She was not his sister, and he could
conceive of no reason why he should not marry her—if she was
willing. She knew now that Rance McCoy was not her father, and,
being of age, could do as she pleased.
Angel rode up to his own stable, at the rear of the Eagle saloon
and gambling-house, put up his horse and entered the saloon by a
rear door. The Eagle was rather a large place for a Western town,
being an oblong room about sixty feet long by thirty feet wide. On the
right-hand side was a long bar, while part of the center, with all the
left-hand side, was taken up by tables and gambling paraphernalia.
At the rear of the saloon were two private rooms, one of which was
used as sleeping-quarters by Angel. During the week there was little
play at the Eagle, but on Saturday and Sunday, when the Red Arrow
cowboys came to town, there was plenty business.
The first man Angel McCoy met as he came into the place was
Billy DuMond, a man as old as Rance McCoy, slouchy, unshaven,
partly drunk. He was employed as a cowboy with the Half-Box R
outfit, owned by “Butch” Reimer. Angel had known DuMond for
years.
“Hyah, Angel,” greeted DuMond owlishly.
 “Hello, Billy. I was kinda hopin’ I’d see yuh.”
Angel drew DuMond aside and lowered his voice.
“I just had a run-in with the old man, Billy. He knows you told me
about Lila; so yuh better steer clear of him.”
DuMond wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and swallowed
dryly.
“Lemme git yuh straight, Angel. Yuh told him I said it?”
“Yeah; that he killed Lila’s father and then adopted her. You told
me about it ten years ago, yuh remember.”
“Uh-huh. Well”—DuMond cuffed his shapeless hat over one ear
and stared at Angel—“Well, what did yuh drag me into it fer? I don’t
want no trouble.”
“A man don’t get into trouble by tellin’ the truth.”
“Th’ hell they don’t! I knowed a horse-thief that told the truth—and
they hung him. And you told old Rance McCoy that I said—I—Angel,
I’m shore sorry yuh told it.”
“You scared of him, Billy?”
“Well, by God!” snorted DuMond, cuffing his hat to the opposite
side of his head. “Any old time I git m’ spark of life blowed out, who’s
goin’ to light her ag’in? Don’t you re’lize that yore old man is
danger’s?, He’ll shoot.”
Angel laughed shortly.
“I reckon you’re right, Billy; I’m sorry.”
“Sorrow won’t help me none.”
“Did yuh know Lila’s father?”
“No! I don’t know nothin’! I don’t even ’member tellin’ yuh anythin’.
Ten years ago! Must ’a’ been drunk. Who’s this here Lila you’re
talkin’ about, Angel?”
“Oh, go to hell!” snorted Angel, and went on toward the bar, where
he met Butch Reimer and Dell Blackwell, one of Reimer’s cowboys.
Butch Reimer was of medium height, with wide shoulders and a face
that might well have belonged to a prize-fighter of the old bare-
knuckle school. Several years previous to this time Butch had been
kicked square in the face by a sharp-shod horse. There were no
plastic surgeons at that time, so Butch’s face had merely healed up,
leaving a crooked nose, twisted mouth, and a misplaced eyebrow,
not to mention numerous indentations never intended by Nature in
her most uncritical moods.
Dell Blackwell was a lithe, olive-complexioned, black-haired
cowboy; inveterate gambler, bronco rider, and reputed a bad man to
start trouble with.
“I just got nicked for a hundred in yore ecarte game,” growled
Butch. “Drew a four and a five; but the dealer turned a natural.”
“Butch had a system,” smiled Blackwell. “Always won his first bet,
yuh know; so he slapped down a hundred as a first bet. What’s new,
Angel?”
“Not a damned thing, Dell.”
“Have a drink,” growled Butch. “I hear Lila’s home.”
“Yeah,” said Angel shortly.
“Growed up much?”
“Sure.”
“You’re sure talkative. Where yuh been—out to see the old man?”
Angel nodded moodily.
“I thought so,” grinned Butch, as he filled his glass. He knew that
Angel and his father usually quarreled.
“What made yuh think that?” demanded Angel.
“Jist from yore actions. Oh, I don’t blame yuh. He jist the same as
told me to keep off his place last week. And I’m goin’ to stay off, too.
Ask Dell why.”
“Cinch,” laughed Dell. “I dropped in there a couple weeks ago and
found the old man practicin’. I tell yuh, he was shootin’ pepper cans
off the corral fence at sixty feet. Stuck up six in a row, about two feet
apart, and hit every danged one of ’em. You jist try hittin’ three-inch
squares every time at sixty feet with a forty-five.”
“I can jist hit my hat at that distance,” grinned Butch, “and I wear
the widest thing Stetson makes.”
“And you jist shoot good enough to win my money,” laughed
Blackwell.
“Somebody will kill him one of these days,” said Angel.
“Yeah—send him a bomb by express. Let’s have another.”
 CHAPTER III—LILA’S DEPARTURE
Morning at the Circle Spade still found Rance McCoy humped in his
chair beside the table in the old living-room. The lamp had burned
dry long since, and the chimney was soot-streaked. “Chuckwalla Ike”
Hazen, the old cook, was in the kitchen, wrestling with the cooking
utensils. Chuckwalla Ike was as old as Rance McCoy, a weather-
beaten old desert cook, crooked in the legs from riding bad horses in
his youth, with his left elbow slightly out of line from stopping a bullet.
Chuckwalla wore a long, sad-looking mustache, and his head was
as bald as a baseball. His nose was generous, and one cheek was
habitually pouched from tobacco. He was clad in a sleeveless
undershirt, overalls, and moccasins, as he peered into the living-
room at Rance McCoy.
“Up kinda early ain’t yuh, Rance?” he drawled.
“I was—uh—I reckon I better put me on a shirt. Plumb forgot we’ve
got a lady among us. Say, whatsa matter with yuh? Look like hell this
mornin’.”
“I’m all right,” said Rance huskily.
“Which yuh ain’t a-tall. Yuh can’t fool Chuckwalla. What time does
the Queen of Sheber come among us f’r nourishment?”
“I dunno,” wearily.
“Well, I s’pose not.”
Chuckwalla scratched his shoulder against a corner of the
doorway.
“She shore growed up purty, didn’t she, Rance? Five year ago she
was a tow-headed kid with long legs and freckles, and she used to
yell at me, ‘Chuckwalla Ike, go set on a spike,’ and now she pokes
out her hand and says, ‘Mr. Hazen, how do yuh do.’ There’s only one
thing that improves with age, and that’s liquor.”
“They grow up,” said Rance slowly.
“Don’t they? Well, I s’pose I’d better scare up a flock of biscuits.
She allus liked ’em. Mebby I better put on a shirt. She might not like
a cook in dishabelle, as they say. And my lingeree is kinda mournful,
too. And yuh might tell Monty Adams and Steve Winchell to cut out
their profane greetin’s to me this mornin’. As far as the human voice
is concerned, this ranch-house leaks like a sieve.”
Rance McCoy turned his head and looked curiously at old
Chuckwalla.
“You heard what was said last night?”
“That don’t bother me,” said Chuckwalla quickly. “But I shore was
curious to know who got that black ace, and quit on the job.”
“I got it,” said Rance softly, glancing toward the stairs.
“Uh-huh.” Chuckwalla opened his mouth widely, blinked his eyes
and backed toward the stove, where he turned and began shaking
up the fire. Rance walked out to the front porch, and the old cook
looked after him, a quizzical expression in his eyes.
“Rance,” he said to himself, “you’re addin’ lies to the rest of yore
sins.”
Rance McCoy sat down on the steps of the old ranch-house which
had been his home for eighteen years. There were a few stunted
rosebushes in the yard. Near the corner of the house grew a gnarled
cottonwood tree. The barbed-wire fence sagged badly in spots, and
the weeds grew unmolested. To his left was the long, low stable, and
beyond it was the series of pole-corrals. On the hill beyond the
stable a bunch of cattle were stringing away from the ranch
waterhole in the willows. Several miles away to the south he could
see a streamer of black smoke from a train, heading toward Red
Arrow, northwest of the ranch.
The Circle Spade had never been a big cattle outfit. Only two
cowboys were employed by Rance McCoy. He had never been well
liked in the Red Arrow country. Gun-men are usually respected, but
rarely liked. They let old Rance alone when he came to town and got
drunk, which he did at rare intervals; but never blind drunk.
He could hear Monty Adams and Steve Winchell, the two
cowboys, noisily washing their faces at the old wash-bench near the
kitchen door, and joking with Chuckwalla Ike. Came a step on the
porch, and he turned to see Lila. She was a tall, slender girl, her
shapely head piled high with a wealth of golden-blonde hair, and
wearing a pale blue dress.
 Her eyes were slightly red, as though she had been crying. She
leaned against the left side of the doorway and looked at the man
she had always believed to be her father.
“How didja sleep, Lila?” he asked.
She shook her head slowly.
“Not very well.”
“Uh-huh.”
His shoulders hunched beneath his coarse blue shirt, and he
turned his gaze away from her.
“Well, go ahead,” he said slowly. “No use sparrin’ around. Angel
told yuh a lot of things last night, didn’t he?”
“Yes.”
“Well, what do yuh think about it?”
“Oh, I don’t know what to think. He said you killed my father.”
Old Rance lifted his head and stared across the hills, his left hand
caressing his stubbled chin.
“Yeah, he told me the same thing, Lila.”
“I heard what was said.”
“Didja? What did yuh hear?”
“You—you forced him to deal those cards.”
Rance laughed harshly.
“Busted his nerve, didn’t I?”
“Did you? Do you suppose he would have shot you, if he had
drawn the card?”
“I hope so; I hate a quitter.”
“But you are his father!”
“It never meant much to Angel.”
“Would you have shot him?”
“If I had drawn that ace of spades—sure.”
She did not know that the ace of spades had been left in the
drawer.
“Where is my father buried?” asked Lila softly.
Rance McCoy shook his head.
“I can’t tell yuh, Lila.”
“Does Billy DuMond know?”
“He don’t know anythin’ about it, except what he heard.”
Chuckwalla Ike came to the doorway and called:
 “You folks ready to eat?”
“Better go in and eat, Lila,” said Rance.
But Lila shook her head, and after a sharp glance at Rance
McCoy, Chuckwalla went back to the kitchen, complaining to himself.
“Where is my mother?” asked Lila.
“Yore mother?” Rance frowned heavily. “Oh, yeah—yore mother.
Well, I dunno, Lila.”
“Didn’t my father tell you?”
“No-o-o, he didn’t say.”
“But you killed him.”
Rance McCoy hunched his shoulders helplessly.
“Let’s me and you not talk about it, Lila. It’s all gone and forgotten
now. You’ve been my little girl ever since yuh wasn’t knee-high to a
nail; you’re still my little girl.”
The old man’s voice was not very steady and he did not look at
her.
“It’s not forgotten,” said Lila bitterly. “Why didn’t you tell me a long
time ago? I haven’t any right to—I’m not your daughter. You haven’t
any adoption papers, have you?”
Rance shook his head sadly.
“Wasn’t anything like that, Lila. I didn’t never want yuh to know. I
wish I’d killed Billy DuMond before he ever told Angel. The drunken
bum ain’t hardly fit to hang on the hot end of a bullet. Angel wants to
marry yuh, Lila. Mebby yuh heard him say it last night. But don’t do
it.”
“That has nothing to do with the case,” said Lila evenly. “You know
I can’t stay here any longer.”
Old Rance turned and looked keenly at her.
“Yuh—uh—yuh can’t stay here?” he faltered.
“Don’t you see how it is?” helplessly. “I don’t belong here. I—I’ll try
and pay you back for what I’ve cost you. I don’t know how it can be
done, but I’ll try. You’ve been good to me.”
Lila turned abruptly on her heel and went back into the house. The
old man sank a little lower on the step, when he heard her tell
Chuckwalla she did not want any breakfast. She was talking to the
two cowboys, but Rance could not hear what was said.