Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-12-14
Familiarity on her shoulder, said gravely,

"What might the stranger be wantin +,
Cress?'
''Perhaps I'd better answer that my
self, - said Stacey briskly. 81 I'm act
ing for Benham & Co. of San Francisco,
who have bought the Spanish title to part
of this property -
"Stop there!r said McKinstry, in a
voice dull but distinct. He took his hat
from his pocket, put it on, walked TO the
corner and took up his gun, looked at
Stacey for the first time with narcotic
eyes that seemed to drowsily absorb his
slight figure, then put the gun back half
contemptuously and with a wave of his
hand towards the door, said: Gwen
settle this yer outside. Cress, you stop
i'll here. There $ man s talk goin on -
"But, Paw said CresSy laying her
hand languidly on her fathers sleeve
without the least change of color or
amused expression. "This gentleman
has come over here on compromise. -
"On "a which 20 said McKinstry ;,
glancing scornfully out of the door for
some rare species of mustang vaguely
suggested to him in that unfamiliar word.
ITO see if we couldn t come to some
fair settlement said Stacey GIVE
no objection TO going outside with you,
but | think we can discuss this matter
here just as well.' His fine feathers
had not made him coward, although
his heart had beaten little faster at this
sudden recollection OF the dangerous rep
utation of his host.
$50 on - said McKinstry.
"The plain facts of the case are
these, - continued Stacey, with more
confidence eve have sold n strip of
this property covering the land i'll dispute
between you and Harrison. We are
bound to put our purchaser i'll peaceable
possession. Now to save time we are
willing to buy that possession of any man
who can give it. We are told that you
can
"Well, considerin' that for the last
four years I've been nghtin night and
day agin them low down Harrisons for it,
! reckon you We been lied to, - said Me
kinstry deliberately. ''Why - except
the clearing on the north side, whar put
up barn, thar ain t an acre of it as
hasn't been shifted first this side and
then that as fast ez I druv boundary
stakes and fences, and the HarrisOns
pulled 'em up agin. Thar amt more
than fifty acres eZ we he'd a clear hold
on, and | wouldn't hev had that eff it
hadn t bin for the barn, the raSin' alone
% which cost me man, two horses and
this yer little finger.
''Put lis in possession of even that
fifty acres, and we III undertake TO hold
the rest and eject those Harrlsons from
it, returned Stacey complacently.
80 You understand that the moment we've
made peaccable entrance to even a foot
hold on your side, the HarrisOns are only
treSpasserS, and with the title to back lis
we can call on the whole sheriff 5 posse
to put them off That 5 the law.
THAT ar the law?' repeated McKins-
try meditatively
Eyes, - said Stacey. $50, - he con-
tinued, with a self satisfied smile to
Cressy, "far from being hard on you,
Mr.. McKinstry, we re rather inclined to
put you on velvet. We offer you a fair
price for the only thing you can give us
actual possession; and we help yOu with
your old grudge against the Harrisons.
We not only clear them out. but we pay
you for even the part they held adversely
to you
Mr.. Mckinstry passed his three whole
fingers over his forehead and eyes as if
troubled by drowsy aching. "Then
you don't reckon to hev anythin' to say
to them HarrisonS?''
awe don t propose to recognize them
in the matter at all, - returned Stacey.
'Nor allow 'em anythin'?'
"Not a cent! So you see, Mr.. McKins-
try he continued magnanimously yet
with a miscellaneous smile to Cressy,
"there is nothing in this amicable dis
cusSion that requires TO be settled out
side. -
CANT there?" said McKinstry, in a
dull, deliberate voice, raising his eyes for
the second time to Stacey. They were
bloodshot, with heavy, hanging furtive-
ness, not unlike one of his own hunted
steers. "But ain t kan enuff in yer. -
He moved to the door with reckoning
of his fateful hand. ''Outside mint
EFF you please. -.
Stacey started, shrugged his shoulders,
and half dehantly stepped beyond the
threshold. Greasy unchanged in colour
or expression, lazily followed to the door.
"Wot, J." said McKinstry, slowly facing
Stacey; ''Wot eff L refoose? Wot eff say
don t allow any man, or any bank, or
any compromise, to take up my quo r lis?
Wot eff say that low down and mean us
them Harr2sons is, they don t begin to be
ez mean ez low down, ez underhanded,
eZ sneakin eZ that yer compromise! WOt
eff | say that eff that's the kind % hog
wash that law and sniveliZation offers me
for peace and quietness, III take the
fightin and the law breakin and the
sheriff, and all hill for his posse instead?
Wot eff | say that?''
cit will only be my duty to repeat it, -
said Stacey, with an affected carelessness
which, however, did not conceal his sur
prise and his discontinue. "It's no
affair of mine
"Unless - said Greasy, assuming her
old position against the Intel of the door,
and smoothing the worn bear skin that
served as a mat with the toe of her slip
per, "unlesS you We mixed it up with
your other arbitration, you know
''Wot other arbitration?' asked Nc
Kinstry suddenly, with murky eyes.
Stacey east a rapid half indignant
glance at the young girl, who received it
with her hands tucked behind her back,
her lovely head bent submissively
forward, and prolonged little laugh.
ooh, nothing, Paw - she said, "only
a little private tool!Shness betwiXt me
and the gentleman You'd admire to
hear him talk, Paw-about other things
than business. He's just that clipper
and gay"
Nevertheless as with muttered "Good
morning. the young fellow turned away,
she quietly brushed past her father, and
followed him-with her hands still peni-
tently behind her, and the rosy palms
turned upward-as far as the gate. Her
single long Marguerite braid of hair trail