The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1889-03-15

w nat tnbb ONtT Jnti, Dill dsheu
Joe Scaggs, pointing toward an object
that had made its appearance on the
prairie, mile to the south. Bill Bar
mum looked in the direction indicated.
"a house, or I'm Twin liarl' ex-
claimed Bill, with emphasis. An on
Dick BARRIERS claim, tool he continu-
ed, with gesture of excitement.
"Do ye suppose he's goin' ter jump
Dicks claim?' asked Joe.
II dunno" answered Bill. 81 guess
he's not stoppin' out thar fer be
health If he is, Pm tbinkin' he'll
soon go way on The same arrant,
won't he, Joe''
"You bet!' sanctioned Joe. "But
ther way ter find out is ter go over an
see; an while ye air cookin' supper, III
ride over an interview the stran- er."
With this, he walked from the door
of the half board, half-dugout shanty,
where the two had been standing, and
approached a small barb. wire corral
ne by, where he mounted power.
full cayuse, and galloped away across
the stretch of wind-swept prairie that
separated him from the distant shanty
on the prairie to the south.
A few moments ride brought him
to the front of little dug out shanty
that nestled in the side of little hill
at the edge of small ravine. Just
around the slight elevation in the
prairie stood covered wagon, OF
'prairie-schooner,' as they are fami'
liarly termed in the West.
A pair of sorrel mules, tied to the
rear end OF the wagon, were busily en-
gagged IN eating their evening meal ot
corn and dry grass out of the wagon
! Uox. A man came out of the shanty
with frying pan in his hand, and
held it over fire II front of The
dwelling.
"Hello, thar exclaimed Joe, angri
ly. "What in the blazes air ye doin
hyar?'
The stranger turned and looked al
the visitor moment, aud then said
quietly: "Fryin' meat"
"Joe's anger rose. "Oh, ye air, all
ye!' Wal, as ye seem ter be so smart,
mebby ye ken tell me whose claim ye
air sQuattin' on?"
81 reckon | ken; hits mire."
"Hit is7'
That's the way hit looks ter me. y
"Look hyar, stranger" said Joe
Scaggs, clinching his fist, "me an my
pardner over thar," jerking his thumb
over his shoulder in the direction OF
his own shanty, "air holdin this yere
claim fer Dick Barber, who's comm
hyar in the spring from Iniiany, an
we'll jist give ye tel, ter morrer ter git
out o this!"
"'Tain't long enough time" said the
stranger, deliberately turning over a
liberal slice of "muddling' that smok-
ed in the frying pan.
"How long do ye want?' questioned
Joe, his wrath somewhat Modified by
the strangers evident intention of leav-
ing.
"How long does a man have ter live
on a claim before he ken get deed
for h'it?' was the reply of the strang-
er.
give years." replied Joe.
"Wal, them" continued the strang.
er, make hit FIVE years, an hits a
bargin.'
"You impudent skunk" roared Joe,
now thoroughly aroused by the
strangers cool manner, "fer cent I'd
wallup the ground with yer onery car
cass."
"Yas, ye might undertake hit fer a
cent, but ye'd never lay up any money
at HIT was the answer, as he set the
frying-pan down and confronted Joe
Scaggs.
Joe now moyed his hand towards
his pistol, but hesitated.
Look hyar," said the stranger.
"You order me ter leave this claim. Is
hit yourn?"
mo, not exactly mine; but we're
holdin' hit fer friend, me an my pard-
ner air. We've got he twolyin north o
this, az we're holdin' this fer Dick
Barber, an we're goin' ter hold hit.
"All right he answered. 81 guess
nit won't netd much holdin'. Hill
he hyar when yere friend comes so
will I. If hit is yer claim, I'll GIT off;
but ye can't hold hit fer somebody
Else. know the law"
"Yes, ye may know the law, but yp
don't know our law. We've made a
special law fer sich fellers as ye, an
we're goin' ter go by that, an don't ye
fergit HIT
"Wal, when ye force me ter 60, III
go-not before"
Angry words ose to Joe's lips, but
he hestated The cool, Indifferent
manner of the claim jumper puzzled
him.
He was about TO speak, when the
tramp of a horses feet sounded in the
g,aSs behind him, and Bill Barnum
rode mp, a Winchester rifle swung
across his saddle.
Thought mebbe ye'd have trouble,
he explained, "an' that Id come ovel
an see We out
Bill" said Joe, gaining courage al
the arrival of rsinforcements, "he says
ne h'ain't s.goin' ter leave
"Won't hei' Bill answered, bring
ing his Winchester down on tn,
stranger, NOV, ye load up yer traps
an git"
"All right" he answered, doggedly
"You've got ther advantage o me
III go, but III glt even with ye some
time, see If ! don't and he begar
tumbling his effects together.
Bill and Joe watched him while h,
piled his traps into the wagon,
stranger" said Bill, "we dom
want ter be hard on yer, an we dom
mind payin' ye fer yer little shanty
seein as ye can't take hit along
mo, hit amt worth nolhin'," wa
the answer. Il don't mind givin'
good neighbor little thing like that.
"Wal, Bill" said Joe, "hits glttiu
late, an we'd better be- gittin' ter III,
shaDty and lookin after our supper.
"Supper!' exclaimed Bill. "Tha
h'ain't nothin' fer supper, ror break
fast either unless that onpry cnaa oit