Woodville Republican. (Woodville, Miss.) 185?-current, 1889-12-14

'bney re geJJln ready TO go. It's time
was movin'. You mark my words, Mr.,
Barlow, the professors claim is safe
Nance Williams says so"
She rushed out of the store and away
into the night. A few minutes after
horse came past at lightning speed with
Mad-Cap Nance crouching low in the
saddle and speeding away on her hare
Drained mission.
Shouts and yells came from Spangler's,
and not long after Nance had gone a
drunken rabble rode by the store in the
direction she had taken. / felt certain
something of a serious nature was
threatened so, as soon as could leave
the store, saddled my horse and fol-
lowed.
The moon had come out of the purple
sky overhead. In her light the land
scape was brought out with startling
distinctness, for Dakota moons are noted
for their intense brilliancy. Tom Jen.
kins gang had half-hour the start Of
me and put my horse to the run in or
der that might be on hand with as
little delay as possible. As my horse
clattered over the bridge that spanned
the Pipe-stem, l heard succession Of
faint rife shots from the direction of the
professors claim.
"My God" l cried, "the girl will be
killedw and l dashed my horse to greater
speed.
1t had never occurred to me that l
would be helpless in an encounter with
the drunken rabble. had thought of
nothing but getting upon the ground in
the quickest possible time, for it was
more than probable that Nance VA
liams would be alone at the mercy of the
crowd. AS drew nearer and nearer my
destination l heard cries from time to
time, and my nerves were all a-tremble
with excitement and apprehension.
When | came close to the professors
claim shanty, however, l realized that
Nance Williams was in no immediate
danger for the men, some ten or twelve
in number, stood counseling together
From their loud talk CLEANED that they
had met with disappointment-they
had thought that the professor was in
Jimtown, while they had found him in
the shack, on hand to protect his prop
erty.
whats the matter, boys?" in
quired springing from my horse.
"It's Barlow" said Tom Jenkins to
his associates in low and not very de-
lighted voice. Then, advancing toward
me he asked: "What do you want, Ike
Barlow"
ITO see fair play" said I, promptly
''what are you fellows here for?"
"Tain't nothin' to you. You go back
to town an leave us alone"
While was haranguing Tom Jenkins,
Rice Fielding, his partner, tried to steal
up to the door of the house. He had
gone barely half way, however, when a
rifle was thrust through a partly-open
window and fired in his direction. The
bullet whistled uncomfortably near him,
and Rice retreated with more haste than
gracefulness.
''No use, Rice" said Tom Jenkins;
"the Teller means business. There
only one way to get at him, an that's to
burn him out"
Look here" I cried, excitedly; "have
you men any idea of the crime you are
perpetrating? This outrage -"
There were several derisive yells from
the crowd and could see they were too
much bent upon mischief TO be inhu-
enced by me.
''Say, Barlow, you know as we'll as !
do that Charley Atwood hadn't no right
to jump that claim in the first place.
That there place belongs to me an Tom,
an the rest of the fellers are goin' to
help me get it back, so you just keep
mum an get out O. the way!"
All, that was the idea! 1t was a fact
the quarter had originally been filed on
by Rice Fielding, but he never went
near it and made no pretension of living
up to the law, consequently it became
1umpable and Charley Atwood had taken
advantage of this fact. All the while
Atwood held the place, Fielding had
made no move to get it back, but now
that the professor had bought it fan
cied wrong ranked in Fieldings breast.
In this view of the case l thought best
not to tell the mon they were battling
against a woman. The chances were
they would consider her more easily i'm
posed upon than the professor and,
pushing to greater extremeties, the af-
fair might be made infinitely worse. ]
decided to draw one side and watch the
affair passively, and then, when ii
reached climax, would do my utmost
to protect Nance Williams.
Going to the rear of the. house where
there we're no windows or doors through
which rifle could be fired, preparations
were made to burn the building. bill.
let Of wood was saturated with the oil
of lantern one of the men had brought
and, lighting this torch and taking an
a"nful of straw, Rice Fielding ap
preached to burn the professors shack
Before he could put his plan into opera
ton, however, a figure appeared on the
roof OF the house. Standing aloft sterI
and undaunted, upon the fiat roof, Nance
Williams covered Rice Fielding with
k5r rife.
"Not another step" she cried, warn
,>gly, mot another inch or you're 8
dead manp'
Good God" yelled Fielding, 'it''
Nance"
There she stood, erect as a statue-I
target for dozen guns!
Nance Williams" cried, "for Gods
sake come down"
''If they take the professor'scl aim they
walk over my dead body ter get it. What
are you goin' to do Rice Fislding?"
Don't shoot, boys. Nance-put W
your gun-I'll quit. In heavens name
don't stand there"
an stand here till every last one o
you gifts acrost the Pipestem. Now, you
fellows move or I'll shoot anyhow"
Well thew moved" and | never saw