Thomas County cat., 1889-02-21

cried another Of the ad-hatted
ones.
YES" growled Scotty. 'it'n be .
procession that'n start quick and 60 =
tearin'. Hain't got no time to progie
now!''
"You bet! Specially when thar's
q elephant as big's q house movin'
down the road away from u.s." said
another.
"'Twon't take but little BIZ" said
old Slade. I'VE kin"
" But s'posen he shows fght3
Reckon he'll cut up rusty. or"
"Let him cut all he durn pleases!'
broke in Scotty. savagely. LET him
cut! We're able fer him, all the same.
Grangers is grangers!"
Grangers were grangers. and there
fore entitled to little but indignities at
the hands of the cowboys and ''cattle
kings" Though, legally, grangers.
as the cattle-men scornfullY denomi-
nate the squatters and homesteaders,
have right on the range. they are
regarded as interlopers, and the little
patches of prairie that they are brave
ly and toilsomely trying to convert
into fertile farms are regarded as so
much stolen from the rightful feeding
grounds of the cattle.
He kin cut up all he wants to"
said old Slade. "We're able fer him."
Which statement was substantiated
by the huge revolver holstered at the
hip of each one of the riders.
Every now and then, as the cayuses
bounded along, Scotty turned to gaze
regretfully toward the place where the
circus had disappeared in the timber.
Blast the grangerr' he growled
once. "That thar elephant was
mighty nigh as big as shack, an"
Plenty time enough to see him,
interrupted old Slade. ''We're sorto
killing two birds with one stone this-a-
way-runnin' out the granger an see
in the circus, both the same trip"
They'll begin to put up the tents as
soon as they git to town." said Scotty,
half regretfully. II never seed"
"Wal," broke in Slade, ''as said. it
won't take us but a little bit yere.
Well chuck the granger's outfit into
his wagin an tell him to git. He'll
git, or"
He completed the sentence. by letting
his hand fall to the butt of the huge re-
volver at his hip.
That's what's the matter" growled
Scotty, full of wrath at the innocent
granger. who ought to have known
that the cattle interests were the only
ones regarded on the range, and have
governed himself accordingly.
The turtle-dove flew from the piece
of fence as the squad came close, but
the half-sleeping, half-delirious child
did not notice the cessation of her
soothing, mournful coo. The orange
in the eastern sky was climbing higher,
and the myriad forms of prairie-life
were wakening all about to greet the
day.
Impatient at any delay, Scotty sug-
gested a very simple and effective mode
of action, but this was rejected by old
Slade.
"Yes, n run yer head into some
burned trap!' the latter said, scorn-
fully. KANT tell what these grangers
IL do. Some Nv 'em air pizen!'
Then old Slade crept forward to re-
connoiter. The cayuses were with
drawn to one side, almost out of range
of the little window of the shack where
the night wind had drifted in, tanning
the sick child's feverish face. Soon a
shaggy head was lifted cautiously
above the window-sill, but when the
sick child's eyes opened they rested on
the bill that fluttered gently upon the
wall. Then, as the candle-fame, as if
wearied with its spluttering struggle,
expired, the child tossed uneasily, pant
ing in feeble gasps, and the man in the
| splint bottomed chair awoke with an
anxious start He did not see the old
cowboys shaggy pate. for it had been
quickly jerked below the sill
1.-The ole elephant likes little boys.
don't he, pappy?" the child's voice
piped.
To the anxious father the weak
voice seemed weaker still, and it was
with a face gravely apprehensive, and
tones a-tremble, that he told of the
old elephant, in obedience to the pip
ing.
Tell me more bout the ole ele-
phant, pappy."
Presently the sound of the granger's s
voice had ceased. and after several
moments of silence old Slade cautious
ly raised his head.
Upon the opposite side Of the poor
bed the granger was kneeling, with
his bearded face buried in the quilt
beside the sick child. and his frame
shaking with soundless sobs. almost in
unison with the chill DIS gasping.