St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-05-20

the law she had spoken of. A surprise
and q difficulty awaited her, and every
one OF the points was apparently out of
her reach.
Since "Jumper Bill'' had begun nege-
tiatl0ns with such a show of f0rmalfty
none of them had felt any serious appre-
tensions that he would take any further
steps until he should have received
their equally. formal reply. But the
neighb0r at whose house Kate had spent
the night ny no means shared this con-
fidence.
"You Jest take this home with YER"
he had said, handing loaded revolver.
Cant use 1t? Well. the sooner We larn
to use it with Jumper Bill round the
better. I'll be over thar an hour from
now to keep guard with we. You git
the drop on him !"
With the admOnition in her mind and
with the revolver in her hand, Kate had
haStened away to confront the surprise
and difficulty which awaited her. AS
she approached the house, holding the
revolver very carefully for fear it should
go off, she was surprised to see the
front door standing open.
She stood still to think over this fact.
She knew perfectly well that she had
shut and fastened that door. She knew
also that it could only have been opened
by breaking the lock, for the only key
to it was In her pocket at that moment.
Only one person In the world that she
could think of was likely to take violent
possession of the place, and that person
was Jumper Bill.
- Here was state of things! Was MIR.
Buckley still in the house, she won
dered. That she must find ont, and
must find out without his knowledge.
: w IthOut going nearer to the front of the
house she left the road, went swiftly
and silently across the little garden and
crept softly up to the back of the build
ing.
Peeping cautiously in at the window
here she saw something that made her
grip on the handle of the revolver grow
up in front of the open door, and sitting
behind the table was man.
He sat facing the door, and seemed
watchfully intent on every shadow that
might appear there. A gun stood with
in reach of his hand. On the table
were paper, pens and ink-hers, all of
them-and the man had evidently been
writing while he watched.
Hands up!"
The stranger evidently knew the
meaning of that command, for, as
though string had been jerked, his
hands went up above his head.
s'f you make on motion, except as /
command, I'll shoot yOu.''
And the girl meant exactly what she
sailor thought she did.
s. Nov look this way and tell me what
you are doing in my mothers house,"
The man was coward, as all DULLES
are, and had wholesome fear of the
nicfn1 ho cavy oimod of hin, h,,f ho
seemed even more disturbed when he
saw that it was young girl who aimed
it,. 1t was notifying to be trapped in
this manner by girl!
II jest come in to take possession o.
my property. Possessions nine points
o. the law, ye know, an thought it ID
be pleaSanter fur the ladies If l took
holt when they warn't 7rOundw the
fellow replied, with an uncomfortable
grin.
..Your property? Then you are Will
liam Buckley, l suppose?"
Eyes"
''Well. William Buckley. you have no
claim here, and you know it; and I'm
going to make you say so, and sign your
name to it. Now you take that pen and
write exactly what dictate, and if one
finger moves toward that gun you're
dead maD!''
The man reluctantly took up the pen
and wrote, from Katess dictation, a full
acknowledgment of Mrs. Norris right
full ownership of the property and dis
av0wal of his own claim, ending with
solemn pledge never to interfere fur
Their with the owners right Of posses
sion, and signing his name to the paper.
Hi! What's gOin' on here?"
The neighbOr who had advised Kate
so effectively about ''getting the DROP
stood at the open door, surveying the
remarkable group with establishments.
He had not given the girl his only pis-
tOl, for he held one in his hand ready
for business.
Z sOh! I'm so glad you came, Mr.. Bill
ings," said Kate from her window.
..Mr.. Buckley has just been writing
something for me, and want to read it.
Will you please see to him until 1 get
around there?"
She hurried to the door and to the
side of the discounted interloper. The
paper was read carefully, and save for
some eccentrlcities of spelling was
found to be all right.
Nov, Mr.. Buckley" said Mr.. Buck
ley,S hostess. "as soon as you have ac-
kn0wledged your signature, and Mr..
Billings has witnessed it, you can go.
And am sure can trust you to keep
this pledge, Mr.. Buckley, for your face
is much more honest than your record"
MIR. Buckeyes reply was unexpected.
If SO be as you'll let me shake hands
with the only gal ever see as had sand
in her." he said. holding out a trembling
hand. (which was unhesitatingly grasped.
(which jest want to say.' he con-
tinued, ''that hain't never goin' to in
terfere with the only gal as ever got the
drop on me; an what's more, hain't
goin' to low nobody else to interfere
with her!"
And whatever his previous record may
have been, Jumper Bill" kept his word
that time.