Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-12-06
The Professors" Claim.
DY WILLIAM WALLACE COOK.

the ordinary sense Of the word. She wa,
sunburncl and freckled, and her nos,
had too much the suggestion of a snnl,
to he All ornament. Bat she had fine
cyes-not large, but small expressive and
fringcd with heavy black lashcs. She
was a strong limbcd, well developed and
hearty girl of Twenty-Five, or thcrca-
bouts, at the time of this story, and WAS
known To the Skytown community rs :,
fearless woman, and no less peculiar than
brave.
Peculiar, indeed? She haJ no relatives
that any one knew of, and was all alone
way out in that Western country, and
for woman to he alone in Dakota i'm
'S2-3, and especially ''holding down a
claim" ten miles from any one, presented
spectacle Of self sacrifice and daring
rarely exhibited by the .enter sex.
But Nance was equal To the emergency.
If she had heart to dare, she had an
arm Insufficient for her protection. She
could handle Il gun with the skill and
ease of 81 professional ranger, and had
more than once demonstrated her superb
craftsmanship. | have seen her break
the widest of bronchos to the saddle,
and by a score of similar acts proclaim
herself the mistress Of tine situation.
Yet, with all her masculine qualities,
She was feminine to the greatest degree
III some Of the swcctcr virtues of her sex.
She WAS ready witted, bright and tender
hearted. AMI whenever She came Ia the
store To trade it was Il treat for me To
draw her ont in conversation. She was
usually very reserved, but from tlne 10
time CLEANED Il few facts conccrnin. her
carly HE. She waS borne in California.
There WAS Il hinge OF Indian blood in her
mothers veins and her father was Il miner
1t "forty-nincr." Ter whole life had
been thrown in the most rugged sur
roundings, aud ] could not but wonder
hows he had grown up into her scuthcless
womanhood. She was diamond in the
rough coald see that and gloried in
it, but how she supported herself and
why She buried herself away out in tina;
lonely region aiar from womankind and
civilization were mysterious to us all.
Along in the summer of SO :. young
fellow from the East came to Sl,ytown and
settled down among us. He WAS pale,
sickly looking individual, slightly built,
had blue eyes, curly yellow hair and wore
goggles. He WAS very refined in his Ian
guagc and dress aud carried himself
with such scholarly air that lie was i'm
mediatcly clrisicncd ''Profcssor.' His
father, he told me- had sent him West for
his health. lie had come TO Dakota with
the avowcd intention of roughing it. and
wanted me to advise him the proper
method for seeing the greatest amount of
pioneer life in the shortest possible time.
| advised him To take up claim, roll up
his sleeves and do as we Dakotans did.
lie followed my advice To the letter. |
introduced him to Charley Atwood and he
purchased of him the accomplishment OF
Il fine quarter of ground, three miles
from town, rcmcdclcd the shack Il little
to SUIT his convenience, and started in To
experience Dakota life. In some manner
lie became acquainted with Nance viii.
Jams, and they grew to become stcadfast
friends. | knew their friendship was
warm, but did not dream it WAS SO strong.
as after events proved.
One night, about s or q O'Clock. Nance
Williams came into the store. She did
not show much excitement, but her ewes
blazcd in Il manner that evidenced her
feelings. She approached me and said
i'll low tone.
"Id like ter speak with you, Mr.. Bar
low"
She looked sideways at two or three
loaiers i'll the store and knew she de
sired to see Inc privately. | was some
what surprised, but conducted her to NV
little chubby-holc of an Office.
'What do you suppose Rice Fielding,
Tom Jenkins an all that gang are goin'
ter do tonight"
Her voice shook with passion.
~ cannot imagine. Miss Williams, -
said in Il tone OF alarm.
They're over at Spangler's plottin to
'eat the Professor out o his claim. :"
"lou don't tell me-"
IL do, though. You see, the Pro
lessor IS out o town an that gang knows
it, so they're goin' TO try an Steal his
place"
"But they emit"
"rhey say they can. They say they'll
Try an give the tcndcrfoot Il bic scare,
anyhow Why, never heard Of such m
outraged"
Glow do they intend to go to work to
get the Prof essor's claim:''
Il heard 'cm talkin it all over. Said
they'd take along kcg O. whisky an
move into his shack an stay there.
They're soin' up tonight. They won't
nave any time tomorrow cause the Pro.
fessor'll get back then. You know he
went to Jimtown Tuesday. Can't YOU
do somethin', Mr.. Barlowl"
1.-THE law won'tuphold them, Miss
She snapped her fingers.
THAT for the law. tell you these
fellcrs shan't get into the Professor.
shack if can helpit."
She drew herself together like an angry
Amazon and her eyes were twin Goals OF
fire.