The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1889-03-02
THE "CLAIMJUMPER.
How He Got Even with the Two
"PardnerS."

"What's that over thar, Bill?" asked Joe
Scaggs, pointing towards an object that had
made its appearance on the prairie. mile
to the south. Bill Barnum looked in the di-
rcction indicated.
"a house, or I'm livin' liari" exclaimed
Bill, with emphasis. "As' on Dick Barber's
claim, ~ he continued, 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 his hcalth If he
is I'm thinkin' he'll soon go way on the
same arrant, won't he Joe!"
You betm sanctioned Joe. "I3ut the
way ter find out is ter go over an' see; an
while We air cooldn supper III ride over an
interview the stranger"
With this, he walked from the door of the
haif-board, half-duEout shanty where the
two had been standing, and approached
small barb-wirc corral near by, where no
mounted powerful cayuse, and galloped
away across the stretch of wind-sw
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 a
small ravine. Just around the slight eleva-
ton in the prairie stood a covered wagon.
or "prairie-schooner,n as they are familiarly
termed in the West.
pair of sorrel mules, tied to the rear
end of the wagon, were busily engaged in
eating their evening meal of corn and dry
gress out of the wagOn-boX. A man came
out Of the shantv with frying pan in his
hand, and held it over fire in trout of the
dwelling.
Hello, thar!" exclaimed Joe. angrily.
"What in the blazes air ye dom' hyar2"
The stranger turned and looked at the
visitor a moment, and then said, quietly:
"Fryin' meat
JUe's anger rose so, we air, air yes Wal,
as yc seem ter be so smart mebby yc ken
cell me whose claim ye air squattin' onp
II reckon ken; hits mine"
'H'it isl"
"That's the way hit looks ter mc.r
"Look hyar. strangerl" said Joe Scaggs,
cluching his fist. ''me an my pardner over
thar" jerking his thumb over his shoulder
in the direction of his own Shanty "air
hodin' this yere claim fer Dick Barber,
who's comm out hyar in the spring from
lnliany, an Wen jst give ye tell ter-morrer
ter git out o. thisl'
"'Taiu't long enough time" said the
stranger, deliberately turning over a liberal
slice OF "muddling" that smoked in the fry
ing-pan.
''EIow long do We wanti" questioned Joe,
his wrath somewhat Modified by the
streuser's evident intention of leaving.
''How long does a man have ter live on
claim before lie ken get II deed for h'it'"
was the reply of the stranger.
''iIive years." replied Joe.
'Wal, then" continued the stranger,
''makc hit five years, an hits barg'in."
fss.
thoroughly aroused BY the strangers cool
manner, ''fer cent I'd waiiup the ground
with yer onery carcass"
''Yas, yc might undertake hit fer a cent.
but ye'd never lay up any money ut hit"
was the answer, as he set the frying-pan
down and confronted Joe Scaggs.
Joe now moved his hand towards his
pistol, but hesitated.
Look hyar," said the stranger. ''You
order me ter leave this claim. Is hit
yourn''
"TO, not exactly mine but we're holdin'
h'it fer a friend, me an my pardner air.
We've got the two lynn north o. this. an
we're hodin' this fer Dick Barber, an
we're goin' ter hold hit"
'Al right" he answered. 81 guess hit
won't need much holdin'. H'itll be hyar
when yere friend comes-so will l. II hit
is yere claim. pll git off; but we can't hold
hit fer somebody else. | know the law.'
"Yes, ye may know the law, but ye don't
know our law. We've made special law
fer sich felers as ye, an we're goin' ter go
by that an don't ye fergit hit"
''Wal, when ye force me ter go, III go
not before"
Angry words rose to Joes lips, but he
hesltated. The cool indifferent manner OF
the clain-jumper puzzled him,
He was about 20 speak, when the tramp of
horses feet sounded in the grass behind
bi - AVID Bill Barnum rode up, Winchester
rhe swung across his saddle.
"Thought mebbe ye'd have trouble" he
explaiaed, ''an' that I'd come over an' sec
ye out"
''Bill,n said Joe, gaining courage at the
arrival OF reinforcements, she says he
h'ain't a goin' ter leave"
"Won't hes" Bill answered. bringing hiS
Winchester down on the stranger. SNOW,
ye,load up yer traps an git"
"All right,n he answered. doggediy.
iYouye got ther advantage me. I'll go.
but pll git even with ye sometime. sec IL i
don't" and he began tumbllng his effects
together.
Bill and Joe watched him while he piled
his traps into the wagon.
"Stranger," said Bill, ''we don't want ter
be bagd on yer. an We don't mind payin' sc