The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-03-02
THE "CLAIM-JUMPER."
How He Got Even with the Two
"Pardners."

Nv hats that over thar, Bill?" asked Joe
Scaggs, pointing towards an object that had
made its appearance on the prairie a mile
To tho south. Bill Barnum looked in the di-
-cection indicated.
"a house, or I'm livin' liari' exclaimed
Bill, with emphasis. Am on Dick Barber's
ci;in, tool" he continued, with gesture of
excitement.
''Do ye suppose he's goin' ter jump Dicks
ciaimr' asked Joe.
Il dunno" answered Bill. 81 guess he's
not stoppin' out thar fer his health. If he
is, I'm thinkiu' he'll soon go way on the
same arrant, won't he Joe9"
You bet" sanctioned joe ''But the
way tor find out is ter go over an see; an
while We air coohin supper rll ride over an
Interview the stranger"
With this, no walked from the door of the
half-board, half-dugOut shanty, where the
two had been standing, and approached a
small barb-wire corral near by, where he
mounted powerful cayuse, and galloped
away across the stretch of wind-swept
prairie that separated him from the distant
shanty on the prairie to the south
n few moments ride brought MIN to the
front of a little dug-out shauty that nestled
in the side of little hill at the edge of
small ravne. just around the slight e,eva-
ton in ne prairie stood covered wagon,
or ''prairic- schooner" as they are Familiarity
termed in the West.
A pair of sorrel mules, tied to the rear
end Of the wagon, were busily engaged in
eating their evening meal of corn and dry
grass out of the wagon-box. man came
out of the shanty with frying pan in his
hand, and held it over a fire in front of the
dwelling.
'Hello, thar!" exclaimed Joe, angrily.
what in the blazes air we doin' hyar!"
The stranger turned and looked at the
visitor moment, and then said, quietly:
''Fryn' meat"
Jce's anger rose. 30, We air, airye9 Wal,
as ye seem ter be so smart, mebby We ken
tell me whose claim We air squattin' onl"
Il reckon l ken; hits mine"
t'H'it is!''
t'That's the way hit looks ter me-"
Look hyar, strangerr' said Joe Scaggs,
oiinching his fist, "me an my pardner over
thar" jerking his thumb over his shoulder
in the direction of his own shanty, lair
holdin this yere claim fer Dick Barber,
who's comm out hyar in the spring from
luiiany, an we'll jist give ye tell ter-morrer
ter git out o. thisl''
"'Tain't long enough time" said the
stranger, deliberately turning over liberal
slice of "muddling" that smoked in the fry
iug-pau.
''How long do We want9" questioned Joe,
MS wrath somewhat Modified by the
Strangers evident intention of leaving.
"-How long does a man have ter live on
claim before he ken get deed for h'itl"
was TIE reply of the stranger.
Five years." replied Joe.
oval, then" continued the stranger,
snake hit five years, an hits barg'in"
@'You impudent skunki" reared Joe, now
thoroughly aroused by the strangers cool
manner, "fer cent I'd wallup the ground
with yer onery carcass"
Z ''Yas, We might undertake hit fer cent,
hut ye'd never lay up any money at 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
yournw
mo. not exactly mine; but we're holdin'
hit fer friend, me an my pardner air
We've got the two lynn north o. this, an
we're holdin' this fer Dick Barber an
we're goin' ter hold hit"
AN right" he answered. 81 guess hit
won't need much holdin'. H'itll be hyar
when yere friend comes-so will /. If hit
is yere claim. I'll git off; but We can't hold
nit fer somebody else. know the law"
Eyes, We may know the law, but We don't
know our law. We've made special law
fer SIGH fellers as ye, an we're goin' ter go
by that an don't We :ergit hit"
oval, when ye force me ter go, I'll go
not before
Angry words rose to Joc's lips. but he
hesitated. The cool indifferent manner of
the claim-jumper puzzled him.
He was about to speak, when the tramp of
a bOrse's feet sounded in the grass behind
him, and Bill Barnum rode up, a Winchester
rife swung across his saddle.