The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1891-08-06

the dugout.
She found her father, pale, thin and
weak, sitting in the door. where the cool
breath OF evening famed his feyerish
brow. He looked so ghostlike, so pow
erless to contend with human affairs, as
he half reclined there in the starlight,
that Nancy hesitated to tell him what
she had overheard down in the wild
plum thicket. But it was right that he
should be forewarned, and she must
break it to him as gently as she could.
"Wher' yer been, Nancy he asked
feebly. as she threw herself on the bench
near him.
jest down ther creek" she answered,
her voice trembling.
"Yer act scarf, Nancy, as ef yer'd been
a-runnin'," her father remarked, noticing
the girls strange agitation
"Well, pap, | did see two big var
mintS down on the corner o ther claim"
she returned, trying to laugh.
1.-TWO big varmints! Wolvesy'
"Yes, or leastwise wolves thet hes
two feet an wears trousers-human
wolves, wot's er heap more dangerouser
lutT lOuT
"Wot do yer mean, NancyT' Hamlet
asked, mystiied.
81 seed Dick Hines an one o. his gang
down thar"
"Dick HinesI On my claim? wot was
he doin' thar"
"Plottin' ter git er contract fur our
claim an then run US out" and with
that Introductory explanation she gave
her father clear account Of the viii
lains scheme as she had overheard it.
"Wot kin We doF" he appealed to the
girl in his helpless weakness. ~ reckon
he'll beat us outen ther claim yit." and
the sick man became overwrought with
detection.
mo he won't, pap" and Nancy set her
mouth resolutely as she asked herself
what she could do to outwit their enemy.
She would not show despair now before
her feeble father.
"Ef Tom Byers was onlG home he
might stop Hines" said the troubled set
tier.
Nancy's face flushed at the mention Of
that name, and she did not Immediately
make answer.
"lt's awful ter be so no-account as
am" the sick man walled. "l'm so weak
| couldn't take my part agin a crawfish
now; an thar's no use 'pealin' ter ther
neighbors, fur ther kinder down on me
cause I've refused ter become er men,
Der o ther league. Hines is plumb shore
ter git ther claim" he reiterated, his old
spirit all crushed by disease.
mo, Hines wontr' and the girl sprang
to her feet, her eyes flashing with the
fires Of sudden resolve. "Tll stop him
myself"
Eyer, Nancyf"
ayes, pap"
"Hown yer do itY'
"I'll git on ther pony, ride over ter
Baxter, an tell ther land agent all erbout
ther claim, returned Nancy.
"Hines II beat yer ther."
"No, he won't, pap, fur I'm amin ter
start ternight an git ahead o him."
eyer sha'n't 60. Nancyi"
"But, pap. must. Yer not able, but
lam. Amt | been actin yer boy, ar
tendin' ter ther stock" she reasoned
playfully, IAN wot's ter hinder me frum
goinT"
ats so fur, child, nigh onter twenty.
two miles, an over sich wild puraries.
But ther nights ther biggest objection.
"It's er heap cooler ridin' at night"
she argued. "Say yes, pap, fur I'm
bound ter go. Jest thinki Our homes
at stake. and ef thet VOLTS ter be relied
on erbout thar bein' coal veins along ther
creek, our claims mighty valyble. I'm
goin' ter save it"
"But yer KANT git ther contract with
out my presence, Nancy" Hamlet said
despondently. ~ know thet pint o. ther
land law"
mo, pap, but l kin see ther land agent
an tell him erbout Hines. An Of yer
willin' kin take ther money yer've been
savin' ter build er house an pay down
on ther claim. Then well shore be ahead
o ole Hines"
Hamlet saw it would be utterly use
less for him to raise any more objections.
Nancy was determined to 10 to Baxter
that night to outwit Dick Hines, and it
would require more than his spent
strength to induce her to give up the
mission.
About eleven o'clock the brave girl
mounted her pony and rode away from
the dugout. Knotted in one corner Of Q
handkerchief were two hundred dollars,
which Hamlet had given her topay down
on the claim. That represented his en-
tire cash account, and had been saved
for .anothar Ynn,sroaa that Fall hnk he