Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-10-08

long after the sound of the horsemen,
whom he had put to fight so effectively,
had died away upon the calm night air.
Adam Hamlet resumed his seat and
his pipe outside the dugout; Nancy
leaned against the doorway, like blush
ing, dropping wild rose under the clear
starlight; while the young ranchman,
brave as Trojan and handsome as a
prince, stood by his pony's side, one arm
laid carelessly across the saddle.
''Fm plumb glad yer rid up jest when
yer did, Mr.. Byers," Hamlet remarked.
81 was jest gittin' back frum Fort
Scott, and thought I'd ride past an see
how yer was maxim it, Byers explained.
81 wasn't countin' on findin' Hines an
his gang hyer. But yer seemed ter take
ther visit mighty composed like"
"Waal, it's no good gittin' f1ustered,
I never think; besides I was mixed up
in too many hot spurts with Their enemy
durin' Their late war ter be scarf out easy
now. It's been kind o. trainin' ter me
ter bristle up ter every situation of dan
ger tibet may rise up in my path" said
Hamlet, putting away placidly at his
pipe.
80 yer was in the war jest closedY'
Tom Byers asked little curiously.
'Not as q regular soldier They
wouldn't take me on count o. my back,
though l plead fur 'em to. But was in
Their Union army, connected with ther
commissary department, an was a nuss
in ther hospital camps on the Ohio river
fur erbout eight months. 1 never seen
actual service on the battlefield but once,
an tibet was when 1 he'd hand to hand
struggle with a Confederate soldier,
tripped him up an captured tibet ole
musket yonder," and he pointed with
pride to the trophy which his muscular
force had wrested from the hands of a
foe.
Tom Byers examined the old musket
with interest, listened while Hamlet reA
lated two or three war adventures, then
mounted FESTIVE Popcorn to ride on to
his ranch.
81 don't think Dick Hines will be apt
ter bother yer any more, Mr.. Hamlet"
he said before starting. Hes er coward
an won't do yer no open hurt, an Their
fact that I've got onter his game ter get
yer off O. ther claim will tend to keep
him scarce. Yer heerd what told him
erbout tibet mule business? l kin
tell yer more yit. AFTER sellin' Their
mules ter TX he hired two o. his gang ter
run ther critters off inter Missoury an
sell 'em, when Fender was down sick
with the shakin' ager an couldn't help
himself. It's a plain case, an all I'm
watchin' fur is little more clear proof,
an I'll fix his cake fur him. He lives
over on Lightnin' creek with brother
in-law O. his who amt no better'n Dick
"But Hines amt goin' ter modest yer"
he said, with a swift, admiring look di-
rected toward the girl, ''fur L aim ter
keep an eye on his cavortin's. Good
night" and waving his hand he gal
Hoped rapidly away over the prairie.
Adam Hamlet began improvements on
his place at once. He broke up the sod,
which was soon planted in corn, beans,
sorghum and pumpkins. Byers let him
have a good milk COW and a fine little
riding pony for Nancy, while one of the
neighbors spared them some chickens,
and Joe Dugan a pig. So the new set
tiers had fairly started their life on the
prairies.
Adam Hamlet wished to secure a legal
title to his land on Deer creek. But some
of his best neighbors, who were ardent
supporters of tie ''land leaguers," Just
then vastly stirred up over the dispo-
sition which congress had made CT the
Neutral Lands on which they lived, had
repeatedly requested him not to con-
tract with joys agents. Hamlet was
not in particular sympathy with the
"leaguers," being firm believer in the
power and wisdom of the United States
government to adjust all land disputes,
but the settlers had treated him kindly,
and he did not care to anger them. He
could wait for the excitement over the
land question to subside.
In August, when the sun scorched the
prairies with almost torrid breath, Ham
let became victim to chills and fever,
and much of the time was too poorly to
leave the dugout.
Added to her customary duties, Nancy
had to be her fathers nurse and look
after the stock.
One evening as darkness was fall
ing over the hot prairie she went down
the creek to drive the COW home.
She had proceeded a half of a mile,
and was just crossing a wild plum
thicket when voices arrested her atten-
ton.
Peering through the branches she
could just make out two men engaged
in earnest conversation. One she in
stn,tl,r rncnnnizad ~ Dick Hines