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


varmints."
I'm gittin' thunderin' tired o yer lip,
ole manP'
"All right, neighbor Hines, when yer
tired of tibet thar's standin' invitation
fur yer ter ride off about yer business.
I'm able ter run this claim without yer
advice"
can do yer actilly refuse ter git offn
my claimY roared the Infatuated Hines.
'rm not on yer claim, an how kin l
git of7n it,"
'rn give yer somethin' ter season yer
sass with eff yer amt more civilr'
eyer remarked somethin' similar Jest
er bit ago."
"rd make yer whistle er diffrunt song
eff yer'd show yersef out hyer."
"Itd be er plump s'prise ter me eff yer
didn't tote Their biggest heft O. ther chune
yerself, Mr.. Hines"
'Tll put bullet crar through yer an
tibet blamed door, bothP'
'No, yer don't, Dick Hines" rang out
a clear, manly voice, as a newcomer
dashed upon the scene, and did not pause
till he had spurred his pony between the
gang and the door of the dugout. Hines
and his allies shrank back like pack of
/ cowardly ours before noble Newfound-
land, and sat regarding the intruder
with no pleasant grace upon their hard
ened visages.
eyer didn't expect Tom Byers hyer ter
take hand in yer little gamer said the
young fellow, speaking sternly.
1t was with feelings of real gratitude
that the trembling girl in the dugout
recognized the voice of the young ranch
man who had taken supper with them
at their camp two nights ago. Provi-
dence had surely sent him, she thought.
cts him-Mr. Byers, pap!'' she whis-
pered.
eyes, it's him, Nancy. Amt he
spunky? Jest listen ter him, will yert"
he chuckled. ''He's er match fur er
dozen SIGH vile snipes as them"
And he was, indeed. Tom Byers was
well known on those wild prairies as
man of dauntless courage and decided
character, one with whom it was not
safe to fool Dick Hines knew the man
whom he must now deal with, and al
though backed by several allies as he
was, he had no relish for the encounter.
"What are yer up to, disturbin' Mr..
Hamlet this way!" he demanded.
81 was jest a maxim er sort o call on
him, an tellin' him held er right ter
this hyer claim, thet's ALL" answered
Hines, hoping follower Tom Byers' wrath
against him.
"Well, Mr.. Hamlet give yer very
open reception, jedge, seein' as yer all
out hyer in yer saddles yit," laughed
Byers with contempt.
"But I'd like ter know by what right
yer assert a claim ter this strangers
landY' he asked.
"Waal, yer see Tx Fender bought my
mules, an nuver paid fur 'em, an when
he left ther country l was ter hev his
claim" explained Hines.
"Stick ter fac's, eff yer please" cried
Byers. 81 know more erbout tibet mule
trade than yer think. TX an me was
good friends, an l know his side O. ther
story won't tally with yer'n; besides, l
happen ter know what become O. them
mulesI'
ether dickens yer dor
eyer sold TX er span mules on er
years time. TX hedn't owned Their crit
tiers two weeks till they was stoled. Yes,
sir, stoled! Tx was down with Their ager
at Their time, so couldn't track Their
thieves, an yer come over hyer ter this
very dugout, Dick Hines, an told TX as
yer'd be willin' ter let him hev his note
eff he'd fork over fifty dollars in green
backs, SEEM he'd he'd SIGH bad luck in
gittin' Their critters stold. Well, TX
didn't hev ther money ter redeem his
note from yer clutches, so loaned it to
him. That's how know so much erbout
tibet mule business. Yer shelled over
Their note ter Tx, fur seen it arterward
in his own hands. So yer hev no more
right ter TX Pender's claim than hey
an not as much when it comes down ter
ther pint O. Their matter"
"Waal, l don't b'lieve this humpy
backed stranger has got any right on
ks claim" Hines declared. HE de-
sarves ter be punished fur claim jumpin',
an fur one favor putin him
''Shut up yer hornp interrupted Byers.
"Pm hyer ter see fair play, an I'll see it
too"
"Why, Tom" remarked one of Hines
followers, 81 thought nobody on the
whole Neutral Lands was more posed
ter claim jumpin' than YOU"
can so am" returned Byers firmly;
"Pm powerful opposed ter claim jumpin'
an all SIGH low down, lawIess dOin's
tibet thar's no manhood in. Eff know
anything erbout Their way Their wind
lies, I'm thinkin' Dick Hines is mad be-
cause he amt able ter git Their stranger
out an jump the claim himself"
"Thet's it! Thet's itg' agreed Adam
Hamlet, speaking from the door, which
he held slightly ajar. eyer driv' there
nail home tibet time, Mr.. Byers. Hines
wants ther claim, an is tryin' ter scar
me out. Thet's ther shape O. Their hull
business"
Lies settle this dispute hyer an now"
said Tom Byers in a decided tone.
"Mr. Hamlet, didn't yer tell me tibet
yer had some writin's frum TX Fender ter
prove yer title ter this land?'
eyes, an hyer they air right in my
inside coat pocket, answered the settler.
Produce 'em, an fix a light an I'll
read the dockymint to these doubtin'
Thomases," said Byers, alighting from
his pony and approaching the door of the