Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1892-11-05

Joe, now thoroughly aroused by the
strangers cool manner, ''fer cent
I'd wallup the ground with yer oHery
carcass"
'sYas. We might undertake hit fer
cent, but ye'd never lay up any
money at hit" was the answer as he
set the frying pan down and con-
fronted Joe Scaggs.
Joe now moved his hand toward
his pistol, but hesitated.
Look hyar," said the stranger.
"You order me ter leave this claim.
Is hit yourn2"
mo. not exactly mine. but we're
holdin hit fer a friend, me an my
pardner air. We've got the two lyin
north O. this, an we're holdin this fer
Dick Barber, an we're goin ter hold
hit"
.'All right" he answered. II
guess hit won't need much holdin.
Hitll be hyar when yer friend comes
80 will l. If hits yer claim, I'll get
off, but yer can't hold hit fer some
body else. ! know the law.
"Yas, ye may know the law, but
We don't know our law We've made
a special law fer sich fellers as ye, an
we're goin ter go by that, an don't ye
forgit hit"
"Waal, when ye force me ter go. I'll
go--not before.
Angry words rose to Joe's lips, but
he hesitated. The cool, Indifferent
manner of the claim jumper puzzled
him.
He was about to speak when the
tramp of horses feet sounded in the
grass behind him and Bill Barnum
rode up, Winchester rifle swung
across his saddle
Thought mebbe yed have
trouble, he explained, land that I'd
come over an see ye out"
"Bill, said Joe, gaining courage
at the arrival of re-enforcements,
"he says he hain't a-goin ter leave"
won't hef Bill answered, bring
ing his Winchester down on the
stranger. "Now, we load up yer
traps an git"
''All right, he answered doggedly.
you've got ther advantage o me.
I'll 60 but I'll git even with ye some
time, see if / don't" and he began
tumbling his effects together.
Bill and Joe watched him while he
piled his traps into the wagon.
Stranger, said Bill, 1--WE don't
want ter be hard ON yer, an we don't
mind payin we fer yer little shanty,
seein as ye can't take hit along"
mo, hit amt worth nothin, " was
the answer. ~ don't mind givin a
good neighbor little thing like
that"
"Waal, Bill, "said Joe, ''hit's gittin
late, an we'd bitter be gittin back ter
the shanty an lookin after our sup
per-"
"Supperl' exclaimed Bill. Thar
hain't nothing fer supper, nor breck-
ferts either, unless that onery cuss
gifts back from Atticy ternight."
Don't say that" answered Joe.
"TIit makes me hungrier an bar
ter hear ye speak like that. Hain't
we got nothin ter eat2"
mo, nothin but few pieces o
hard bread an a bit or two o meat.
That onery cuss, John Biggs, that we
sent after grub to Atticy II git
drunker AN billed owl an not come
back till we go after him, like as not. y
With this they turned their horses
around and rode away in the direc-
tion of home, leaving the stranger
standing in silence looking after
them.
Ike Dover for such was the stran-
gers turned and entered his
shanty.
"Waal, hit means pull out, reck-
on, he muttered, but I'll jist stay
hyar till mornin anyhow"
The sun had gone down behind q
bank of tawny, purple clouds, and
an ashy pallor overspread the sky.
''Goin ter have bad weather. OBJ
served Joe Scaggs as they rode
through the fast gathering darkness.
Late that night Bill punched Joe
in the ribs with his elbow, and said
Joe, hits gittin colder an all git
out. We've got ter git up an find
some more covers. Gee whiz listen
fer thot wind ~