Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1892-12-21

followers, 81 thought nobody on the
whole Neutral Lands was more posed
ter claim jumpin' than YOU"
can so l am," returned Byers firmly;
I'm powerful opposed ter claim jumpin'
an all sich low down, lawless doin's
thet thar's no manhood in. Eff know
anything erbout ther way ther wind
lies, I'm thinkin' Dick Hines is mad be-
cause he amt able ter git ther stranger
out an jump the claim himself"
"Thet's It'll Thet's it! agreed Adam
Hamlet, speaking from the door, which
he held slightly ajar. eyer driv' there
nail home thet time, Mr.. Byers. Hines
wants ther claim, an is tryin' ter scar
me out. Thet's ther shape O ther hull
business"
"Le's settle this dispute hyer an now"
said Tom Byers in decided tone.
"Mr. Hamlet, didn't yer tell me thet
yer had some writin's frum TX Pender ter
prove yer title ter this land:"
"Ycs, an hyer they air right in my
inside coat pocket" answered the settler.
produce 'em, an fix light an I'll
read the dockymint to these doubtin'
Thomases," said Byers, alighting from
his pony and approaching the door of the
dugout
Adam Hamlet handed to Tom half
sheet of foolscap, on which TX Pender, in
uneven, untidy characters, had written
the transference of his quarter section of
land on Deer creek.
Lamp or candle the Hamlets had not,
30 Nancy put a cotton rag into small
can of "meat fryin's," and thus secured
DOOR, fitful little fame, by which By
ers, standing in the door, read slowly
but distinctly the following letter:
To Whom It May Concern:
By this here Presents belt known that have
traded my claim on Deer creek. in Cherokee
CO. Kansas. to one Adam Hamlet Of Pinkney-
| vile, Illinoy, who did by mutual consent turn
over to mo 10 head of big steers for this said
claim.
To my old friends out there recommend
said Adam Hamlet as an honest citizen, and
ask that you'll treat him white.
'''> '' ISAAC N. PENDER-
Hines and his gang listened while
Byers read the letter, and as soon as he
began. folding it up they started away.
| But Tom detained them few minutes
to say: sHold ON, Dick Hines! want
yer to understan' thet Mr.. Hamlet's
right ter this hyer claim is genywine,
and will be supported by all the worthy
citizens O these parts. 1t won't be well
fur yer eff ketched prowlin' round Deer
creek. Now go!
And they went.
Tom Byers fingered at the dugout
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 bis 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
prince, stood by his pony's side, one arm
laid carelessly across the saddle.
"rm 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.
"I 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' austered,
never think; besides was mixed up
in too many hot spurts with ther enemy
durin' ther late war ter be scarf out easy
now. It's been a kind O trainin' ter me
ter bristle up ter every situation of dan
ger thet may rise up in my path" said
Hamlet, putting away placidly at his
pipe.
$50 yer was in the war jest closed"
Tom Byers asked little curiously.
ssNot as reg'lar soldier. They
wouldn't take me on count O my back,
though plead fur 'em to. But was in
ther Union army, connected with ther
commissary department, an was nuss
in ther hospital camps on the Ohio river
fur erbout eight months. I never seen
actual service on the battlefield but once,
an thet was when he'd hand to hand
struggle with o Confederate soldier,
tripped him up an captured thet ole
musket yonder," and he pointed with
pride to the trophy which his muscular
force had wrested from the hands of
foe.
Tom Byers examined the old musket
with interest, listened while Hamlet re-
lated two or three war adventures, then
mounted restive Popcorn to ride on to
his ranch.
~ 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 ther
fact that I've got onter his game ter get
yer off O ther claim will tend to keep
him scarce. Yer heerd what I told him
erbout thet mule business? kin
tell yer more yit. Arter sellin' ther
mules ter TX he hired two O his gang ter
run ther critters off inter Missoury an
sell 'em, when Pender 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 Lightpin' creek with brother
in-law O his who amt no bettern Dick.
"But Hines amt goin' ter molest yer"
he said, with a swift, admiring look di-
rected toward the girl, "fur aim ter
keep an eye on his cavortin's. Good
nightv' and waving his hand he gal
loped 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 good milk COW and 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 legal
title to his land on Deer creek. But some
of his best neighbors, who were ardent
supporters of the Gland leaguers," just
then vastly stirred up over the dispo-
sition which congress had made Of 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