The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-08-28
CHAPTER vi.

incident was forgotten.
CHAPTER vi.
Relieved of Clarence Brant's embarras-
sing presence. Jim Hooker did not refuse
to avail himself of that opportunity to ex-
pound to the farmer and his family the
immense wealth. influence and importance
of the friend who had Just LETT him. AL
though Clarence's plan had suggested re-
ticence. Hooker could not forego the
pleasure of informing them that "Clar'
Brant had just offered to let him into an
extensive land speculation. He had pre-
viously declined a large share or original
location in a mine of Ciarence's, now
worth million, because it was not "his
style" But the land speculation in coun-
try of unsettled titles and lawless men, he
need not remind them, required some ex-
perience of border warfare He would not
say positively, although he left them 20
draw their own conclusions with gloomy
significance, that that was why Clarence
had sought him. With this dark sugges-
ton he took leave of Mr.. and Mrs. Hop
kins and their daughter Phoebe the next
day, not without some natural human
emotion, and peacefully drove his team
and wagon into the settlement of Fair
Plains.
He was not prepared, however, for sud-
den realization of his imaginative pros
poets. A few days after his arrival in Fair
Plains he received letter from Clarence
explaining that he had not time to return
to Hooker to consult him. but had never
theless fulfilled his promise by taking ad.
vantage of an opportunity of purchasing
the Spanish Sisters" title to certain I'M
occupied lands near the settlement. As
these lands in part joined the section al
ready pre-empted and occupied by Hop
kins, Clarence thought that Jim Hooker
would choose that part for the sake of his
| neighbours company. He inclosed also
draft on San Francisco for q sum sufficient
to enable Jim to put up a cabin and
"stock" the property-which he begged
he would consider in the light of loan to
be paid back in instaIlments only when the
property could afford it. At the same
time if Jim was in difficulty he was to in-
form him. The letter closed with char.
acteristic, Clarence-like mingling of en-
thusiasm and older wisdom. II wish you
luck, Jim, but see no reason why you
should trust to it. / don't know of any.
thing that could keep you from making
yourself independent of anyone, if you go to
work with long aim and don't fritter
away your chances on short ones. If l
were you, old fellow, I'd drop the plains
and the Indians out of my thoughts or at
least out of my taik-for a while. They
won't help you in the long run. These
people who believe you will be Jealous of
you; those who don't will look down upon
you, and if they get to questioning your
little Indian romances, Jim, they'll be ant
to question your civilized facts. That
won't help you III the ranching business
and that's your only real grip now" For
the space of two or three hours after this
Jim was reasonably grateful and even
subdued. SO much so that his employer
to whom he conhded his good fortune
frankly confessed that he believed him
from that unusual TACT alone. Unfor-
tunately neither the practical lesson con-
veyed in this grim admission nor the
sentiment of gratitude remained long
with HIM. Another idea had taken pos
session of his fancy. Although the land
nominated in his bill of sale had been
except on the occasion of his own tenn
porary halt there-always unoccupied,
unsought and unclaimed, and although
he was amply protected by legal certiii-
Gates, he graveiy collected posse of
three or four idlers from Fair Plains,
armed them at his own expense, and in
the dead of night took belligerent and
forcIble possession of the peaceful do
main which the weak generosity and
unheroic dollars of Clarence had pur-
chased for him A martial campfire
tempered the chill night winds to the
pulses OF the invaders-and enabled them
10 sleep on their arms in the field they had
won. The morning sun revealed TO the
astonished Hopkins family the embattled
plain beyond with its armed sentries.
Only then did Jim Hooker condescend To
explain the reason of his warlike occupa-
ton, with dark hints of the OUTLYING
"squatters" and Jumpers, whose incur
slons their bo!dness alone had repulsed.
The effects OF this romantic situation upon
the two women, with the slight fascina-
ton OF danger impaired into their quiet
lives, may well be imagined. Possibly
owing 10 some incautious questioning by
Mr.. Hopkins. and some doubts of the dis
clphne and sincerity of his posse. jim dis
charged them that next day, but during
the erection of his cabin by some peaceful
carpenters from the settlement ne returned
10 his gloomy preoccupation and the os-
tentatious wearing of his revolvers As
an oputent and powerful neighbor he took
his meals with the family while his house
was being built and generally impressed
them with sense of security they had
never missed.
the installation of Jim as his tenant,
underwent severe trial. 1t was neces-
sSry for his plans that this should be kent
secret al present, and this was no eaSy
thing for his habitually frank and open
nature. He had once mentioned that he
had met Jim AT the settlement, bat the in.
formation was received with such indiffer-
ence by Susy and with marked disiayor by
Mrs. Peyton that he SAID no more. He
accompanied Peyton i'll his rides around
the rancho. fully possessed himself of the
details Of its boundaries, the debatabie
lands held by the enemy and listened
with beating pulses. but a hushed
tongue. 10 his hosts ill-conceived mis-
giylngs. You see, Clarence. tina,
lower terrace2' he said, pointing TO a far
reaching longitudinal plain beyond the
corral, .'lt extends from my corral 10 Fair
Plains. That is claimed by the Sisters
| title, and as things appear TO be going if
aivtSlon o! she land Is made X will be
theirs lis bad enough TO have the best
grazing land lying just on the Hanks OF the
corral held by these rascals at an absurd
prohibitory price. but | am afraid il mey
re made - mean something even worse
According 10 the old surveys these ter
races on d.fcreat levels were the natural
divisions OF the pr0perty-one heir, or
has tenant taking one and another tax
inc anoIher-su easy distinction that
saved the necessity of boundary fencing
or monuments, and gave no trouble 10
people who were either kiasGnen or
iivet IN law patrlareaai concord Thai
Is ihe torn OF division they are tryia,
II - az Is.h III n