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

Eyes, I've heerd EN-, Nancy, replled
Hamlet, IAN I'm awaitin' ther attack" "
and she noticed that he had an old
musket in his hand, which he had capt
ured from soldier in the late war.
"Hyer, child! Get in ther dugout and
let me shut ther door. l reckon eff ther
bent on playin' Injun | kin show em |
amt erfeared. I've faced too many
Johnnie Rebs in my time ter be scarf
out by passel O. sich bushwhackers as
them ens."
He pulled Nancy into the dugout and
closed and bolted the big rough door,
which was composed of two large, heavy
oak boards nailed together.
Hello in thar!" yelled Dick Hines,
halting with his gang, a half dozen
rough looking fellows, all heavily armed.
before the dugout.
"Hello yerselfr Hamlet called back
from hole beside the door.
"Come out O. thar, an let this hyer
committee show yer how we do up a
claim jumper in Kansas"
"rm 'bIged ter yer fur the invitation,
but I'd ruther be excused frum takin
any lessons frum sich er pack O BUSH
whackers as yer" Adam Hamlet an
swered.
"H yer don't come out peaceable-like
we uns will bust in an fetch yer out"
threatened Hines, while poor Nancy
stood shuddering with the widest appre-
tensions by her fathers side.
"Bust away! I've got somethin' hyer
in my hand thet kin bust, too, when I'm
er mind ter pull the trigger"
"Look hyer, ole chap! This is Dick
Hines claim, and we uns aim ter help
him hold it," said one of the uncocth
horsemen.
"It's Adam Hamlet's claim, got in
fair and squar' swap from TX Pender.
back in Illinoy, an aim ter hold it."
"Ain't yer goin' ter open thet door"
demanded Hines impatiently.
What yer need with ther door open?
mockingly asked Hamlet.
eve uns want ter git our paws on
yer, ye white ivered claim jumper, yerP
eyer do? Waal, why don't yer git off
yer HOSES an try it, then? I'm ready
fur yer, an ther fust one ter come step
nearer this dugout will git dose o
genywine lead. Thet's what!"
II dare yer out hyerr' said Hines.
"An' I dare yer in hyer" Hamlet re-
turned contemptuously.
"This is gittin' mighty thin, ole man"
Every waal, MI. Hines, when yer an
yer august committee gifts tired yer at
liberty ter retire when yer please"
"None o yer gol-durned sass in thar or
I'll riddle thet spring halt ole door with.
bullets" growled Hines, growing angriei
every moment, as he saw himself and his
cowardly allies held at bay by one man.
eyer best try it eff yer itchin' ter git
ther contents O. this hyer musket o mine
poured inter yer miserable carcass. I'd
ruther save my ammunition fur buz-
yards, wolves an sich, but I'm not be-
grudgin' it eff yer need it wuss'n ther
varmints."
"rm gittin' thunderin' tired o yer lip.
ole manr'
"An right, neighbor Hines, when yer
tired of thet thar's standin' invitation
fur yer ter ride off about yer business.
I'm able ter run this claim without yer
advice"
"An' do yer actilly refuse ter git of'n
my claim" roared the infuriated Hines.
"Pm not on yer claim, an how kin !
git off'n itS''
"rll give yer somethin' ter season yer
sass with eff yer amt more civil!
eyer remarked somethin' similar jest
er bit ago."
"rd make yer whistle er diffrunt song
eff yer'd show yerself out hyer."
"It'd be er plump s'prise ter me eff yer
didn't tote ther biggest heft O ther chune
yerself, Mr.. Hines"
sTll put bullet crar through yer an
thet blamed door, both!'
"No, yer don't, Dick Hines" rang out
. 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 a pack of
cowardly ours before Il noble Newfound-
land, and sat regarding the intruder
with no pleasant grace upon their hard
ened visages.
Yer didn't expect Tom Byers hyer ter
take hand in yer little game" 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.
"Its him-Mr. Byers. pap" she whis-
pered.
eyes, it's him, Nancy. Amt he
spunky? Jest listen ter him, will yer?"
he chuckled. Hes er match fur er
dozen sich 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.
II was jest maxim er sort o call on
him, an tellin' him l 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, SEEM as yer all
out hyer in yer saddles yit," laughed
Byers with contempt.
"But I'd like ter know by what right
yer assert claim ter this strangers
landY" he asked.
"Waal, yer see TX Pender bought my
mules, an nuver paid fur 'em, an when
he left ther country was ter hev his
claim" explained Hines.
"Stick ter fac's, eff yer please" cried
Byers. 81 know more erbout thet mule
trade than yer think. TX an me was
good friends, an I know his side O ther
story won't tally with yer'n; besides, l
happen ter know what become O them
mules!"
"Ther dickens yer do!'
Eyer sold TX er span mules on er
years time. TX hedn't owned ther crit
tiers two weeks till they was stoled. Yes,
sir, stoled! Tx was down with ther ager
at ther time, so couldn't track ther
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, seein' he'd he'd sich bad luck in
gittin' ther 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
thet mule business. Yer shelled over
ther note ter Tx, fur seen it arterward
in his own hands. So yer hev no more
right ter TX Pender's claim than l hey
an not as much when it comes down ter
IL -