San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1893-10-12
JUST AS SHE WAS.
By WILLIAM PERRY BROWN.
ICopyriGht, 1875, by American Press Associa-
ton.
CHAPTER |.
An OKLAHOMA Girl.

AN OKLAHOMA GIRL
Lieutenant Stirling had but two of his
men with him when he made the dis
covery. Then he felt that even his whole
command might prove pOwerless In the
face of this fair trespasser.
The girl stood before small dugout,
with a vicious looking yellow cur by her
side and brood of newly Matched chicks
scratching near She was short skirted,
bareheaded. with curls flying and black
eyes dancing defiance to the powers that
be. In her hands was a light winchester,
that omnipresent passport upon the west
ern plains which one seldom fails to rec
ognize when properly presented.
Lieutenant Stirling, still fresh from
the social allurements of Washington,
and with the aroma of West Point yet
clinging to his mental habitude, felt be-
wilderSd-in fact. almost paralyzed. The
usual business of an Oklahoma boomer
at that period, as officially construed.
was to move on" or off. Like Moses
from the summit of Pisgah, they could
furtively survey the promised land, but
to enter thereon-ah. no! Not yet awhile
nor until at certain hour upon GER
tain day boom of cannon should give
the signal.
OF course many failed to wait. They
stole across the forbidden boundaries.
staked out claims by night. concealed
themselves and skulked around the pos
sessions they coveted and had determined
should be theirs. Scouting parties Of
soldiers hunted them down and carried
them back beyond the bounds Hitherto
the iuterlopers found by Stirling had
been rough men. meeting force with pro
family and provoked rather than de-
tered by authority and law Yet here
was female posing as an actual boomer
young, handsome. audaci0us. appa-
rently at home IN the midst of this still
forbidden Eden upon a choice quarter
section that any land hungry mortal
might well coyet Was it not a case of
Crusoe. or rather Of Crusoe's wife, with
that would be pOtentate and another
light triggered winchester lurking IN the
leafy background:
Stirling looked sharply about, then
threw one leg over the pommel of his
saddle and again eyed Mrs. Crusoe ad-
miringlv Since he babe the admirals
daughter farewell in the secretary's con-
servatory at Washington. with the air
filled with music and mellow with tropic
odors. he had not seen a woman to fairly
interest him until now This reckless
little boomer looked certainly very pi-
quaint. Even the perpleXity of a proba-
BILE CrusOe. ready to roar against the
miniOns of government like very bull
of Bashan, did not render the situation
less attractive The picturesqueness of
this Hagar III the wilderness impelled
him to be scrupulously polite at first
Il beg pardon"-he began
oh. you needn't to ask my pardon,
she interrupted hastily catching the
words from his lips. DO you s'pose
don't know why you're here? I'm not so
easily stumped, old man. Call in your
other prowlin bluebacks. There's no one
else for you to corral round here"
So Mrs. Crusoe was really alone; yet
she might be shamming. He endeavored
to look stern, but partially failed.
My men will soon ascertain that" he
returned. They are scattered for two
miles up and down this bottom. | sup
pose you know what will have to do
with your
Don't r." This in very pretty ac-
cent of disdain. Are you goin to tie
me before you trot me off? give you
my word I'm the only boomer in five
miles of here. Yet Sulger and | might
give you trouble if we would Hey, Bull
ger?"
The yellow cur growled and contract
ed his black muZZle into dozen unamia-
wrinkles. Stirling was quite amused
The very nOnchalence of his good hui
NOR impressed her with an irritating
sense of her real helplessness. Did not
the three sitting easily in their saddles
personlfy hateful though irresistible
authority? What could she do except
upbraid and weep and, like all other
premature invaders of this little terri
tory, move on whithersoever they would
have her go:
You think your in a fine business"
she said tauntingly. You'll make fine
report to your colonel, won't you? One
poor woman and dog hustled back over
the line Oh, you're a rusher! It's a pity
there amt more like you The boomers
would be nowhere"
See here, miss, or madam" said Stir
ling courteously. You must be aware
that have no option in this matter. The
orders are for your kind to stay on the
other side until the time set by the pres
ldent for You to occupy the land arrives
If you will slip in beforehand, what else
. can we do but put you back again?