The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-10-31
HOLDING HIS CLAIM
How His Dying Child Touched the
Hearts Of Three Outlaws.

tnuuX began. ne DTOd0. WIZ ~ oAA AZ
was at once dotted with white-topped
wagons, all moving on to the south,
while the tagged and jaded horses
that pulled them were urged at the
point of the lash to the greatest pos
sible speed. Every wagon bore a
party of poor home-seel1ers, who for
months had waited for this day, and
who now joined in the grand race for
The new land of promise, intent on
getting claim and home.
One rickety old wagon, hauled by a
span of poor, bony mules. headed off
TO the west late in the afternoon, and
for an hour raced straight toward a
small body of timber that lined water
course. 1t was after sunset when the
timber was reached and the mules
picketed, but before it became quite
dark a fire had been started and q
scanty supper prepared.
Shortly after dark three horsemen,
heavily armed, rode out of the timber
mile or so below the wagon, and,
stopping, one of them said:
Boys, this is the spot l picked out
for us. and l don't believe you could
End a better piece OF land if you were
to search the country over. There are
lust six claims here-just enough for
us and the three men who are coming
with the wagon, and so / guess we are
fixed about right"
Guess we are" replied one of the
others, ''if nobody amt gone and
squatted on the ground"
There's nobody on the land yet, l
guess. At least, l don't see any signs
of any camp anywhere"
There may be some settlers along
tomorrow, though, and if they should
beat our wagon here they'd have the
heels of u.s."
Maybe they would, Sam, and maybe
thew wouldn't That would sort of de-
pend, you know"
Depend? How?"
"Why, it would depend on whether
there was more OF them than there is
of US. If we was in the ma jority [
reckon we'd be pretty apt to make our
claim good. If it should come to shoot
ing, reckon we know about as well
- as the next ones how to finger pistol"
The others nodded significantly at
this, and the three men rode out a lit
tie farther from the timber. They had
gone but few steps when Jake came
to short stop, and pointing away to
the south, said:
Bows, see that"
s'What is it?'' Sam asked.
''See that light up the creek. What
DO you make of ito"
"A FREELY, / reckon" replied Sam.
.''A FREELY nothing. Guess they don't
have fire-hies down here as big as hens,
and it would take one that big to
make that sort of light"
That's so, Jake, said Sam, thought
fully. What do you make it out?"
Il make it nothing more nor less
than a squatter, and he's on our land,
too, guess"
eyes, it must be a sqhatter, and of
course he's on our land. The blamed
rascal has got cheek for you, sure"
Eyes, he's got cheek. But what are
we going to Go about him? That's the
question now"
well, we've got to rout him out OF
there, and we'd IS well do it now"
I'VE can't do it any too quick, and
we might as well ride over there and
start him of and take possession OF
his fire. 1t VIII save us the trouble of
making one of our own
This proposition meeting with
unanimous assent, the three men gal
Hoped off toward the light.
BY jix, boys,'' said old Jake, as they
drew near to the light, lit might be a
good idea to be prepared for business.
That squatter might not take kindly
to us, and like as not he'll open on US
with a shotgun. We don't want to do
any shooting if we can help it, but K
we can't help it, we can't, of course"
That's So" agreed Sam. land | ex-
pect we'd better sort of slip up on him
and not let him get any advantage OF
u.s."
The men dismounted and crept softly
forward through the grass, keeping
well in the shadow of the old wagon.
After a little while they got quite
r1ose. and stopping to listen, distinctly
heard low voices in the wagon engaged
In earnest conversation. One of the
voices, it was plain, was that of
woman, while the other, weak and thin,
was Enthusiastically that of child.
How do you feel now, dearie?" the
woman asked.
81 feel very well, mother, only I'm
20 tired" the child replied.
"Do you feel as well as You did this
horning?"
mo: the ride was so rough and so
tong that it made me sore and weak.
But don't mind that, for I'm glad we
got here and papa got a good claim. Is
it long till daylight, mammal
"Yes. long time. Night has just
come on
Il wish IL was light, so that ! could
See the country. Is 1t very pretty?"
Yes, darling. very beautiful"
ia glad of that, mamma Are
there any flowers in bloom?"
The prairie is covered with them,
sweet. and when morning comes viii
bring you lots of them. When you get
we'll you can gather them for yourself,
all you want"
NO, no. mamma. shall never do
that. Don't cry. / am very happy,
but I shall never be well any more.
am glad the land is pretty, though,
for II viii be pleasant to you and papa,
and after awhile you viii have beau
tiful home. | want the morning to
come so that may see the claim Just
once-just once"
well, go to sleep then, pet, and