Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1895-08-15
SECURING THE CONTRACT.
BY A. II. GIBSON.


old, with dark hair and eyes. was
watering her thirsty morning-glory
vines, which she was training ut
the sides of her dugout home.
'Callie" called a weak mans
voice from inside.
Dropping the basin of water, she
entered the dugout. On a home.
made bed in one corner lay a man
Of about thlrty-nine years flushed
with fever.
DO you want anything, pa?' she
asked, as she stroked the dark hair
from the hot brow with cool fingers.
'It's almost time for you to 60
and drive up Bossy, isn't it?' he
asked, looking up tenderly into the
child's face.
yes, papa. How are you feeling
now-better?'
"A little. The fever is going
down slowly. You may give me q
sup Of water, then 60 and get Bossy.
She gave him a drink in her own
little tin cup, the best drinking ves-
sci she had, then ran back of the
hut to where the horses were lariat-
ed on the rank prairie grass.
Slipping the rope off Dolly's
neck, the girl put a bride on the
gentle creatures head, led her to
the side of rayine, jumped lightly
on her back and dashed across the
prairie.
The sun was just setting when
she found the COW and started her
toward home. As she came out Of
a thicket fringing stream, q horse.
man met her.
Hello, sissyr was his somewhat
coarse greeting.
lie was q tall, stout, middle-aged
man, with bristling red hair and
beard. He was coarsely dressed and
presented anything but a pleasing
appearance. 1t was evident from
the expression of Callie's face that
the man was unwelcome to her.
Good evening, Mr.. Simmons
she answered coldly, starting her
pony around him and riding on.
'How's your papa?' he inquired,
riding after her.
'He's having more chills and
fever she replied, shortly.
1T can't be very healthy on your
claim. I'd try to induce your pap
to go elsewhere, if l was you. You
would better leave the claim, any
way
But guess we won't, for we like
our claim, she returned, with flash
ing eyes. 'Pa says he will have bet
ter health when he gets used to the
climate. Go on Bossy!' she said to
the COW that had stopped to Craze.
Without looking behind her she
hurried home, leaving the man gaz-
ing after her with an evil light IN
his yellowish gray eyes.
THAT gals a smart one. Twill
be hard to head her of. But her
dad being sick gives me a good
chance to strike. il / can only git
Jim Dawkins to help me. I'll go
see him. And he turned in an op-
posite direction.
Abel Norris and his daughter CAL
lie, the only remaining member Of
his family, had come from Iowa
that spring. The long journey had
been made in a large covered wagon,
and they had settled on a claim in
Southern Kansas.
This was in 1869, just after the
famous Joy land excitement, and
parts of the country were quite new
and unsettled. They had seme
trouble with Bill Simmons, a quar-.
relsome character who lived on
Thunderbolt Greek, and was known
as ore of the worst agitators among
the anti-Joy settlers. He asserted
q prior claim to the land taken b,
Norris. But there was not the
slightest evidence Of former occu,
pancy, and Simmons being unabl.
to show title to the land, Norri,
refused to give mp the claim. I'm
needing the threats Of Simmons, h.