Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1895-08-15

set ola MOTIFS on the claim.
The very thing, Bill. I'm will
you and will furnish all the none,
you need
They rode away in the darkness
leaving Callie alone by the sprin,
to think over all she had heard.
| He shan't get papa's claim i sh,
cried, her eyes flashing resolutel,
as she returned to the dugout
'Papa's been going to see the agent
twice, and both times he has beer
taken sick. It's too bad p
On reaching the dugout she found
her father awake, so she told him
Fsbout the conversation which shs
had overheard between Simmons
and Dawkins.
$50 this is a valuable coal claim
is it, and Simmons has been pros.
pecting on it p Norris repeated when
Callie had finished. THAT accounts
for Bill Simmons great efforts to
scare me of the land. And he and
Jim Dawkins are going TO take ad-
vantage of my sickness and contract
under me, are they? Early to-
morrow morning Why, we have
no chance at all, Callie. They will
get the claim from us in spite of all
we can do he said, despondently.
NO, they won't, papa! There's
a chance yes,' cried Callie, SPRING
ing to her feet.
Il know, if | was able to ride
ahead of them to the land office, ,
said Norris, with a groan. But l
am too weak to travel that far if
the prize was the whole of Kansas.
Well have to let the villains have
it, Callie, A sick man can't fight
his enemies
But we won't let them have it,
papa; | can ride Dolly to the land
Office and tell the agent about it,
1T is too long a ride for you, my
child. Besides, my presence would
be necessary to secure the contract;
then / haven't money enough to pay
down. There's only two hundred
and fifty dollars under that rock
tI'fi tell you, papa she cried, ca
gerly. Let me take that to the
land agent, tell him the story, and
maybe he'll keep the claim for us
until you can pay the rest. Do let
me try, papa. can start on Dol
ly long before daylight and beat
Bill Simmons and Jim Dawkins
into Fort Scott. You must let me
go, papa
She was only little girl, and it
was fifteen miles to the land office.
1t seemed a difficult, fruitless un-
dertaking for her to try to outwit
two bold, reckless men, who we're
SO obstinately bent on getting the
claim away from them.
Callie went over the situation
very carefully with her father. At
last, seeing how determined she
was on trying to save the claim, he
gave a rather reluctant consent to
her making the venture.
She began making preparations
for her journey, which was soon
completed. Then seating herself
by her fathers couch she listened
very attentively to his instructions.
The moon came up soon after mid
night. Its light would relieve her
long, lonesome ride.
Taking the two hundred and fif-
ty dollars from beneath a large fat
rock by her fathers bed, she con-
cealed it in the bosom of her dress.
She then kissed her father, and bid
ding him not to worry about her,
she left the dugout aud mounted
Dolly, who stood bridled and sad
died, waiting to carry her young
mistress on her mission.
She started across the prairie at
brisk trot. The moon shed q
deep golden light over the August
parched grass, and chased away the
dark shadows down the lonely hol-
lows that yawned acress her path.
Her horse startled the birds asleep
in the grass, and sent them fitting
away in the night.
She started nervously when DOL
ly SHE'D as a coyote ran bowling
down q rocky rayine. Every sound
had nameless terror for the little
girl, but she kept bravely on. The
sound Of mocking-bird trilling on
cottonwood by. the roadside re-
assured and encouraged her.
The rosy flush of early dawn was
lust lighting the hills around Fort