The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-12-08

file. The air, which had been in
tensely cold and still all day. began
to grow warmer. At the same time
an occasional gust Of wind threw n
cloud of fine snow against the mules
feet and then died away as quickly
as it had come. 1t was getting dark,
and increasing their pace they soon
arrived at Jacobs shanty. But the
old man, who was standing outside
splitting firewood, had seen them
coming long way off. their mount
ed figures standing boldly outlined
against an ominous bank of clouds
which the setting sun was now stain
ing to a lurid red. Eric, making
Jim sign to hold his tongue, hailed
the old man thus:
"How long before Peters comes
back, Jacobsf''
"That cannot just cay for Ger
tain"
81 suppose you know that he has
already been off his place more than
six months right along9"
"Ayo, / guess maybe he has,"
"i suppose, then, you know that
Peters has forfeited his place under
the homestead act2"
well, as to that, I can't cay. I'm
here to hold it for him, being, you
see, kind Of chum, and l guess he's
as good right to it as any one, see
ing he's done improvements on it,
"That doesn't count for nothing
unless he lives on it, retorted Ed
sen, "and, besides, my pal here
(pointing to Jim, who, with sheep
ish face, was beating his mitts to-
gether to keep the blood circulating).
wants this place, and he's going to
have it, SO you'd better turn out in
side OF "a hours, or we'll make the
place too hot to hold you. Do you
heart"
"Aye. hear you, Eric Edsen."
replied the old man, his eyes kin
ding, and graoping his ak tride
more firmly. you've threatened
before now, but I'm here still, and
if you want the claim you'll have to
take it by force over my dead body.
for / swore to my chum that "a
hold it, and Ill keep my oath if /
die for it"
"We'll see about that" IiiEsed
Edsen through his teeth. We'll
burn you out, shack and all, bundle
of useless bones that you are. if
you re not out of here by this time
tomorrow.
Then he called to Jim: Come on.
It's waste of time talking. Looks az
if we were in for q baddish nigtc,
and our -four all but out. hope
Serge will get back from Grand
Forks tomorrow or we'll he in
tight fix.''
Wheeling his mule. and turning
in the Mexican saddle to shaks his
fst as the oil man, he shouted hack,
"I1'-rree warmed you square enough; !;
this time tomorrow" and fo tn put
ting their mules into a gallop they
rapidly disappeared in the fest fall
ing darkness.
The old man slowly gathered up
his wood in little bundles and car
ried them ii, shut mis- door tight,
replenished the stove and sat down
So this was the end Of it all, he sad
ly thought, the end Of all the lonely
life he had led. Tomorrow he would
have to fight for his home, perhaps
his life, or abandon everything.
He rapidly considered. From the
4ScSollss "a the aiky, one or Dakota 8 ter.
rible blizzards was threatening If
he decided te Leave, rs w5uld have
20 tramp i've miles to reach the
nearest shelter; his clothing was
poor, .aite inadequate for such a
Journey even in calm weather, much
less in a storm. There was no trail;
the temperature was 25 degrees be-
low zero, but then, if he dare not
venture out, neither dare they; the
coming storm would keep them at
home too. This slight gleam of
hope encouraged him.
He rose and opened the door. but
furious gust drove him in again.
The sun had. now sunk and the hank
OF clouds had rapidly spread east
ward Mechanically he looked at
his wood pile. Thank God, he had
enough, ss any rats. aad lots of
-four too. He couldn't freeze or
starve as long as he staid where he
was He quickly shut the door,
threw on some red willow to raise
hot fire and made himself strong
brew OF tea.
Outside the wind was steadily ris-
ing. It ceased to come in gusts
now, but howled ominously round
the old shack, now and again lift \
ing and rattling the ragged edges Of
loose tar paper on the roof. The
old man, sitting and musing by the
stove: suddenly started, and mutter-
ed to himself excitedly. '.Aye. aye.
that's what he said. yon hsa your
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