The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1898-06-17

One tHIHR L NdHC you tOuC tHoHS II, anu
that is to tell us the name of that man
who beat you out of your claim
ct is Lige RUSSELL" she answered.
81 know him." Slime said. Jake" he
continued. turning to one of his COM
panions. 81 want you to go over to
Russell's with me, while the rest of the
boys wait here with aunty.'
What are you going to Russell's
for?" Jake inquired.
''To see if we can't persuade him to do
the right thing in this business. That
claims worth at least $780,"
Guess 1t is" Jake admitted, "but
that don't signify that Russell will pay
that much for it,
"Well, that's all right. I'll see if he's
not open to argument, and if one kind
of reasoning won't go maybe another
kind will"
Slime whrled his horse about, and b.
and Jake galloped away across the
prairie After little less than an hours
ride they refined up at Russell's gate. \
stentorian ''hello," or two brought Rus
sell to the door. Slime said:
"Mr. Russell, we want to talk with
you on little matter of business"
81 never talk business on Sunday"
Russell replied.
''Too pious, eh?'
81 hope so, sir"
"But not too pious to turn poor old
woman out on the world on Sunday
after robbing her of her last dollar"
"Sir. what do you mean?"
"Just what I say. Mr.. Russell, an9
you low well enough what it is. ]
want you to pay that woman the bal
! ance of the money on her claim
81 shall not do it. The claim is mine"
"It is worth five times what you paid"
''It is, but that's none of your bust
Dess."
81 propose to make it my business.
You have got to pay that money and
keep that poor old woman off the coun-
ty."
"Who's going to make me pay it?
81 ann
'How, I'd like to know"
"You know what cowboys sometimes
do to settlers. Ireckon? You know how
they pasture their cattle on settlers
crops and burn the settlers hay and all
that sort of thing, don't you?"
eyes, but what of it?''
"There's just this much of it, Mr. Rus
SELL Unless you do the fair thing by that
woman all those things will happen to
you, and you will lose ten times as much
| as you have swindled her out Of
"Do you mean to threaten me. sir?"
Russell Numbered.
ooh, no." Slime replied calmly. 81
am not threatening you. Nothing OF
the sort. 1 am only telling you what
feel in MY bones is going to happen; ant
want to say to you that when I feel
thing like that in my bones it general,
comes to pass just so. I'll bet my head
that if you don't pay that woman 500
more money you won't raise a sign of
crop, and all your hay will be burned
up. Come, now. which shall it be?"
Russell knew the man he had to dea
| with, and he knew that to gain the l.
will of a gang of cowboys was 70 vel
desirable thing. SO. after hemmng ar
having for awhile. he at last paid OIL
Slime $500 fer the woman. Hut as he di
so he made very WY face. for thour'
he was wealthy he was as close-1isted
| miser.
Slime and Jake galloped back. put Il
money into the voman's hands. ar
hen took her on to town. She rode b.
hind Slime on his horse. ard before II
Quincy was over she had quite recc
red from all her fear Of The cowbo,
ut was very good Of you 70 get all
his money for me-" she said. :"
~eckon cowboys amt all 50 mean as
those we used to know. | know yor
men amt mean. anyhow
eve amt angels. ma'am." Slime re
oiled. Not by a good DEAL
you're good men ard like YOU
she said. "You have kept me from &c
ing on the county, and you don't know
what relief that isl
They were all silent for moment
Then Sine said:
what will you DO now. aunty?"
I've been thinking about that" she
replied. land reckon maybe I'd better
go back east to my old home. | have
friends back there. you know"
"a good idea," Slime said. you'll b.
better off back there"
They escorted her to tn. station in E
body. purchased her ticket and say
her on the train. Then they stood O,
the platform about the window wher
she sat and talked with her while III
train waited. Just before she starte,
she remarked to them with tears in he
eyes:
I'm never going to think so hard O.
cowboys any more. I'll try to like then
all on your account, and love all of yor
because you have been good friends +
me and made me the happiest creature
en- earth. God bless you"
The train moved away, but the cow
boys stood looking after it. feeline
happier. for some reason. than thew had