Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1898-03-23

, thaf'S SukenOuSe, ne got lurOWeu ny
his broncho an broke his collar bone.
Us galloots have been doin' wot We
could to patch him up. An then,
thars some new settlers comm in
; lately-au' wantin' timber claims, an
iumpin' 'em, too, when they get @
chance. But how did yer find the
folks back yonder in Illinoy?"
"All we'll and happy" replied Rob
Wood. 'tBut what's this you say
about claim-iumpers?"
"Oh, yes! Ireckon yer heerd bout
yer claim, an thet's hurried yer back, "
remarked Ike.
"My claim! What do you mean?"
and Rob Woods blue eyes dilated
widely.
81 thought maybe yer'd heerd bout
it fore now," said Jim, very inno-
Gently. "Wa-al, yer see yer claim
has been kinder jumped-a family
moved into yer shanty. They have,
by ginger!"
"Do you mean to say that some low
down sneak has dared to Jump my
claim while I've been gomez" he cried,
a sudden fame of anger mounting to
his handsome face.
Clocks powerfully thet way" re-
turned Jim. "Seed a kivered wagon
thar, an smoke pourin' out O. yer
chimney as we rid over hyer."
With q quick stride Rob Wood
walked out of the store, got his horse
from the stable, where it had been
kept during his absence, and was soon
galloping away through the snowy
dusk of the early evening.
When he was beyond earshot of
Miley's store the two conspirators
went off into roars of laughter, after
which they let the old store-keeper
into their joke.
"It's good one on Wood" said
N1iley, joining heartily in the laughter,
can calls for cigars at Rob's expense,
don't it?", said Jim.
Exactly" agreed Ike.
tGood enough!" said Miley, as he
handed out the box of his choicest
cigars.
us2' said Ike.
.'No; feller thet can give good
jokes as Rob can can take one on him.
SELF" answered Jim.
Meantime, Rob Wood, his brain full
of wrath at the unprincipled persons
who had Jumped his claim" was
nearing his cabin. He was too angry
to heed the snow and the cutting
northwest wind. One purpose ruled
him-to order the claim-iumpers off
his land at once.
He rode into the persimmon thicket,
where he left his horse out of the
storm. Then he strobe rapidly toward
the cabin.
eff they go out quietly there will be
no trouble, but if they refuse to go"
He did not finish the sentence, but
his eyes flashed threateniugly.
Little Bessie was alone at the cabin,
Faith and Clint having gone to the
dugout stable to make the mules COM
Portable for the night.
,Hhe little girl was holding the door
partly open, while she looked wonder
ingly upward at the vast descent Of
the snow. The glow of the fireplace
fell upon her and made her look like a
snow bound fairy. She gave start as
Rob Wood suddenly appeared before
her in the snow-covered path.
"Where's your pa, little girl?" asked
Rob, as he pushed past her.
"He's gone" answered Bessie, look
ing shyly at this abrupt visitor.
ssGone! Where to-" he asked.
s'Gone to Heaben," said the little
girl, simply.
s'Humph!" muttered Rob, to him
self. ST didn't know claim-jumpers
went there!"
Then he glanced hastily around the
room. There was his table bearing
the remnants of q supper, while in an
opposite corner few boxes and some
bedding were stacked away.
"Well," he said, dryly, "it's very
plain they have come to stay"
Besides, remembering how Faith
always treated her company, closed
the door, and brought a chair up to
the fireplace.
"Won't you have seat an warm?"
she asked, looking into the young
mans handsome face.
.No, little one," he answered
quickly, but the severe expression or
his face changed to one of tenderness
as he gazed down into the pretty, in
nocent eyes of the tiny hostess. He
liked children, and, banishing for the
time being the thought that some of
her folks were doing him great un-
kindness in thus appropriating his
claim, he gave her paper of mixed
candies, which he had bought at
Miley's. He had just received Bes-
sie's thanks when the door opened
: and Faith entered the cabin.
The eyes of Faith Haskins and Rob
Wood met in one long, searching
glance. She turned pale and leaned
back against the door. Rob was him
self at first too agitated to speak.
Recovering himself, however, he ap-
preached the girl.
"Faith! Faith Haskinsl" he cried
cts it, indeed, you?"
''Yes, Rob-" she managed to artic-
ulate. "I never expected to see you
/ again
She had struggle to keep the tears
back. The sight of Rob Wood had
brought the past all back and made
her feel strangely weak and un-
nerved.
"Come, Faith" said Rob, taking
hes hand with touch that thrilled
: her, ''sit down by the fire there and
tell me all about your life since you
left Illinois.
A few minutes later, when Clint
same in, he found Bessie sitting coz