The times., 1899-03-05
THE RIGHT OF WAY,

THE RIGHT OF WAY.
The president of the Great Southwestern
| Railway Company tapped impatiently on
the table. The other members of the board
| kept a constrained silence. and the sec
ond vice president, in charge of extension
gazed longingy at plebeian sign of beer"
across the street and seven stories below
1t was at him the president was directing
his remarks. .
should be blocked by the obstinacy of one
man in our endeaver tp build this branch
line A casual Observer would certainly
suppose that the executive department of
the company had sufficient brains to over
come such an obstacle as this. The situa-
tion is simple enough. Here is our road
and here are the mountains in which the
new strikes have been made. To develop
them machinery must be hauled in and ore
bauled out. That means branch line.
One man owns all the land-mssa and foot
hills-between the railroad and the lines.
We must cross the ranch, but he declines
to sell the right OF way. He is a pioneer
and is bull headed. He says the country
was getting along without railroads when
he came there, and that 1t can get along
without them still We must overcome his
well for all damages done. and he replies
by suggesting that our grading outfit bring
along one flatcar of collins. He is certain
ly contrary individual. Have stated the
case correctly"
You have" said the second wee presi-
dent. removing his gaze from the sign be-
low to the map on the table. with one
exception. Colonel SEortally is not an
individual; he is a community. and more;
he . ha fnr
thousand acres of land; he is political
party. because he employs more cow
punchers than you can ordinarily get to-
gether at a country dance: he is law
giver, because of his wealth and the taxes
he pays; he is a law-enfOrcer SO far as he
sees fit, because he can shoot straight and
has men with him who can do likewise;
he is society. because his daughter, whom
/ have had the pleasure OF meeting is the
most beautiful young woman in the Terri
tory. What can a poor. ordinary railroad
company do against such a combination?
We cannot condemn until we get a right
Of way from the board of supervisors, and
he is the county government"
The president mopped his brow. His
gaze wandered across the street and down
seven stories to a sign. He arose and
picked up his silk hat.
"All right" he said I'VE must get
A cloud of dust was coming down the
road TheOphilus Smith carefully watch
ed it for moment, and then turned Bucy-
rus among the powders by the roadside
Bucyrus was his mule. Just ahead of the
dust cloud appeared frantic horse tear
ing wildly down the road toward m.
Now and then he could catch glimpses of
swaying blackboard and young woman
clinging to the seat. Theophilus. who was
careful young man. put his briarwooi
pipe in the inside pocket of his Jacket
drew his sombrero down tightly upon his
head, and then disinterestedly watched
the approaching runaway. AS the dust
cloud and its contents passed, Bucyrus
wheeled. and then. too. went flying down
the road Through sand and over bowl
ders they went, horse, blackboard, mule
and dust. ...,-
Excuse me, miss said Theophilus, as
he came alongside and reached for the bit
OF the running horse; pleasant day, is it
not" Er
He gripped the bride hard. pulled side
ways and backward. and Bucyrus cheerful
sat down to the occasion and slid. There
was more dust, and then they stopped
Theophilus rubbed some of the dirt from
his eyes and raised his sombrero to the
girl in the blackboard. She looked at him
with wide-open blue eyes
Il am very sorry. he said politely, ito
stop you so rudely merely to ask you a
question; but will you kindly pardon me
and inform me where Colonel Snortaily
liyes?'
The young woman's lip quivered. and, in
stead of replying. she burst into tears.
Then. recovering from her embarrassment
and fright she drew a deep breath and
smiled family and. as the color came back
TO her cheeks, she answered:
Il am the colonel's daughter. and | will
gladly show you the way home"
Theophilus spoke a few words to the still
restless horse handed the reins up TO the
young woman. and led Bucyrus to the
rear of the blackboard. to which he tied
him.
Il suppose said the colonel's daughter,
as they started up the road. that l should
thank you for saving my life and my fa-
ther's best blackboard. Really. / thank you
very much. II you will stop at the home
for dinner will try and show my gratitude
with some tortillas and frijoles OF my own
cooking
The debt of gratitude is on my side and
not yours Theophilus answered. Il am
in search Of work as cowboy. and | can
not but hope that your acquaintance IS an
auspicious omen"
Cowboys don't talk like that" she said
little sharply, eyeing him in surprise
You're not fitted for range man. any
way. Cattlemen don't ride mules. Papa
says there is only one animal more ridicu-
lous. stupid. and idiotic than mule, and
that is the man who rides one"
But your father doesn't know Bucyrus." p"
Nor his owner" she rejoined. laughing
They stopped in front of a long low
adobe ranchhouse. with deep-set windows
and doors. Ivy circled the windows ard
climbed to the caves. A few frs some tall
front yard. The house was set far back
and the veranda that surrounded it vas
half hidden in the green of orange trees.
A stream from the mountains ran through
the orchard in the rear. its course marked
by line of cottonwoods and willows. that
broke the monotony of the otherwise tree
less mesa. On the other side of the creek,
and at some distance from the house, were
the corrals and stables of the ranch.
The young woman stepped lightly to the
ground. Il will call papa she said.
A few minutes later a tall man. heavy
set. with face like the full moon in har-
vest time, his scanty locks some what griz-
Zled with the first snowfall of the winter
OF life came swinging down the walk with
great strides.
How air ye!" he shouted before reach
ing the gate. Glory tells me ye ketched
that son OF Satan thar jest in time I'm
mighty glad to meet ye." He seized The
ophilus hand and Theophlus tried TO look
pleased.
Jack" shouted Colonel Snortally A
dusty cowboy with a sombrero on the back
of his head sauntered around the corner of
tha N shoot him. Come in, mister