The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-03-28
THE RIGHT OF WAY.


the Great Southwestern railway, that we
should be blocked by the obstinacy of one
man in our endeavor to 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 sftua-
ton 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 hauled out That means a branch
line. One man owns all the land--mesa
and foothills-between the railroad and
the mines. We must cross his ranch, but
he declines to sell right of way. He is a
pioneer and is bull headed He says the
country was getting along without rail-
roads when he came there and that 10 oan
get along without them still We must
overcome his objections. But how? We
offer to pay him well for all damage donc
and he replies by suggesting that our
grading outfit bring along one fiat car OF
collins. He is certainly contrary indi.
vidual. Have stated the case correctly"
"You have" said the second vice presi
dent
The president arose and picked up his
silk hat
"All right" he said. "we must get
across that ranch some way"
A cloud of dust was coming down the
road. Theophilus Smith carefully watched
it for a moment and then turned Bucyrus
among the powders by the roadside.
Bucyrus was his mule. just ahead OF the
dust cloud appeared a frantic horse tear
ing wildly down the road toward him.
Now and then he could catch glimpses Of
II. 4 LII.
clinging to the scat Theophilus, who
was careful young man, put his brier
wood 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 they, too, went fly
ing down the road Through sand and
over powders they went-horse, buck
board, mule and dust.
Excuse me- miss, said Theophilus as
he came alongside and reached for the bit
of the running horse. Pleasant day, is
1t not?'
He gripped the bride hard, pulled side
ways and backward, and Bucyrus cheer
fully sat down to the occasion and slid.
There was more dust, and then they stop
ped.
Theophilus rubbed some of the dirt from
his eyes and raised his sombrero to the
girl in tho blackboard. She looked at him
with wide open blue eyes.
Il am very sorry" he said politely, "to
stop you SO rudely merely to ask you a
question, but will you kindly pardon me
and inform me where Colonel Snortally
lives?"
The young ladys lip quivered and, in
stead of replying, she burst into tears.
Then, recovering from her embarrassment
and fright, she drew deep breath and
smiled family, and as the color came back
to her cheeks she answered:
II am the colonel's daughter, and will
gladly show you the way home.
Theophilus spoke few words to tho
still restless horse, handed the reins up to
the young lady and led Bucyrus to the
rear of the blackboard, to which he tied
him.
Il suppose, said,the colonel's daugh-
ter as they started up the road, that
should thank you for saving my life and
my fathers best blackboard Really
thank you very much. II you will stop at
the house for dinner, / will try to show
my gratitude with some tortillas and fri
joles of my own cooking"
1.-THE debt of gratitude is on my side
and not yours, Theophilus answered. Il
am in search of work as a cowboy, and
cannot but hope that your acquaintance is
an suspicious omen. "
Cowboys don't talk like that" she
said, a little sharply, eying him in sur
prise. You re not fitted for a range man
anyway. Cattlemen don't ride mules.
Papa says there is only one animal more
ridiculous, stupid and idiotic than a mule
and that is the man who rides one"
but your father doesn't know Buoy
rus
"Nor his owner, she rejoined, laugh
ing.
They stopped in front of a long, low
adobe ranchhouse, with deep set windows
and doors. Ivy circled the windows and
climbed to the caves. A few frs, some
tall blue gums and dozen palms stood
in the front yard The house was set far
back, and the veranda that surrounded it
was 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 will
lows that broke the monotony of the 9TH
erwise treeless 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 lady stepped lightly to the
ground II will call papa" she said s..
A few minutes later tall man, heavy
set, with face like the full moon in har-
vest time, his soanty locks somewhat griz-
zled with the first snowfall of the winter
of life, came swinging down the walk
with great strides
How air yet' he shouted before reach
ing the gate. 'Glory tells me We ketched
that son of satan thar jest in time. I'm
mighty glad to meet ye" He seized Theo-
philns' hand, and Theophilus 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 the house. "Take that boss out beyond
thar an shoot himl Come in, Mr.-er"-
"Smith."
"Dinner'n be ready by an by. Wizard
that beast come froms" he added, pointing
ct Bucyrus.
Hes my mule, answered Theophilus.
ftYn,, dor, u aav sol Cspoead ~, T. oxrsd