The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1901-12-12
How Leila Entered Her Claim

BY FRANK H. SWEET.

lowed him several rods, then he
whirled and trotted back over the road
they had come. Leila watched him un-
til~he disappeared. She did not feel
| able to walk any farther, so she sat
down upon stone to consider. Gaines
| vile was six miles away, her home
| nearly ten, and her ankle was growing
worse. Clearly there was nothing to
do but wait for some chance passer to
come to her assistance.
An hour went by, then she heard the
faint tap, tap of hoof beats in the dis
tance. Presently gray horse ap-
peared, and behind him was Dick, ap-
parently being led by the rider of the
gray. As they appeared, she recog-
nized her brother-in-law's pillow horse,
and the rider was, of course, after the
very land she wanted. Her heart
| sank.
Il suppose this is your horse" The
voice was rich and musical, and as the
stranger lifted his hat she noticed that
his face was strong and scholarly. 81
met him down the road, and thought
that he had run away. All, you are
hurt" as she essayed to step forward.
Here. let me assist you" He sprang
from his horse, throwing the bride of
the black over his arm as he did so.
my gray will stand all right. am
afraid his owner thought was a poor
horseman, and 80 gave me steed that
was safe. Easy, now; lean on me-"
He assisted her to the saddle, and
then examined the girths and bride to
see that everything was secure"
"Do you think you are able to 90
alone?" he asked.
"Oh, certainly. The bushes broke
my fall. think that my ankle will be
all right by tomorrow
"Well, then, 1 will not try to keep up
with you. My horse is very deliberate
in his movements, and l doubt if l
reach town before dark. Good-by."
AS she rode on, Lelia's emotions were
curious mixture of exultation anG
dismay. She could be first to enter a
claim to the land, but in doing so she
almost felt that she would be taking
an unfair advantage of the man who
had come to her assistance. At times
she thought of stopping and waiting
for him to come up, and of explaining
everything, and offering him fair
race. Then she would think of her
mother, and of her brother-in-law, and
OF the German who had said that he
would like her to have the land. OF
course she had better right to it than
this stranger; and of course it would
be the height of folly for her to throw
! Of har
But she could not quite satisfy her.
self; and the thought of the stran-
ger jogging along on the old plow
horse accompanied her into town.
and into the land Office, and grew
stronger when she knew that the
homestead was securely in her pos
session
Early the next morning she started
on her return trip. and soon after
leaving town overlook the old gray
horse and his rider, moving slowly
back toward home.
81 am glad to see you looking so
WE'LL" said Mr.. Wayne, as she reined
in her horse in answer to his saluta-
ton. II hope your adventure of yes
terday caused you no inconvenience.
"Very little, thanks to you.'
They rode on for some minutes in
silence, then Mr.. Wayne looked at
her humorously.
eff you are not in hurry" he
said, 81 will do my best to make the
old gray keep up
II have the day before me. and
will be glad to have company
THANK you" Then: "Did you en-
ter your claim all right?"
Leila flushed and looked at him in
) quiringly He laughed frankly.
+. 81 recognized your horse as one
had seen in Mr.. Gifford's stable, and
I put one thing and another togeth.
, er. But don't think I harbor the
least i'll feeling toward the old gray
/ he went on, quickly, patting the an
| imal as he spoke; che and 1 are get
, ting on famously together. And really
and truly and honestly, Miss"
( "Staunton."
! "Thank you-Miss Staunton, I am
thousand times obliged to you for
: obtaining that land. You see, my
, brother was wild about my getting
( it, and his enthusiasm was SO conta-
5 gious / never paused to consider the
5 consequences. Now, I am lawyer
and I think see a good opportunity
down here for me to practice my pro-
| fession. But suppose I had buried
: myself out on that homestead? Why
. it would have been the extinguishine
| of both the profession and myself
Not but what it is fine piece OF
. land,' hastily, "and prize to any
one who can afford to live on it the
+ necessary five years. But you see
could not do that and practice"
Leila looked at him searchingly.
"Are YOU in earnest?" she asked.
"Really and truly and honestly, a.
. I just observed"
5 She looked relieved.
: 81 am glad to hear it," she said
ST was afraid that II might not
E have acted quite fairly by you"