The Coconino sun., 1901-01-12
TUCKER AND ROSE
By Cha. E. Brinblecefa.
THE deputy assessor mapped the


 tate; s. e. X section IS. township 8 south. range west, etc.; s3 acres or chard, 12 acres pasture and hay land, 65 acres timber land"
 Well. you ain't a-goin' before din. ner, so jest set right down here," said Ezra Tucker. genially, and the tired of ficial did not hesitate to accept a seat on the cool veranda beside his host.
 You've lived here a long time," seid the deputy.
 ''Twenty-seven years this spring, 1" re. piled Tucker. Made some little changes in that time, too. Mighty nigh this whole claim was thick woods when fust seen it.
 ""Twas a curious thing, too. I'll tell you how twas. You see, kinder got a notion that it would be a good idea to take up some gov'ment land. so rode up here from Santa Cruz. I6 mile. over pesky bad trail, and my friends. the Crawfords, over here on the San Loren. 70. they showed me this quarter-sec- tion.
 There was little shack of . cabin on the place. built by Tom Tutor, feller who used to hunt and trap for a Twin. but he never pre-empt ed the land, and at that time he'd gone to Arizona. So l took up the ranch, without any idee of trouble. and then went hack to Santa Cruz to gil some things cause 'cordin' to law you had to live on your claim six months be fore you could prove up.
 But the next time l come up, Nal colm Crawford he told me that he'd heard there was another fe.ler pros- pectin' round my ranch. He'd been up there himself with his gun to inquire about it, but didn't see nobody; but he said I'd better git up there as quick as the Lord would let me and hold down the claim.
 "I left my horse at Crawford's, cause there want much feed in the woods, and made up pack of flour, bacon, cof- fee and sugar, and Malcolm lent me shotgun that he said might come in handy. On the way up fired both bar rels of the gun at some quail. and then found that I'd forgot to bring any ann intuition.
 Everything was still as death, ex. cept the crickets chirpin' with lone some sound, and put the things in the cabin. There was little fireplace built of mud and sticks in one end, with chimney of split boards. and built fire to git bite of supper.
 As I was standin' in the doorway feelin' kinder dolefnl, see man with pack on his back comin' up the trail He was stout and his face was pretty red, and when he see me it got quite . bit redder. He come up pufin' and seemed put out bout something, and jest then it. come into my head that mebbe he was the other feller.
 "'What you doin' in that cabin?" he says, real cross.
 "'My residence at present. says I. Won't you come inT
 "'None O your b.arsted sarce wi me- he says. This 'ere Is my claim, and want you to git of it directly
 "'You're laborin' under slight mis- take says l. This is my claim; but you needn't be in hurry bout goin'. Stay till mornin', anyway. Darned if ain't glad of company
 "Well. we talked awhile, and he kep' gittin' maGder and madder.
 "'You've got the advantage of me now he roars out but if it want for that bloody gun you've got so andy I'd put you out of my cabin quicker'n a wink
 "'You needn't fret about the gun,' says. (l'd leftitoutside leanin' against the cabin.) Why. l fired of both bar rels at some quail down here, and I didn't bring mite of ammunition with me- "'You carn't come it on me- he saye, kinder sneerin'. You'd like to hentice