The Irish standard., 1901-11-16
CHAPTER IT.
THE. INVADERS.


un and swung out of the saddle. But
Niig"re proved to be Il bearer of It'd
ms; and when he had opened his
budget the breach of ranch discipline
a:iN its nlcritrd out-cursing were
alike forgotten.
"Iou're sure YOU know what you
M. talking about. Bart:?" said Mac
phrrson. cying his man suspiciously.
''N"n know I've Il good right to be
doubtful of anything you say you see
AZ hear at he fort after payday"
The scour"er of dumb brutes
GRAINED and turned his pockets in
side out.
81 reckon that calls the turn.
Tap'n Mae, six times in the haffen
lo1cn, but I'm iug-proof this cvenin';
no dust. no drink. An I'm givin' it
- YOU straight. Their amt no kind
If Il baIl> on it this time; Settlers
'oId us out, lock, stock and barrel.
l'hr deals done dealt, papers signed.
rraGin' outfit on the way, and the in
cheers a-comn' up the canyon this
identical minute,-tepees, tele-
scopes, bnrbcr-poles, and all"
\ far-awny look came into Mac
phrrSon'S eyes, and the pipe between
his teeth began to go up and down
in Il way that swept me back through
u decade to Il stuily little college
.lormitory, with big-limbed young
son of Anak sitting across the table
from me, hammrrng away at his
mathematics.
WHO is it, Eart?-the English
mrn.''
81 reckon"
"AnG they're on the way in now,
you sny""
Yep"
81 guess that settles it," said Mac
EMERSON. half absrntly. I'VE might
as we'll round up and drive over the
range"
His sr"Iuin" reluctance to fight for
HI own nr:lrd me past endurance.
"N"n'il do nothing of he sort if
can help it," r,it in. "Nou'rc going
to contest this thing from start to
finish; and when your moneys gone,
Nou can have mime
He shook his head. cts no use. I
can give and take with he next fell
low when it's worth while: but I'd
hayr TO 90. in thr end. These people
are well within their lawful rights
if tIry'v" bought Settlers ditch; and
lin omlv Il suuatter.'
Law he hanged. you've right and
possession. And in the last resort
YOU can at least make them pay you
To 20"
KNOWN" Macpherson as ] did
should have said that he was the last
man in the world to take he sen.
tnrnlnI point Of view in any matter
of business, but surprises lie in wait
for one at every turn in this vale
OF inrrrti;,ide.
''lf it were only Il question of profit
and loss. ! shouldn't mind" he said
"I;ut it's just as YOU said awhile
back; I've been the Macpherson OF
Tnrolito, and I've come to look upor
the park as my own particular little
kingdom"
wheeled promptly into line witt
the sentimental point of view. anc
spoke TO the matter in hand.
put it upon any ground yo,
please. but don't give up without
trying a fall or two with them. IT
back YOU. as 7 promscd; you might
as we'll have the patrimony as The
charity-pcopIe who will scrambl.
over it after I'm gone. We can home
stead Il quarter-scction or two or
their line of ditch for Il beginning
and pull down a few injunctons OF
tl,cm if they try to cross. I'm fa1
enough past qualifying and going
into court for YOU. but I can be you
consulting attorney while | last"
lie shook his head again, us ont
whose mind is made up. 1T wouldn'
do any good. There isn't ghost o
II show for us in any legal fight. l
would be your bit OF money and min'
against millions"
kilgore took the short-barrclct
rifle from it's sling under his saddle
flap and tliclled the dust from it will
his soft hat. He had a trick of look
ing tired and sleepy upon occasion
and at such times, as I afterwart
learned, those who knew him bcs
watched his pistol-hand.
Back yondcr in the Tennessee
hills, whcr' | come f'om," he said
"ther' was wunst a Teller f'om tn
north at lowed he was a-goin' t,
build him n ho-tcll on the mountin!
and run a railroad up to it. Nobod.
never said blame word ag'inst it
as ] ever hcarn, but somehow
mother, he got sortcr tired and won
out after awhile and quit; and ther
amt no hotel mr. no railroad on tina
thcr' mounting yit."
blanks in the parable, and when Xii
gore had disappeared in the direction
of the corral, I said, jestingly:
"Thcrc's an idea for you. If lcga
means, fail, you can mobilize you
cowboy army and drive them out b.
Macpherson laughed good-natured
ly. "lf you were half as vindictiv
rs you talk. you'd be holy terror
But I'm not going to fight. At first
| thought I should-with the Win
chesters. if it came to that
but they've been figuring around s.
long that I've had a chance to thinl
it overland TO change my mind"
have pathct;cally acute memor.
for details. and it occurred to m
just then that he had spoken Of TIL
school-mistrcs as a peacenakcr.
"llas Miss Sanhorn forbidden it?
| I asked with malice a forrt h on ,rht