The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1902-01-03

day the rSprisals hepan IN dead
] earnest. I've lost half dozen prime
] steers. and last night we saved tho
hay stacks by standing, guard over
them with the Winchesters. This
afternoon, Mexican George took a
pot-shot at Bart from behind a
bowlder in Elk canyon missed him,
OF course; Greaser can't hit any
thing--and I thought Il was about
time to serve notice on the man who
is responsible. That's what brought
me up here tonight They told mo
at the camp that Wykamp had como
up here, and / thought it would be a
good chance to get him by himself"
Forgive me, Angus" I said. in
honest contrition. "You're better
man than thought you were; a bet
ter man than I'd be under the same
conditions, I'm afraid. What will you
do?"
Get over on the aggressive side"
The man on the other side of tho firs
stirred uneasily and groaned. and
Macpherson waited until | made suro
that WylSamp was still beyond caves.
dropping. Get over on the agrees
siye side, and begin 3he development
Of my placer. As a stockman they
can do me up cold, every time: but
when turn miner I shall hase tho
entire legal machinery Of the great
est rnining state in the union behind
me. The boys viii he up here with
their picks and shovels tomorrow
morning, and we shall build hume
and make q peremptory demsud for
water. Wen get IT, Not even the
Glenlirat syndicate is big enough Ia
buck against a miners right And
when we've used the water in our
rifie-Soxes. it can go down TO the
settlery for their burnt-up fields"
Il see, suiv. Wny didn't you do
il long ago?'
"The time wasn't ripe Between
us, don't hope to make anything
out of the placer. We've all planned
at it now and then. and nobody has
found more than few 'coiors' to thu
pan. But il comes in pat now, just
at the right time. Public sentiment
is strong on the side of the settlers.
and against the land company; and
i happen to know that President
Baldwin is beginning TO be a bit un.
certain about this location for tha
dam. Did you see the pit before tho
coffer-dam went out and filled il up?"
"Yes."
at was fully 20 feet deep and they
were still in this loose shale n they
so on and put in their masonry, it'sl
pennies TO dollars that the first
cloud-burst takes il out. Baldwin
knows the risk. and so do the stock.
holders. The stock has gone down
ten points in as many days That
was why they got together and made
a pool 10 try to buy me out"
Decent fgure?"
Fairly decent They strained
point all the points. / imagine in
the present uncertain condition of
affairs; but / wouldn't sell for twicai
fifty thousand"
"I don't blame you; it's more than
a money fight"
Macphersop's soft brown ewes
flashed responsively "Much more.
We charge Setter with making II a
personal matter, but I'm afraid it's
come to be that with me. The day
when l can run that fellow out OF |
this valley at the tail Of a broken en-.
terprise will be a happy one for me.
It's the least l can do-and tha
most. And I'll do Il, il live"
Wykamp flung his arms abroad like
man in a bad dream. laughed
aloud. The grim humor Of the cling
was Irresistible. Here for an hour wa
had been straining every nerve 10
save the life of a man whose death
was every way desirablc-but I
checked myself at once. Macpher-
son was glowering al the PROSTATE
figure beyond the fire in way that
made me shiver. ] made haaie toll
bank the fires Of wrath
at is unfortunate that Seltcr has
put himself on the wrong side ag tho
criminal fence" I remarked
Macpherson responded quickly. asitl
glad Of the diversion.
1T IS; devilish unfortunate The
thing hangs by a thread II thar fell
low suspects that it was giant
powder and not the food. ven all
hear from It,"
"Will he suspect?"
Macpherson shook his heas He'll
reason it out, II he hasn't been too
badly shaken up. And we'll be lucky
II we're not dragged in as Witnesses"
He went silent for a minute, and
when he continued his thought was
for me. "Say, Jack; suppose you take
the back track 20 the farmhouse.
There is no need Of your being
mixed up in this and II you're not
here when his men come, no one will
be the wiser. Follow the bed OK tha
ditch and you won't meet them"
The advice was sound, but I hesi.
tated.
I "But that win leave you 70 bsar
the hruuf ~ - alo,. 49,. -