The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1902-01-30
CHAPTER II,
THE INVADERS.


I obeyed orders literally, leaning
back and closing my eyes when the
dust-begrimed range-rider galloped
up and swung out of the saddle. But
Kilgore proved to be a bearer of It'd
ings; and when he had opened his
budget the breach of ranch discipline
and it's merited cut-cursing were
alike forgotten.
you're sure you know what you
are talking about, Bart?" said Mac
Pherson, eying his man suspiciously.
"You know I've a good right to be
doubtful of anything you say you see
or hear at the fort after payday
The scourger of dumb brutes
grinned and turned his pockets in
side out.
II reckon that calls the turn.
Cap'n Mac, six times in the haffen
dozen, but I'm jug-proof this evenin';
no dust, no drink. An I'm givin'> it
to you straight. Their amt no kind
of balk on it this time; Settlers
sold us out, lock, stock and barrel.
The deals done dealt, papers signed,
gradin' outfit on the way, and the in
gineers a-comin' up the canyon this
identical minute,-tepees, tele-
scopes, barber-poles, and all.'
A far-away look came into Mac
pherson's eyes, and the pipe between
his teeth began to go up and down
in way that swept me back through
a decade to stuffy little college
dormitory, with big-limbed young
son of Anak sitting across the table
from me, hammering away at his
mathematics. a
"Who is it, Bart?-the English
men?"
| II reckon"
"And they're on the way in now,
you say?"
"Yep."
II guess that settles it, said Mac.
pherson, half absently. eve might
as well round up and drive over the
range"
His seeming reluctance to fight for
his own nettled me past endurance
'You'll do nothing of the sort if ]
can help it, I cut in. you're going
to contest this thing from start to
finish; and when your moneys gone,
you can have mine.''
He shook his head. cts no use.
can give and take with the next fel.
low when it's worth while; but I'd
have to go, in the end. These people
are well within their lawful rights
if they've bought Settlers ditch; and
I'm only a squatter."
'Law be hanged! -you've right and
possession. And in the last resort
you can at least make them pay YOU
to co.
Knowing Macpherson as I did, !
should have said that he was the last
man in the world to take the sen.
timental point of view in any matter
of business, but surprises lie in wait
for one at every turn in this vale
of incertitude.
IF it were only a question of profit
and loss, I shouldn't mind" he said
'But it's just as you said awhile
back; I've been the Macpherson Of
Torolito, and I've come to look upon
the park as my own particular little
kingdom" .r...- ....... *,
wheeled promptly into line with
the sentimental point of view, and
spoke to the matter in hand.
"Put it upon any ground YOU
please, but don't give up without
trying a fall or two with them. I'll
back you, as promised; you might
as well have the patrimony as the
charity-people who will scramble
over it after I'm gone. We can home.
stead a quarter-section or two or
/, their line of ditch for a beginning
and pull down a few injunctions on
them it they try to cross. I'm fa1
enough past qualifying and going
into court for you, but can be your
consulting attorney while last
He shook his head again, as one