Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1902-06-21
as he could, and prayed for the long
NIL 4 A.

as he could. and prayed for the long
night to wear away.
At last he heard sounds that told him
the claim Jumpers were astir. One
prepared breakfast, the other guarded
the door. Mcneil In his hiding place
listened intently.
wonder II were goin' to be bothered
with the youngster as claimed this yer
placer one Of them growled. WED
ought to be a-moyln' that ar team we
picked up as soon's we can. If the
Teller that used to own 1t should come
along jest now, lookin' for his bosses.
he'd be mighty apt to find 'em."
THAT'S So" responded the other.
"Guess you'd better take the bosses
and slope for the Panhandle to-day,
hadn't We? II the little tenderfoot does
Come back l can manage him. Sorry
didn't fix him yesterday when ! had
the chance"
Well, Mcneil reflected, II 1t must be
kill or be killed." he knew which
would suit him the better.
Hadn't We ought to be goln' up the
draw to water them ar bosses before
anybody does get around?' one Of the
ruffians said presently.
Reckon we had. I'm ready"
Better take the Winchester"
"Oh, guess not. It's kind of on
handy, and we amt likely to be both
cred by anybody so early in the morn
in. Buckle on your six shooter; thatll
be enough"
AS the sound Of their footsteps died
away, Mcneil jumped for his spade.
With the desperate energy Of an honest
man who fights for his own, he drove
at the thin crust overhead. Down 1t
fell; up he clambered into the dug
out.
He ran for the Winchester. Then on
second thought he laid it aside and
took up his shotgun, the surer weapon
at close range. Swinging the door al
most shut but leaving a crack through
which to watch the approach, he
waited patiently.
Twenty minutes later the claim
jumpers came back They had started
an argument while they had been gone.
That was the only thing in their minds.
Wrangling about the price they should
ask for the stolen horses, they ap-
preached the dugout.
Then suddenly, in their very faces,
the door flew open, they looked down
the barrels of a shotgun and heard
a stern voice say:
Throw up your hands-quick"
Only an instant Of hesitation-a
glance at the face Of the speaker-and
four brown hands went high in the
air.
Now, about face! March! Side by
slde-six feet apart, there! Gang as
tell We. an dinna stop nor look back.
gin We wad keep whole heids."'
Thus commanded Mcneil, in his ex.
element dropping into the speech most
familiar to his boyhood. And 1t was
in the same tongue that the young
man responded when, after they had
covered half mile, the rascals COM
planned of the fatigue of holding up
their hands so long, and begged most
piteOusly to be allowed to let them
down to rest.
"Ye can clasp them atop your heids
an yen do weel eneuch," Mcneil said,
grimly. Long will they rest, I'm
thlnkin', or e'er again ye lay them on
anther mons gear"'
The young man was true prophet.
When he and his next neighbor had
disarmed and tied the desperadOes and
taken them to Guthrie, it proved that
they were wanted" not only for the
theft Of the horses they had hidden in
the ravine, but for various crimes COM
mitted in Kansas. In the Kansas pen
itentiary they remain to this day.
Thus well rid of the claim jumpers,
Mcneil took part of the reward the
State Of Kansas paid for their cap
ture, and-bOught the spade and the
shotgun. The rich farmer would be
deeply offended If any one should call
him a sentimental man; but he never
allows the tool and the weapon to be
mishandled, and l have a notion that
If his handsome house caught fire he
would save the spade and the shotgun
first.-Youth's Companion.