Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-11-02
CHATTER III.
lA-A-As," drawled Lancaster

rehectlvely, gnaWing the
Syr@-s1 while at fresh slab of to-
~ bacco, I'VE jes' nat'aiiy NAV
ericked this claim"
A fortnight had passed since his re-
turn from the land Office. In that time
his fear had slowly vanished. his CON
fidence returned, and he had begun
to show Strea!ls of the bravado that III
his stronger days made him an efficient
section boss. Rosy dreams even beset
his brain-dreams upon which Mary
Ign. deSpising her fathers meauer
structures. and kept in ignorance of
what might ut any moment raZe them.
piled many q rainbow palace. For to
the young girl certain calico covered
books on the mantel had invested the
events of the fortnight just gone with
a delightful tinge OF romance.
Dallas, however took Il sensible view
of their situation. She pointed out
that the man who had made an entry
for the land would in all probability
return and that if he did not five years
ut least would pass before the railroad
reached them. Meanwhile the quar-
ter section should be properly filed
upon for possession and farmcd for a
living. Now as she brushed the hearth
clean with the wing of Il duck she lis
tened quietly to her fathers confident
Boosting.
ITS this way, m GAL he saddle
cOmpassed goodly quid and shifted
it deXterouSly into the sagging pocket
of Il check-"inside o six months after
a man files he's got t dig dugout er
put up Il shanty. He's got t do a lee
tie farm Work an sleep on his claim.
When tibet six months is up eff he amt
done no buildin' er farmin' tn claims
abandoned, an tn first man comm
along en- hev it.
"In this case tn gent in question
amt built, dug err farmed. Eff lie was
t show up an want this quarter he
could get it by payin' fer our improve
ments. All reckon we'd hev t sell an
pull our freight, but eff he was t. show
up an not pay like a honest man.
they'd-they'd-wa they'd likely be
leetle disagreement"
Dallas shook her head. 'If he comes
before his six months is up and i'm
the only square thing. Amt it so?"
"Waal-waaP'- stammered Lancas-
ter lamely.
at is" she said ''IIe filed on the
quarter, and we had no right to set
tle''-
Eve hev settled, an tn lam IS goin'
t. be worth money" broke in her IA
Their.
She put up her hand. eve got TO go
If he comes. but''-She rose wearily-
''if he didn't offer pay for our improve
ments how could we go or get through
the winter or build again next spring?
Our moneys gone"
"Look a-here Dallas" began her IA
Their GROSSLY, they amt no use t. worry
tn way you do. Winter is clost. 1t
amt likely tn man'll come along this
late, an eff he don show up pretty
soon lie ain't got q chiaiistt, cause when
his six months is gone Ah'll make an
other trip t Bismarck, contes' his
entry, hev it Cancelled an file. Then
Yves safe"
She silenced him, for MarylyH was
entering, and quit the shack. Outside,
before the warped door, she paused.
Hes always so sure of himself, but
lie can't do anything. And Marylyn-
oh, wish there was some one with US
now-some one that d help us if al y
thing went wrong"
OF sudden, looking down at her
hands, her eyes fell upon the crimson
stripes left across her palms by the
plow, and, in fancy, hOrseman was
riding swiftly toward her from the
east again, while she leaned on the
cross brace and waited.
Twenty miles," she said thoughtful
iy-"twenty miles," and turned the
marks under.
Sun baked, deep of rut and straight
as the flight of a crow lay the road
that led northeast from the swift,
shoally ford of the Missouri to the cat
tie camp at Clark's. 1t began at the
rough planking upon which the rickety
ferryboat, wheeling like some asth-
matte monster, discharged its load of
soldiers or citizens and ran up through
the deep cut in the steep, caving river
bank From there over the western
end of the Lancaster quarter, across
the coulee under Il hub depth of mud
dy backwater-at the only point where
the sumac grown sides soped grad
ually-it took its level, answering
way.
Twice only in its course did it touch
the ravine curving along near by it