The Red Cloud chief., 1907-11-08

ton of some unknown man. That's |
ridiculous. We won't do IL. Why, |
you'll have to let us argue our case
at least before you try to put us off"
Voorhees, shook his head. We'll |
have to follow instructions. The thing
for you to do is to appear before the
court tomorrow and have the receiver
dismissed. II your title is IA good as
you say it is. you won't have any trou-
BILE"
you're not the only ones to suffer"
added Mcnamara. "We've taken pos
session Of all the mines below here.
He nodded down the gulch. I'm an
officer of the court and under bond
How much?"
give thousand dollars for each
claim"
what? why. heavens. man. the
poorest of these mines Is producing
that much every day.!
While he spoke Glenister was rapid
~ debating what course to follow.
"The place to argue this thing Is be
fore Judge Stillman," said Struve, but
with little notion of the conflict going
on within Glenlster. The youth yearn-
ed To fight, not with words nor quib-
bles nor legal phrases, but with steel
and blows. And he felt that the I'M
pulse was as righteous as 1t was natu-
raj. for he knew this process was un-
just. an outrage. Mexico Mullins
warning recurred to him. And yet
He shifted slowly as he talked till his
back was to the door Of the big tent.
They were watching him carefully, for
all their apparent languor aud loose
ness in saddle: then. as he started to
, leap within and rally his hcnchmcn.
his mind went back to the words OF
Judge Stillman and his niece. Surely
| that old man was on the square. lie
| couldn't he otherwise with her beside
/ him. believing in him, and suspicion
| of deeper plots behind these actions
! was groundless. So far all was legal.
! he supposed, with his scant knowledge
! of law, though the methods seemed
, unreasonable. The men might be do
| ing what they thought to be right.
why be the first to resist? The men
on the mines below had not done So
; The title to this ground was capable
, of such easy proof that he and Dex
need have no uneasincss. Courts do
not rob honest people nowadays, he
argued, and. moreover, perhaps the
girls words were true; perhaps she
would think more of him If he. gave up
| the old fighting ways for her sake.
Certainly armed resistance to her un-
cle's first edict would not please her.
! She had said he was too violent, so he
would show her he could lay his saw
agery aside. She might smile on him
! aDprovingly, and that was worth TAX
ing n chance for. Anyway 1t would
mean but few days delay in the
mines run. AS he reasoned he heard
low voice speaking within the open
door. 1t was Slapjack Simms.
"Step aside lad. I've got the big un
covered"
Glenister saw the men on horseback
snatch at their holsters and just In
time leaped at his foreman, for the old
man had moved out into the open, a
Winchester at shoulder his cheek cud-
ding the stock, his eyes cold and mar
row. The young man flung the barrel
ul anu tlit NtuIou iiohi hAo
hands.
None of that, Hank" he cried
sharply "Fll say when to shoot" He
turned TO look into the muZzles of
guns held In the hands of every horse
man--every horseman save one, for
Alec Mcnamara sat unmoyed, his
handsome features, nonchalant and
amused, nodding approval. 1t was at
him that Hanks weapon had been
lcvcled.
This is bad enough at the best
Don't let's make II any worse said
he.
Slapjack inhaled deeply, spat with
disgust and looked over his boss In
credulously.
We'll OF all the different kinds OF
blame FOOLS" he snorted, ''you are the
kindestw lie marched past the mar
shal and his deputies down to the cut
put on his coat and vanished down the
trail toward town, not deigning 9
backward glance either at the mine OF
at the man unfit to fight for