Los Angeles herald., 1907-05-19

z IJera 1pere six miners who beleVeo-
ably having been brought to DO SO ny Sne
man who acted as leader-that tney hau ueel
wronged in some way, and an iooSeu Np'
themselves as representatives Oh Tue i"n :,
Bart knew that it was of no use for MN "
.ttemnt to frichten these men, for they were
not Of class that scare easily, ana as hif
marty was not strong enough to force tneh
to go away the only thing he coulo ao "So he
to parley with them, in the nope .na' ne
might convince them, at least, tnat he "'s
acting "squarely."
AS the spokesman of the miners had warn,
ed him to leave the claim, he had drought
his rife to his shoulder in order TO sho"
what he would do if his demand was not not
complied with: and Bart stood before. the
angry man, looking into the very muzzle Oh
the deadly weapon without hinching.
"See here, stranger" he said, quietly but
firmly, ~ don't want you to think that the
muzzle of rifle will make me weaken. I'VE
stood in front of too many when L ioueh'
Indians, that you and others might come
here without danger of having your halr rais
ed, to be very much afraid now. Nelther
is it very long ago since, on each SIDE Oh
the range, have stood up to such pay
things as you've got, in order that those who
would murder for the sake of the gold you
dig might be put where they could do no
harm So suppose we take it easy while were
settling this question"
Bart's words were having great weight with
the miners, the most of whom had been IN
cited to this demonstration by one man, and he
felt that it might be possible to induce them
to withdraw the preposterous demand they
had made.
'If YOU will take time to think, my
friends" he went on, turning to the others,
and apparently paying no heed to the fact
that the man continued to cover him with
his rifle "you will see that there has been
nothing underhanded in our locating these
claims. l discovered Promise Gulch while
fighting Indians. After two years l came
back with these boys, when no one knew that
there was gold on this side Of the range, and
from the road.agents, one of these boys found
this place. Now l ask you, if you knew OF
a good lead, and half a dozen men were fol-
lowing you up, if you would have led them
directly to the spot Of course you wouldn't.
You would have done exactly as have done,
and vet here you are with rifles in your hands
to drive me out from my own legal claim. Is
mo, no. said two or three of the miners,
who turned away as if they were ashamed
of the part they had been induced to play,
and the ring-leader, finding that his own com
pany were about to desert him, changed the
tide once more against Bart by saying:
"While you're whining about what you've
done in the way of fighting Indians and road
agents, why don't you come out like man
and admit what we all know, that you've
cot three claims staked out in Promise Gulch,
one below, and three here? Seven claims for
think that we're going to allow you to pre-
empt the whole valley. Don't let his soft
words make fools of you" he added as he
turned to his own party.
1'hat movement was the advantage Bart
had been quietly looking for. With the ra-
n;d;tv of thought, the guide drew his revolver
s p The man lowered his rifle for a moment,
and when the spokesman faced Bart again,
he was confronted In his turn by the muzzle
Oh "Drop ~ your rife!" Bart said, sternly. I'll
Won won't listen to reason, perhaps this may
persuade you. l want to act fairly, and i
you think am not dong SO, we leave ii
Bart saw that the advantage he had gain
oil was not likely to continue very long, fol
several of the miners, resenting this display
of force. when they knew they were in con
Sition to dictate terms, leveled their weapons
al sse;ne eey shi this, Kirk and Dory were about tx
40 their share, when Bart, without changing
his position said quickly:
HPut your guns down, boys, and keep un
der cover. It's six to one, but that's nothing
in such kind of work as this. Tom Weec
meyer m thought twelve to one was too many"
II Bart had believed he should gain poin
bv this allusion to road-agents> and their high
handed methods OF enforcing oDedlence, h
One Of the men partially lowered his weap
on in shamefaced manner, but immediatei,
raised it again as i another @ oi the party SAID:
"You must kill me before you get thi
claim" retorted Bart, who had been growing
angry all the time, although he had controlled
himself until now, when he could no longel
hide &C. '1f this man makes move. y shal
LilI him. and then you can settle me, il that