La Junta tribune., 1908-01-11
was thero any hope of its being en-

was thero any hope OF its being en-
forced.
While the others talked there was
one man who thought. Hiram Perkins
did not recover from having seen his
little PCT made n cripple. lie resolved
that portlcy's automobile should never
l.ass his place again. Bnt how was lie
to prevent IL: By means Of the law:
pOrtley's pockrtI,ook was mightier
than the law. dig II trench across the
road AMI mask II: That would be
murder. One day Hiram read an ad-
vertisenient OF the sale Of government
condemned goods. This gave him an
Idea. and his idea grew tn plan.
At n quarter past 10 "n the morning
after Farmer Burton had signed an
instrument acknowledging fun mdcm-
nifty for the injury done his daughter
and had received his cheek Mr.. Port
iey's automobile came down the road
at It's accustomed speed. As II ap-
proache.i Hiram Perkins farm Mr..
rortlcy heard cracking noise and
saw smoke ahead.
"What's that" lie asked of his
chauffeur.
as IL StuNEN NeTt
across fl,e road replied the chauf-
feur, slowing up.
At reduced speed they approached
the firing. 1t was on Hiram l'crkins'
ground. lie had mounted u rapid fire
gun OF an obsolete pattern on n pile of
stoucs four feet from the ground. with
its muzzlc pointed at II target set up
across the road. Hiram Was lazily
turning the crank.
"Hcy. You old fool. Are you cm,zy?"
yelled MIR. l'ortlcy.
Hiram ceased turning his crank and
looked at the automobilist.
"Why. no: l reckon not" he replied.
I'm only sl,ootin' at n mark
"Go on. Pete" said Mr.. Portley to
his chauffeur.
The automobile gave II few prclimi-
nary puffs. and Perkins began again
to turn his crank. sending u storm of
bullets across the road. The chauffeur
shut on In a hurry.
What do You mean.' roared Port
ley. 'by mOnopoliZIng the road In that
fashion,"
WHO'S monOpolizin' the roud:' ask
esl Hiram. ceaSlng to turn the crank
''You; firing that thing across it.
I'm shootin' ut IA mark pcnccable. /
own twenty acres on this side and
eighty on the other side. Reckon I've
got !, right Io do what please on my
own property"
"Yau haven't right To obstruct the
road
Il amt touchin' the road"
rortlcy was puzzled but only for II
moment He was sure OF the farmers
motive.
How much do you want to stop
your practicing when ! want to pass
your farm
There was world OF calm Intensity
In Hiram's tone and manner ns he re-
piled:
You hain't got money enough to
stop my practlcin' mt any time"
Mr.. Portlcy refrained from further
argument He felt sure that II he
couldn't buy his way from the farmer
I've could buy 1t through a lawyer. He
gave orders To his chauffeur to turn
and hurried back In no good humOr to
take another road. doubling the dis
tnnce to the city. On reaching 1t he
went straight to his lawyers ONCE.
| told how Hiram Perkins was InOnoIso-
l!ZIng the highway and asked how he
should proceed.
There's no law" said the lawyer,
"to prevent IL man firing on his own
property. even IL the highway runs
through it,
"what. No law TO keep him from
shooting me ~ I pass his farm?''
"If he shoots you Intentionally. It's
murder. II mnintentIOnally. you have
nh action for damages"
~ don't want no damages after I'm
dead" exclaimed Mr.. POrtley. In his
Irritation dropping into the double
negative Of his earlier years
1.-THE only way I see out OF It, the
lawyer went on. looking at the ceiling
thOughtfully, sis to meet what 1 am
]