The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-09-04


toriginail
A man with red beard aud hair, the
latter protrudIng in front from hole
IN his WOODEN hat. freckled. hoinely.
.siood on c.est peering st sptnethiasi
Il the distance. His attitude denoted
surprise. lie nervously ran his thumb
under lis left salinS thrust The other
hand in his pocket. took IL out and
shaded his eyes with t. His had been
the only cabin within ten miles, ana
now. since he had visited this part OF
his domain, log hut had gone M
within two miles OF him and smoke
was curling from the chimney
starting forward. he triangulatcd his
cowhide boots toward the strange edI-
flee. When he reached It hc looked "a
at the open door. The only sound was
from loud ticking clock. A child
about siA months old lay asleep IN n
crib manufactured from the limbs OF
the trees growing ON the ground, the
bark remaining where nature had
placed a. The man entered The
rogn there was but one approached
the child and looked down upon II
with singular expression on his
weather beaten face Then he put bis
brown forciinger under its pink and
white dlmplcd hand. and the little
ones fugcrs tightcrcd on t.
Presently he went 10 the door and
looked out. No one was III sight. lie
turned. Hour barrel stood IN a cor
ner Dipping his finger IN SCOT I'm the
chimney he wrote on the barrel head;
Dere Sur. don't want no naburs. Ef
you wont sell out TO me got TO move.
Sirius MoFFATT.
Mr. Monatt. having written his mes
sage. left the premises. cnsting part
Ing glance at the slumberlng child.
That night he slept but little. For
years he had been moving away from
his fellow men He didn't mind bears
or coyotes or snakes. for thcy were his
legitimate prey, II not companionable.
| but he didn't like men. because be said
there's law agln shootin EN-"
He had moved many times and now.
being over forty years old. was be-
coming averse TO change. Yet here
was a family settled right under bis
nose
He waited a week. thinking that his
neighbor would communicate with
him, but he didn't SO at the same
time of day GO In the morningl as be
had made his first visit he made nn-
other He found the same conditions
The door stood open; the clock ratified
Off the seconds: the child slept. But
there was one thing new On a board
over the fireplace intended for man.
tel rested the lid OF cracker box on
which was written:
WONT BUY OR SELL.
Cyrus looked disappointed. lie turn.
ed to the child Five rosy toes peeped
from under blanket. The man took
the big toe between his thumb and
finger very glngerly. 1t seemed made
OF wax. aud he was afraid OF crushing
II. Then he put his forefnger again
In the little palm 10 feel the clutch OF
the pink fingers. and when IL came q
grin ovcrspread his ugly features.
Thcn he walked to the fireplace read
the message again aud grew serious,
II angcred him Turning the box III
over. he wrote on the other side:
I'm cumin "a morrcr mormon at this
timc to drive YOU out.
As he was leaving he again caught
sight Of the child paused. glanced
back at The message he hnd written,
pondcrcd. then sialkcd ont Of the lonse
ald away
The noxt morning, taking down hi-
rlfe from the vail he went 20 his
nclghhors cabin lie expected llial
ilis timc he would hnd his man and
what other members OF the family
there might be- He was surprised e
frd only the child Il was awake. II
had kicked of IS blanket and Il pah
Of chubby little legs were high IN lli'
air, II smiled AZ him. Approaching
he clasned its two ankles Ia his greal
wrlnkled fists, The child made gral
for his red beard aud pulled stnrdily
The noisy clock had tlcted ava,
some twenty minutes when the cbllt
suddenly took It Into IFS head 60 squail
Cyrus looked about for something L
appease IT, and. seeing nursing bottle
} half full OF milk. he put the nlppl'
Into the little ones mouth. Bur 4
continued 10 squall, thrustlng It's arm
, forward Cyrus took II up, sat dowl
Ia the only clair IN the room. gave I
the bottle, and It was happy. SO wal
be.
Now. Cyrus had set his ride agains
, the chimney ana was not IA a position
either offensive or defensive He wal
"a ta-lng aud ba-ba-lng TO the child Al
women do when suddenly he heard 1
voice Say:
I Hans up. strangerw
2 The voice was soft one, but Cyrul
started Looking up, he saw a woman
! standing In the doorway. covering hin
with a revolver.
Il can't" said Cyrus. "thout drop
. pin The baby"
"Y' come over to drive me out
did y'T
The words were not spoken in I
Z fierce tone Indeed. the woman wal
laughing at the picture before her.
Where's yer mnnf"
ffTTufrf. sraH tn man Tt.. a LILA -