The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-04-11
For a Wonlan's S Need
By ROY NORTON
Copyright, by Joseph b. Bowies.)


miles into the woods, and you jest
won't let 1t alone, even when | makes
friends with you and feeds you till
you're fat" The mouse showed no
sign OF fear, and with twinkling eyes
continued his toilet, as Sandy. with
and delivered his scoldlng. We'll, you
little cuss," he concluded, you amt
like men, you don't know no better"
He laid coaxing hand on the edge Of
the shelf, and the mouse accepted the
truce by scampering up Sandy's arm
to his shoulder.
Sandy prepared his homely woods
mans meal, finished II with woods
mans appetite and seated himself with
lighted pipe on bench in front of
his cabin. But this night there were
no interludes OF whistling or singing;
his trouble was upon him. II seemed
strange that through all the years,
stretching away back to those of the
desert sands, when he had been al
ternately packer, cow.puncher. miner
or woodsman, he who loved peace and
quiet should be compelled always TO
fight, and fight, and fight Now he was
facing another fight. "Old Miss Trou.
BILE must have been my godmother"
he said aloud, as he prepared for his
nights rest II banker after the peace.
ful life, but I'm goin' to kill any damn
man that tries to git this claim, an
the man might as well be A. Burrows
as b., otherwise known as Sandy,
Smith"
1t had been many months since the
heavy Colts was taken down from its
peg upon the cabin wall, but when
Sandy started into the woods on the
following morning, 1t was grimly
strapped around his hip, and his belt
was filled with cartridges. And this
was not the last day when the gun
sagged against his thigh, as he ira
versed his little domain, patiently wait
ing for the appearance Of "A. Bur.
rows"
When the time came, It was almost
as surprise. 1t was one bright fore.
noon when the air was redolent with
the fragrance OF bloom, and the dew
lay heavily in the hollows of the tan
gled blackberry and rhododendron
bushes, that the storm burst. Sandy
had grown somewhat older In these
days of waiting. His quick ear caught
the unusual sound of voices and, by
the tree where the first location-notice
had been posted, he waited.
flhpnnUh 70 MT
cleaning across the packs on their
backs. with rifles In hand, and steady
tread, came four woodmen.
"Hello" they said, in the way of
greeting to the tall, grim man who
barred their way.
Sandy wasted no time in civlllties.
"Lookin' fur this?" he queried. point,
ing at the white claim-notice which
stared at them unwinkingly.
"Ef that's the Burrows location, we
shore are came the reply from the
man who was evidently the leader of
the party.
well, that's 1t, and ye kin save yer
eyesight," said Sandy grimly. But II
amt goin' to do ye no good, because |
owns this claim, and / reckon I'm
| goin' to keep on ownin' it,"
"The hell you are! We been sent
up here to put cabin on it, and !
reckon we're goin to keep on and do
it," came the retort "Ef there's any
| dispute about it, It's up to you to go
to the cote and fix 1t. We'ro goln to
build and, what's more, we hev
bumped into squatters heap O. times
afore this"
The arrivals had slipped off their
! packs aud were clustered around their
leader Sandy had held his temper
well, but now Miss Trouble" was