Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1908-11-13
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a man with red beard and hair, tho
latter protruding in front from q holo
In his wooden hat freckled, homeIy,l
stood on a crest peering at somethingI
IN the distance. His attitude denoted
surprise He nervously ran his thumb
under his left gallus, thrust the other
hand in his pocket. took it out andt
shaded his eyes with it. His had beenl
the only cabin within ten miles, andI
now, since he had visited this part Of
his domain, log hut had gone mp
within two miles of him and smoke
was curling from the. chimney.
Starting forward. he triangulated hes
cowhide boots toward the strange edi-
fee. When he reached it he looked IN
at the open door. The only sound WAS
from a loud ticking clock. A child
about six months old lay asleep In q
crib manufactured from the limbs Of
the trees growing on the ground, the
bark remaining where nature had
placed it. The man entered tho
room-there was but approached
the child and looked down upon It
with a singular expression on his
weather beaten face. Then he put his
brown forefnger under It's pink and
white dimpled hand. and the little
ones fingers frightened on It,
Presently he went to the door and
looked out. No one was in sight He
turned. A -four barrel stood in a cor
ner Dipping his finger In SCOT on tho
chimney. he wrote on the barrel head:
Deere Sur. don't want no naburs. Ell
you wont sell out to me got to move:
SIRIUS M0FFATT.
Mr.. Mofatt, having written his mes
sage, left the premises, casting part
ing glance at the slumbering 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 they were his
legitimate prey, If not companionable,
but he didn't like men, because he said
there's law agin shootin' EN-"
He had moved many times and now,
being over forty years old, was be-
coming averse to change. Yet here
was family settled right under his
nose.
He waited week, thinking that his
neighbor would communicate with
him, but he didn't. So at the same
time Of day (8 in the morning. az he
had made his first visit he made an
other. He found the same conditions.
The door stood open; the clock ratified
of the seconds; the child slept But
there was one thing new. On board
over the fireplace intended for a man.
tel rested the lid Of cracker box on
which was written:
WON'T BUY OR SELL
Cyrus looked disappointed. He turn
ed to the child. Five rosy toes peeped
from under blanket. The man took
the big toe between his thumb and
finger very gingerly. It seemed made
of wax, and he was afraid Of crushing
It. ! Then he put his fore6nger again
in the little palm to feel the clutch of
the pink fingers, and when it came a
grin overspread his ugly features.
Then he walked to the fireplace, read
the message again and grew serious.
It angered him. Turning the box lid
over, he wrote on the other side:
I'm cumin to morrer mornen at this
time to drive YOU out.
AS he was leaving he again caught
sight Of the child, paused, glanced
back at the message he had written,
pondered, then stalked out of the house
and away.
The next morning, taking down his
rifle from the wall, he went to his
neighbours cabin. He expected that
this time he would find his man and
what other members of the family
there might be. He was surprised to
ind only the child. It was awake It
had kicked of its blanket, and a pair
Of chubby little legs were high In tho
air. 1t smiled at him. Approaching,
he clasped it's two ankles In his great
wrinkled fists. The child made grab
for his red beard and pulled sturdily.
The noisy clock had licked away
some twenty minutes when the child
suddenly took 1t int It's head to squan.
Cyrus looked abeat for something to
appease It, and. seeing nursing bottle
half full Of milk, he put the nipple
into the little ones mouth. But It
continued to squall, thrusting its arms
forward Cyrus took it up. sat down
in the only chair in the room. gave 1t
the bottle. and 1t was happy So was
he. "w'
Now, Cyrus had set his rifle against
the chimney and was not in position
either offensive or defensive. He was
ta.ta-tng and ba-ba-ing to the child as
women do when suddenly he heard a
voice say: .--.-4c
Hans up. stranger!''
The voice was a soft one, but Cyrus
started Looking up, he saw a woman
standing in the doorway. covering him
with revolver.
II can't" said Cyrus. "'thout drop
PIN the baby"
"Y' come over to drive me out
did w.
Tie words were not spoken in q