Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1908-05-27
THE LAW OF
THE RAN GE
BY Arch MaokIn

On the western slope of the great
Cascades where the Columbia rolls
blue to the sea and the sun smiles
warmly on the hundred-mile ribbon OF
green, luxuriant pasture range, there
the word of the law was Force and the
strength of the Stronger Man.
Old jim Markleton, who in all the
years his cattle had ranged that slope,
had been the Stronger Man and the
Law, and when Bud Bledsoe and his
sheen outfit came up from the south
there had been dividing line marked
down by the Law which Bledsoeis
sheep were to severely respect, The
dividing line was Hopkins creek and
the price of passing-death. Bledsoe's
sheep cropped the stubby grass above
Hopkins creek until there was none
left to crop, so they crossed. IT was
then that the war began
Martha Markleton, breathing deep
the mountain air, rubbed her eyes and
looked to the dawn-kissed peaks OF
the snowy Cascades. Rising white
and blue and straight as temple col
umn, a thin shaft of smoke ought to
touch the heavens. The girl choked
In her deep breathing and turning ran
tleet-footed to the house, her eyes wild
with excitement.
Dad! Dad, dad!" she cried, they're
comin'!"
There were four of them when they
rode away, Old Jim, Mat Hicks, Tom
Mcconnell and Martha. The old man
swore at her coming.
1T amt goin' to be no picnic, GIRL"
he chided; "there'll be some KILN and
a regular barbecue of sheep. I'll Kill
Bud Bledsoe if l can. Likewise he'll
kill me if he can.
Martha Markleton fell to thinking.
! Once in her lonely rides she had met
Bledsoe and talked with him. Taught
to despise sheepmen, she had found
it hard to dislike Bledsoe, who had
"way" SO different from her own
folks, and kind which she had read
J about in books. He was a good-looat-
ing young chap, goodlooking in spite
of his red hair, and, what was greater
he seemed to have no more fear OF
her dad than she. when the grass
is gone up yonder," he had said, then
we will cross the creek" After that
he had recited his opinion OF a man
! who thought he owned the whole state
of Oregon, which made her very
angry, and Immediately following that
he had made her gasp when he said:
, 81 believe that | already love you and
will want to marry you some fine
! day." Even now her heart beat faster
when she called it to mind.
And now her dad was riding out to
XIII Bud Bledsoe and Bledsoe to kill
! her dad.
1T was near to noon when they came
across the Bledsoe party. Peg Don
aldson. Markletons lookout, who had
signaled the march of the enemy, had
taken to the woods, and showed up
after the fight was over, pale and en-
barrassed. Plugged deep by bullet
from one of Bledsoe's men, old
MarkIeton lay cursing and splitting
blood, while his stalwart enemy, Bled-
soc himself, bandaged him up, carried
him into his own shack, and laid him
carefully on his own bed. Then he
/ left him in care of Martha, while he
rode down into Somerset, IA miles
away, to fetch doctor
Markleton was old, and it took him
a long time to get well. 1t was a very
d long time, even before he could be
moved to his own ranch. Disgruntled
OF the big, red-headed sheep-herder
and his men, old Jim begged his
daughter to stay with him.
Martha Markleton stayed at her ia
theirs side and cried when Bud made
love to her, and scolded her father
for terming theiy host "good-for
nawthin', murAerous sheep-hooker."
4 But in time old Markleton began tc
hold this indomitable young "cuss'
in awe. Hours at time Bud and he
cheerfully wrangled at politics OF
poker, the younger man always com
ing out modestly victorious in tbs
end.
One day (the old man was able t.
hobble about Bud preached the ques
ton.
Il love your daughter, JIM" ht
said and she loves me. She's never
quite said so, but she does just thu
same. Never mind now Wait unit
I'm through talking I've got a prop
osition. The law of the range Is wha
say. You're back number, good
for-nothing old cowpuncher. Pra!
don't get excited. Suppose we maxi
it Markleton & Bledsoe You know
the law of the range is what say"
dad, dad" said a small, WEI
voice, IDOL"
The old man thought 1t over jus
J one minute and again the small, we
voice said: Dad, dol"
"The law of the range is what sh
. says" old Markleton fared up, an
he again began cussing his luck