The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1909-09-19


early in the n1arnin'." he observed.
law mouSht think | got lost"
hats your paws name! Perhaps
| might have heard of him"
John CrofIers. and paw he lows it
are u good uaEle. His grandfather
were eap'n. be were"
The boy spoke proudly and looked at
his new friend with flushed cheeks,
but thu man turned his face away with
low Whistle of dismay. John Croft
ferS had been led away from the town
only the week before and warned new
er to enter it again. He had long been
known as iGIe and shiftless and fog
some time suspected of being even
worse
Cattle had mysteriOusly disappeared,
and no amount of search would reveal
| their whereabouts Grove owners &C.
casionally found orange trees stripped
Of their fruit Even nurserymen de-
clared that choice stock disappeared
from their grounds
No proof could be found against
Croffers save that he was idle and
dissolute. He had entered good
homestead claim three years before,
but had done little to improve it. A
rough cabin in the center of a clearing
of several acres. a few struggling
orange trees and a dozen or so ragged
bananas represented the whole of his
three years work
But the country had filled up rapidly
during the last few years, and the
homestead was already becoming val
| liable. There were many who would
be only too glad to Jump" it. Croft
fers' title could not be perfected for
two years yet. and should he remain
away as he had been ordered, the
land would revert to the government
and be open to the public.
Yesterday. Mr., Window would not
have cared The man. he thought, de
served nothing Int row it seemed to
him that the pitiful little figure on tie
seat by his side ought to have some
interest in his fathers homestead. And
perhaps they had been a little hard or
Croffers, There was no proof.
do you know my paw% asked the
boy. who was beginning to feel bis
comnanion's silence rather prolonged.
"I-well yes. i do recollect him. nov
ye mention his name. Ye see. he hat
particular dutv ever in Marion eoUnts
last week Ioozin after some cattle
business. / h'fieve reckon he 'lowet
we uns world take care of We till h
got back"
The boys face heightened visibly
when nought he get back, and wha
am to do" he asked.
Well. reckon he's lots to lool
after, and mebbe it'll be a months
mebbe several-bafore he gets round
can give re plenty of work driyfn
mules until he comes
But him and me was to be pardner
/, and make an orange grove. low
must look after the place while he
gone
yell be scared way out there alone
we're such little fellow. Better sta,
with me-
The boy drew himself up slightly.
!, "The poorhouse folks lowed Bo
, Crofers never got scared" he sal
Z slowly. II were made to stay alon
in the cotton field nights and watc
{ the crop"
IF We can do that yell save you
7 daddys ranch mebbe." Then. in al
swer to the boys questioning look. Nj
= Window told him about the homestea
laws and the residence and improy'
! ment necessary to perfect the it'll
I Likely your paw II be back after
blows over-after he's done his bus
s ness. 1 mean" he concluded.
Il low | must go tomorrow sure
g was Bob's only answer.
Accordingly the next morning aftt
! breakfast Mr.. Window sent one OF q
bovs to guide the Croffers boy to q
= fathers deserted homestead. droE
I Of half wild razor backed hogs wei
y fonna disposing of the few vegetable
left in the garden patch. while sewers
cows were making free with the tel
8 der twigs eff the orange trees.
7 After driving these beyond the br
y kar fence the boys made an examin
= tion of the place. An ordinary Q
server @WOulG nave DcCAi $500 49, -
4 !. ~ Rob. fresh from the hardshlps ar
= blows Of the poorhouse. it was full
delightful promise. The stunted orant
T frees assumed beautiful proportion
.e rho bananas were examined wonde
L inqlv. even the broken fence and po
e cabin felt the touch Of his caressln
y towing fingers They were all bis. I
le was one Of the ..pardnersw Even Il
glory of his captain grandfather begi
Il fade in the superior glory TO be.
S. Young Window returned home a.
Z. Roh was left to himself. Aifhou'
y tbree miles from the nearest neighb'
pc no thought of fear entered his hea
: lie was too full of his new possession
% few sweet potatoes. and other pl
!" visions found in the cabin would Ia
~ for several days. and when they we
~ rone he had So in money 20
hack on. His father had sent
ea ar him to buy clothes with. but su
e avnenditure seemed wasteful. and
N. had hidden the money Nway on
- person instead.
n i1.,,r I,oeo-1 tlap (ar0fFf