Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1911-07-20
CHAPTER *.
The LADY, from Mexico.
A soon as women are ours, we are
NO longer theirs. Montaigne.

After time my chief re-enteTed
the ONCE room and bent over me at
my table. put before him the draft
of the document which he had given
me for clerical care
so, he said, tbs ready-our dec
laration. l wonder what may come OF
that little paperl"
So now. till far towards dawn of
the next day, we sat and talked. ! put
before him full details of my doings
across the border He sat silent, his
eye betimes wandering as though abb
sorbed, again fixed on me, keen and
glittering
so! Sol" he unused at length, when
had finished, England has started a
, land party for Oregon! Can they get
across next fall. think your
Hardly possible, sir" said l. They
could not go so swiftly as the special
fur packers. Winter would catch
them this side of the Rockies. 1t will
be a year before they can reach Ore
gon."
Time for a new president and a
new policy" unused he.
THE grass is just beginning to
sprout on the plains, Mr.. Calhoun" !
began eagerly.
Yes" he nodded. God! if were
only young"
q am young. Mr.. Calhoun" said |.
Send met"
Would you go?' he asked suddenly.
Il was going in any case
Why, how do you mean?" he de-
manded
| felt the blood come to my face.
"'Tis all over between Miss Elizabeth
Churchill and myself" said /, as calm
ly as might
Tut! tut! a child's quarrel" he
went on, "a child's QUARREL Twill all
mend in time"
mot by act of mine. then" said
holly.
Again distracted, he seemed not
wholly to hear me.
Il will tell you. Nicholas" said he at
last, wheeling swiftly upon me. Start
next week! An army of settlers waits
now for a leader along the Missouri
/ Organize them; lead them out! Give
them enthusiasm Tell them what
I Oregon is! You may serve alike our
| party and our nation. You cannot
measure the consequences of prompt
action sometimes, done by man who
is resolved upon the right. A thou
sand things may hinge on this. A,
| great future may hinge upon it,
While you have been busy, have
not been idle, he continued i have
here another little paper which have
/ roughly drafted" He handed me the
document as he spoke.
"A treaty-with Texas!" | ex-
claimed.
THE first draft, yes. We have
signed the memorandum We await
only one other signature"
"0f Van Zandtl 4
Yes Now comes Mr.. Nicholas
| Trist, with word of certain woman
to the effect that Mr.. Van Zandt is
playing also with England
And that woman also Is playing
| with England"
Calhoun smiled enigmatically. a
But she has gone. said /. who
knows where? She, too, may have
sailed for Oregon, for all we know
He looked at me as though with a
flash Of inspiration. That may be-
said he: sit may very well be! That
would cost us our hold over Paken-
ham. Neither would we have any
chance left with her.
How do you mean Mr. Calhoun"
said /. 4 do not understand you
Nicholas, said Mr.. Calhoun. that
lady was much impressed with you"
He regarded me calmly. contempla-
lively, appraisingly.
n do not understand you," reiter-
ated.
II am glad that you do not and
did not In that case, all would have
been over at once You would never
have seen her second time. Your
consistency was our salvation, and per-
haps your ownl In due time you will
see many things more plainly Mean
time, be sure England win be careful.
| She will make no overt movement,
should say. until she has heard from
Oregon; which will not be before my
lady baroness shall have returned and
reported to Pakenham here. All Of
which means more time for u.s.
began to see something Of the
/ structure of bold enterprise which this
man deliberately was planning but no
comment offered itself; so that pres
emily he went OH. as though in solilo'
guy.
"The Hudson Bay Company have
deceived England splendidly enough
DIR. Mclaughlin. good man that he Is
has NOT suited the Hudson Bay Com
pany His removal means less cour
tesy to our settlers In Oregon. Granted
less tactful leader than himself
there win Sc friction with our high
strung frontlersmen III that country
No man can tell when the thing vii
come % an Issue. Fer my own part
wonld agree with Polk that we ought
to own that country to fifty-fouF forts
q hint Whnf wn ought to do and whal