The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1911-05-19

" well aiter al, Keeps US ~
doing a heap Of things we sh.. loa
do. Now, about this time th aOuldat
noticed that Sandy was goins - Lord
a mighty big mistake, SO took y Iai'
Daddy Sands" a little vo,o. D
why don't you take me - ad
arms? I do so want vour - YOU 4
Sandy, naturally, couldn't kin uA
and hold Mods at the same ,,,a man
when he grabbed up the 49, sad
Lord, having interrupted ar ~ ~
minute, kind of took him out :, y
madness, and led him into IN nv
The red things quit floating os
in front of his eyes. His bra,s
weary and SO tired for all tbo !,
less nights since Mods had goua Y"
clear again, and he saw what ~ \,
mistake he was about to make
Sandy finally put Mods down !, 4
ground. When he did So. bs :.
three bIack-and-blue welts on tbs ~
skin, where the unbuttoned bloa
was open. WeIl-he would bsvs
little satisfaction for that anvw.
He made one quick jump tn vb..
the man stood, his arm shot mt rl,
terrific force, and Mods father ,.,.,a
flew up into the air.
Before he could realize what H.,
happened, Sandy was on him ~.
hand on his throat and the other h, 1
tering his face.
81 came here to kill you" he rasr.,
between his teeth You've bssS
beating Mods. Take this as a Drom
Use that I'm coming here now evp,,
day, and If ever find another mari
on him, by God, I'll tear your hear
out Of your body, as sure as m,
names Smith"
1t seemed there wouldn't be an,
necessity for return trip, the va,
Sandy's arm was working. His blOOd
was boiling again, and the desire n
kill 80 strong that, unless the Lord
had interfered again, it would hsV
ended differently. 1t must have bee,
the Lord who put 1t into Mods n
theirs mouth to say: Let me 20!
Let me go! If you want the kid 80
bad, why don't you buy him."
Sandy's fingers released their hold
Buy Mods? Buy Mods? He bad
never thought of that before. /
seemed so incomprehensible that any,
body would offer to sell anything as
dear as Mods; that of all the WAYS
he had contemplated in these last
weary days, this had been the one
way overlooked.
Slowly he climbed to his feet, and
Mods father, shrinking and battered
and cowed, but hopeful for his craven,
worthless life, also arose Cupidity
was in the mans every look. He was
reaching the very end for which be
zane, and for which-alone-he had
claimed the boy. This was bis
chance.
"Give me your claim" he said
land I'll deed you all my right, nov
and forever-to him"
ITS done!" said Sandy, without
moments hesitation. His claim, the
richest in all this land, the thing
that could produce the gold which
would buy a kings ransom, could 80
as a ransom for this boy Gold!
What was gold? Nothing A paltV
metal, which, though all Of It in the
world were within his reach, couldn't
nay for one clasp of those little arms
that again Rugged him around bis
feet, and were soon after transferred
to his sun-tanned throat.
They went into the cabin, where
Sandy, on a sheet of paper, wrote:
Know all men by these here dOcr
ments-that one William Martin does
hereby sell to one Smith, known 70
most folks as Sandy Smith, one white
boy named Nodsawana. And tnS
here thing calling himself man
aforesaid, and whereas known as Mar
tin-takes as full pay number fOaI
claim on Canada gulch, and Us
agreed by one of the aforesaid namVa
Sandy-that he will kill this man
Martin if he ever speaks to or CLAIMS
this aforesaid boy Nodsawanna again
So help me God.
up. S.-This is also a quit-claim deeo
to the aforesaid boy, and just u'
same as a bill of sale for a pony "
anything else a lawyer might WIN,
transferring the boy to Sandy olnl'u
They signed it in several PLACES
Sandy wanting to make dead sun
and Martin, who was mighty plea'''
at the deal, being perfectly WiiliHS
There had been a time when "a.
ing claim, a big cabin, heap Oh ~,
niture, and a field of flowers, "U y.
have seemed just about all III ~
that Sandy wanted. But the Dogs Y
the gulch know, and will tell you ~ ~
all these things were passed up y.
a pawn and without thought WIZ -
on the following day Sandy anu "
family rode away.
They got up to that point you "a ~
see on the very brow OF the "a ~
where the trail dips off toWa[u !. 4
sunrise, the morning after. IL M
lead was Sandy Smith, holding W. Nv,
on the pommel of his saddle If