The weekly Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1911-1922, 1911-06-15
THE RIGHT OF WAY.

When Walter Kenney and his
oronzed, soiled surveying gang set
their flag poles and steel chains upon
the strip of green prairie, they came
upon a slip of a girl in pink dress.
The girl balanced upon a spick-span
wire fence and pointed a long. shiny
gun barrel at much surprised en-
gineer.
Go and build your railroad some
where else" she instructed. Il won't
have coal trains and Fourth of July ex-
cursions putting through my quarter
section and soaring by ponies out Of
their senses"
The engineer, three months out OF
soilege and impressed with the girls
pure beauty. bowed profoundly an
stopped short on the ribbon-like line
the Kansas c Pacific was pushin.
from prairie to ocean, but Walter
kenney, noting the disturbance, walk
ed to the front and coolly looked the
pretty obstructionist over.
What's this?" he demanded. Eve
have the right of way, you know. You
cant stop us
The girl smiled at him rather sau-
ely, yet grimly.
Cant II" she asked. You get
back
Stuff and nonsense laughed Ken
ney. Here you man with the flag
pole. Skip over the fence and rur
ahead
The man with the flag pole. grin.
ming, prepared to Chamber through the
light-stretched wires. Zip! sang the
shiny gun, and the shattered flag
staff fell from the dazed mans hands
Zip! went the rifle again and Kenney
felt the deadly breath OF the thing
past his cheek.
Cant I?'' the girl repeated. banter
ingly; and Kenney answered. as he
led his beaten gang away:
For bit you can, my pretty
markswoman, but Venus and Cleopatra
in lovely combination couldn't hold
up the Kansas & Pacific.
That night, with lanterns and muf.
fed stakes, the surveyors slipped
out upon the necessary quarter Sec
ton and prepared TO push the long
line on toward the distant ocean, Blu,
great dog howled in the darkness
and the red lantern that the first man
carried spattered into. hundred
pieces as the unerring rifle spoke
again.
Il can pick you off one by oue,"
warned the girl from the shadows;
and. baf1ed and beaten, the chain
bearers retreated into the night.
The next day Walter Kenney called
upon Miss Myra Cornell and offered
her the X. & Ps good gold. but to
no purpose.
NO. she refused, eff you had he
haved prettily about it in the first
place 1 might have given in. bMt am
determined now"
So kenney started his gang from the
western edge of the desired quarter
section and let the matter drift for
q while. But he continued his visits
to the Cornell home, coming as often
as the way open to come Myra Cor
nell was gracious and charming when
not on sentry duty along the K & p.
right of way, and Ke,lney forgot the
right of way squabble and surrendered
himself by degrees to the girls piqu-
ant charm. And by-and-by came the
day that he staked his happiness on
one impassioned plea and proposed.
''Oh, yes" promised Walter Kenney.
with sigh. ''The Kansas & Pacific
does not wage war on charming wom-
en-. Well go around
The girl laughed in silvery ripples.
as if greatly relieved. You give up
absolutely she asked further.
Absolutely" assured Kenney.
Then come with me- she invited,
and Kenney followed her into the
green fields.
Taking up light ak she attacked
one of her fresh cedar posts. and. ath-
letic as she was. soon hewed 1t down.
Nov bring back your surveying
gang" she laughed. 81 merely desired
to win my point over
"Over whom?'' demanded Walter
Kenney.
"Over my future husband" mur.
INJURED Myra Cornell, flushing.
But Kenney, when at last he saw his
surveyors diving the sharp stakes
through the much desired quarter sec
toh - 4