The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1911-05-26

! RI "
sz<zssa He leaned MS axe
sra,nst the foot of the tree. pusned
IS singv old white hat back on his
~ M n brick-red hair, hitched up
slvs .rousers by the belt, and again
~ .ba notice. There was no mis-
.ssing IT. There was rival claim
.nt for this patch of timber In the
a,n,ost Uncomfortable wilderness OF the
olrnnics where for more than year
y bad abided with the proud feeling
Of possession. .. NOV
vas not new thing to him, but here
! he big woods it seemed little
=. ~ Mace. 1t was bewildering, and
~ method of It's fighting would be
now He sat down on small log
"a looked at the staring white sign,
ssi trying to read from it solution
Il the difficulty. He might tear the
no,ice off the tree, but that wouldn't
A. auy good. NOW, Il only 1t were a
mining claim, the procedure would
he simple, namely, take gun and
All the Jumper" full Of lead.
Sandy Strengthened himself up and
sighed. He had decided that this
should be the method in this case, If
he we're driven to it.
"Tm the peacefullest cuss that ever
lived" he mourned as he turned
away, ''but they're always gettin' me
cornered where there amt nothin' to
IN hut shoot Then gets shot up
some. may be, and am sorry heap,
because had to shoot the other fell
low up"
The world looked pretty forlorn to
him, as he picked his way along
trail through the woods to his cabin,
and for once the birds and squirrels
who knew him and expected greeting
we're given no recognition.
His path led through timber such
as but few men know; it was Tt
tanic forest of monstrous trees in
which he wandered pygmy. Here
and there a giant had fallen. sending
bis three hundred feet of length
crashing downward to resting place,
and presenting twenty-foot barrier
to those who would cross him in his
proneness, Perhaps another giant,
having lived out his life of hundreds
Of years, had dropped across the first,
and still others piled themselves on,
until the barrier was completely I'M
erossable
Around one of these distractions,
the troubled Sandy came in sight of
his cabin, where it nestled in a little
clearing, with all its evidences of
habitation. From the doorway a
three-legged dog arose, and, with
much effort, gave home greeting.
Even in the stress of his trouble, the
tall master stopped long enough to
pet the waiting head and take a
kindly look into the eyes that sought
his
Dick" he said, we've been pards
ever since l dragged you out from
under a street car, way down in
Seattle, and we've most always had
some kind Of home since then; but
now they're goin' to try to take this
one away from us and make us hit
the trail again."
DICK seemed to understand, al
though ne said nothing. He was not
a laxative dog, his strong point be-
ing sympathy. He felt the gravity of
the situation, and hobbled after his
master into the cabin.
Thar you go again." Sandy re-
proachfully said as he entered, this
une addressing his remarks to a mis-
enieVous wood-mouse who calmly sat
on a shelf and looked at him while
washing off with his diminutive fore
paws the unmistakable signs of flour
Just from his whiskers.
here Tugs sack of flour twenty
miles into the woods, and you Jest
won't let it alone, even when l makes
trends with you and feeds you till
you're fat" The mouse showed no
sign OF fear, and with twinkling eyes
.ontlnued his toilet, as Sandy. with
uns akimbo, stood in front of him
Snu delivered his scolding. "Well.
~ little cuss." he concluded, you
sh IKE men, you don't know no
k-LL
vel'er. He laid a coaxing hand on
uie edge of the shelf, and the mouse
ecepted the truce by scampering up
sanuys arm to his shoulder.
sandy prepared his homeIy woods
Ian 8 meal. finished it with woods
uan appetite, and seated himself
'a ighted pipe on bench in front
Y ms cabin. But this night there
,, le no interludes of whistling or
singing; his trouble was upon him.
!. seemed strange that through all
~ Years, stretching away back to
Use OF the desert sands. when he
aau been alternately packer, COW.
ionu cneE miner or woodsman, he who
%sed peace and quiet should be com.
f ssa always to fight, and fight, and
s saI Now he was facing another
ul Old Miss Trouble must have
80 my godmother." he said aloud,
u prepared for his nights rest,
y, tanker after the peaceful life, but
IT. soln to kill any damn man that
ms ss TO git this claim. an the man
dr. as well be A. Burrows as B.,