The Nevada County picayune. (Prescott, Ark.) 190?-current, 1911-05-19

"Ahd anu tNtN
was not the last day when the xun
sagged against his thigh. as he trav.
ersed his little domain. patiently walt.
ing for the appearance OF A Bur
rows"
When the time came. II was almost
as surprise. II was one bright
forenoon when the air was redoiens
with the fragrance OF bloom. and the
dew lay heavily in the hollows of the
tangled blackberry and rhododendron
bushes, that the storm burst Sandy
had grown somewhat older In these
days of waiting His quick ear caught
the unusual sound OF voices. and, by
the tree whore the frst location no
tice had been posted. he waited
Through the woods, with axes
cleaning across the packs on their
backs. with rifles In hand. and steady
tread, came four woodsmen.
Hello" they said. in the way OF
greeting to the tall. grim man who
barred their way.
Sandy wasted no time In civilities
Lookin for this?" he queried. point.
ing at the white claim notice which
started at them unwinkingly
EFF that's the Burrows location, we
shore are" came the reply from the
man who was evidently the leader OF
the party
We'll, that's 1t. and ye kin save yer
eyesight," said Sandy grimly But
II amt goin' to do We no good, be
cause ! owns this claim. and reckon
I'm goin' to keep on ownin' It"
"The hell you are We been sent
up here to put cabin on It. and
reckon we're goin' to keep on and do
1t" came the retor. "Ef there's any
dispute about 1t. It's up to you to go
10 the cote and fix It. We're goin' to
build. and. what's more. We hev
bumped into you squatters a heap o.
times afore this"
The arrivals had slipped OF their
packs and We're clustered around their
leader Sandy had held his temper
we'll but now Miss Trouble" was
here. He dashed out with his knotted
right fist. caught the foreman ham
merlike blow On the chin. and doubled
him up in the air.
A whirlwind couldn't have worked
faster, The four struck at him, and
kicked him, and endeavored to bring
him to the ground. He felt himself
being overpowered. and worked his
hand to the butt of his revolver. 1t
spoke with one quick snap. and the
snarl was untangled.
One man seized useless shoulder
through which the bullet had torn its
way and the others sprang for their
weapons. Sandy tried to wing one of
them, and found that his remaining
cartridges were defective
This wouldn't do He must take to
Jumped, with long leaps. toward one
of the barriers OF fallen trees, and
sought shelter AS he dropped down
behind his logs, two rifle bullets sans
dangerously past his head. and went
"fick-ficking" through the tree tops
Sandy stood behind a log. with
feverish energy threw out the cart
ridges which had failed him In his
need, and inserted fresh ones from
his belt. Then he clambered along
to point where he could catch a
sight OF his battlefield. and took a
survey Not target was in sight.
He worked his way back, cut a stick.
and showed his hat upward to the top
of the log, trying to draw his enc
mics fire. 1t was effective, and the
old hat went sailing TO the ground
behind him. He rushed to point
of observation. and took another look
bat nowhere was an enemy in sight
Not even a rifle barrel protruded from
behind any OF the forest giants, who
calmly furnished shelter.
Sandy recovered the hat, and from
new point of vantage tried his ruse
II failed to attract attention. Plainly
his opponents were enemies of no
mean caliber An old trick could be
played upon them once, but that was
all. He must either retreat or use
new tactics. The first was untenable.
because he never had run yit." and
the second meant reconnoiter
Sandy made his way around the thick
ct, and by the aid of another fallen
log gained an angle, from which he
peered. An elbow was In sight He
would practise on that.
"Whang" went his pistol, and the
elbow lurched violently. and smoth-
cred oaths told that the shot had been
well aimed. Sandy smiled The Joy
of battle was on him He felt that
exultation which comes from deadly
strife He wanted to yell. 1t would
have helped him. he felt sure. He
caught sight OF head. and fred. but
evidently missed. That bothered him
q little. Misses were not In his line
Once more he emptied his pistol
and carefully inspected each load as
he placed II In It's chamber. TOO
bad" he unused. ito lose that last
shot Feliers that sell no-account