Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1915-12-02

groupings Of the hill of stone
that lay like an island between the
outer plain and the sheltered cove.
Both the dugout and the cabin of ce-
dar logs within the cove were as silent
and as void Of movement as the rocks
behind them. The young man watched
first one, then the other, as ~tireless and
vigilant as if he had not been awake
for ~twenty-four hours.
It was the dugout that first started
from its nights repose. The door was
thrown away from the casing, and a
great uncouth man, strong as a giant
and wild Of aspect as a savage, strobe
forth, gun in hand, his eyes sweeping
the landscape in quick flashing glances.
Almost instantly he discovered the fig
ure perched on the granite block over
looking his retreat. He raised his gun
to his shoulder.
The young man fell sidewise behind
the rocks, and a bullet clipped the edge
Of his barricade. Remaining supine,
he fastened his handkerchief to the
end of his whip and waved it above
the rampant Having thus manifested
his peaceful intent, he rose, still hold
ing the flag Of truce above his head,
and remained m%otionless. Brick Will
lock stared at him for a moment in
hostile indecision, then strobe forward.
At the same time an old man, thin,
tall and white haired, issued from the
dugout, evidently attracted by the gun
shot, and soon after the cabin door
opened, and the girl Of the cove looked
out in%quiringly.
Inthe meantime the young man slow
lydescended the hill to the oval valley,
while Wilcox hurried forward to meet
him.
Don't you come no fu'ther!!" Will
lock commanded, threatening with his
gun. Keep your hands above your
head until l can ship your cargo"
Obediently he stood while the great
whiskered fellow took the
from his belt and dived into his hip
pockets.
''That'll do. Now, what do you
want?"
Its hard to put it into a few
words" the other complained. I'D
like to have q little talk With you"
"You are one of them fellows that
come here to run US out of the coun-
try, amt you? Are your pards out
side there, waiting for a message?"
Nobody knows I'm here or thought
OF coming. Let me put that affair in
its true light. The boys are all under
u boss. and when he lays down the
law 1t isn't for us to argue with him.
We carry out orders
"Unless there's Il Brick Wilcox in
volved in them orders" returned the
man, with Il grim smile.
"But it's our duty to try to carry out
the orders, whether we like 'em or not.
SO you won't hold that against me
that little scrimmage Of last month,
especially rs you came out best man.
II used to have a boss myself" Will
lock spoke uncompromisinGly. but
when he give me certain orders one
14A ilSht tildl lcNOlIcCD i
knocked him on the head and put out
for other parts, | guess your boss
knowed this wasn't his land, didn't he?
What's going to become or this country
when Il man isn't satisfied with what
is his'n? Well, now you've had Il little
talk with Inc you can just mosey along.
III send your weapons after you by q
messenger"
The young man cast Il despairing
glance toward the girl, who stood in
her doorway gravely listening. The
man With the bushy white hair had
drawn near, but evidently with 10
thought of interfering.
"Willock'-the voice came so eager,
so %impetuous. that the words were
somewhat incoherent-''l'ye got to talk
to your daughter. Hold on; don't
shoot; listen. That's what I've come
for, to see her anu-and meet her and
hear her voice. | can't help it, can II,
It's been w long years since l left
home back east, and in all these two
years Ive never seen anything like
your little girl, and-and what harm
can it do? l say, have pity on a fellow,
and do him the biggest favor he could
enjoy on this earth when it won't cost
Won a penny or II turn Of your hand!
I'm just so lonesome, so homesick, so
dead killed by all these sand hills and
alkali beds and nothing to talk to from
one years end to the next but men ana
cattle"
Wilcox giared ut him III silence. fin
gering the trigger thoughtfully.
There I've sat on that HILL" he con
tinued, "slncc = O'Clock last night wait
ing for daylight so / could ask you to
help a miserable wretch that's Just
starving to death for the sound OF n
girls voice and the sight of n girls
smile"
1T Is kinder lonesome" remarked
the other grutiy. iIe lowered his gun
aud leaned on It irresolutely, you've
sure Touched mo IN the right spot, son,
for kDow4 nil YOU meun and more