The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1917-02-28

buHult ol lle h'siA man . oet'l'tltf
lifted the girl upon her pony, and
mounted his mare.
Halfway to the agency ruey urr. a.,
Own-konZa coming down with several
members of his family to visit his half
breed grandchildren. Urged by Hardy,
the girl broke her distraught silence to
tell the old chief what had happened.
Before she had finished she WIS weep
ing in the arms Of her grandfather.
Notwithstanding the delay, Hardy
again permitted the mare TO choose
her own pace. Though she went ut
II steady trot messenger in the re-
naming automobile easily could have
ovcrtaken him at any time before dark.
But no messenger was sent.
MidafternoOn Hardy met the car
that had taken his baggage to town.
It was piled high with the baggage of
the new agent and the commissioners.
The chauffeur, with the Indifference OF
u city man, whirled past him without
---..o', 90 sla"t"nfuE spead.
CHAPTER XN-Thc Registration
At noon the following day the com
missionors came out to the butte, and
announced the condition Of the land
opening All entrymcn We're to start
from the coulec at a given signal, 10
be made at ten o'clock in the morning
Of the second day following. Any per
son who started bcfor. the signal
would be disqualified.
A tent was set up for the commits
sioners in the coulee bottom, on the
reservation side Of the dwindled
stream. and the chairman and secre-
tary proceeded to take the signatures,
thumb prints and descriptions Of the
waiting colony Of prospectors and COW
boys.
Since Hardy and Marie had first
come upon the camp, the number OF
men had twice doubled. Yet. owing
to the obscure manner in which the
proposed opening had been advertised,
there were absurdly few Of them, all
told, compared to the multitudes at
other governmental land openings. Per
haps with view toward covering this
discrepancy, the commissioners had or
dered full descriptions Of every con
testant, and so managed to cover many
sheets of paper and to consume much
time.
The recording was well under way
when Vandervyn and Dupont came
down to the camp. Neither made any
attempt to push into the line of entry
men. But Dupont read the posted no
tice of the conditions Of the contest,
frowned. and remarked to Vandervyn
that he wished TO show him something
over at the butte. The young man
looked bored. yet borrowed pony, and
rode across with him to the deserted
camp.
what is lit" he asked. Have you
found a mares nest that is Matching
out horse good enough to outrun
tripletsT"
Dupont shook his head. Don't you
let nobody hear that joke around here,
Mr.. Van. Them there prospectors and
punchers all lug guns, and they amt
the kind to stand for no funny bust
ness"
They'll have to stand for It, If
they don't understand it," punned
yandervyn. "In this game three of a
kind beat all the jacks in the pack"
you best keep your head shut, just
the same. Them punchers II ride ehe
hardest, and they're mighty sharp to
see the difference between horses"
81 told you l shall rush them of
their feet. They'll think me a fool,
and drop behind, to overhaul me later.
Now, II that's all you have to tell
me"
He wheeled his borrowed pony to
ride back.
Hold onp' replied Dupont, frownlng
uneasily. 81 want to talk over fixing
up about the way we share the mine"
Vandervyn lifted his eyebrows.
Aren't you satisfied? Now that Red
bear is-out Of the way, there will be
none to question our sharing Of the
mine between US"
Its between us, all right" sullenly
replied Dupont. "Tain't in writing,
though. According to them conditions.
if / don't register today, 1 don't git
no right To enter no claim. Watts to
keep you from turning round and tell
ing me 10 whistle for my half, soon's
you aiI tirlr 10 the mineT"
"lFh, like" exclaimed Vandervyn
iu 1910 .ca Iour "IIow can you
mimi. ...r.. 4G.. .r ypu Jovvn that