New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1920-05-21
| w |


GNSY2Sk9H girl, dunno as it's right for you
T6-KnSa1 To be out huntin' with me 50
much - but"-c%atchinG che
shade of the disappointment in the young face
reckon you can 20 this time. But, mind you.
It's tn last"
Yes, father, the very last" Molly acquicsced.
slipping on Il discarded coat Of the squire, but
the buck we saw on the Rainbow mountain-we
mustn't miss him 80
Squire" interrupted a slrill voice from the
Kitchen, you're ruiSin' Molly mighty trilin-
sh"otin' en- troupin' arfter You like cs she were
yo boy-kind. cs were kilt cndurin' tn war"
"JfS 50, Hannah I%Iarbs; jes So" the squire
agreed. Il lone done lost my boys; then Molly's
norm 50 long arlcr. ana there's no one else. But
ms atre IN last time. Hannah. Come along, Mol
iy. If yo're mothcr'd lived, she'd raised you es
II female girl oughtcr be raised"
And the od man, with Molly tripping along be-
side him and laughing softly to herself, wended
his way down the hin path. Every time was the
last until Molly wanted to 20 again. They went
down through the pines. suddenly the squire
stopped and rubbed his eyes.
"Mebbe your sight airc bctter'n mine. daughter"
he said look south in III cove neighboring Rain
bow COMMUNICATIVE that Grohsman en- n passed.
of men or no."
It's him, futhcr-the stranger on our limit
cutting away The brush. oh, fathcr, he's going to
take Rainbow and The Fighting Ground"
"Dunno Is he will he drawled, strldiny ran
idly forward.
No one knew much of the stranger except that
he was from the West, and was seeking health
and sport for his grandson Martin In the mountain
country. Molly constantly encountered Martin
hunting ON the ridge. In fact, he seemed to fol-
low the game Oftcner on the Gray lands than ON
his own Bull Tongue.
What aire you about, cuttin' brush on my
IandF' demanded the old squire.
I'm cutting the line between j0urs and
mine, If you want Ia know" The stranger rctorted,
extensively. 81 want you TO understand fully what
belongs to Gray and what belongs to Grohsman.
You don't seem to know
"Mehbe | don't" replied the mountainecr, but
Rainbow mountain airc mine. I've helt it. man
and boy, these sixty year, My father helt 1t afo'
me, on my g~randpap afo' him. Whenst I'm gone,
my gal therc'll hold It arter me-"
"Well see about that, My claim includes the
Rainbow. aud propose to hold 1t. When I'm gone,
my grandson Martin will hold it after me" Grohs-
man flung back.
As the two old men eyed each other, the thickcts
parted and. one by one, several men emerged.
They paused. quite naturally. ms though drawn by
the discussion and curious AS to its outcome.
81 want to move that grave off my land" Grohs-
man insisted. after scanning the faces OF the in
truders carefully. "Out west where | come from,
people stopped throwing their folks on The prairie
twenty years ago. They bury them dccently In
cemeteries and church yards. And | tell YOU right
now I'm not to be chiselcd out Of part Of my pur-
chase because you are too stupid to understand
the line"
"Seerns like I'm mostly too stupid" asserted
the squire in misleading moekness Of voice, Ito
understan' how YOU can get my land, snvin' you
bcspcak me and pass some money long of it,
"Fm n western man. used TO holding my claim
by main force. This is the dividing line. | say!
Tm no fool. If you are
"My haid airc monstrous thick. Stranger. But
J mostly hold 10 my Say-so. which airc that your
line goes t'othPr side tn Rainbow"
"Molly. daughter" he added. without turning
his head. the buck must have gone TO tn big
timber. Go artcr him"
Molly dropped ont of the group without dis
turning it's rigid pose. Looking back as she turned
into the big timber. She saw the wruthful stranger
ndvance a step in rash defiance. Ia nm instant
every weapon Of the mountainccrs was leyeled
ut him and his mon. Molly averted her eyes and
ran swiftly into the big woods. 81 Needless that she
ran squarely against Martin Craftsman as he
sicprcd from behind nm immense oaE.
wait. Molly watt carne here 70 500 you"
he called to her you are running like II wild
deer wanted 30 say 10 Won that you mustn't
hlar,a grandfather. lie thinks the baud is his"
"Ilow can he when its heen fathers a~lways?"
she lung back with conviction.
"T,ut. Molly. we needn't quarrel. I don't care
y nr about Rainbow mountain. Let them settle
It rs they like. Let MS be- friends. Won't you?"
Molly smiled tnrElNlhGiN. II WIS hhfd 10 hOld
resentment against Marin.
"You understand. don't ynu. Martin" she OK
pIaincd, that's the richting Ground, and Hannah
Harris says the men killed there were all carried
away saving this enc. I cant say rightly how he
carrn to 10 left. but mother put wild violetS and
honevsiicklr md lilies from the marsh over his
grave. because he's so l~onesomelite. though he
nin't one " orr mon. | flower his grave now.
Martin. stead nr mother. every year. I fault your
grandfather for wnntin' the Rainbow and threat
cnin' 10 have the grave mnved-onllcSt I hope
father wont hurt him"
Just promise friends with me. MollyP" he
Dunno hut what 7 will" the girl cnpitulated.
when the Squire came home he was unusually
silent and taciturn.
Molly. daughter" nc said. 1--WE a word TO say.
Tve give warnin' - we'll shoot any prowlin' folks
m Rainbow moun'rin and the stranger has give
back word as he'll shoot any Of We Guns ket"hed
here until arter the new survey. which I've greed
10 allow. The Gruys aire hound To stand in with
pne rr--nthpr whichever way the survey goes. Tn