The Lamar register., 1923-02-21


Chase into the sand. didn't get the
horse under control till was out of
sight ~ those surveyors. and then
lei him rim home"
Nell. guess you punished the fel.
low enough, Maybe he's only con.
ceitad sorry Put I don't Ike that sort
Of rhing, II isn't western"
Tn sorry now Dad Perhaps the
fellow was hurr But what could I
do? Let's forget all about IT, and IN
he careful where ride In the future
Dad, what does IL mean. this
surveying around Forlorn RiverT'
81 don't know. Nell" replied Beld.
ing. thoughtfully. 1t worries me. 1t
looks good for Furlorn River, but bad
for Dicks plan TO irrigate the valley.
Lord. I'd hate TO have some one fore
stall Dick on that"
NO, no, we won't let anybody have
Dicks rights" declared Nell
"where have | been keeping myself
not 10 know about these surveyors r
muttered Belding. They must have
just come"
Beldlng discovered that he was, in
deed. the last man Of consequence in
Forlorn River to learn of the arrival
OF Ben Chase and son, mine owners
and operators in Sonora They, with
a force OF miners, had been besleged
by rebels and finally driven on their
property This property was not de
stroyed, but held for ransom And the
Chssrs, pending Developments, had
packed outfits and struck for the bor-
der. Caslta had been their objective
point, hut. for some reason which
Belding did not learn. they had ar
rived Instead at ForlOrn River. II
had taken Ben Chase just one day to
see the possibilities of Altar valley,
and in three days he had men at work.
Belding returned home without 90
ing to see the Chsses and their oper.
ations He wanted to think over the
situation. Next morning he went out
TO the valley 10 see for himself Mex.
leans were hastily erecting adobe
houses upon Ladd's one hundred and
sixty acres upon Dick Gales. upon
lin Lssh's and Thorne's. There were
men stalking the valley noor and the
river bed That was sufficient for
Bedding. He turned back toward
town and headed for the camp Of
these intruders
He came to a big tent with q hug.
canvas ny stretched in front under
which sat several men in their shirt
sleeves They were talking and smok
Ing
My names Beiding. I want to So,
this Mr.. Chase" said Belding. gruniy
Slnw-witted as Belding was, and ab.
sorbed in his owp feelings, he yet saw
plainly that his advent was disturbing
TO these men One OF them, q tall
rugged man with sharp face and
shreNd eyes and white hair got up
and offered his hand
I'm Chase, senior" he said NY
son Radford Chase Is here somewhere
You're Belding. the line Inspector, ]
take IT, meant to call on you"
He seemed a rough -snd-resdy, loud
spoken man. withal cordial enough
Yes I'm the Inspector" replied
Belding, Ignoring the profYered hand
and I'D like TO know what In tn.
hi you mean BY taking up land
rlaims-staked ground that belong'
to my rsngersy'
Land claimsf slowly echoet
Chase. studying his man. Were tax
ing up only unclaimed land"
That's q lie. You couldn't miss the
stakes"
We'll Mr.. Beldlng, as to that.
think my men did run across som,
stalled ground. But we recogniz,
only squatters. II your rangers thinb
they've got property just because they
drove q few stakes in the grount
they're much mistaken. A squatte
has TO build house and live on hi
land so long according to law. befor,
he owns IT,"
This argument was unanswerable
and Bedding knew II.
According to lawl'' exclaime,
Beldlng Then you own up: you've
jumped our claims"
Sir, Bedding. I'm q plain buslnes,
man | come along. see q good
opening Nobody seems to have ten
able grants stake out claims. Iocat,
-quatters. start to build. II seems t.
me your rangers have overlooked Ger
tain precautions That's unfortunate
for them. I'm pr-rur"i +" hold m,
LAND BOUGHT AND SoLD-Money
to loan on dry lSnd A. II. Fil<ins.