The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1941-04-11

breathin'-roon," was his solemn
noted reply. II can mush on to val
ley that amt overrun with weak
Inns and womenfolks.
Thanks" l said.
81 amt got nothin' against you,
grille" he said. "I've been strong
for you from the first crack out O.
the box. I sawed, from that snowy
day / spotted you on the trail, you
was good leather. And later on !
sawed you was mixed up with a
bunch o. snakes here. That's why
/ kind o. hate t. mush on and leave
you sittin' out on a limb"
eve always managed to take
care Of myself" assured him.
That's what you think" said
Sock-Eye. "But it's time some plain
spoken hombre put bee or two in
your bonnet. For savvy a heap
more'n you imagine, grille. You
think Big John Trumbulll give you
a square deal on your claim trial.
But he won't. He amt built that
way. And there's a glib-talkin' ia
rantula right over in that transient
camp who's figgerin' on Dustin you
up in this colony, when the chance
comes around. And he's got Trurn-
bull behind him."
SIS that Eric the Red?" I de-
manded, my thoughts suddenly back
to more imminent things.
"That's the Bird" acknowledged
Sock-Eye as a leathery old claw
stroked his six-gun holster. "And
in the good old days when us sour
doughs cleaned up a camp as she
ought to be cleaned up that wind
jammer'd have swung from tam
arack bough afore he'd passed out
his second mess O. pizen-talk. l
don't like what he's sayin' about
you and Sid Lander. I don't like
anything he says"
whats he got against Lander?"
] asked.
Zone item worth mentionin',
Sock-Eye said with his not unkindly
smile, sis the fact that Lander's
ridin' range for you"
''Why should he ride range, as
you put it, for me?" I inquired with
purely defensive obtuseness.
Sock-Eye took another chew be-
fore deigning to answer.
''Why, that long-legged giloot's so
crazy about you, grille, he can't see
straight"
/ could feel the color come up
into my face. But I managed to
keep control Of my voice.
"Did he ever tell you this?" I
asked.
"That hombre," asserted the
frowning Sock-Eye, faint given to
talkin' much. But when he gifts set
on dom a thing he does it in his
own way"
"But it would be in an honest
way" ! proudly proclaimed.
Sock-Eye's shaggy head nodded
its dubious assent.
Hes a straight-shooter all right.
But that's JUS where the hitch is.
He's too straight. And considerin'
what he's facin' it amt gittin' him
far"
Sock-Eye's gaze wavered away
and regarded the design I'd en-
broidered on gunny sack for
floor mat.
81 amt nosin' into that tie-up with
the Trumbull dame. That's some
thing 'twixt him and his Creator.
But there's that girl o. Sam Bry-
sons. S'lary amt what you'd meb-
be call civilized"
''She has her good points," I re-
gretfully admitted.
'tMebbe she has. But when
maverick in petticoats like that gifts
an idee in her head, when she's set
on somethin' she amt no special
right to, she's a-goin' after it like a
wildcat after rabbit
/ began to discern the threatening
bush about which my old friend was
so artfully beating.
Lander seems able to take care
of himself" ! ventured.
''Mebbe he is, retorted Sock Eye.
"And mebbe he amt. But book
1earnin' and shadow-boxin' with the
Ten Commandments amt goin' t.
help you much when you're compel
in against she-wof."
81 haven't" / ventured, 'seen
signs of any conflict"
"You wouldn't" acceded Sock
Eye. "But as told you once afore,
COLDS where you find it. And so is
a hombre's consolation for Twin
alone. But it's mebbe worth re-
memberin' that both the man and
the metal is usually corraled by the
forager who's first t hightail it in t.
where the strike is
I sat, deep in thought, after he
had gone. ] picked up two letters
which had to go to the post Office at
Palmer and at the same time gave
me a ponderable excuse for invad-
ing that forbidden territory.
AS i approached the Commissary
I realized that crowd was doing
more than loiter. A few of the men
had pitchforks in their hands; a few
had pick handles and axes. Still
others, / noticed, carried heavy
clubs of spruce wood. And broken
cheer went up from them as Eric
the Red DuShed throIfoh their ranks