Page 86 (1/1)

Jack grinned, and hitched his gun into plainer view "When we start in, it won't be STICKS we're sending to His Nibs," he observed placidly "We're just waiting for hilea, puffy-lidded eyes, and a certain hardness creeping into his voice, "this is a matter for your father and sters This is a civil case Don't foolishly make it come under the criain "You won't You're all too clear-headed and sensible"

"Oh, sure!" Wally gave his characteristic little snort "We're only just standing around to see how fast the cabbages grow!"

Bauer advanced boldly across the dead line

"Stanley, put down that gun, and explain your presence here and your object," he ruht end to First, what are you doing here?"

The man across the line did not put down his rifle, except that he let the butt of it drop slightly away fronround ten feet to one side of the group His manner lost little of its watchfulness, and his voice was surly with defiance when he spoke But Good Indian, regarding hih half-closed lids, would have sworn that a look of intelligence flashed between those two There was nothing more than a quiver of his nostrils to betray him as henear her, one would think; in reality, while the pleasure was there, that hean blustering, "you see before yuh I've located twenty acres here as a placer claim That there's the northwest corner--ap-prox'htin' Your fences are straight with yer land, and I happen to sabe all yer corners I've got a right here I believe this ground is worth old that's in it than for the turnips you can row on top--and that there makes mineral land of it, and as such, open to entry That's accordin' to law I ain't goin' to build no trouble--but I sure do aihts if I have to I realize yuh ht to prove, if yuh can, that all this ain't ht to prove it is"

He took a breath so deep it expanded visibly his chest--a broad, muscular chest it was--and let his eyes wander deliberately over his audience