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2 M PACKER JIM'S GUARDIANSHIP f By ROY NORTON 1C J Copyright by F. L. Nelson ,1EN a man associates with burros for eight or ten he gets the burro years habit, and, like drinking smoking, so they say, It's hard to break off. It pretty well fixed on Jim Tipton when first he came to the Sierra Madrés along with Baldy and three four other pack-mules; his intimate friend, and i\ or was or but Baldy waa others didn't count. It was when Holcomb Valley, away la the tops of the hills, was a real ramp where every one was busy get UM gold, or sure he was going to get It and It was nobody's business who anybody else was or where he came Curiosity starts lots of ceme it didn't pay to want to All that any one ! the ' 01 tarie». s° too much. really cared about was whether other fellow was on the square, wd Jim Tipton was all of that, Baldy. When Jim gave his word certainty, whether he was ever ns . It was a only to bring in a sack of flour or take s mule-load of gold out, it would be done on time. And there isn't much of anything finer than always keeping word and making good. MV Jim had been a civilian teamster ,nd packer with the army when things were lively along the desert, at a time in which a man didn't make any heavy bets, when he rolled in his blankets, that he would get up In the morning with his scalp, noble red man, as a reward for hav ing tortured and murdered could, was finally pensioned Into fat and lazy peace, Jim naturally drifted into packing, and the drifting and the packing brought him to Holcomb. That's all any one knew of him, and more than anybody cared, fore long every one was glad he was there because packing wasn't a thing that most men tackled, particularly when the trail ran away off Into the high-back hills, through passes, along shelves by waterfalls, and over places where the ledge tried to lose Itself in lhe face of the cliffs. It was no pyg my's job. When the all be But be I Even for a packer, Jim wasn't hand Isome, being that kind of a man that [the desert makes, or makes the dos iert— tall, lean, and leathery, sunburn ed to a red, and with little wrinkles ■«round his eyes from much peering over hot sands. He was more liberal I with everything than talk, of which j he was miserly, perhaps through lack of practise. But the Lord Almighty's too busy to measure men by words. It's what they do. Be sure of that! So most men believe Jim stood pretty well with him, and others don't mat ter. Baldy was a wise old chap, who had lived with Jim a long time. In fact, they must have become acquainted somewhere out on the desert before they came to the new camp. Baldy was rather a benevolent-looking burro, having a white face and whiskers and a pair of philanthropic ears much big ger around than any of his trim little legs, which a hand could girdle. He seemed to think he had a right to go into any cabin where Jim was welcom ed, and, come to think of it, most everybody else thought just like a good-natured dog that's al ways hanging around a table or a camp-fire and looking so longingly for a little attention or a scrap of some thing to eat that cut of mere politeness. rea * Polite, too, because he took anything without asking for It In lus way jt m said Baldy got his hon y from a preacher who raised him. ft the boys thought it was really from so. He was no one can refuse Baldy was never associating with Jim himself. i-üe with them was just about the some one day ■amp in the morning, swing the pack r». set the loads up and throw , e ""vhes and plod away over the JT' Baid - Vs bell calling "Tink-tank; ■uuttank as he led the way. Soft Pots in the trail would stop the ring until ji m «P. It bridge Rally another. Break M came front and fixed it the same way with a 1 . • - would so up on it and his feet bef ore putting dow n until he got clear across, * 'be whole train go over, feeling sure of his judg iarn. t^ nd so every day they did the ihp 1 •',* beginning and ending with ' bail. Always the trail. was hia would watch ; in ai™, 8 abou ' the time when the luais sett,ed int0 an every-day Rill p® tli was "sod to Jim and Baldy, his u.ff <ame ia 'o the valley with *>°urh T 8irl He vvasn l strong foe nt * ° !k in 'bo hills, so made countrv . Örst land entries in 'hat »av l! " as a * most ihe last thing ht>t 0 ' 1 Se w °uld have thought of, 4 tu?!** was P reU - v enough, be «rean. - 1 f L .' alley tb rough which a u a " b, e' 1 «long until it a**' ,* here " feU »«I into g* flau. 1,8 b * d •humd'c * fa bin from the big logs " ' a valley's edge, and went v'7', of farming business, sell ^'»bles bolvotnh came to a canon out to the sage many miles below Bill Into a 's 'o the miners over al camp prices. He never acquainted because he iTî* *° 'h® West, but he * ad fel!o *. He was a dreamy tor. t ü an ' with book-learning. Bur, rl , a c d POe,ry and *"ch. for *01 wn »ell fiifirt » *«B't DM »as the homiest any -J some wav It ap »found, and pealed to Jim, who got Into the habit H.Mv 0PP ° Ver to lhe cabin w«th Baldy whenever he got time, and watching Bill and hi. little Annie put tering around the flowerbeds and truck patches, it seemed almost f Jim and Baldy had been wanting a little girl to love lor a mighty long time by the way they took up with Annie. Both of them used to pack her around on their backs, and sev eral times Jim took her on the round trip to San Bernardino. as And those were great trips! Then came the time when she made all the trips with Jim and Baldy was when Bill died, leaving no rela tives to whom he could send Jim brought the news. There was a big time on at the dance-hall that night, there than usual. It Annie More people The lamps were swinging, and tbe fiddles going and the bar glasses clinking, when some thing came Into the door that made everybody stop and take notice It was Jim Tipton, and ln hb arms he held a little girl who was crying and staring wide-eyed through her tears at the strangeness of a place she had never seen before. Jim, standing there in the doorway with the black night behind him, put out one hand with a gesture that was part appeal and part command, and everybody listened. He waited until it was so still that you could almost hear the lights flicker. "Boys." be said, in his slow- voice, "Old Bill Pape's dead. Died about an hour ago, over in his cabin. 1 want somebody to help me take care of the girl tonight, and of him." Now, deip'.h wasn't anything unusual in that sixly-foot log dance-hall. Men had died in it, and suddenly; but there was something about Bill Pape s dy ing. and sotaething about that for lorn, sobbing baby girl that made every one fee! a little queer. Most all the men volunteered to help, and all the women wanted to care for An nie. Probably they weren't the kind most men would want to take care of their children, but, after all, they might do worse. There's mighty few women bad enough so there isn't something fine in them when it comes to a helpless little girl. They put Bill Pape away next day, the best they knew how. There was no preacher in the camp, so it was hard work to have a real ceremony, but a fellow who had served in the Mexican war played a tune on a bugle. Jim seemed to think Bill was the kind of fellow who didn't need any pray ers. From the very first Jim wouldn't allow any one to have any hand in the care of Annie, and it was a trifle awkward at times. There wasn't even a "Chink" laundryman in the camp In those days, every man being his own washerwoman. Jim had always got along the way every one else did. i'sed to tie a rope around his clothes and anchor them in the creek where the swish and whirl of the waters did all the work. Did it well, too, al though it was a trifle hard on things. That's why everybody around the camp looked kind of bleached out, as if everything they had was from some place strong When Jim fell heir to Annie, he took to snooping around the laundry end of some of the cabins, and it didn't leak out for quite a while that he had taken lessons in ironing, and brought flatirons up to his cabin from San Bernardino. take with Annie's sunbonnets and pinafores were probably more than he had ever taken with anything else in all his life. -Got so he was as proud of his starching and ironing as a wom •here colors weren't very The pains he used to an could be. Some of the boys discovered him day, and with his white hat at an one angle on the back of his head, his blue shirtsleeves rolled up to the el bows, and laboriously ironing away on lot of tucking, tucks and frills for Aunie around the camp, and one day some body who didn't know him very well undertook to get funny about it. It 00 k the big packer in a place where it evidently hurt. Jim was strong on It got He declared him* self •Seems to strike some of you sheep ray herders as funny." he said, "the Maybe it's be 1 take care of Aunie. the don't like lhe wav cause you work's done, and maybe it's jest be can't mind your own lay Well. I'm here to remark that cause you outs the next feller that butts his nose into me and Annie's business is goin to i'll interfere with his fea git hurt. lures. Then he walked away; but a.ter that he took more care with his laun drv work than ever, and folks got used to it. Nobody ever said any one of the thing more, because, as bovs remarked: "Jim had a flat-iron instead of a chip on his shoulder, safe man to have fun and wasn't a with. regularly joined the pack Meu Annie train for the summer season. the trail would hear the Trail bell, and then around a would come a on tank" of a sharp curve, maybe, solemn-looking oid burro, more to find sure foot care tul now than ever his back would be a very lug. and on liitle girl in a very big sunbonnet. weaving wild-flower chain«. sometimes again, singing little baby songs. or. Sometime«, too. Baldy came trudging aioog without her. That was when «he could fc e found asleep in the the big lank rode in the "You see," he used to explain with Kreat gravity as though be knew more about babies than Mrs. Winslow, sbes jest like cubs, and kittens, and all them other cute little jest naterally has to arms man, who aoberlj rear cusses. She go to Bleep about met every so ofteD. bos to get big and strong and puriy M Then he would ride .... „ on and catch up with Baldy, who would look back once In a while as if to make whether he could really trust the with Jim. dri Again, you might come on them by their camp-fire at night, when flames were shooting the shadows of the the up and making trees look very deep and dark, and on a log would be sitting Jim telling stories to little An nie, whose eyes would be very open and very Interested. If you looked hard you would probably find Baldy loafing around somewhere pretty close by. They called the place where Bill Pape died "home," and although they kept the flowers and things looking near and nice, the vegetables didn't get much care. Jim was too busy. Be sides, Jim didD't. seem to be much of a vegetable man. 'We've got to take care of this here place, Annie girl," he used to say, "because it's all you've got, and I promised your dad I'd look out for you." Baldy gave a lot of trouble in his blundering used to flower-beds and truck patches. at first. way. He wasn't i m 1 ' )/\ PPI U 1 V v> ÔW m in 1 » if S U V ' VP \ v w 1 ! ■try ri CONTINUED HIS and thought that being a partner en titled him to eat most anything that was green around the place. Jim threatened to sell him, though, and maybe that was one reason he grew more careful It wxs a very serious lime. "Baldy." Jim said, "you onery. no account cuss, you've gone and eat the heads of? four cabbages and five patches of marigolds, and now you've tried to swalier the rose-bush. 1 erter let you go to some feller bound for the desert where there ain't nothin' to eat; but I'm goin' to give you one more chance, and a dam good club bin." So Haidy finally learned what not to eat. Fall came along, and then there were occasional drifts of snow up in the high hills, and Jim was perplexed what to do with Annie like the women of the camp, and he hated to have the girl away from him. So when he was down in San Ber nardino. he took the advice of his warmest friend, "Jedge Gregg." and put her at school in the convent a bitter parting and hard for her Jim talked to her as He didn't It was to understand, if sbe were almost a grown woman, instead of a ftve-year-old baby. don't you feel bad. Annie girt." he consoled, as he patted her on the back. "I jest can't keep you with me. and I have to keep workin . Besides, if 1 ain't lookin' out all the time and makln' a bluff at livin on the place your daddy left you, some body'll come along and jump your j There' Don't cry! j every trip ' Now . There' claim. i ll come and see you and"—his voice sank to a confidential : when summer comes again, 1 ; ! whisper— and the brook Is a-runnin' and the birds a-singin'. you can hit the trail and Baldy. just like you've with me been doin'." with He walked around the room her a few times, while the good sis waited and concluded: And you read, so's when you git read to me. because t ter must learu to back you can ain't strong on readin' With this final solace, he left her. and in time she grew to watch for his comings, and bear with his go ings. The winter came, when the snows fell deep, to be followed by tbe time when the milder air told of spring, and the land showed green again Everything In the camp was the same, bat in the city. In the Talley far be low. there was great excitement and stir. Capitalists had come who were going io build a big dam across the canon below Jim's bouse, send their ditches over the valley below, and make the land worth something Of course these men figured that Jim wouldn't give any trouble, and. If he did. It wouldn't amount to anything. He went ahead oblivious of all this until, on one of his trips, when he was coming away from the convent, a stranger stopped him In the street. "You are Mr. James Tipton V "Yea." ''Well, I want to talk to you about that land you're squatting on up In the mountains You'll have to get off ' Jim looked at the man In a daze, then woke up "Have to get off, eh? Squattin' on It, am I? That land belongs to my little Annie, and I'm her guardeen, after a fashion. She's goin' to keep it unless she gets a mighty good price for It" "Oh, no, she isn't" came the sneer ing rejolner. "We've staked it legal ly, and you'll have to get off or be put off." The man might hare said more, but something checked his speech. It was Jim Tipton's two hands clenched round his throat and shaking him as if to Jerk his head off. "You keep off Annie's ground," Jim said between his teeth and with his head thrust out until his eyes were on a level with those of the other man. "And I'll tell you right now. stranger. I'll kill any man that comes on, and •vr C 1*/ "Si i&;• * V w m V > 5 T fiÜ\ " #* V 1 \i L 4 V. Vi /■ 7 ] 2r • /j FORWARD RUSH. don't care if you happen to be the first one." Then he let go his hold and left the man sitting In the street with a crowd around. "They sure can't grab Annie s land," he muttered, "but it looks as if they're goin' to give me trouble, and 1 don't know things." friend, the judge "Jim," the judge said, "I'll look the case up. good; but in the meantime don't for get that possession means much Pos session may mean everything." Jim said he would remember, and It was the first time since he came tntc the country that he went back light and driving his animals to the utmost, without filling his orders. He struck out for the pass in the hills at top most speed, and drove his burros on long after the moon had risen Their time of rest was short, and the dawn found them hurrying on again. Throughout the day they went on, and on, and as he went Jim kept thinking and worrying over the turn that might go against Annie and her property. He believed he would be ahead of any others on the land, un less they had already been sent, and had waited for him to start the down trip when they could put up their no tices. He felt the need of reaching, in the very shortest time, the little cabin in the mountain's hollow, and when darkness fell once more there was small rest. nothin' much about them So he decided to see his I think your title is j Another day of haste, and j night came he was close to his desti nation. when : The little cavalcade swung over the 1 brow of a bill and around a curve in the moonlight, which was strong, and came to a stop. They had been jumped and evicted in earnest, for be low where the cabin had stood now a heap of dying embers, and. lolling about a camp-fire but a short distance away, were four men in full possession. ! was Jim dropped from his saddle and stood for a moment as if planning his campaign. He knew that he must get to pretty close quarters before making his presence known into tbe open, and Baldy. tired but faithful, would have followed If Jim hadn't driven him back "Better keep out of trouble you can. old man." he muttered 'Tve got a little errand out there He started out when so you stick here and grab grass while I go over and give a few kind words to them fellers that's had a bonfire and have hopped Annie's ground." The heavier grass which ran along the outer rim of the valley wriggled mysteriously for several minutes and the crickets stopped their creaky songs as he crawled along to get as far forward as possible. He would surprise them If he could get close enough, and If be couldn't—well, then it was up to the best side to make good. He crept onward to where the grass was too short for concealment, and at the edge of a bare spot rested for a few minutes, with every nerve strung to a pitch. It's strange how. when men know they are doing wrong, they get as alert aa wild animals. Jim had hardly climbed to his feet and started warily toward them, when one of the men sighted him and swung a gun Into view, shouting, as he did so: "Stop, or III shoot!" Jim, seeing that further caution was useless, went ahead. If he had be lieved there was a chance of his get ting closer he was mistaken. There was a crash, and all four men opened fire on him at once, without waiting to see whether his errand was peaceable or not. He had served too many years on the frontier to take chances, and their shots went above his head, be cause he had suddenly dropped flat up on the ground. Without hesitation, he fired back, and the one who had begun the battle pitched forward, and was out of the fight. The others started to get away from the light of the fire which made them too good a target, but before they could do so Jim fired again. A sec ond man staggered back, his gun fall ing from his hands, and did a wab bling turn, while Jim watched. Td give it to you again, thought, "but I'm a little shy on cart ridges, and will take a chance on that one being enough." The man staggered for a moment, then dropped to the ground, where he rolled over and over, but without of fering further fight. Jim saw his fall, and then sprang up and forward, on the run. The boiling in his blood caused by that first sight of the burned cabin had long ago given way to a cooler mood, but it was none the less deadly. He knew the chances he was taking in running forward, and resorted to the border trick of "buck jumping" from side to side as he ran, rendering the aim of the enemy less certain. One of the men stood his ground, and fired repeatedly. Jim felt a quick, searing shock that was followed by an instant's giddiness, but continued his forward rush. His opponent, was ap parently out of ammunition, and fran tically snapped his hammer on empty shells. It was this alone that sared his life. Jim dropped his gun into aim, and his finger was convulsively tightening on the trigger, when he heard the harmless clicking, and low ered the weapon "Drop that gun and put your hands up," he shouted, "and tell your pard ner to come alongside with his hands up. Quick! or I'll get you and tend to him later." The jumper had sense enough to recognize that this was his only hope, and did as ordered. The other man, who had been in the background hur riedly reloading his pistol, came slow ly forward with his hands In the air, and stopped beside his accomplice. No one spoke for an instant, and the whole scene was like a picture; two men standing there in the light of the night with their hands above their heads, while in front of them, with the glow bringing out the grimness of his face and the steady, cold glare of his eyes, was a man who leaned slightly forward with a poised pistol ready for instant action. As if to add to the seriousness of it all. at one side rested a tragically still shape, and on the ground between them was seated another man who wove to and fro as If unconscious of the others, and half-delirious from a wound in his breast which he clutched with both hands. "Who hired you to Jump my Annie s claim?" Jim asked of the man who had stood his ground, and now there was no drawl in his voice, but a sharp incisiveness. The jumper hesitated, and didn't ap pear to want to answer. The packer s gun came suddenly into quick line with the man's head, and nothing but a brisk confession saved him. After that he was ready to talk. He real ized that the one before him was in no mood to stop at anything, least of all his death. He read something in the grim, set face that sent a shud dering question through his mind as to whether even the answering of ali question would bring mercy. It seemed that at that moment now St might be come an execution. Two examples of resistance were at his feet. , There was another instant s silence, in which time the man who had been -ccking backward and forward on the ground gave another twist, sagged gently over on his side, and then stretched out his length, quiet and motionless, were in the air watched this convul sive movement with intent interest, but Jim's gare never wavered from them. He had no pity for the others. "1 reckon you fellers were told to burn my Annie's cabin and to kill me tf you could find an excuse, weren't you?" "Yes," came the sullen answer, and Jim again seemed to be studying over something. Lights were dancing be fore his eyes, a kind of numbness was stealing over bis heart, and it was hard work to keep from weaving about even as that man at his feet had done. He shut his teeth together hard in his determination to control himself and keep these two men be Dai The man whose hands fore him from the knowledge that he was badly wounded It must be done, he swore to himself, because it for Annie, and all she had. and be sides, he bad promised to make good. But he must do something quick—be fore his own flame burned out. "I ought to kill all of you," be said, and whatever effort he waa making to keep steady was not betrayed in his voice. "I ought to kill you, but I'm goin' to give you a show." He passed behind and searched them for more weapons, making sure that bis work waa thorough. "Now," he ordered, "pick up your pal at your feet, because maybe he ll pull through. I guess no one can help the other one. Hit It hard for the gorge, and if either of you looks back his light goes out, because I've go* your rifle, and am a dead shot." They picked their groaning rade up and started. "When you see your boss," Jim called after them, "tell him he'll pay for Annie's cabin or die the next time he meets me. He will, so help me God!" They hurried off with the limp form between them, and Jim, beyond the firelight, knelt weakly on his knees with a rifle shoving its menacing muz zle toward them. It seemed ready to carry his threat Into instant execu tion. The moonlight gave them strange, distorted shapes as they passed away, grew smaller, more in distinct, and were finally taken Into the shadows where the waterfall fell over into the blackness of the canyon. Neither had dared to look back. Jim's bluff had worked, and they disap peared. believing him unhurt and la ueadiy capability. Jim settled down and ran his »«»a inside his shirt, where everything was sticky and warm. He looked at the big heap of coals, up at the hills which divided him from Holcomb where he knew were other men, and across the camp-fire to where a shaggy, white head, with two dark spots for eyes, looked gravely at him. "Baldy.'' he said, 'Tm about all In. Baldy. I guess—" He leaned upon his rifle and slowly gained his feet, after which he tried to take a step. He staggered toward the burro, deter mined that he would at least attempt to reach aid, then weakly pitched for ward, muttering as he fell: "Jedge said there was much In possession, and I'm here yet, Annie. Tm here yet!" The lights of the night now shone down on a world of stillness, a grass strewn valley, bordered by great an* solemn pines, and on a man who lay quiet, white and motionless, while » little burro strove to bring an answer from silent lips. Now, Baldy didn't have a musical) voice, but it was strong. There were two men riding along on the trail above who were friends of Jim's and hi3. and heard him calling for help. They stopped, saw the embers, and came down into the valley, picked Jim up, drove the spurs deep into their tired horses, and struck over for Ho'.comb, and behind them, worried and keeping very close at their heels, came Baldy, pat-patting with hi3 little feet and wondering in his way what it was all about. And while a doctor worked over Jim in the dance-hall. Baldy gazed solemnly through the open door, and no one disturbed him. They It was a good many months before Jim took to the trail again, and when he made his first trip he was pretty white and wan. He came to camp where the trees were thick and where he had so often stopped before, and, like many ether times, a little girl huddled down between his knees and a big solemn head was at his shoul der "Annie," he said, "you're goin' to be rich some time, because some men have agreed to pay you for every gak Ion of water that runs over their dam; hut there ain't goin' to be no home there any more for none of us. Some men are buildin' a lake to save water with." The silence of the night was un broken save for the lulling song of the brook and the lonesome yelp of a coyote, weird and mournful. In the distance. "And we've got to find a new home where we can take good care of Bal dy. He s really gittin' a little old and bent." There came no answer He stooped oTer and in the glow saw that she was fast asleep. Very gently he picked her up in his arms, her baby hand swinging listlessly down, and carried her toward the tent, saying softly: "Sbo! She's gone to sleep In her clean pic»*;', and—dura it all!—she forgot to say her prayers!" Dogs and the Eearthquake. The recent earthquake was most distinctly felt in Cairo, numbers of residents being awakened by the sway ing of the houses and the rattling of the windows and doors. The seis mograph at the Teiouan observatory recorded the shock at 3:50 a. m. and it lasted ten seconds. This Is the worst shock actually felt in Cairo of recent years. Strange to relate the numerous pariah dogs who infest the city and its surroundings were greatly per turbed at the unusual condition of things and scampered off toward the desert howling piteously all the way, returning thence only toward night fall. London's Hours of Crime. Nearly two-thirds of the crime in London is perpetrated between 1p.m. on Saturdays and 9 a. m. on Mon days. Germany. Holland. France. Belgium and Austria-Hungary, tn the order named, follow next after tbe United States in coffee consumption