Craft's Body-Guard [pp. 466-468]

CRAF~T'S BODY-GUARD
By ALMA MAkTIN ESTABROOK
RAFT stopped at my door and they`re goin' to have a lot to do with it
looked in. It was October, and by force."
I might have been sitting out, but And then he told me how they had
I have never thought night air, even if it staked off a claim over a spot where a vein
is Colorado night air, the best thing in of ore springs up. But the stuff leaves
the world for a pair of battered lungs; so their la~id almost immediately to flow the
I had a small fire in my fireplace and my full length of Craft's. They had dislamp on the table. I had a home paper covered this too late to remedy it honestly.
I was eager to read. liome is a little town So when he began work that morning they
back East that I am not bound to by a waited upon him to say that he could not
single tie but memory, where if I were go on; they wanted that especial claim
suddenly put down I should not find a for their own, and they were prepared to
half-dozen familiar landmarks, and prob- take it. They did n't want to have any
ably not so many old friends to welcome trouble; but unless he went away and left
me; but I am glad to read the papers them in possession they would shoot his
that come to me now and then, although head off. There were two of them against
there are few names in them that I know, him, aiid they meant business; so he had
and they belong to a younger generation. best go quietly.
As I was saying, however, Craft looked "liumph," said I. I knew the Farley
in at my door and seeing that I was brothers, and I did not fancy the situalone,-Barkuloo had taken his mandolin ation.
under his arm and gone off to serenade Craft nodded his big head comprehendsome girl,-lowered himself to the door- ingly.
step, the lamplight and the moonlight "Will you try the law on them?" I
contending for possession of his great asked presently.
bulk. lie looked at me as if I had been an
Craft is a miner, and not altogether a infant. "I thought you knew this country
first-class fellow,-but who of us is, for better`n that," he said. "When a man
the matter of that? lie is so nearly has worked so long as I have for his pile,
straight and white that I like to have him and then sees it ahead of him, he ain't
come and sit with me of evenings, as he goin' to be fool enough to invite half the
often does, saying little and not caring to lawyers in the State to share it with him
hear much, content with the mere sense and then lay around a year or two waitin'
of companionship. lie is usually as good- for a lot of eourfs to mak,e, up their minds.
natured os he is quiet, and because he I`11 take a quicker way.
began to speak at once, and from the look "For instance?"
of his brows, I knew something was very` Ten men with ten good shooters."
wren g. " Oh! upon my word
I`ve l~ad a warnin' to quit n~y own " See here now, I ain't after trouble,claim." be said. you know that,-l~nt I ain't goin' to back
"N\'~ho warned you? " I asked; for, down and leave them my pile. I`m not
like so nta~1y intners Craft goes often to such a coward. I`11 take ten fellows up
consult these fellows who call themselves there and introduce them, and if the Far occult st~idents," and I thought what a leys wai~t to fight we`11 be ready. But
pity it would he if o~~e of them should I reckon they won't relish the idea. Maybe
be tlie n~eaA~s of his a}~a~~doning what they`11 get ten men of their own, and if
promised to tnrn out a ftood claim. they do I`11 get twenty. There`5 that in
"Farley brothers," said he. my ground that`11 pay for help; but
"What have they got to do with it?` they`ve got nothing, and they know it.
Notl~in' by rigl~ts h~i~ ti~ey think I guess they`11 see the only thing to do is