I'm going to make those Romans back there look like pikers.

These "Pikers," so called, settled thickly upon the sage-brush hills to the south and east of us, and took up all the land they could claim from the Government.

"What brings you here at this time o' night?" The leader of the party, a tall 'Piker,' answered as curtly "Business.

Whose murder?" "This afternoon," replied the 'Piker,' "Jake Farge was shot dead on your land, not a quarter of a mile from this yere house.

" The 'Piker' crossed the room, examined the rifles, opened each, and peered down the barrels.

The big 'Piker' stared superciliously at Smoky.

The big 'Piker' swore in his beard

Git!" "You threatened to shoot Farge," said the 'Piker.'

The big 'Piker' examined the long brass cylinder, small of bore and old-fashioned in shape.

The 'Piker' said quietly "Anything to say, young feller?"

The big 'Piker' spoke first.

" "An' you, Mr. Ransom?" said the 'Piker,' with odd politeness.

"Anything more ter say?" inquired the 'Piker.' "Wal, there's this:

The 'Piker,' with some experience of fickle crowds, said peremptorily "The old man done it, and the young 'un knows he done it.

"Ready?" said the 'Piker.' "Hold on!" replied a high-pitched voice.

" She threw a small revolver at the 'Piker,' who picked it up.

The lawyers sent that first hundred along to show that they are not pikers, and said that the rest would be along in a few days.

I said, 'Alla, you certainly are no piker.

I may be some things, but I am no piker, and, besides, we got as much license as anybody.

Shows what a piker I was.

It's the plugging away that will win you the day, So don't be a piker, old pard; Just draw on your grit; it's so easy to quit It's the keeping your chin up that's hard.

That man wasn't any piker, believe me.

I look like a piker beside him.

But when other chaps on the panel presented their excuses to the judge and managed to persuade him of the imperative needs of family or business, and slippedgrinning discreetlyout of the court room, he merely inaudibly called them welshers and pikers.

The "Pikers" said Page and Bacon could not, nor would not fail, but news was against them.