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 quired to have six hundred legal residents before it can be organized. You were the last signer on our petition, and yours was the six-hundredth name. You see the honor of your position and fully understand your importance in our community."

"I git you now," said Bill.

"Here we are"—Bergen swept his arm around the wide horizon—"the only city or settlement in a territory of twenty-four hundred square miles! Consider the possibilities of our situation, sir; think of what this city will be as the county seat of this fertile domain, no competition within our boundaries. We are, Mr. Dunham, what might be called the fathers of our county. Every man whose name appears on that petition is, in a sense, a father of his county. You are not insensible of the honor, I know."

"I should hope not!" Bill replied, touched up a little by a genuine warmth of pride.

It was something to be the daddy of four square miles of territory, which would be his proportionate share of parental responsibility, figuring that there were six hundred legal residents in the county, which he doubted mightily.

They headed in at the Casino, Mel Poteet, proprietor, as the window sign further announced, lining up in good order at the bar. There were several customers in the place, although it was the slack hour of the day. But there had been a railroad payday a little while before, the proceeds of which were not yet quite spent; and there was a big herd of cattle from the Nation being loaded at the pens, several more waiting