Page:The Land Claim.pdf/13

12 it was, after all, but a poor and barren spot for gentle youth and eminent beauty to take healthy root in.

Perhaps some such thought was in the sullen breast of Thomas Newcome; as he stole a furtive glance at his daughter straining her eyes to hem-stitch some curtains for the cabin-windows by the light of a single tallow candle. What would her proud English relations say, could they see her as he saw her at that moment? Cursing them in his heart, he started up so violently as to upset the rude chair he had occupied, and began pacing the puncheon floor restlessly.

" Go to bed, girl! I want an early breakfast; for I shall be out ahead of them claim-jumpers. If it's boundaries they want that's what I'll give them to-morrow morning. If they dare to pull up one of my stakes, I'll let daylight into them, without further notice."

Terrified at her father's unusually violent mood, Alicia quickly and silently obeyed, retiring to the only bedroom, while her father threw himself on a "bunk" in the common living room; and stillness, if not sleep, fell upon the inmates of that lonely habitation.

quite a different spirit had the evening been enjoyed by the squatters on a neighboring claim. For the sake of sociability, comfort and economy, four young hunters of claims had agreed to board, and lodge together, thus saving the trouble of three other cabins, being built and furnished; for the claim-laws only required that a foundation should be laid to indicate possession, and the intention to build. Thus, while they surveyed and marked out the lines of their several claims, one roof was sufficient for all, and a vast amount of enjoyment did these amateur housekeepers find in trying to make themselves barely comfortable.

A fine-looking set of young fellows they were, too, in wonderful red woolen shirts, and a surprising amount of beard and hair. Sufficient refinement appeared in their looks and manners to show that they had "seen better days," while enough of the ruddy hue of active exercise glowed on their careless faces to demonstrate the power of air and motion to beautify manhood.

The quartette was made up of four distinct professions—a physician who had never practiced, a lawyer ditto, a surveyor, and an editor—the latter two having had some experience in what they pretended to practice. Very harmoniously lived these four togetler, in a