Produced by Cathy Maxam, Glen Fellows and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive) [Illustration] The Conquest _The Story of a Negro Pioneer_ BY THE PIONEER 1913 THE WOODRUFF PRESS Lincoln, Nebr. Entered according to the Act of Congress in the year 1913, by the Woodruff Bank Note Co., in the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D.C. First Edition, May 1, 1913 _To the_ _HONORABLE BOOKER T. WASHINGTON_ _INTRODUCTORY_ _This is a true story of a negro who was discontented and the circumstances that were the outcome of that discontent._ INDEX TO ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE Became number one in the opening 56 Everybody for miles around had journeyed thither to celebrate 113 Made a declaration that he would build a town 128 Although the valley could not be surpassed in the production of grain and alfalfa, the highlands on either side were great mountains of sand 133 On the east the murky waters of the Missouri seek their level 140 The real farmer was fast replacing the homesteader 145 Everything grew so rank, thick and green 160 Had put 280 acres under cultivation 177 Bringing stock, household goods and plenty of money 192 Were engaged in ranching and owned great herds in Tipp county 209 As the people were all now riding in autos 241 A beautiful townsite where trees stood 251 Ernest Nicholson takes a hand 256 The crops began to wither 289 The cold days and long nights passed slowly by, and I cared for the stock 304 LIST OF CHAPTERS PAGE I Discontent--Spirit of the Pioneer 9 II Leaving Home--A Maiden 18 III Chicago, Chasing a Will-O-The-Wisp 24 IV The P----n Company 34 V "Go West Young Man" 48 VI "And Where is Oristown?" 54 VII Oristown, the "Little Crow" Reservation 61 VIII Far Down the Pacific--The Proposal 67 IX The Return--Ernest Nicholson 72 X The Oklahoma Grafter 74 XI Dealin' in Mules 79 XII The Homesteaders 86 XIII Imaginations Run Amuck 91 XIV The Surveyors 94 XV "Which Town Will the R.R. Strike?" 104 XVI Megory's Day 108 XVII Ernest Nicholson's Return 117 XVIII Comes Stanley, the Chief Engineer 123 XIX In the Valley of the Keya Paha 126 XX The Outlaw's Last Stand 132 XXI The Boom 134 XXII The President's Proclamation 140 XXIII Where the Negro Fails 142 XXIV And the Crowds Did Come--The Prairie Fire 148 XXV The Scotch Girl 153