The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1888-10-12

either the convcnienoo or the rights q |
anyone else when they seemed 70 inter-
iere with his own plans He rarely
qusrrcled outright with his neighbcrs.
being Of cowardIy nature. but be was
TOO selfish 70 be = favorite In camp
Indeed. some people said that bannot
would not hesitate 20 do very mean
things. or worse. 70 gain his point
His dislike for Bob seemed all the
stronger because Il was not shared ~
anyone else.
Theory Rob wandered about the hills
near Camp Hard Up without ever
doing any work steadily In one place
until his friends began joking him
over his lack Of application. They
told him that II he wanted 20 find min
eral he'd have TO dig for Il. and not
just keep on walking about;
but he always answered that
he had his theories about the
geological formation in that locality.
and when he found the right place he'd
sink a hole and show them something
that would surprise them One even
| ing. therefore. Bob announced 10
group that had gathered together after
supper the news Of his having dis
covered the indications Of a large min
cral body. and that he had began
sinking a shaft to open Il up he
described the position OF the SHAFT
and explained the theory upon which
he rested his belief in the existence o.
mineral At that point. All this was
| listened to in silence. and 1T the end
various comments were offered. mostly
unfavorable- Other men had pros
pected in the same place and found
nothing; il was barren ground Bob
would not believe this. and returned 70
work next morning.
There was one man who had heard
Bob's story when he told u before the
crowd. and put faith in IT, That man
was Jim Bannot- Jim made up his
mind to profit by the result Of Bob's
study. and secure for himself the vein
Of mineral that Bob was sinking a
shaft to find. He determined to drive
Bob away from his work with threats.
and then take possession Of the
ground. He argued to himself that
the intended victim Of this scheme was
too easy-going TO fight. and would sur
render his rights rather than have
trouble. TEat Is where Bannot was
wrong. Every muscle in Bob's body
stiffened with stubbornness when any
one tried to impose upon him. He
was working away with pick and
shovel when Bannot approached 70
carry out his rascally plan. but paused
to return the Mornin', pardner that
caused him to look up
Il Bannot made some general observa-
tions BY way Of beginning the CONVEX
sation. and then said. abruptly: bob,
don't think you're doin' the square
thing a-locatin' here"
Bob was standing in . hole about
four feet deep, and he looked up curl
ously at the man above him on hear
ing these words, and asked: ''How
sop
why. l think mighty well o. this
ground myself" Jim went on, in ex'
PLANTATION. .'and claim IL"
Il don't see how you can claim II"
rejoined Bob. You haven't done any
work here. or even put up stakes
You've got no right to il that l cal
see--
I'm show you that hev got right
TO it, answered jim mo tenderfoc'
has got right 70 take ground from ar
old miner"
..Old miner be hangedr' rctortei
Bob. angriiy. IAN old miner has ns
more rights than any body else. Il
you wanted to held this ground. yos
ought to have gone 70 work on it. Nov
you may 60 TO thunder"
II Bob resumed work. and Jim stormei
around for awhile. threatening al
sorts Of things. to see what the efYec
would be. As there was no percep
tible effect whatever. the bully's vio-
lence increased. and II last he declares
he would stone Bob out OF the hole A
this Bob leapM to the surface. pick il
hand. and said. In a tone that was mo-
to be mistaken: Jim Bannot. yol
may be in earnest. or you may b
crazy; but either way il i. want 70,
TO get away from here and quit bother
ing me. II you don't III drive thil
pick from the top OF your skull cleal
down to your waist "
II Jim saw then that the bulldozinS
/ scheme would not work. and he dc
parted. declaring that he would run
the Jumper" on yet Bob returnet
TO his digging. and made such COOK
progress through that day and thu
next that the bottom Of the shaft wa
lowered fully ten feet below the sur
face. Then q big rock got in his way
and a. II could not be removed by dig
ging. he knocked OF TO 60 for blasting
materials These were 1t his cabin ID
camp. a. they had not been needed ye'
IN his work
Il Il was too late 70 20 back to the shat
that night. but next morning he load
cd up Contention with drills. hammer
J giant powder. etc. and started. Among