Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1890-12-01

vou fellerS will stay here,o said Ike,
o. I'll 60 down to the post and get one.
Wonder who this Joe is that she talks
about ?''
Don't know. Reckon maybe she's
jest dreamin' or sometime replied
Bennett. Better hustle along if yer
goin' fer a dock"
just then one of the men noticed
slip of paper clenched tightly in the
girls hand, and Bennett took it from
her.
" 1t jest name, I reckon said he
after futile effort to read it, Here.
Ike, you're the only scholar among us;
you take it and see what you kin fig
ger out of it.r
Ike gave it glance and said:
" It's the name o. that feller she's
talking about-Joe Johnson-and he
lives down at the post. Take care of
her, boys, and I'll go for the doctor"
The new day was beginning to
break when, after long, tedious wait,
the miners in the cabin heard the clat-
ter of horses feet down the gulch, and
Ike and the doctor came in sight.
They were accompanied-by third
PERSONA young man, we'll dressed and
of good appearance.
/" You wuz mighty long time git
tim back, Ike,n old Jake said when
they came up.
g Yes. took good while to run onto
that young chap.n
That young chap" old Jack said.
WHO'S he. anyhow ?''
Why, man, that's Joe-Joe John
SON you know-the chap the girl was
going on about'
Why, where did YOU strike him ?''
Run on to him down at the post.
You know that paper said he was
down there, and | thought, from the
way the girl took on bout him, thet
she wanted to see him powerful bad,
so | hunted him up. He's her sweet
heart. jack
''Is that so? Well, | fancied he
must be somethin' o the Sort"
Joe's presence and the doctors at
tentioH soon brought change i'm the
condition of the girl, and she rallied
fast
There was not much ailing her ex-
cept that she was worn out with walk
ing and overcome with anxiety, and
two or three days after she was re-
moved to the camp at Poverty Gap,
she was able to walk about with Joe's
support.
The miners had rendered her all the
assistance in their power, and We'd
with the others in trying to do the
most.
One evening Jack and Ike Bennett
went up and had long talk with the
girl and Joe, and when il was over
and they can't down to the saloon
where their companions were, Bennett
said:
Boys, TIERS claimant for the
Liza Jane Nine,
A what ~ one of them cried.
@ A person that lays claim to Liza
/ Jane" Bennett replied "an' / guess
we'll have to give it up,
" Bennett, air you gone crazy ? Give
! up that mine? What yer mean ?''
Mean what ] say. Liza Jane is
| claimed, and it looks moutily like the
one that claims it has a right TO it.
| Anyhow, thars the papers to show for
it.n
Blame the papers," said one of
them. We've got possession, an l
reckon kin hold it agin any feller what
comes along.
" But the law, jake
Haint all the law we've got rope
an a tree? Jest let the feller that
| claims the mine show up in these Dig
gins an we'll soon settle his hash"
!" 5 pose it amt chap as sets up tho
claim, Jake ~ Bennett asked
Then who in the nation can it be 20
= Why it's a gal, Jake, an the
handsomest an sweetest gal I ever sot
eyes on, an l say the mines her'n."
!" A gal ~ said Jake in surprise.
:" You don't mean-v
But / do. | exactly mean the gal
| down thar at the cabin Her names
| Rocc an cho.c alI ArIxv Ta.ss.. Iu,,.l,
ter; an it was old Andy that built the
cabin up thar. | knOwed old ANDY
] good many years, fellers, an thar
warn't never a better man lived. an
! you bet Pm not going back on him,
nor anybody that belonged to him.
Wal, how does the gal come to be
out. we're and what has this Joe got
to do with it ?''
Why, this Joe is the gals sweet
heart, an when Andy died he came out
here to see bout him, an then sent
i back for the gal She wuz coming out
an got lost back here somewheres. am
wandered bout till she drifted right
slap on her fathers claim am thar
gave out. The rest you all know, fell
iers an now AK you, whose claim is
that ?''
For a moment no one spoke. then
old Jake arose, and planting himself
firmly, said:
/" Fellers, yer kin all say as yer
please, but / say that the mines that
gal's.''
Me, too, you bet" sounded from
every quarter; and Jake went on:
! am hard up, boys,'' said he. "but
| By. lingo, I'll rough it out an go ON
half rations afore I'll help to steal a
gaPs claim, an specially as pury an
good gal as that.'
4" Then the claim is her'n." said Ike,
an. we'll protect her in it,
You can put US right down thar,
pard,'' replied Jake.
A day or two later Joe and Miss
Ross were married, and it would have
been difficult to tell which Of all the
miners exerfed himself the most in his
efforts to make the wedding glitter
ing success.
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