The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1892-11-02

and chemistic as to apex and side lines,
/ can tell you Of an Aspen exception. 1t
had, at the outset, all the elements of a
good case on both sides, from lawyers
point of view, and might now be enjoy
ing its musty run in the Circuit
Chambers with others o. its class. 1t
almost seems pity that it isn't, il you
look at 1t from what the newspapers call
'legal aspect"
The case in point is that of Boulder
Trampenning, prospector. One of his
claims was in the Woody district; no
matter where; it is enough that it was
and is. Boulder usually spent the month
OF September at this particular claim,
and frequently did more of his assess
ment than the law required. 1t was m
isolated place, half way up hill, and
Trampenning seemed to fit in with it,
being rather of the rocks aud. burnt
stumps than apart from them. He was
very like middle.aged tree anyway, he
was as silent. There were four reasons
for this; the first was that he was dumb /;
no matter about the others; if there were
four hundred it would be, under the
circumstances, useless to tell them.
The claim adjoining belonged to one
Asechiga. 1t was said that he was
a Mexican, but Boulder and he got along
very we'll considering everything that
was likely to cause trouble, from wind
lass to bedrock. They met during two
Septembers. When the third came
Boulder reached the ground first.
Asechiga's cabin was closed when he
got there. 1t was closed for two days.
When Boulder woke up on the morning
of the third, he looked across the little
ravine and saw the door open.
A woman came out.
There is no questioning Boulder's sur
prise. He was not much for women.
He had seen them during the winter at
the restaurants and in the vandevilles at
Aspen, but he never had to do with
them. And in the summer he was too
far away. His ideas of them were un.
substantial.
This woman was not much for looks,
SO far as he could judge. Her hair was
whispy and like streaked tale. Her
complexion was patchY, like rifle blocks,
and in carriage she was not graceful. At
this time she was fetching water from
the spring, and the sleeves OF her dress
were rolled up, showing big arms, with
firm muscles. Seeing Boulder, she
stopped an instant and regarded him
with q speculative stare. Boulder
bowed, principally because he could
think Of nothing else just then to do.
She did not return the salutation, but
walked on into the cabin. A little
while later she came out again, this
time with pick and shovel and her feet
encased in boots. She wore a red shirt
of some thick material and miners
cap. The effect was wholly saDguiuary.
One would guess that she either in
tended to rob an express train or to lead
n frenzied mob of revolutionists against
the bastile--assuming that there were
express trains and bastiles in the Woody
district, which there are not.
She walked over toward Asechiga's
little shaft aud paused on the dump to
again contemplate Boulder. 1t has been
mentioned that this mine, which has
been named the Cheetah-not that there
we're cheetahs thereabout, but because
the Mexican had once seen such al
animal in India--was but thirty feet
above Boulder's own modest prospect,
the elevation being abrupt.
Boulder. restive under this deliber
ate observation OF the person in skirts
bow ed once more, with results equally
as unsatisfactory. The woman turned
toward the windlass, lowered the bucke
and shortly afterward disappeared dowl
the shaft. Boulder shook his heaC
and went to work himself. 1t was no
inst clear to him as to what cours,
he should pursue. The Cheetah wa,
Asechiga's claim; what manner of righ
had a woman TO work itl He could com'
to but one theory. She was trying t.
Jump it. If it had been man in tn
matter, Bouldsr's course would hav'
been instantly plain; but a womani
Midway between the claims, ant
serving as boundary post, there was
small blackboard, securely nailed to Al
old tree. This had been provided by
Boulder as a conycnien. methed Of in
.,.,,,.ao l,afa,aan Aeaohiga and hfueai