The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1893-01-13

opments, aid they at once went to
work in a business-like way, TO jump
! ali the property adjoining their claim,
all of which, so far as they knew, had
been so long abandoned as to make
their action perfectly legal.
One morning, Pat Fulton, having
finished her small household duties, and
leaving her father asleep in the warm
sunshine, took a walk up the noun
tain to see the Silver Queen. Some.
how. the last two or three days, she
had felt uneasy, even more so than
usual. about the claim, and she
wanted to see that all was right II
was long walk up there, but Pat
did not mind that; she was mountain
girl, and had good lungs and limbs.
1t was a cheerful, bright morning.
As Pat neared the little shed over the
Silver Queen, she stopped to look at
the grand panorama of hill and plain
that stood revealed from Silver Hill,
and to sniff the fresh, crisp morning
air. A pair of bluebirds futtered near
by, on scrub-oak, and a ssucy SPUR
at hand. Pat stopped to pick few
acorns to toss at him, when, suddenly,
a sound from the direction of the mine
startled her, and she wheeled about to
see, coming out of the shaft, man,
and, close behind him, another. Both
were strangers. They sat down aud
dangled their feet from the platform,
talking, the while.
Pat was almost stunned for a few
moments, aud stared at the men dumb
~. They did not see her. Pat no
ticed, in q vague way, that one of the
men was handsome and big. His pro-
file WAS toward her, and she noticed
he had a good head and long mus
tsche. Then she suddenly remem-
bered what she was there for, and the
next minute the two men were startled
by a sharp voice, demanding:
What are you doing here?"
They lesped to their feet and turned
and saw, standing before them. a very
determined and indignant looking
young woman, whose bright eyes
flashed angrily as she repeated her
question.
The big man looked at the other one,
who was short and stout, in & puzzled
way. Then he looked at their ques-
TONER Pat WIS not really pretty, but
Paul Dexter thought, at that moment,
that she was the prettiest girl he ever
saw. He DOTTED his hat somev What GER
enormously. "Er - maybe. miss. i
would like to know the same of your
self" he said. banteringly.
Don't be i1npudent, SIR snapped
Pat, her small fists clenching in her
excitement Il want to know what
business you have in this miner'
The two men looked at each other
again and laughed softly. Then the
big man responded:
well, miss, if you really are so
anxious to kuow-we're working here. 8"
Indeed! Then you'd better quit
Who put You to work herc?"
I'VE are here. miss, " said the big man.
solemnly, because we put ourselves
to work here. Do you know anyone
who has better right to work this
hole?"
Yes, sir, do!'' answered Pat, ex-
citedly. This claim belongs to my
father, and"
Excuse me, miss" said Dexter.
This claim now belongs to anyone
who chooses to work it, and we choose
to do just so. If your father has failed
to work it, it is his misfortune; that's
all"
Pat was almost in tears.
DO you call yourself men?" she
asked, chOllingly, Ito take possession
of mans property when he's been
sick for months and undble TO work?"
The mems faces sobered in an in
slant, and the big ones voice was
softer, but yet firm, as he answered:
I'm sorry. miss, but this is matter
of business. We want this property, and
have got to have it-that's all. I'm
sorry, but it can't L helped
That afternoon, as Dexter and
Haynie climbed out of the shaft to wait
for the blast to go off they were met
by some one. 1t was the same person
who had called on them that morning.
and she had possession of rifle, which
she handled as if she knew how to
use il.
go away! she commanded. as the
two men ran away from the mouth of
the shaft to place of safety near
where she stood.
The two men seemed inclined to
laugh, but they decided that she was in