Iron County register., 1898-03-10

ding him farewell as her father Joined
her; but when they had ridden around
the first turn of the zigzag road, she
observed, very decidedly: HE seems
good-natured, weIl-meaning man, but
don't like him, all the same. Do you?"
"Who?-McCready the colonel re-
turned, staring absently ahead.
"Yes;" but her father appeared to
have forgotten the question. do you
like him?'' the girl persisted, leaning
forward to look at his face.
"Great heavens! why should I?' he
impatiently replied. 81 never trouble
myself to think whether I like man
personally or not, so long as L like the
wav he does the work hire him to do.
McCready keeps the mine in pay. That
is the great thing, with this internal
lawsuit to soak up money like sponge"
"What is the lawsuit about, papa :"
she rather coaxingly inquired, after q
moment of thought. "It occurs to me
that l don't know much about it,"
That's where you're in luck. Iwish
I didn't"
''NIines generally appear to be quar-
reling about something" she tenta-
lively observed, by no means to be
turned from her purpose by the tart
tone.
ct is Heavens way of feeding the
lawyers the colonel sententiously de-
ciared, adding, after an instant, "and
the other rascals who serve as wit
nesses."
'Was it one of your witnesses in this
lawsuit that you went to see this aft
ernoon?" she shrewdly demanded,
struck by something in the tone of the
last words.
The colonel looked family surprised.
"He is one of my witnesses now," he
returned, with grim emphasis on the
last word. But, for heavens sake,
Dorothy, what has come over you?
You remind me of your mother"
Dorothy laughed, too well accus-
toned to such overt attacks upon her
mothers methods to think of resenting
the imputation in her behalf. The
truth of the matter was that the late
Mrs Meredith, seeking to pry with i'll
advised pertinacity into such matters
as the colonel regarded as his own pri-
vate concerns, would have been rele-
gated to her legitimate sphere of in
terests with scant ceremony, while at
the same time the deprecating meek
ness with which she had ever submitted
to his brusque methods of belittling
her had only served to increase bound
lessly the colonel's contempt for such
an unassuming type of woman. He was
secretly proud that his daughter had
inherited pluckier poise, complacently
persuaded that every quality he adj
mired in her was a direct inheritance
from himself; but at the same time he
had habit, which the girl, who had
greatly loved her mother, lSeenly re-
sented when she stopped to think about
it, of coolly charging to her mothers
influence whatever about her he hap
Lened not to like. Everybody says
am so much like you!" she demurely re-
| Joined, whereat the colonel laughed ap-
preciatively, his passing i'll humor for
gotten.
"You did not answer my first ques'
tion," she protested, presently, her
manner making it quite apparent that
rebuff had no effect whatever upon her.
81 asked you what the quarrel between
the mines is all about?"
"And to all intents answered YOU
that considered your ignorance bliss.
However, if you must know, the gist oe
the matter is that this man Neil claims
that have been stealing ore out of his
mine"
t'I knew as much as that before; but
what do not understand is upon what
possible grounds he could bring such
charges against you"
The colonel smiled indulgently, shrugN
ging his shoulders. Clearly the girl
was bent upon pursuing the subject to
the earth. He claims that the Grub
stake levels have been carried beyond
the side lines into the Mascot territory.
1t happens that he made a very rich
strike in the ground where the Grub
stake lode crosses his claim. He
thought he had a distinct vein-that it
was his ore all right; but when we be-
gan drifting from our side we found
that our vein made turn at that point,
that it was the Grubstake lode into
which he had blundered-that being
the prior location. l was il; no hurry
to get involved in legal controversy, 1
preferred to go on quietly with the de-
yelopment work until 1 could be abso.
lutely sure in the premises; and so il
happened that Neil got ahead of me in
this suit. l think, however, that wa
shall have little difficulty, when tho
time comes, in proving to him the errcy
of his ways" There was cool amuse.
ment in the smile that just lifted the
ends of the blond mustache.
''Do you think he can be honestly mis-
taken in the matter, this-person?
Dorothy asked, her cheeks flushing
little with the question, eager interesE
in her eyes.
"Oh, certainly. Why not? So much
depends upon the point of view, you
know. In Neil's place 1 should think
the same as he does, and make the very
same fight, without any question. Busi-
ness is business. We can't blame man
for taking what he can get.''
provided he gets it honestly" the
young lady supplemented, in a tone of
righteous severity.
"Oh, of course, provided he gets it
honestly" her father agreed, his smile
rather sardonic. only in these times
the world does not always bother itself
to ask how he gets it." p.
They rode along for awhile in silence,
hut Dorothy was not yet ready to aban-
don the subject. "I thought you said
it was regular bunco game" she pres
emily observed.
did 1? dare say"
But that would be swindle," she
persisted. And if this man thinks he