The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1898-12-16


even at a distance, he recognized as
Boly's. few yards away, seated in
the shadow of great rock, he recog-
nized tie blue-clad figure of Boly her
self.
81 allowed you'd be over before
long," she said, with a smile; II kind
of expected you'd be in yesterday
evenin'."
Morgan's courtship progressed with
rapid strides. Within a fortnight after
this visit he had been over to see Roly
several times, and she, after an inter-
val of a week when he did not come,
knowing him to be tied down by his
work at the Belshazzar camp, with a
natural disregard for empty conven-
ton, had herself gone over to chat
with him at the arastra. 1t was on the
occasion of this visit that Morgan de-
clared himself. The arastra was
stopped. The mule still discreetly
blinded, dozed in the tug-path, and
Morgan ID beatitude, sat with his arm
around what for the time being was
the only waist in the world.
There's one thing ought to tell
you" continued Morgan, "before ever
you says yes or no. You see, when
first met the old man he kind of jumped
at the idee that 1 was the owner of
this here property. Ididn't say so, but
seein' as he took it that away. didn't
see no call to undeceive him. But |
amt no owner. I'm just up here.
workin' for Biggs, an old pard of mine,
on wages, and I simply don't own
nothin.'
THAT don't make no difference 10
me, Chris" said Boly, with sigh; but
1 reckon it will with Por about con-
sentin'. He sets such heap on mans
bein' we'll fixed" There was silence
for a moment. and, then Boly con-
tinued: "Ive been thinkin' this away.
Why don't you branch out for your
self and get some property of your
own? Then you'd be eligible"
That's easy to say about branchin'
cut and gettin' property" responded
Chris, desponGentiy. "but however'm
1 to do it? don't see no openin'."
you'll never see no openin sitting
around this arastra belongin' 10 an
other man." retorted Boly, with some
spirit. "Ill tell you what I'd do if l
wasa a man and wanted to make a stake.
I'd quit here too quick and go right
away over into this here new Mud
Springs deestrect that they're all run
MIN to, and stake out some claims for
myself. That would make it all right
with Por. He'd say your bein' man
with JUS wages is one thing, but you
bein' man with some promisin' claims
is another"
"But," said Morgan, inspired by the
plan, but yet aware of obstacles
"what'd say to Bggs if he should
come back here and find I'd quit work
in the arastra and pulled out with his
mule? He's done heap for me, and
couldn't go hack on him."
"I've get plan about that, too
said Boly, contemplatively drawing
lines in the failing dust with her rid
ing switch. "You start right in and
clean up this here run and then go and
get rock down from the drifts, and I'll
come over every mornin' and run the
arastra while you're gone, with Gyp"
Indicating her pony). Hes small
for the work, but he'll do, and you take
the mule and start off for the new Mud
Springs range. I'll herd the COWS into
a little rincon that know of, where
the feeds good and they won't leave
till I come for 'em. Por is repairin
the road every day now, and he'll never
suspicion what's up"
Thus it was that, on the third morn
ing after this conversation, Morgan
was on his way on the trail to Mud
Springs district, with fixed deter
mination to find some thing rich and be-
come eligible" or die in the attempt
He wasted no time in entering active
ly on his work. He rode here and there
over the country, working up dry
gulches in search of placers and climb
ing rocky buttes and ridges in the hope
of finding some rich ledge. Promising
discoveries were being constantly
F.. made by others, but his own luck was
of the worst. He had labored hard and
patiently day after day. and yet with
out his reward. The months time
which he had allowed himself was al
ready drawing to a close, and he
seemed as far from his goal as ever;
and it was in state of deep despon-
dency and discourgement that he
started upon his last trip into the ad
jacent mountains.
: He followed for several hours an old,
deeply-worn Indian trail tending
toward the Colorado. The trail had
evidently been but little travelled for
years, for in many places it was quite
blocked with powders which had
rolled down the hillside, and finally
pletely buried by an enormous slide of
loose rock. Here he dismounted and
tied his mule to stunted pinon. He
was anxious to proceed in the direction
he had been going, for, not more than
a mile ahead, there was in plain view a
rocky bluff, curiously marked and
mottled in dull reds and faded yellows
that suggested strong mineral posi-
bilities.
Morgan had clambered half way
across the rough and difficult barrier,
still following the general line of the
trail, when, as he paused for moment
to take breath, he saw with some sur
prise few yards a above him on the hill
side a high, narrow opening in the
rocks. 1t was partially blocked by
few fragments of broken powders,
and was evidently the mouth of one of
tbosa mountain oovarps mot ;pfra