Arizona republican., 1898-09-04
THE MISTRESS
 OF THE MINE.
BY ROBERT BARR.
Continued from Yesterday.
CHAPTER XXNIII.


 had turned. The second year was even 1 more prosperous than the first, and the third as successful as the second. He had q steady market for his mineral, and, besides, he had the great advantage If knowing the rogncs to avoid Some new swindles, he had encountered dur ing his first years experience, had taught him lessons that he prcfted by in the second and third. He liked his home in the wilderness, and he liked the rough people among whom he found 
 Notwithstanding his remuneration of London, however, there would, now and t.ien, come a ycarning for the big city. and he promisctlvhilnself trip there at the end of the third year. Wentworth had been threatening, month after month, to come out and see him, but something had always interfered.
 Taking it all in all, John liked it bet ter in winter than in tie summer, in spite of the extreme cold. The cold was steady, and could be depend ed upon; moreover, it was health full and invigorating. In summer John never became accustomed to the ray ages. of the black fly, the mosquito and other insect pests of that season. His first interview with the black fly left hls face in such condition that he was glad he lived i'll wilderness.
 At the beginning of the second win ter John treated himself to d luxury. He bought ratty little French Cana dian horse that was very quick and ac- custo1ncd to the ice, because the ice of the river formed the highway bx which he reached Burntpine from the mine. To supplement the horse, he also get Il comfortable little cutter, ard with this turnout he made his frequent jour- neys between the mine and Burntpine with comfort and speed, wrapped snug1y in buffalo robes.
 If London often reverted to his mind, there was another subject that ob- truded itself even more frequently. His increased prosperity had something tc do with this. He saw that, if he was 10 have a third of the receipts of the mine, he was not to remain q poor man for very long, and this fact gave him II lefore. He wondered if she remen- bcred him. Wentworth had said very little about her in his letters, and Kcn- yon, in spite of the confession he had made when his case seemed hopeless, was 10th to write and ask lis friend any thing about her.
 One day, on a clear, sharp, frosty winter morning. Kenyon had his little pony harnessed for his weekly journey to Burntpipe. After the roughcr part of the journey between the mine and the river had been left behind and the pony got down to her work on the ice, with the two white banks of snow OH either side of the smooth track, John gave himself up to thinking about the subject which now so often engrossed his mind. Wrapped closely in his furs. with the cutter skimming along the ice, 1 these thoughts found a pleasant accom- paniment in the silvery tink!e of tte bells which jingled around his horses neck. As general thing he met no one on the icy road from the mine to the village Sometimes there was pro cession of sleighs bearing supplies fer | his own mine and those beyond, and when this procession was seen, Ken | yon had to look out for some place by i the side of tie track where he could pull up his horse and cutter and allt w ! the teams to pass. The snow on each | side of the cutting was so deep that i these bays were shoveled out here and there to permit teams to get past each other. He had gone half way to the village when he saw ahead of him q pair of horses which he at once recog'
 nized as those belonging to the hote! keeper. He drew up in the first bay and awaited the approach of the sleigh. He saw that it contained visitors for hi;l self, because the driver, cn recognizing 1 hin, had turned round and spoken tt the occupants of the vehicle. As it came along the man drew up and nodded to Kenyon, who, although ordinarily tht most polite of men, cid not return tn, i salutation He was stricken dumb witt
 astonishmcnt at seeing who was in the sleigh. One woman was so bundled UT that not even her nose appeared out
 in the cold, but the smiling, rosy face
 of the other needed no introduction tt
 John Kenyon.
 ''Well, Mir. Kenyon" cried laughing
 voice, you did not expect to see nl> this morning, did you?.'
 II confess 1 did not" said John, '.an6 yet" here he paused. He was going tt
 say. "and yet 1 was thinking of you,
 but he checked himself.
 Miss Longworth, who had a talen-
 for reading the unspoken thoughts o1
 John Kenyon, probably did not need tt
 be told the end of the sentence. "Ars
 you going to the village?' she asked.
 T was going; I am not going now.
 That's right. I was just going tt
 invite you to turn round with us. Yo,
 see. we are OH our way to look at tht
 mine, and, suppose, we shall have te
 obtain the consent of the manager be fore we can do so." Miss Longworth':
 companion had emerged for nomen- from her wraps and looked at John
 but instantly retired among the fur. again with shiver. She was not st
 young as her companion, and she con