, 1898-11-11

wild joy and deep depression in mis-
heart, to which he had hitherto been a
stranger.
During the next few days the image
Of Boly grew more and more deeply im-
pressed III his hitherto unsuscepti1le
heart. This state of mind was progress.
i've, and when, on the third day af tcr
Boly's visit, he had made a most salts.
factory test clean up, it was in the b9st
of spirits that he determined to knock
off from work and return Bascola's
visit.
On his way over the ridge he divereed
from his direct route to Basoom's TO-
ward a little fiat, where he saw thee
OF four cows feeding and a pony near
by. which, ever at a distance, he recDg-
MED as Boly's. y few yards away, seat
ed in the shadow of a great rock, lie
recognized the blue clad figure of Buly
herself.
81 allowed you'd be over before
long" she said, with a smile. 81 kind
Of expected you'd be in yesterday even
in"
Morgan's courtship progressed with
rapid strides. Within a fortnight after
this visit he lad been over to see BOly
several times, and she, after an interval
of a week when he did not come, know
ing him to be tied down by his work at
the BelshaZzar camp, with a natural
disregard for empty convention, had
herself gone over to chat with him at
the erastra.
1t was on the occasion of this visit
that Morgan declared himself. The
arastra was stopped. The mule still dis
creetly blinded, dozed in the tug path,
and Morgan in beatitude sat with his
arm around what for the time being
was the only waist in the world.
THERE'S II thing ought to tell
you" continued Morgan, before ever
you says yes or no. You see, when l
first met the old man he kind of jump
ed at the idee that l was the owner of
this here property. l didn't say so, but
seein as he took it hat Il way / didn't
see no call to undeceive him; but /
amt 10 owner. I'm just up here work
in for BigHs, an old pard of mine, on
wages, and l simply don't own nothin."
"Inat don't make no difference to me,
Chris" said Boly, with a sigh, "but l
reckon it will with por about consent
in. He sets such a heap on a mans be-
in well fixed" There was silence for a
moment, and then Boly continued:
Eve been thinkin this "a way. Why
don't You branch out for yourself and
get some property of your own? Then
you'd be eligible"
"That's easy to say about branchin
out and gettin property" responded
Chris despondently. But however m
] to do it? don't see no openin."
you'll never see no openin sitting
around this arastra belongin to another
man." retorted Boly, with some spirit.
"IIl tell you what I'd do if l was u
man and wanted to make a stake. I'd
quit here too quick and go right away
over into this here new Mud Springs
deestreect that they're all runnin to and
stake out some claims for myself. That
would make it all right with por. He'd
say your bein a man with just wages
is IL thing, but you bein a man with
some promisin claims is another"
But" said Morgan, inspirited by
the plan, but yet aware of obstacles,
"what'd l say to Biggs if he should
come back here and find I'd quit work
in the arastra and pulled out with his
mule? He's done a heap for me, and l
couldn't go back on him.
1--WE got a plan about that, zoe"
said Boly, contemplatively drawing
lines in the trailing dust with her riding
switch. You start right in and clean
up this here run and her go and get
rock down from the drifts and I'll coIne
over every mornin and run the arastra
while you're gone with Gyp' (indicat-
ing 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
q little rincon that l know of, where
the feeds good and they won't leave
till l 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
Oh his way on the trail to Mud Springs
district with a fixed determination to
uuu sUlhttilihS A1Nl anu pClolhC ga 81
ble'' or die in the attempt.
He wasted no time in entering ac-
lively OH 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 made
by others, but his own luck was of the
worst.
The months time which he had al
lowed himself was already drawing to
q close, and he seemed as far from his
goal as ever, and it was in a state of
deep dependency and encouragement
that he started upon his last trip into
the adjacent mountains.
He followed for several hours an old,
deeply worn Indian trail tending to-
ward the Colorado. The trail had evi-
IDENTIFY been but little travelled Cor years,
for in many places it was quite blocked
with powders which had rolled down
the hillside, and finally came to a point
where it had been completely buried by
an enormous slide of loose rock.
Here he dismounted and tied his
mule to a stunted pinon. He was anx.
ious 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 notified in
dull reds and faded yellows that sug.