Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1899-12-07

| hardly earned, and the life of a NAVY
not a bad exchange! / wonder whom
the other letter is from?'
1t proved to be from a gentleman
signing himself Richard Blake. and
who gave his address as the Kildare
Street, Dublin Club. He had. he said,
just heard from O'Brien & Grudgery OF
the discovery in Queensland of the
missing heir, and, as a relative, he
fastened to send his congratulations.
I'VE. shall all be delighted TO see a
master at the head of the old place
once more he added, except, per-
haps, your cousin, Richard, who, bar
ring you, would, Of course, succeed to
Arnewood, and who may be a trifie
sore at first. / suppose you will keep
O'Brien & Grudgery Informed as TO
your movements, and I hope you'll find
time TO drop me a line, as we'll"
This epistle might have been meant
In the friendliest spirit. but ii produced
no other effect upon it's recipient than
TO provoke an ejaculation of contempt.
"Pshaw:' he exclaimed, aloud. as
though he were addressing the writer
in person. Il wonder what sort Of a
numbskull you take me for, Mr.. Rich
ard Blake?"
Nevertheless, the idea that he was
thus early being sought out and toad
led TO, pleased him, in q way; and he
went TO his dinner in as contented a
frame of mind rs is possible to a man
OF naturally morose disposition.
1t is a custom, rarely honored in the
breach, that when q digger stays over
night in a town he shall go the round
or certain resorts, chiefly public houses
~patronized by other gold hunters, and
there exchange mining gossip and
scraps Of news. Our a had proved
an exception to this rule, hitherto: and,
in all his previous visits to Cooktown,
he Stunned the society Of other dig
gers-for his own good reasons. New
~ertheless, upon this particular evening
he so far relaxed this aloofness as to
share in the conversation and numer-
GUS drinks INDUCED In by a number Of
gold hunters who had found their way
10 the bar of the Miners Arms. APP
pareptly either he deemed that the
good news from Dublin had rendered
his wonted caution unnecessary. or,
being almost a stranger in the district,
he trusted to pass unquestioned.
So he did, until a man, remarkable
alike for his well-nigh dwarfish short
ness of stature and almost ludicrous
breacth of shoulder, pushed his way.
good-humoredly, to the somewhat
crowded bar.
"Clear the road for the Dutch giant.
lads" he chuckled, hoarsely.
'Halloa, Dirk What cheer, old
man?' chorussed several voices.
Nigh stony, boys!' replied the new
aCmar an1 with ra,,. y, $500 "a
foreign accent. But Dirk yanstrom's
always good for a few drinks, ell,
boss? What, you here?" he added, adj
dressing the recipient of the letters.
Yes" growIed the latter. "Can't
you see l am? Why shouldn't / be?"
\ reason that L know Of, mate"
rejoined Dirk, drily, except that I
thought you and your mate were too
busy clearing out old Schneider's
claim on the Black Horse to waste a
night In Cooktown."
1t was difficult to define, from the
speakers tone whether he were i'm Joke
or in earnest; but, from the chorus OF
laughter which greeted his words, it
was evident that the ~bystanders re-
garded the alleged discovery of the old
Germans tabled claim as an excellent
joke. Not so the object Of the dwarf
ish Dutchman's banter, who, shortly
afterward, retired, sulkiIy, for the
night. Dirk gazed reflectively, upon
his ~retreating form, but he made no
further allusion to Black Horse Gully.
The lean horse had a good spell of
rest, for not until 8 o'clock the next
morning was he called upon to bear his
owner to the local branch Of the Ma
tional Bank. The manager smiled as
his red-shirted visitor removed his
broad, many-buckled leathern belt and
placed it upon the counter. Banks
made a good profit upon the purchase
OF gold, and but little of the precious
metal had found it's way to Cooktown
lately. One by one, and very carefully,
he emptied the pockets, fixed upon the
inside Of the belt, of the gold dust and
"shotty nuggets which they contained.
The delicate bullion scales were then
called into requisition, and gave the
aggregate weight of the gold as 2lbs,
Coz. 6dwt.
"Will you draw the value i'm cash
now" inquired the manager. suayely.
mo; I'd rather leave it with you for
the present" was the reply. 81 have
more gold besides that lot"
I'm very glad to hear it,' replied the
manager. Wen buy all you care to
bring us. I'll just make out a deposit
receipt and take your signature"
Hesitatingly and slowly, as though
unused to welding a pen, the new de-
positor wrote Luke Arnewood in the
signature book, received his deposit
form and slouched out Of the bank.
Dirk Vanston was standing outside the
building with, apparently, no more en-
crossing occupation on hand than to
study the anatomy of the lean horse. 3
"Good-day, mate" was the Dutch
mans cordial greeting. Been putting
up some of old Schneider's leavings?
He used to bank in the very same
crib!'
For all reply, the digger r
swiftly upon his horses back and
drove home his sharp spurs. With a
snort of pain. the poor brute dashed
out yiciously, and came within an ace
of QaghiDg out fha Dntobmop,S b,o;na