The silver lance., 1899-06-09

hurry my wurrd as olive Tim R1.r>
IN NEE place down in the ward Oi,va
some wurrd Of John Conover from a
oirthy Chinee thot olive befriended
once or twice. He told me, Nelly Car
ney thot John has med his fo,ned NJ
,ast' an thot three ov the worst min in
Dan francisco are to be afther not
only he's taken alriddy, but 1t will be
LIS ilfe for his claim out there beyant."
Nelly Conover had risen. All the
me lady dropped from her. She ran
to Fergus and caught his hand.
Fergus, Fergus, ye're a friend, in
oeeo! Come away with me to John
Get Tim, Denny and Jerry and one OF
tne other boys we can depend on.
There's plenty of money. We will go
raster than any one. Oh, Fergus,
help me, for old-times sake"
we've no time thin to loose" quoth
fergus. For that gang is away three
hours too. Be ready whin l come win
the b'ys.'
An hour or two later Nelly was
ready. She had been to the convent
10 kiss Kathleen, she had dressed her
self In her coarse mountain clothing
again. The next train north bore the
lrishmen and Nelly to the little sta
tlon where she had decided to get on
IL was by a short cut, rough and
dangerous, that Nelly made up her
mind to lead her followers. 1t was
one by which John Conover used to
secretly transport his gold. Several
times she had tramped with him UP
and down the pass. She calculated
that she could arrive an hour or two
a1ter the attacking party II they push
ed forward all night A terrible en-
ergy possed Nelly. Her eyes shone
with terror and anxiety. Could they
reach John in time? AS she plunged
onward in the dark she registered
vow never to leave John Conover
again If his life was spared.
Toward dawn the party were in
sight Of Toby's creek Nelly pointed
with shaking at the hut near the
mountain side. There was a light in
the cabin. The party crept up stealth
lily. Nelly crawled on her hands and
knees to the back window. The sight
within froze her blood John Conover
was tied and bound before the fire
until he was perfectly helpless. Three
men were torturing him, Indian fash
ion, by applying burning sticks to his
feet. He would not sign away his
claim.
Nelly drew back one second and Fer
gus took her place. A settled gray
100l {pt TO- ~ ho To-
swttchman. He motioned the next
man and all drew their pistols. Fer
gus crept to the door, motioning Mel
ly to shelter herself. There was a sud
den crash-in OF the door, three shots
and a dash at the window Nelly fir-
ed the pistol that she held straight
into the face Of the man who came
first.
John Conover was always a bad
ly crippled man. He lad expected no
succor, but he knew Nelly well enough
to think she would never relinquish
the claim only over his own signature,
hardly then. He had resigned himself
to die that she might have fortune
1t was a snatch from the grave for
him.
Everyone knows the Conovers on
the two continents. The claim was
one OF the three best In California
Kathleen was such a fabulous heiress
she could have married dozen titles,
but she choose plain American. She
had a young, half brother, who,
strange as 1t may seem, was called
Fergus from the start He was ia
nous athlete in an eastern college In
the '70s and married and English girl
OF family. Nelly Conover, a lovely,
white-haired old lady, may often be
seen in the picture galleries and pleas
urs gardens OF continental cities, walk
ing beside the wheel chair OF genial
old gentleman. She kept her VOW. No
time since that awful hour on the
mountain side has she been absent
from John Conover's side.