The Philipsburg mail., 1899-06-23


hurry my wurrd as olive Tim Blake
in NEE place down in the yard. Oi've
some wurrd OF John Conover from a
olrthy Chinee thot olive befriended
once or twice. He told me, Nelly Car
ney, thot John has med his foined at
last, an thot three ov the worst min in
can Francisco are to be afther not
only he's taken alriddy, but it will be
MS life for his claim out there beyant. y
Nelly Conover had risen. All the
hne lady dropped from her. She ran
to Fergus and caught his hand.
Fergus. Fergus, ye're a friend, in
deed! Come away with me to John.
Get Tim, Denny and Jerry and one OF
the other boys we can depend on.
There's plenty of money. We will go
faster 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 I come WIN
the b'ys."
An hour or two later Nelly was
ready. She had been to the convent
to 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
ton where she had decided to get off.
IL was by short cut, rough and
dangerous, that Nelly made up her
mind to lead her followers. It was
one by which John Conover used to
secretly transport his gold. Several
times she had tramped with him up
aad down the pass. She calculated
that she could arrive an hour or two
aster the attacking party if 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 a
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 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
look came into the face Of the big
switchman. He motioned the next
man and all drew their pistols. Fer
gus crept to the door, motioning Nell
ly to shelter herself. There was 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 we'll enough
to think she would never relinuuish
the claim only over his own signature,
hardly then. He had resigned himself
to die that she might have fortune
1t was 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 a plain American. She
had young, half brother, who,
strange as it may seem, was called
Fergus from the start. He was a IA
nous athlete in an eastern college in |
he '70s and married and English girl |
If family. Nelly Conover, a lovely, |
old lady. may often be
;een in the picture galleries and pleas
Ire gardens Of continental cities, walk
ng beside the wheel chair of a genial
I'D gentleman. She kept her VOW. No
ime since that awful hour on the
side has she been absent
rom John Conovers side.