Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1900-02-09

p"AbShhldhs liz lOOhEu EOuSuGT anu
more grimy than ever.
How do you do, Fergus?" she said,
with little condescension.
Fergus had stopped in the middle of
the little parlor.
Nelly Conover! OF can't behave it's
the same" he said.
1T is," she laughed; then in her
warm-hearted way, t'Sit down, Fergus,
I'm glad to see you. You should see
Kathleen. She's fine girl now"
Fergus would not sit down. He was
evidently at loss what to say. He
shifted his hat uneasily.
Nelly Carney, thot was, OF must
hurry my wurrd as Owe Tim Blake in
me place down in the yard Owe some
wurrd of John Conover from a dirthy
Chinese that Olive befriended wunst or
twice. He told me, Nelly Carney, thot
John has made his foind at last, an
thot three ov the worst min in San
Francisco are to be afther not only
phwat he's taken DOT alriddy, but it
will be his life for his claim out there
beyant."
Nelly Conover had risen. All the fine
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; o Fergus, help me
for oldtime's sake"
We've no tonne thin, to lose" uuoth
Fergus. "For thot gang is away three
hours moo. Be ready whin come with
the b'ys."
An hour or two later Nelly was ready.
She had been to the convent to kiss
kathleen, she had dressed herself in
her coarse mountain clothing again.
The next train north bore the Irishman
and Nelly to the little station where she
had decided to get off.
1t was a short cut, rough and dan
gerous, 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 after the attack
Ing party if they pushed forward all
night. A terrible energy possessed
Nelly. Her eyes shone with terror and
anxiety. Could they reach John In
time? AS they 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 finger 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 fashion, 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 switch
man. He motioned the next man, and
all drew their pistols. Fergus crept to
the door, motioning Nelly to protect
herself. There was a sudden crash-in
of the door, three shots and dash at
the window. Nelly fired the pistol that
she held straight into the face of the
man who came first.
John Conover was always a badly
crippled man. He had 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 snatch from the grave for him.
Every one knows the Conovers on the
two continents. The claim was one of
the three best in California. Kathleen
was such fabulous heiress she could
have married dozen titles, but she
chose a plain American. She had
young half brother, who, strange as II
may seem, was called Fergus from the
first He was famous athlete I'm an
Eastern college in the '7Os, and mar
ried an English girl of family. Nelly
Conover, a lovely, white-haired old
lady, may often be seen in the picture
galleries and pleasure gardens of conti-
mental cities, walking beside the wheel
chair of a genial old gentleman. She
kept her vow. No time since that awful
hour on the mountain side has she been
from John Conover's side.
When H'nrv Irving Was Kissed.