The Irish standard., 1901-12-28

THE IRISH {
buck against a miners right. And
when we've used the water in our
riffle-boxes, 1t can go down to the
settlers for their burnt-up fields"
II see," said. "Why didn't you do
It long ago."
"The time wasn't ripe. Between
us, don't hope to make anything
out of the placer. We've all planned
at it now and then, and nobody has
found more than few 'colors' to the
pan. But it comes in pat now. just
at the right time. Public sentiment
is strong on the side of the settlers,
and against the land company; and
I happen to know that President
Baldwin is beginning to be bit I'M
certain about this location for the
dam. Did you see the pit before the
cotfer-dam went out and filled it up?"
Eyes"
eft was fully 90 feet deep and they
were still in this loose shalc. If they
go on and put in their masonry, it's
pennies to dollars that the first
.loud-bnrst takes it. out Baldwin
Knows the risk. and so do the stock
holders. The stock has gone down
ten points in as many days. That
was why they got together and made
n pool to try to buy me OUT
"Dccent figure?"
Fairly decent. They strained a
point all the points. I imagine. in
the present uncertain condition OF
affairs: but ! wouldn't sell for twice
fifty thousand"
81 don't blame you: it's more than
a money fight"
| Macpherson's soft brown eyes
flashed responsibility. "Mluch more
| We charge Setter with making it a
personal matter, but I'm afraid it's
come to be that with me. The day
when can run that fellow out OF
lis valley at the tail of broken en-
terprise will be a happy one for me,
It's the least I can do-and the
most. And I'll do it, if I live"
Wykamp flung his arms abroad like
man in bad dream. laughed
| aloud The grim humor Of the thing
| was irresistible. Here for an hour we
had been straining every nerve to
save the life of man whose death
was every way desirable-but
checked myself at once. Macpher'
son was glowering at the PROSTATE
! figure beyond the fire in way that
made me SILVER. made haste tc
| bank the fires of wrath.
ut is unfortunate that Setter has
put himself on the wrong side of the
criminal fence" remarked.
Macpherson responded quickly, asst
glad of the diversion.
ut is; devilish unfortunate. The
thing hangs by a thread. If that fel
low suspects that it was giant
powder and not the food, we'll al
hear from it,"
"Will he suspect?"
Macpherson shook his head. Hell
reason it out, If he hasn't been toe
badly shaken up. And we'll be lucky
II we're not dragged in as witnesses
He went silent for minute, ant
when he continued his thought wal
for me. Say, Jack; suppose you take
the back track to the farmhouse
There is no need of your being
mixed up in this! and If you're no
here when his men come, no one will
be the wiser Follow the bed of tn
ditch and you won't meet Them
The advice was sound, but l hest
tated.
"But that will leave you to bea,
the brunt of it alone, Angus"
He waved me off. go on, and z,
now, or it will be too late. I'm i,
for it, anyway, because he saw me
Get Q move"
, I went at that, scrambling acros
, to the line of the ditch and wallow
ing downward through the dry san
. of it's bed. Halfway to the gap i
| the hog-back l could look down upo
the party of rescuers on it's way u
the trail, and was half minded t
, turn back when l saw it was heade
by the Mexican. But went on whe
1 reflected that Macpherson woul
: account for himself quite as we
without as with me. None the less
it was n relief, few minutes Later
v to be overtaken by my friend at tn
' point where the ditch crossed TIL
' road to enter the Setter field.
"rhcy are bringing him DOWN."
, queried.
Eyes. He came to and sat up jus
. after you left. He isn't hurt yer
much"
He would have dismounted to max
me ride, but the distance was nothing
, Twill you go back to the SiS-Mil
, to-night?" / asked, when we reache
the gate. "Selter will put you up.
"No; I'll go on back. If 1 didn
, show up before morning, the boy
would raid Wykamp's outfit. Coco
, night. You go in and take abou
, three fingers and go to bed. You
be in luck if this doesn't down 20
! again"
l CHAPTER MI.