The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1903-10-16


handsome residence, perched on hill,
commanding a view of the country and
a few houses in the valley below, Miss
Borden said: "Here we are. You
can dismount here and will take the
automobile around to the barn.
"This is where your uncle, Richard
Borden, lives, I suppose?" Hudson
said, dismounting.
eyes; we both live here"
"And this place below? What viii
lage is that?" he continued, pointing
to the houses in view.
"That is Gold6eld," she answered de-
murely. II thought you would recog-
nize the houses"
Then with a smile she whisked the
automobile away and turned toward
the barn, where an attendant took it
away from her.
Richard Borden was away from
home, and Hudson, with new disap.
pointment hanging heavily on his
shoulders, walked sturdily down to the
railroad station and telegraphed East
to his company. He still hoped there
was a chance. If the Board of Direc-
tors had not met, or if they had not
voted on the question Of buying the
Gold King he might still succeed.
1t was full hour before he received
his reply. His last hopes were crush
ed in the short, crisp sentence: sDe-
cided at meeting today not to pur-
chase Gold King. Your report not
received and decided it must be un-
favorable. Will wait your final re-
port by mail" f-sF
Hudson returned by train that night
to his hotel and spent the next day in
formulating his report to the company.
He would, at least, show the company
how much they had lost.
The sting of the disappointment
was no less acute because the one who
had been instrumental in thwarting
him was beautiful and attractive. Her
strange charms took on disagreeable
aspect at times as he remembered that
eventful ride. Then again he would
find himself dreamily thinking of the
long ride across the mountains, and
he would look up with flush on his
face as if expecting to see a pair of
innocent eyes looking mockingly into
his.
1t was two weeks after that rumors
doated around in the small mining
town that the Gold King had been
shut up forever. Then the secret
spread abroad that it had been "salt-
ed.' Lukens had ingeniously salted
it by new process, and in his en-.
deavor to sell it for his employers he
had rather overdone the matter.
Hudson gasped at this astounding
news, and refused to credit it; but by
degrees the full details of the plot
were revealed and be was forced un-
willingly to accept it. After his first
confusion and modification had sub
sided his views concerning Miss Bor-
den changed. She had undoubtedly
known of the duplicity of the mine
owners through her uncle. Without
waiting for her personal veridcation
he dispatched telegram to her.
"Just remembered that ! forgot to
thank you for my automobile ride
fortnight ago. Am coming by next
train to thank you in person. Wish
we could repeat the ride"
When he stepped to the platform Of
the station at Goldfield a few hours
later his heart gave little bound of
pleasure as he saw an automobile slow
ly approaching the track. There was
one person in it; the flushed face and
innocent brown eyes were unmistak k>
able. Hudson flashed back a ehaf-
lenge which could not be Mistaken
George Ethelbert Walsh IN Phizade1:-
phia Ledger. :.
THE ROYAL MONTH ANDTHE