The Red Cloud chief., 1905-07-21

| you said anthony was not very valu-
ableI"
THAT is not anthony. II is gold.
BY chance | have hit upon an extreme
ly rich lode of gold. At the most mod
est computation it is worth hundreds
of thousands of pounds. You and | are
quite wealthy people, Miss Deane."
Iris opened her blue eyes very wide
at this intelligence. 1t took her breath
away. But her first words betokened
her innate sense of fair dealing.
you and /! Wealthy" she gasped.
81 am so glad for your sake, but tell
me, pray. Mr.. jerks, what have l got to
do with it,"
"You." he repeated. Are we not
partners in this island? By sQuatter's
| right If by no better title we own land.
minerals, wood, game and ever such
weird belongings as ancient lights and
fishing privileges"
81 don't see that at all. You find a
gold mine and coolly tell me that | am
a half owner of 1t because you dragged
me out of the sea, fed me, housed me-,
saved my life from pirates and general.
ly acted like n devoted nursemaid in
charge of Il baby. Really, Mr.. Jenks"-
"Really, Miss Deane, you will annoy
me seriously If you say another word.
l absolutely refuse to listen to such an
argument"
For some time they stood in silence
until the sailor commenced to reprouch
himself for his rough protest. pc"hHps
he had hurt her sensitive feelings.
What a brute he was to be sure! She
was only a child in ordinary affairs,
and he ought to have explained things
more lucidly and with greater com
mand over his temper. And all this
time Iris face was dimpling with
amusement, for she understood him so
well that had he threatened to Kill her
she would have laughed mt him.
would you mind getting the lamp?'
he said softly, surprised to catch her
expression Of saucy humor.
"Oh. please may l speak," she in.
quired. IL don't want to annoy you
but l am simply dying to talk"
lie had forgotten his own injunction
Let us first examine our mine," he
said. IF you bring the lamp we car
have a good look ut It,"
Close scrutiny of the work already
done merely confirmed the accuracy of
his first impression. While Iris held
the light he opened up the seam with q
few strokes of the pick. Each few
inches 1t broadened into u noteworthy
volcanic dixie, now yellow in It's abso
= lutte purity, ut times a blush black
when fused with other metals. The ad,
ditional labor involved caused him tC
follow up the line Of the fault. Sud
denly the flame Of the lamp began &c
flicker In u draft. There was an ail
passage between cave and ledge.
They came back into the external
glare. Iris was now so serious that she
forgot to e%Xtinguish the little lamp
She stood with outstretched hand.
There is a lot Of money in there
she said.
lions of it,"
"No need to quarrel about division
There Is enough for both Of u.s."
quite enough. We can even spare
some for our friends"
III houi uiS" ~ JCuhf
climbed to the Summit rock. He shoul
dered AK and rifle and set forth. Iris
heard him rustling upward through tho
trees. She set some water to boil fol
tea and, while bringing n fresh supply
of fuel, passed the spot where the tori
scraps Of paper Uttered the sand.
She was the soul of honor for Il wo
man. but there was never n woman We,
who could take her eyes Off a writer
document which confronted her. Sh,
could not help seeing that one small
morsel contained her own name
Though mutilated. il had clearly read
Dear Miss Deane."
$50 it was intended for me"' sh,
cried, throwing down her bundle ant
dropping to her knees. She secured
that particular slip and examined i
earnestly. Not for worlds would sh,
, pick up all the scraps and endeavor t
sort them. Yet they had a fascination
!. for her, and at this closer range sh,
saw another which bore the legend-"I
love you"
Somehow the two seemed to fit to
gether very nicely.
Yet n third carried the same words
II love you"' They were still quit,
coherent. She did not want to lool
any further. She did not even turI
over such OF the torn pieces as hat
, tuttered to earth face downward.
Opening the front of her bodice, sh,
brought to light a small gold locke