Los Angeles herald., 1906-09-30

'I presume you came from Esperanza just
now he said. "I was there a month ago. Il
WINS the first stop made in this country, in the
mountains. l had little money, and wanted 10
join some party, TO prospect. ] fell in with
man who knew the country, and | put up the
outfit. We were to prospect together, and share
alike" He paused as if waiting for the other
to comment on his narrative. But Bennett
smoked on in silence. The speaker searched his
! face trying to find there a sign Of belief or of
doubt.
"Ten days ago." he resumed, eve struck our
first luck. ] am not miner, but know little
about rocks and ] am pretty sure that we had
signs of pay ore. We staled claim, and started
back to the settlement, as we were almost out
of provisions. My partner directed the way.
On the fourth morning when ] woke he was
gone--with the pack and everything belonging
to u.s."
ut is an old story here in the mountains, ="
said Bennett. "He wanted to be rid of you,
he left you to slow DEATH to starvation. Prob
ably your strike was of some value. Have you
any idea how to find the place againy'
The man shook his head. II trusted to his
lead as long as we were together. After that
was almost crazy with hunger and fatigue"
| He hesitated a moment, and then drew from
his pocket a piece of rock and held it toward
Bennett.
The latter turned it in his hand for long
| Cme-neeQleSSIy lOlS HIS COhipoiioh IhVuBhO' 'AS
held it close to the fire, to examine it better, for
now the night quite upon them Finally
he handed it back
"Sure YOU couldn't find your way to the place
that came from?" he asked.
81 don't know It can't be far. With man
who knows the mountains
at is worth trying for" said Bennett. Il
wonder the fellow did not kill you, and so avoid
all risk of having you back to dispute the claim
with him"
"Would you--would you help search for it
again ?" the man asked, eagerly, yet diffdently.
"I don't know. hardly to run my head
into hornets nest" laughed Bennett. we
will talk about it in the morning have pret-
ty safe thing here now" He nodded in the di-
rection of his claim, where the mouth OF the
tunnel yawned black into the night
As they breakfasted together the next morning
the stranger told Bennett who he was, in the
fewest possible words. ~
"NIy name is Deane,'' he said; "and, what is
perhaps strange here in the mountains, l have
given you my true one. st;-
| He handed Bennett the specimen OF ore again,
and together they subjected it to such tests as
they could.
1T should make you rich,' said Bennett, ''be-
yond the dreams of ayarice. That is, provided
you can find it again.
"I am not enough of mountaineer," said
Deane tsto undertake it alone"
Il should hate to give up the work that |
have done here" said Bennett, although I
know your claim is vastly richer. But [ shall
try and help you find it, at least
1t was a week before they found the spot for
which they searched.
They began at to throw the surface dirt
away and to get down to the rock. For a week
they toiled increasingly each day discovering signs
that only increased their ardor At the end of
the week Bennett said
81 am willing to go on with this. 1t is far
richer than my claim But there is no reason
why you should give me half of it."
II should not have been alive to find it, if
it were not for you" answered Deane. 81 should
have starved to death, long ago" SO their brief
compact of partnership made.
Such companionship this life forced on
these two men begets confidence. And when
men have confidence in each other they begin
to unbosom their secrets. So it came about that