Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1906-04-20

craWei slowly up the curplns roads;
On every side men were tunneltng
inte The hillsides, trenching in gulies
AMI toiling mt windlasses whose joints
cried out resoundingly as the heavy
ore boxes rose The whole scene set
forth buoyant activity and hope Each
man had either struck ore or hoped TO
do 50 ut any moment
Here and there on the slope tall
and shapeeSs shaft house rose, with
heaps of orange and blue gray refuse
rock close beside it, The whole camp
was as yet disorganized, fornless and
debatablc Not one in hundred or the
mines was Il paying property; all the
others were mere prospects.
AS they left Badly and turned TO
climb Pine mountain the dwellings
thickened. They were nearly all built
Of the smooth, straight trunks or the
aspen, but nearer the summit were OF
fir, and a rev of them stood in pictur-
esuue hooks amid the rocks. Toward
one of these. more homelike than the
others, Kelly directed his horse, ana
as he nearcd the door couple OF lusty'
yellow haired boys of six or seven
years of age came bounding out 10
meet him.
Mrs. Kelly was Unexpectedly lady
like, small and very pretty, with Il skin
that no wind could tan, and her great,
wistful, pathetic eyes appealed to Kay
mond with instant power. She greeted
him cordially, and, while Kelly took
the horses to the corral, he entered at
her invitation. Her voice was as
charming as her pale face and hair OF
FURNISHED gold, and the young fellow
looked upon her in surprise.
"You don't look very well, sir" Mrs.
Kelly said to Raymond.
'1'm not very well, but I'm going to
tear up the sod just the same. Your
husband is to show me how"
"Matt ran find gold easy enough, but
he can't keep it,"
give confessed as much Nora, me
girl. and If Raymond can help me on
that score I'll put him in the way OF
maxim his pile. Can ye walk few
rods? If so, I'll show ye the mine and
the chance"
"Certainly. I'm far from being
'one lunger' yet"
The two men walked round the little
grove Of frs to the west and came up
on some men busy with very smaR
upright engine hoistixg Gre from
shaft.
"Hcrc," said Kelly, sis where we tap
the river of life This is my own
mine. but the wan l advise We to take
Is that Just beyond. l have an offer
for me own prospect, but L shall not
take it. If We are agreeable, we'll
lease the Last Dollar together and
work it to the limit, for I'm satisfied
its vein is the same as me own, which
will keep; but if strike ore, Curran,
who owns the Last Dollar, will jump
his price to the moon. Our lay Is to
bond and lease his mine, move my ma
chinery over to his old shaft and work
like mad to open up ore to buy III the
property. Ye see, no one has touched
pay ore in this quarter and Curran Is
anxious to sell. He offers it at $4,000.
I believe we can open vein thatu
pay fer it in less than six months.
Will We go in with me"
81 will"
AS their hands met their hearts
warmed to each other Kelly removed
his hat and was almost solemn as he
said slowly: "This makes US both.
Now let's so eat"
The Kelly home was as suited to Its
surroundings as Swiss chalet. 1t
had the dirt roof, the widely project
ing caves and the southern porch OF
mountain cabin, and its latchstring
and battened door were in keeping;
only the windows, with their machine
made frames; were out of key. There
were two small bedrooms, a living
room. which served also for dining
room. and tiny kitchen, and yet 1t
| prOuuccu vi nay hiOiu . hiAAN SN~
most charming effect of unhesitating
hospitality and LONELINESS. This was
due as much to the charm of Mrs. KEEL
ly's manner as to the deep voiced, cor
dial invitation of the host himself.
There was no lock On their door and
no bar to their warm hearts.
But Raymond saw what Mats low
ing eyes could not discern-Nora was
I overworked and losing heart. In spite
of her ready smile and cordial second
ing of her husbands invitation, I'VE
must make your home with u.s." she
was not strong enough to take on this
extra care, and he resolved to stay In
Bozle till he could build q cabin for
himself.