Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1906-08-28
with good things till ME back Is broke
and mo hands fN nmpfvO

with good things till ME back Is broke
and me hands fall empty"
There was something winning In the
humorous glance Of his big, gray eyes,
and Raymond sat with him long. His
vast experience, his indomitable good
nature, his physical pride, all appealed
to the rancher with such power that he
left him with distinct exaltation.
"Here is the man to help me make my
fortune, and I can be guide to him."
he added, and he went to sleep that
night with greater confidence IN his
future than ut any time since taking
Barnetts ranch. He set his teeth hard
in the determination to win, and though
he had put Ann quite out Of his plans
for the future, she remained an inspira-
ton and lure.
His feeling Of confidence in Kelly
was deepened by his ride with him
next day.
Turning from the gulch road, Kelly
led the way up the side Of Pine noun
tain, along trail which braided itself
upon grassy slope like purple
brown ribbon. The air was keen. the
sky deckless blue hemisphere Ray
mond's blood leaped with the joy of 1t
and with a sense that his feet were set
at last on the road to fortune.
All about him the miners were climb
ing, each his special way. swinging q
tin bucket which sparkled like glass in
the morning sun. Great wains loaded
with ore rolled creaking on their down
ward course, while others Of their kind,
piled high with lumber and machinery,
crawled slowly up the curving roads.
On every side men were tunneling
into the hillsides, trenching In gullies
and toiling at 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 SO at any moment.
Here and there on the slope a tall
and shapeless shaft house rose, with
heaps of orange and blue gray refuse
| rock close beside it. The whole camp
was as vet disorganized, formless and
debatable. Not one in hundred of the
mines was a paying property; all the
others were mere prospects.
As they left Badly and turned tc
climb Pine mountain the dwellings
thickened. They were nearly all built
sf the smooth, straight trunks Of the
aspen, but nearer the summit were OF
| fir, and a few Of them stood in pictur-
esque hooks amid the rocks. Toward
one Of these, more homelike than the
others, Kelly directed his horse, and
as he neared the door a couple Of iusty
yellow haired boys of six OF seven
years of age came bounding out tt
meet him.
Mrs. Kelly was unexpectedly lady
like, small and very pretty, with a Skin
that no wind could tan, and her great
wistful, pathetic eyes appealed to Ray
mond with instant power. She greeted
him cordially, and, while Kelly tool
the horses to the corral, he entered al
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.
I'm not very well. but I'm going tt
tsar up the sod just the same. You
husband is to show me how"
"Matt can find gold easy enough, but
he can't keep It."
/ UTb-o oo-%oo.od oc ,n,,,1> N1.o -.
girl, and II Raymond can help me OF
that score I'll put him in the way O
maxim his pile. Can ye walk few
rods: II 50, I'll show ye the mine ant
the chance"
Certainly. I'm far from being I
one lunger yet"
The two men walked round the littlt
grove Of frs to the west and came up
on some men busy with very small
upright engine hosting ore from {
shaft.
Here" said Kelly, 'is where we tar
the river of life.' This is my owl
mine, but the wan advise ye to take
is that just beyond. | have an offel
for me own prospect, but I shall no
take it. If We are agreeable, wei
lease the Last Dollar together ant
work it to the limit, for I'm satisfied
Its vein is the same as me own, whicl
will keep; but if strike ore, Curran
who owns the Last Dollar, will juml
his price to the moon. Our lay is t
bond and lease his mine, move my ma
chinery over to his old shaft and worl
like mad to open up ore to buy in tn
property. Ye see, no one has touched
pay ore in this quarter, and Curran i
anxious to sell. He offers 1t at $3.50
believe we can open vein that'l
pay fer 1t in less than six months
Will ye go in with me?"
II will"
| As their hands met their heart
warmed to each other. Kelly remove,
his hat and was almost solemn as h
said slowly: "This makes us boil
Now let's go eat"
The Kelly home was as suited to 1t
surroundings as Swiss chalet.
had the dirt roof, the widely projec'
ing caves and the southern porch of
mountain cabin, and it's latchstrin
and battened door were in keeping
only the windows, with their machin
made frames, were out Of key. Their
were two small bedrooms. q Twin