Arizona republican., 1907-02-28

the last chapter. the former took heI
departure and both ladies remained
quietly and secluded within their own
doors for several days. Then there
burst upon the community a report like
a string OF wildfire that went from
house to house and from mouth to
mouth with fearful velocity. Word had
gone out that the Muddens had bought
the big SmiZer farm from the heirs,
paying gold coin for it, and We're going
to move into the fine old homestead
right away. II was the talk of the day
for the farm and its rare old and roomy
house was one of many broad acres,
forests Of timber. silvery lakes Of water
with boats. orchards and gardens.
Many thousand dollars was the price
upon il and the Muddens had bought
it. but paid outright for it in gold coin,
and We're now going to occupy the
grand old house with many acres of
pleasure and beauty.
A quick and rapid knocking at Mrs.
Grilwelrs front door on this pleasant
spring morning aroused that lady from
her pleasant reveries and upon hasten
ing TO the door TO answer so rapid a
with Mrs. Longley. Wringing her
hands in nervous tremor the visitor ex-
claimed:
ooh, Mrs. Grilwell, have you heard
the news?"
NO" answered Mrs. Grilwell. 81
have not been out today and have seen
no one but yOu-why, what is the
news?"
"Why. it is talked all around town
this morning that the Muddens have
bought the Smizer farm from all the
heirs, paying cash, in gold money, and
going to move into that big and grand
old house right away; and they say
that their son, whose whereabouts have
been a mystery all this time, is a mil
liOnaire mine owner and expressed
them the money to buy it with"
well. that solves the problem of
where the Muddens got the gold coin
the girl had been seen with, for it is
only reasonable to think that if their
son was in the mining business it was
gold mining he was doing. and he had
no other money to send, which he sent
by express rather than through the
banks which accounts for the reason
again Indl the never lAdu a
bank account"
"Oh, Mrs. Grilwell," exclaimed Mrs.
Longley. as she sprang hastily from
her chair. "Yonder are a lot of wagons
at the Mudden gate and men carrying
the furniture out and putting it in
them. l guess they are going to move
right into their new home this very
day, and l believe l will go and tell
them good bye"
wait a minute and l will go. too.
said Mrs. Grilwell, land see if l can't
unravel some of the Mudden mystery.
The rumor is very well confirmed that
the son is a rich mine owner in British
Columbia. and there has never been
anything wrong about the Muddens
but their reticence with their neighbors
and utter seclusion, and can see moth
ing wrong in their absteniousness in
keeping themselves to themselves If
they chose to live that way"
When the two ladies arrived at the
Mudden home they were met with
happy. greeting by the Muddens.
yes" answered Mrs. Mudden in
answer to the question from Mrs Grill
well, I'VE are going to our new home
and | expect both of YOU to pay me
visit at your earliest opportunity. We
have been so crowded up in the limited
space of this house that we deferred the
entertainment and sociability until we
got moved into our new home. which
we knew we were going to get for
sometime. Ny son. who has been min
ing in the north. has only recently got
himself and property happily extricated
from the courts. and he will be here in
few days to live vith us and manage
the big farm.
1t was not long after the removal Of
the Muddens until the son arrived. he
was a fine and stalwart young fellow,
but wearing something of the brown
and bronzed looks of the miner who
had been used to harships and expos
ure. He began the work of superin-
tending the farm at once, and ere long