Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1907-07-12
Through &
< Shaft 7.
ny L VI " JOHNSON
Copyright, lam. by Homer sprasuo..
NJ L Wv JOHNSON.

Are you positive that this assault
was committed ON the evening OF
Thursday of last week?" asked the
judge.
About 1890 on that evening"" as
scented Calman.
1T takes six hours to 20 from here
to the mine.' pursued the magistrate.
II can do 1t In Ave on Tenny."
Not better than that, though. Well,
at 70 o'clock ON that night I took q
drink with Beecham. the accused. In
the Golden Crown. Case dismissed I'M
til we can ind out who did It."
The Judge clambered from the bench,
an elaborate structure of grocery box
es, and looked about expectantly. Cal
man stepped forward.
81 suggest that the fact that there
really Is a Golden Grown be proved"
he said genially.
Motion sustained" ordered tho
judge, and the entire party retired
across the street to drink with such
others as might already be there at
Calman's expense.
But while the evidence was beyond
question and Calman accepted the all
bi, he was none the less convinced that
1t was Beecham who had led the at
tack. Beecham not only bore bad
reputation, but he deserved 1t. Ever
since he had come to Silver Springs no
had headed all the villainy Of the little
mining camp, and more than once II
had been remarked that the Lucky
IaI auR ot m DIV Ia
centage of rich ore. No one had ever
been able to prove that this ore came
from other mines than the one to
which 1t was credited, but suspicion
lay heavy upon Beecham, who worried
not at all.
For more than year the Addie
Eta mine had suffered from the dep
relations of ore thieves. AS the mine
was on the other side of the range, II
was surprise that Calman should
have charged Beecham with the theft
of the rich ore. 1t was impossible to
take 1t over the range. and by the di
vide 1t was u good twenty even miles
There was plenty of richer ore nearer
at hand, yet Calman was positive that
IN Beecham he had recognized the mar
who had fired at him when an attempt
was made to put the robbers to flight.
There were three marauders In thu
party, and they had vanished 30 mys
teriously In their retreat that there
were some who ascribed to the disap
pearance supernatural agencies. II
was not humanity possible to drop Out
of sight In the bare, unwooded valley
as the robbers had done.
But ghosts have no use for rich ore
and Calman held to a different opinion,
In which he was upheld by Ruth Glare,
the only woman at the Addie- Eta. She
was the sister Of Ned Glare and acted
as bookkeeper and stenographer to Cal
man.
"Wc'll get them yet" he promised az
he recounted the result OF the trial.
"They are costing US more money all
of the time, and 1t will soon reach q
point where they will cut off the prof
Its. I'm positive that 1t was Beecham
| saw, and yet there were dozen men
whom | can believe who saw him tax
Ing drink In the saloon not more than
an hour after he was here. Why, he
could not have made 1t In a balloon,
and yet I'm still convinced that 1t was
he at both places"
"Then 1t remains seen how ha
made his way SO quickly" she said
quietly.
"We simply must find out" he insist
ed II was counting on getting mar
ried this fall but with the reduction
In the profits | am afraid that we shall
not make enough to reach the bonus"
II don't mind waiting, DEAR" she said
quietly But for the sake Of all OF
w want to see the mystery solved.
and 1t must be solved"
Several days later Calman, coming
into the office, found a little child in
stalled there.
who's the youngsterT he asked
carelessly.
"Beecham's little girl" she explained.
"She was lost on the mountain. I
found her with a sprained ankle, cry
ing her poor little heart out We must
send her home"
"Beecham's childw His voice was
harsh probably spying for her ia
Their"
"No. dear" Ruth laid a gentle hand
on his arm. "Beecham IL wrapped up
In the little girl. She is all he cares
for"
Her pleading won, and late that aft.
ernoon Ruth drove up to the Silver
Springs House with the child beside
her. Already searching parties had
set out, but a gunshot signal brought
them back, and Beecham rather awk-
wardly thanked the girl.
"Pll do as much for you gone day."
he promised. not realizing how soon he
would be called upon to + leem his
pledge.
The following week he brought the
child over to see Ruth.
"she's been crying for you" he ex-
planned, "and didn't have the heart
to say No TO her I know Pm not
welcome here, but Daisy wanted to
see you, 80 had to come"
"I'm glad that you did" said Ruth
cordially as she took the child In her
arms. Beecham looked on approving.
ly. There were few women In Silver
Springs as yet, and the little girl sadly
missed feminine care.
Ruth and the child were still romplng
when a man came running toward the
Office
"Mr. Calman IL hurtr he cried ''They
are bringing him to the house"
Ruth dropped the child and sped to-
ward the little cottage where she kept