The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1907-11-29
(Continued from page sikh

luxury OF light to the most humble.
80 as the negro gained his level the
man reached forth to accommodate
him. Without warning the black man
leaped forward with the ferocity of an (
animal and struck the other a fearful
blow. The Waterman sank with /
faint, startled cry, and the African
dragged him out of sight over the |
brow of the bank, where he rapidly
tied him hand and foot, stufflng q gag
into his mouth. At the same moment
two other figures rounded the bend
below and approached. They were
mounted and leading third saddle
horse as well as other pack animals.
Reaching the workings, they dismount-
ed. Then began strange procedure,
for one man clambered upon the
sluices and, with a pick, ripped out
the rifles. This was q matter of only
a few seconds; then, Selling a shovel,
he transferred the concentrates which
lay In the bottom of the boxes into
canvas sacks which his companion
held. AS each bag was filed 1t was
tied and dumped into the cut. They
treated but four boxes in this way,
leaving the lower two-thirds of the
aume untouched, for Anvil creek gold
is coarse and the heart of the clean
up lies where it is thrown in. Gather
ing the sacks together, they dashed
them upon the pack animals then
mounted the second string of sluices
and began as before. Throughout it
xx,it
and In unbroken silence, every mo-
ment flashing quick glances at the fig
ure of the lookout who stood on the
crest above, half dimmed In the shad-
ow OF a willow clump. Judging by
their rapidity and sureness, they were
expert miners.
From the tent came the voices of the
night shift at table and the faint rattle
of dishes, while the canvas walls glow
ed from the lights within like great
frehies hidden in the grass. The fore
man, finishing his meal, appeared at
the door of the mess tent and, pausing
to accustom his eyes to the gloom,
peered perfunctorily toward the creek.
The Waterman detached himself from
the shadow, moving out into plain
sight, and the boss turned back. The
two men below were now working on
the siuices which lay close under the
bank and were thus hidden from the
tent.
McNamara's description of Anvil
creeks riches had fired Helen Chester
with the desire to witness a cleanup,
so they had ridden out from town in
time for supper at the claim. She had
not known whittier he led her, only
understanding that provision for her
entertainment would be made with
the superintendent's wife. Upon rec
ogniZing the Midas she had endeavor-
ed to question him as to why her
friends had been dlspossessed, and he
had answered, as it seemed, straight
and true.
The ground was in dispute, he said
another man claimed it-and while the
litigation pended he was in charge for
the court to see that neither party re-
ceived injury. He spoke adroitly, and
it satisfied her to have the proposition
resolved into such simplicity.
She had come prepared to spend the !
night and witness the early morning
operation, so the receiver made the |
most of his opportunity. He showed
her over the workings, explaining the
many things that were strange to her.
Not only was he in himself fascinat-
ing figure to any woman, but wherever
he went men regarded him deferential-
ly, and nothing affects q womans
Judgment more promptly than this OBJ
vious sign of power. He spent the
evening with her, talking Of his early
days and the things he had done In the
west, his story matching the pictur-
esuueness of her canvas walled quar-
tiers with their rough furnishings OF
skins and blankets. Being keen OBJ
server as well as a finished raconteur
he had woven a spell Of words about
the girl, leaving her In state OF tu-
multi and indecision when at last, to-
ard midnight, he retired to his own
Int. She knew to what end all this
fas working and yet knew not what
her answer would be when the ques-
kion came which lay behind 1t all. At
moments she felt the wonderful at
traction of the man, and still there
/, was some distrylst of him which she
could not fathom. Again her thoughts
Y reverted to Glenister, the impetuous,
and she compared the two, so similar
In some ways, so utterly opposed In
others.
It was when she heard the night shift
at their meal that she threw n silken
shawl about her head, stepped into the
cool night and picked her way down
toward the roar OF the creek. "A
breath Of air and then to bed" she
thought. She saw the tall figure OF
the Waterman and made for him. He
seemed oddly interested In her APP
proach, watching her very closely, al
most as though alarmed. 1t was doubt
less because there were so few women
!, out here, or possibly on account OF the
lateness of the hour. Away with con-
ventiops! This was the land of in
stinct and impulse. She would talk to
him. The man drew his hat more
closely about his face and moved of
as she came up. Glenister had been