The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1908-02-21

glass.
"Ow-wY he yelled. These blasted
boots is full of gravel"
He seated himself and tugged at his
foot till the boot came away with a
sucking sound; then, instead or emp
tying the accumulation at random, he
poured the contents into Dextry's emp
" gold pan, rinsing 1t out carefully.
The other boot he emptied likewise.
They held a surprising amount of sedi-
ment because the stream that had
emerged from the crack in the sluices
had carried with it pebbles, sand and
all the concentration of the rifles at
this Point. Standing directly beneath
the cataract, most of it had dived fair
" into his inviting waistband, follow
ing down the lines of least resistance
INTO ms Door legs ana Dohlng out al
the knees.
"Wash that" he said. you're apt
to get a prospect"
With artful passes Dextry settled ii
in the pan bottom and washed away
the gravel. leaving yellow glittering
pile which raised a yell from the men,
who had fingered curiously.
"He pans $40 to the boot leg" one
shouted
"How much do you run to the foot,
Slapjack?"
"He's a reg'lar free milling ledge"
mo, he amt; he's too thin. Hes
nothing but stringer, but he'll pay to
work"
The old miner grinned toothlessly.
Gentlemen. there amt no better
way to save fine gold than with under
currents an blanket rifles. I'll have
to wash these garments of mine an
clean up the soapsuds cause there's
hundred dollars IL geld dust clingin'
TO my person this minute" He went
dripping up the bank, while the men
returned to their work singing.
After lunch Dextry saddled his
broncho.
"Pm goin' to town for pair of gold
scales, but I'll be back by supper; then
well clean up between shifts. She'd
ought to give us thousand ounces the
way that ground prospects," Re loped
down the gulch, while his partner re-
turned to the pit, the flashing shovel
blades and the rumbling undertone of
the big workings that so fascinated
him.
1t was perhaps o'clock when he
was aroused from his labors by shout
from the bunk tent, where a group OF
horsemen had clustered AS Glenister
drew near he saw among them Wilton
Strive, the lawyer, and the big, well
dressed tenderfoot Of the Northern,
Mcnamara. the man of the heav--
hand. Strive straightway engaged
him.
'Say. Glenister, we've come out to
nee about the title to this claim"
'What about itT'
s'Well. 1t was relocated about
month ago" He paused
''Yes. What of thatT'
galloway has commenced suit"
.sThe ground belongs to DeXtry and
me. We discovered 1t. we opened II
mn. we've complied with the law, and
we're going to hold it." GlenisteF
spoke with such conviction and heat as
TO nonplus Strive, but Mcnamara, who
had sat his horse silently until now
answered:
Certainly, sir; If your title is good
Won will be protected. but the law
has arrived In Alaska and we've got
TO let 1t take its course There's no
need of violence-none whatever-but
briefly. the situation is this: Mr.. Cal
loway has commenced action against
YOU. the court has enjoined you from
working and has appointed me as re
ceiver to operate the mine until the
suit is settled. It's an extraordinary
procedure, OF course, but the conal-
tiops are extraordinary in this country.
The season is so short that 1t would be
unjust to the rightful owner II the
claim lay idle all summer. so to AVOID
that I've been put in charge, with IN
structions to operate it and preserve.
the proceeds subject to the courts or
der. Mr.. Voorhees, here Is the United
States marshal. lie Will serve the
papers"
GIenlster threw up his hand in Ges-
ture of restraint
"Jold on! Do you mean to tell me
that any court would recognize such II
claim as Galloway'sT
"The law recognizes everything. II
his grounds are no good, so much the
better for you"
"You can't put in receiver without
norice to us. Why, good Lord, we nev'
err heard Of a suit being commenced
We've never even been served with n
summons. and we haven't had q
chance to argue In our own defense"
~ have Just said that this Is re-
markable state Of affairs and unusual
action had to be TAKEN" Mcnamara re-
piled, but the young minor grew ex-
cited.
Look here, this gold won't get
awayi it's safe in the ground. Well
knock or work and let the claim lie
idle till the thing Is settled You can't
really EXPECT US to surrender posses