The San Francisco call., 1908-12-06

on just the same. or rather a whole
lot better"
The long drive was in it's final third,
and the wagon track, which had trans
ferred itself to the top Of the level
railroad grade, admitted speed. BY
degrees the caravan became elongated,
with the president still in the lead, the
man on horseback indifferently ahead
or behind, and the other two vehicles
wide apart and well to the rear. Their
isolation was complete when she said:
DO you want me to say that / don't
recognize any OF the symptoms, Mr..
Ford?"
f'Do NO! YesI-that is, I-Heavensi
that is a terrible way to put it! OF
course hope-I hope you are in love
with the right person. If you're not.
T."
She was weeping silently; weeping
because It would have been a sin to
laugh
"You-called It a comedy a little
while-ago," she faltered. In another
minute it will be a tragedy. Don't you
think we are getting too far behind
the others?"
He whipped up obediently. but the
horses were in no hurry. At the round
ing of the next shouldering hill the
railroad grade entered a high, broad
valley the swelling hills on either side
dotted with the dumps and tunnel
openings Of the Copah gold diggers.
Ford had not been through the upper
part of the district since the previous
summer of path findings, and at that
time II was like a dozen other out
lying and hardly accessible fields
scantily manned and languishing under
the dry rot of isolation. But now
He was looking curiously across at
the opposing hillsides. Black dots.
dozens of them, were moving from
ledge to ledge, pausing here and there
TO ply pick and shovel. Now and then
from some one of the dry arroyos came
the echoes of a surface shot; dynamite
cartridges thrust into the earth to clear
away the drift to bed rock. Ford
called his companions attention to the
activities.
See what it does to a mining coun-
try when a railroad comes within
shouting distance" he said. THE last
time I was over here, this valley was
like a graveyard. Now you'd think the
entire population of Copah was up here
prospecting for gold"
rs that what they are doing?" she
asked. Then suddenly: Where is your
mine?-the mine with my manner"
He laughed
Il told you the simple truth. I don't
know where 1t is; though I suppose it
is up this way somewhere. Yes. ! re-
member. Grigsby said it was on Cow
mountain"
Farther along the grade hugged the
hillside, Skirting the activity where
the shaft houses of some of the older
mines of the district were percned on
little hillocks formed by their own
dumps. within easy tramming distance
Of the railroad. Opposite and directly
below the nearest of these shaft houses
the two leading buckboards had
stopped, and the president was once
more standing up and beckoning Wig
orously to the laggards in the single
seated vehicle.
The hill on their side of the valley
threw out a long, low spur and the
railroad grade driving track swept in
long curve around the spur and
crossed over to the foot of a slope
dotted with the digging manikins.
BY Jove." said Ford, still wonder
ing. There are twice as many pros
pectors out here as there were in
habitants in Copah the last time I was
over. The camp ought to vote bonds
and give the railroad company
bonus"
Ford spoke to his horses and grim
aced as one who swallows bitter herbs
Il wonder what I've been doing now
or leaving undonee" he queried.
He was not kept long in suspense.
When they drove up the president was
still standing, balancing himself with a
hand on the drivers seat in front His
thin face was working nervously and
the aggressive chin whiskers moved up
and down like an accusing finger.
Dear me-" said Alicia, under her
breath; Uncle Sidney is really angry,
this time. What could have hap
She glanced up at the mine buildings
perched above the roadway and smoth-
cred a little cry. Ford's eyes followed
hers. All across the slab-buil shaft
house and the lean-to ore sheds was
stretched a huge canvas sign. And in
letters of bright blue, freshly painted
and two feet nigh, ran the boastful
legend:
THE LITTLE ALICIA MINE
The Only Ioa,rir,cr Prndt1car in, tha /