Evening journal., 1909-12-14
GRUB STAKED,
BY KINes5URY WEIGH.
Fcopyrieht, 1908. by American Press Asso-
ciation.l

BY kINGS6OhI WELOHs
lcopyright, 1909 by American Press Asso-
ciation.l
Jessie" said Tom williston when
she refused him. IF ever you get in
hole come TO me 70 pull you out"
That's very noble Of you, Tom,"
she replied.
"Goodby."
"Goodby."
Ten years passed. Jessie Mason be-
came Mrs. Ashley. and her husband
proved a ne'er-do-weH. Everything
he touched turned to dross. and. being
Of a speculative disposition, be con-
cluded to go to the mining regions Of
the west and endeavor 10 gain for
tune all at once. Taking his wife and
children. he went TO the Silver State.
There be spent year at fruitless pros
pecting and was about at the end of
his rope when a strike wns made very
near n claim he was working. There
was now a chance for success pro-
vided he could develop his claim.
Not having means while doing so to
keep his family from starvation, he
tried TO get funds from those who had
struck the neighboring vein; but they.
knowing Of his condition and believ-
ing that be must soon abandon his
claim for them 10 pick up, refused
him.
One day Ashley told his wife OF the
straits he was in. Not only must they
abandon prospective wealth. but star
walton stared them in the face. Mrs.
Ashley remembered Tom Willlston's
words at their parting and resolved to
write him. She did so. telling her hus-
band that she would apply to an old
friend and they must wait a reply.
Whether the friend was man or wo-
man. relative or otherwise. she gave
no information. Two days after the
time required for q reply she received
a letter from her old lover containing
a check for double the loan she had
asked. She bad instructed the post
master TO hold her letters. TO be de-
livered TO her personally, and her hus-
band knew nothing about the grub
stake till she had drawn the money.
Her letter TO Willlston had been for
warded 10 him at a mining town not
fifty miles from where the Ashleys
were located Ashley was too bent on
developing bis claim TO trouble him
self about the source from whence
his wife had secured the money. He
worked more persistently than at any
thing he had ever undertaken and be-
fore bis grub stalking had been eaten
up struck the vein that was paying so
handsomely near by.
The men. who had hoped he would
be starved out, on being convinced
that he had struck an extension OF
their lead" took him IN for an equal
share in q company organized on the
whole property. This in two years
time made the Ashleys very rich.
Jessie Ashley repaid Williston the
loan and made inquiries as TO his
financial condition, learning that the
money he had sent her had come from
the sale Of a claim that had made the
purchasers wealthy. Her informant
reported that wnlIston was in mod
crate circumstances, but that he seem
ed TO care little for gold or silver,
Ashley. vice president Of the Stony
Gulch Silver company, as soon as
prosperity came put on all the airs of
a newly made rich man. Moreover, he
aspired to own all the silver property
that was valuable in the state. He
entered several claims OF known value,
In some using dummies, that it might
not be known he was buying in the
neighborhood,-for II so he would be
forced to pay more for other claims be
wanted. II was reported that the title
Of one Of the most valuable Of his
claims was disputed by another man.
He at once rode over to a little mining
camp called Arlington to look into the
matter. There be net the claimant,
became angered with him and insulted
him.
IN make you a proposition said
the man cooly. You have called me
a rascal. thief. swindler and other in
sulting names. For this / must have
satisfaction or leave the country, for
the people here would not respect me
/ - a NAAA ~ - HARHAcC AuAk We
each sign quitclaim deed to the prop
erty and the man who lives takes both
deeds"
Ashley was somewhat cooled by the
proposition. but could not very well
decline It. Duels under the code were
unknown among the rude people Of the
west. such affairs usually being set
tied on the moment 1t was agreed
that the principals. each armed with
six shots, walk mile. the one up. the
other down. the road, return, and
when they met they were to CON-
mence firing.
"Your nameg" asked Ashley.
"Wnliston. And yoursg'
Ashley"
Williston turned pale. Ashley looked
at him curiouSly. but as Williston