Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1909-01-27

For two hundred miles to the north
ward Of Death Valley, the terrible, the
land is a desert. The mountains are
sculptured in frowning rock, the val
leys are absolutely waterless, barren,
and forbidding. But man is there
man who has life to exchange for gold
and here anGl there he has dug a
well. for the gains thereof are abund-
ant. Gold Circle camp is 81 miles from
the nearest approach of railroad. The
space between is a lifeless desolation.
Val Maynard sat on a box in the
glare of the sun at the Bright Hope
mine in Gold Circle Camp, where he
and his partner had delved for gold,
and he was grimiv accepting defeat.
He was far away in thought and
mod when the crunch of Blake's foot
steps on the rock strewn hillside,
aroused him from his dreams. Blake
was as young and large as Maynard,
but his gaze was far less steady.
For a moment after his partners ar
rival, Maynard remained uGmoving on
his box He was looking at Blake,
and the smile Of a comrade played in
his eyes. "WelI," he said. finally,
you've had a pretty hot climb from
the camp. Howard. Any luck? Any
gold in the rock? Any letters?"
Blake hesitated for a second, then
told a double lie
mo letters" he said. "No luck"
In his pocket lay a letter addressed
to Maynard in Helen WOOdruff's hand
such a letter as Maynard had hard
" dared TO dream she might have sent.
1t was opened, and Blake read its
lines. And beside the letter lay fold
ed sheet of paper on which the camps
most dispassionate assayer had written
q terse report on the sample of rock
which Blake and his partner had sub
mitted for the test of acid and fire. 1t
declared the rock to be rich-worth
five thousand dollars to the ton.
Maynard felt the rays of happiness
fade from his nature. A dizziness came
into his eyes well. 1 didn't expect
much else" he said after a moments
pause: "but our luck might have,
changed a little. at last"
1--WE can drop everything just as 1t
stands. and sell our lease on the claim
for five hundred dollars. The moneys
on deposit at the bank" said Blake.
Maynard looked at his partner in
credulously. I'VE can sell our lease
for five hundred dollars?'' he echoed.
"Somebody wants to go on digging here
where we have failed"
That's what l said" answered
Blake, without meeting his partners
gaze.
Maynard was silent for moment.
Then he said: "Oh. we're up against
At. We're cleaned out I'd be glad Of
half the five hundred. It's a grub
stake, anyway. But what are we go
ing to tackle nextT"
Blake looked at him peculiarly. "You
can do what you like" he answered
shortly.
~" said Maynard. do you mean
wen not be partners any longerT
"No good in it, is there?" demanded
Blake irritably.
II thought l felt this coming said
Maynard quietly. Things couldn't
have gone on as they were when we
left New York together"
They went The five hundred dol
lars that Blake had mentioned was
there. 1t was his. He had saved the
sum like a miser. to meet some such
moment of demand. A paper was sign
ID by himself and Maynard, conveying
their title in the lease to "Folger &
Company" and the hole which had cost
two thousand dollars, money almost en-
tlrely supplied by Maynard, passed to
the secret ownership Of Blake alone.