Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1909-05-14

door and he arose to find Necia her
self there. excited and radiant. she
came in without sign Of embarrass-
mont or slightest consciousness Of the
possible improperly Of her act.
The most wonderful thing has hap
nencd." she began at once when she
found they were alone. you'll faint
for joy"
What Is it?'
Zee has made a strike-a wonder
ful strike-richer than the Klondike.
I came as fast as | could because to-
morrow everybody will know about It,
and 1t will be too late
TOO late for what?'
"For us TO ret in on 1t, of course.
Oh but won't there be 4 stampede.
Why, al tie people bound for Daw-
son on the next boat will pile off here.
Then the news will go w river ana
down river, ard thousands or others
will come pouring in from everywhere.
and this will be city. Then we VIII
stake our town lots and sell them LOT
ever so much money and go around
with our noses in the all"
Hold on! Hold on" said the SOL
der, stopping her GREATNESS patter
Tell me all about this
"Well. NO Creek came in this morn
Ing TO tell cad and Poleon. Then the
bcot arrived with an old friend or
Lees, Mr.. Stark, so Lee told him.
foo ard now they've all gone back TO
, his creek to stake more claims. They
sliDped away quietly to prevent sus-
| melon but knew there was some
thing up from the way Poleon acted
SO | made Alluna tell me all about IL.
They haven't more than two hours
: etort of rs. and we can oyertake them
easily"
we! Why, we are not going!'
"Ycs, we are" she insisted impa-
tinntIv. "you and |. That's why |
came SO you can get mine for your
SELF and be rich man, and so you
can help me get one. know the way.
IIurry up"
NO" said he in as firm tone as he
could command. "In the first place.
these men don't like me, and they
don't want me to share In this
what do you care?'
ain the second place, Pm not d miner
I don't know how to proceed
"Never mind. do. I've heard moth
;,or I,,t ,,,;ni,,p all nv life"
In the third place, | don't think |
have the right, for I'm a soldier. I'm
working fer Uncle Sam, and don
believe ought to take up mining
flairs. I'm not sure there is anything
70 rrcvent it. but neither am sure 1t
would be quite the square thing Are
you"' =,
"W-hy. Of course it's all right, said
Necia. her eager face clouding WITH
the look CT hurt child. II you don
do it somebody else will
But the lieutenant shook his head
.'NIavbe I'm foolish, but | can't see III!
way clear, much as l would like to-
"Oh. dear; Oh, DEAR she exclaimed
brokenly. Il do so want to go. wan
you to be rich, and want to be ricl
myself want to be fine lady anf
90 outside and live like other girls
Why, it means heaven to girl llk'
me-" Her eyes were wet with INT
sudden dashing Of her hopes, ard he
chin Guivercd in n sweet, glrlish wa
that made thc youth almost surrende
CT the Instant.
i, 1--WE couldn't possibly overtake thei
lf we tried" he said, as If wiling L
= treat with his conscience
, "No. but we could beat them III.
know where Lee is working, for
= went UP last winter with Constih'ih
ard his dog team over a short cut D
way Of Black Bear creek. You see III
= creek makes great bend to the soutl
', ward ard heads back toward the nv
: or so by crossing the divide at IN
source CT Black Bear you drop INTO
4 fn,y miles above his cabin"
. While she made this appeal Burre
sought with himself. There were re-
sons why he longed to iaee this II
:, more than he had longed for anythh
; since boyhood These men or flal
boau had disregardcd him and inslst'
on treating him with contemptuo'
:, Gist,ust despite lis repeated friend
= oyertures wherefore he was huhg
TO beat them at their own game, hu
e DRY TO thrust himself ahead OF the
' and compel them TO reckon WIN Ill
rs an equal, preferring d state or OPP
J cnmity &c necessary to this condltl'
Il of Indifferent liberation. Moreover,
, knew that Necia was coveted by III
! of them. and if he spent a night In
! woods alone with her 1t would s
them up a bit, he fancied. By heaVt
e that would make them sit up ana
&c tice him! But, then, it might work
j. wrong upon her. And yet would
IS He was not so sure that it would. 5
~ had come to him. she was old enou
~ to know her mind, and she was but
g. half breed girl, after all. who douDtlt
~ was not so simple as she seemed. u
e er men had no such scruples in this
&c any other land, and yet the young m
III besitated until, encouraged by his
~ lence, the girl came forward and spo
~ again impulsively:
ia "Don't be silly, Mr.. Burrell. Con
&c Please come with me, won't you!"
re She took him by the edges Of
coat and drew him to her coaXing
a. 1t may have been partly the spirit
al revolt that had been growing in b
&C all day, or it may have been who
ia tLe sense Of her there beside hi
IL x,-or,, opd nleadjnp but SOmethi