Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-08-15

where you sleep"
CHAPTER XIV.
Moving Shack
ESS than week had passed since Bostwicks
- rival in Gode but excitement rife in the air.
Despite the angered protests of half thousand min
ing men, the fastener. with four of the shrewdest
prospectors in the State had traversed the entire
mineral region of the reservation in the utmost secur
ity and assurance. Five hundred had been
forced remain the border, the points of official
guns few desperate adventures had crept through
the guard but nearly all presently captured and
elected from the place, while Bostwick, granted
special privileges, assuming this inside track.
The day for the opening of the lands was less than
two weeks off; and the news leaked out and spread
like wind that the Laughing Water claim had sud-
denly promised amazing wealth as placer, where
Van and his partners were taking out gold by the
simplest, most primitive of methods
The rush for the region came like stampede of
cattle. An army of men went swarming over the
ridges and the country like plague of ants.
They trooped across the border of the reservation,
SO close to the Laughing Water claim; they staked
out all the visible world above, below and all about
Vans property; they tore down each others monu-
ments including number where Van had located
protective claims, and they built tent town
overnight, not mile from his first discovery.
At the claim in the cove the fortunate holders of
private treasury of gold had lost no time. In the
absence Of better lumber for which they had
money Van and his partners had torn down the
shafthouse made it into sluices, and turned in the
water from the stream That was al plant
qured. They had then shoveled the gravel into the
troughlike boxes, and the gold had begun to lodge
behind the rifles.
The cove became theater of curiosity, envy and
covetous longings. Men came there by motor,
horses mules, and on foot to take delrious look
and rush madly about to improve what chances still
remained The fame of it swept like prairie fire, far
and wide. The new-made town began at once to
spread and encroach upon all who were careless of
their holdings Lawlessness was rampant
At the cabin the Laughing Water claim A1gy,
the Chinese cook still disabled. Gettysburg
chief culinary artist Napoleon hustled for grub the
only supplies of which were over at Godite-and
expensive. All constantly exhausted with the
labors of the day
DESPITE their vigilance they awoke one morning
- to see brand new cabin standing on the claim
at the top of hill. man on the rough pine
roof rapidly laying weather paper Van watch ed him
for moment, then quietly walked to the site.
Say, friend" he called to the roof,
you We broken into Eden by mistake. lis pr op-
erty mine, and haven't any building lc.. % sell
The visiting builder took lge revolver and
laid it on block He said nothing a, all Van felt
his Impotence rising.
I'm talking to you Mr.. Carpenter he added
Come on, now! don't want trouble with neigh
bors; but this cabin will have to be moved. -
Go blazesi" said the builder He continued
to pound in his
If CO. said Van calmly, III bring little back.
Are you going to move or be moved?"
Don't talk to me; I'm busy, answered the in
truder. I'm irritable man, and everything l
is irritable. Understand" and taking up his
gun he thumped with it briskly the boards
If you re looking for trouble Van replied, you
won't need double barreled glass "
He turned away, and the man continued operations
When he came to the shack Van selected hammer
and couple of drills from among lot of tools in the
To his partners questions to what the visitor
intended he replied that only time could tell
Here, Nap, he added, fetching forth the TOOLS
9 l want you take this junk and 60 up where the