Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-03-25

dicr, stopping her breathless pattsr.
Tell me all about this"
"Well. NO Creek came in this morn.
ing to tell dad and Poleon. Then the
bont arrived with an old friend Of
Lees. q Mr.. Stark, 90 Lee told him.
too, and now they've all gone back to
his creek to stake more claims. They
slipped away quietly to prevent sus.
picion, but I knew there was some
thing up from the way Poleon acted.
so made Alluna toll me all about II.
They haven't more than two hours
start Of us, and we can ovsrtake them
easily"
We. Why, we are not goingw
"Yes, we are," she insisted impa.
ticntly, "you and I. That's why I
came, so you can get mine for your
sele and be a rich man. and 90 you
can help me get one. know the way.
Hurry up!'
NO" said he In as firm q tone as no
could command. I'm the 6rst place,
these men don't like me. and they
don't want inc to share In this"
What do you carer
"1n the second place. I'm not q miner.
don't know how to proceed"
"Never mind. do. I've heard moth.
ing but mining all my life."
I'm the third place. don't think I
have the right. for I'm soldier. I'm
working for Uncle Sam, and I don't
believe I ought to take up mining
claims I'm not sure there IL anything
to prevent 1t, but neither am I sure 1t
would be quite the square thing. Are
your"
"Why. Of course it's all right" said
Necia, her eager face cloudins with
the look Of hurt child. III you don't
do 1t somebody else will"
But the lieutenant shook his head.
Maybe I'm foolish. but can't see my
way clear. much as would like to-"
"Oh, dear; oh. dear" she exclaimed
brokenly. II do so want 70 60. I want
you to be rich, and l want to be rich
myself want to be a fine lady and
20 outside and live like other girls.
Why. 1t means heaven to q girl like
me" Her eyes were wet with the
! buuuCu OuSuIuB VI ueE uOpVOp onu ocg
chin quivered in sweet, girlish way
that made the youth almost surrender
on the instant
I'VE couldn't possibly overtAke them
II we tried" hs said. 40 u willing to
treat with his conscience.
mo, but We could beat them in.
know where Lee u working. for I
went up last winter With Constantine
md his dog team over q short cut by
way Of Black Bear creek. You sse. bis
rreek makes a great bend to the south
ward and heads back toward the riv.
er. so by crossing the divide At the
source Of Black Bear you drop into It
few miles above bis cabin"
While she made this appea! Burrell
fought with himself; There were rea-
sons why he longed to take this TIP
more than he had lonyed for anything
since boyhood These men Of Flam'
beau had disregarded him and insisted
on treating him With contemptuoul
distrust despite his repeated friendly
overtures, wherefore no was hungry
to beat them at their own game, hun
cry to thrust himself ahead Of them
and compel them to reckon with him
as an equal, preferring a state Of open
enmfty II necessary to this condition
Of Indifferent federation. Moreover, hi
knew that Necia was coveted by halt
Of them, and II he spent night In the
woods alone with her 1t would still
them up a BIZ. he fancied. BY heaven
that would make them sit up and no
tice HIM But. then, 1t might work q
wrong upon her. And yet would 1t.
He was not 80 sure that 1t would. She
had come to him, she was old enough
to know her mind, and she was but q
half breed girl, after all, who doubtless
was not so simple as she seemed. 9th
er men had no such scruples in this OF
any other land, and yet the young mar
hesitated until. encouraged by his 81
lence, the girl came forward and spoke
again impuls!vely:
Don't be silly. Mr.. Burrell. Come
Please come with me. won't you?"
She took him by the edges Of hi.
coat and drew him to her coaxingly
1t may have been partly the spirit Of
revolt that had been growing in hin
all day. or 1t may have been who'll,
the sense Of her there beside him
warm and pleading, but something
caused great wave to surge NJ
,; through his veins. caused him to TAX,
her in his arms, fercely kissing he
upturned face again and again, cryinl
softly. deep down In his throat
Eyes. yes. yes! You little witch! II
; go anywhere with you! Anywhere
,, Anywhere!" The impulse WAS bin,
: and ungovernablc, and 1t grew as hi
', lips met hers, while. strangely enough
she made no resistance. yielding her
self quietly till he found her arm
:. wound softly about his neck and he
face nesting close to his. Neither O
: them knew how long they stood thu
blended together. but soon he grey
:. conscious Of the beating Of her hear
= against his breast 40 she lay there lik
little nuttering bird and felt tn
:, throbbing of bis own heart swayin
: him. Her arms, her lips and her Who'll
, body chung to his in sweet surrel
!. der, and yet there was nothing In
;. modest or unmaidenly about II, for hi
- strength and ard0r had lifted her An
drawn her to him as on the sweep Of
;, great wave.
n She drew her face free and hid