The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-06-11
THE EVENING STORY
His Fortune.
(By Clarissa Mackie. }

Bess Purdy and her father watched
the four young men ride away from
the house and then their eyes met in
look of loving sympathy.
Il do hope they'll make a strike
TINS time, dad" said Bess earnestly.
70 RattIesnake mountain and separate
at the base-each one prospecting for
hlmself. Seems is if they hadn't had
much luck SO far, this year
NO more they haven't admitted
John Purdy, sitting down on the steps
and filling his pipe; but they're all
young, honey-and you don't find gold
every day: Mostly, you find it just
once IN all your prospecting
Perhaps this will be the one day
ping her fathers mop of curly gray
hair: Dad, you're positively growing
Mr.. Purdy laughed the low rum
ping bass notes that his daughter
loved to hear.
I've got enough on my mind-and
consc1ence-to make my hair as white
as snow" he remarked ruefully.
What is it, father? Something is
worrying you and you have not told
mel" Bess dropped down on her
knees beside her father and lifted his
chin in one brown little hand. Look
me in the eyes, dadn' she commanded
Mr.. Purdy turned mirthful gray eyes
oEOA ilCA % 81 llhS Ills ONI. m LOOK
ing-eh?"
What is the matter?,
Her father removed his pipe from
between his lips and looked into the
bowl, then he squinted down the stem,
and finally knocked the contents out
and dropped the pipe in his pocket,
with an air of determination.
you saw those four chaps ride
away, Bess?" he asked seriously.
yes said the girl, with interest.
"Rln Melvin Owen Do
Clayton and Jimmy Alvin-four as
nice fellows as ever came into the gold
country to seek their fortunes-eh?''
Yes Bess was blushing family
now but her clear glance still held her
fathers gray eyes.
We'll, last night, one time or an
other, every dad-blamed one of those
bows came and asked me if-if-''
He paused and looked away down the
crooked street of the little mining
town, and this time Bess did not say
thing, but the flush on her cheek
grew deeper.
Every one of those boys came and
asked me if he could come and court
my daughter-provided he made some
sort of a lucky strike this trip
There was little silence and then
Bess asked family, what did you say,
dad?'
II said they could come whether
they'd made their fortunes or not
and that 1 didn't know what your
mind was about it-and that they bet
ter run ahead and locate their claims .
''They all asked you that question.
dad?"
yves, honey-and don't know
which one of 'em it is-but it's one of
the four-eh?''
She nodded.
Purdy sighed and got upon his feet
II reckon it'll be Bert Clayton-hes a
handsome rascal and has rare good
luck at everything"
Bess made no reply. but turned and
ran into the house and up to her lit
tie room with shining eyes and hot
cheeks.
Several weeks passed slowly while
the hot sun poured down out of a
brassy sky and the little mining town
blistered under the scorching blaze.
John Purdy down in the assay office,
thought of the four young men grub
bling hopeleSsly around Rattlesnake
mountain-its SCARED hillsides had
been vainly prospecteG for years.
What would these youths get out of
the burning ground save bitter suffer-
ing and untold harsh experiences? It
was a curious situation-four of them
friends and all sui5ors for Bess Purdy's
little brown hand!
Bess, working away at her house
hold tasks in the motherless home,
grew more dreamy-eyed and wistful as
the days faded one into the other and
And then one night, after supper,
when the whole town sat gasping upon
the doorsteps, messenger whirled
madly down the main street on a drip
ping pony
"A strike-a strikei' ran from lip to
lip and then it was learned that the
prospectors had indeed struck gold in
Rattlesnake mountain.
t'The richest vein hereabouts-
oueerest thing that ever happened.
oil OF
ent points and three of 'em struck the
vein-I guess it run clean through the
mountain; the other fellow didn't get
blamed thing for his digging" re-
lated the messenger.
IT reckon the other chaps will let
the unlucky fellow in on the claim
remarked Purdy casually.
Like enough" said the other, pro-
ceeding on his exciting journey down
the street. II didn't ask which ones
made the find-they was all excite
ment They'll be here tomorrow, Pur-
dy, with some stuff for you to assay
| Bess and her father sat motionless
| a long time. At last the girl spoke.
II wonder who it was-the one who
didn't find anything" she murmured
half to herself.
81 was asking myself that question. !"
said Mr.. Purdy thoughtfully.
| The next day, just as John Purdy
reached his house at dinner time,
| there was the sound of hoof-beats
! down the sunny street. Bess came to
! the inside of the green-shuttered door
and. quite unseen, saw three young
men gallop to the porch and greet her
father with boyish excitement.
| There were Bill Melvin and Owen
Ransom and Bert C1ayton-but the
1 fourth where was he? Bess leaned
| against the door, pale and still.
/ The men were talking fast-all to-
gether-and John Purdy was asking