The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1910-08-02

who jumped that claim now might ex-
pect the wild justice of the mining
camp to be visited upon him.
As he drew near the camp the thun-
der Of the stamp mills smote the air.
and the blur Of smoking chimneys
dimmed the eastern sky.
Pete Clarkson's persistent efforts ana
logged determination to find some
thing that would enrich him sufficient
~ to offer Molly Gray home had re-
suited in his striking what was prob
ably the lost vein of the Great Dome.
ledge.
He stopped once at the house of Jim
Gray, superintendent of the Great
Dome, and Molly Gray, sweet as a
rose, with gray eyes, brown hair, pink
cheeks and pink gown, came to the
door.
How'd you make out, Peter" she
asked, her little brown hand lost In his
great earth stained palm.
sIt's the Molly Gray" he said quiet
~, thrusting the lump Of ore into her
other hand.
"oh, Pete" she cried Joyfuliy,
sswhereT
ION Grow ledge, near Crow rock"
Where we saw the sunset that
nightr'
Same place"
what were You doing there, Peter
she asked, with dimpling cheeks.
"Prospectin'." he grinned sheepishly.
Then, passing his hand over his un-
shorn chin, he nodded toward the
Great Dome smelter. 81 guess 1t will
be all right now down there" he said
confidently.
You know it has always been all
right with me, Pete" said Molly softly.
Il know" he said soberly. "Pm go
IN down now to git out my papers.
I'll stop on my way back"
Haven't you registered YETI" she
asked anxiously.
Nope; stopped here first thing. Got
her staked all right, though, and the
name posted. Coin back there to
make camp. So long; see you later"
And with backward wave Of his hand
he loped down toward the registering
Office.
From the doorway of the cabin at
the head Of the street Molly, holding
q pair Of fieldglasses to her pretty
eyes, watched him enter the office.
Then her gaze fell upon the figure Of
man sprawled upon the rough veran-
da encircling the one roomed building.
A wide brimmed hat was drawn over
his eyes, and to all appearances he was
lost In slumber.
Molly looked at the open window
over the mans head and calculated
that Ii Pete Clarkson announced his
discovery in his usual bluff, hearty ac-
cents it could readily be heard by the
man on the veranda IL he were awake
and listening, and if it should prove
to be Dave Lumly, who was own
brother to Jim Lumly, the registrar
Of claims, why, then, Pete Clarkson
would have race for his claim, that
was all. She remembered the case of
Allan Smith, the young prospector
from the east who made a find and
htaked his claim. Before he could reg
lister 1t and return to the scene Dave
Lumly had news Of the find and had
jumped the claim. With his brother
to back lis title to it Lumly had de-
fed the sheriff and his posse to GUST
him. Young Smith had shot himself,
and, after all, the mine had proved
worthless.
All, the somnolent one arose slowly,
stretched himself, took a careful sur
vey of the street; then, with a swift
movement, leaped into the saddle of a
waiting sorrel and rode out Black lane.
Itswas Dave Lumly.
Presently she saw Pete emerge from
the registry Office and cross the street
to the assayers. With sudden energy
she re-entered the house, scrubbed a
few lines informing Pete of her where
abouts in case she could not find him,
pinned the note to the front door, sad
died her little mare Daisy, mounted
and dashed down the street toward the
assay Office.
pete Clarkson?" repeated Brown
ing. "Just left here for down the
street"
''If he comes back tell him to go up
to our place. There's a message for
him. VIII you tell him?" she inquired
breathlessly.
"Sure thing, Miss Molly" he said
heartily; then he watched her disap-
pear down the long street and out
upon the short cut through the canyon
to Grow mountain. The afternoon sun
shone on her hatless head and the
h 1l,,Ix cly; v.&c
the little mare broke into gallop.
Once she drew rein and took swift
survey Of the country.
Mile after mile the mare covered,
scrambling up steep hillsides and slid
ing recklessly down the slopes. Molly,
with blazing eyes and compressed lips.
watched for the temperance of the
sorrel horse and it's slouching rider.
Lumly, taking advantage of the infor-
nation he had CLEANED at the registry
Office. would remove Pete's stake, sub
stitute one of his own and claim pos
session Of the Molly Gray. If she could
only reach Grow rock before Dave
LuniIy she would fight with all the
ferceness Of old Jim Gray himself for
the possession Of her lovers rights.
Molly frowned as she thought all
these things over, and every now and
then she turned and looked back along
the trail for some sign of the approach
OF Pete Clarkson. If he returned to
the cabin, as he had intended doing, he
would find her note.
With heart beating in time TO the
muffied thud of Daisy's hoofs, she drew
rein on the crest of the ledge and
looked about for Dave Lumly, but he
was not in sight, and with resumed
confidence she cantered along the mar
row, uneven trail to Grow rock.
When she rounded the rock the sor-
rel was nipping the parched turf and
Lumly, on his knees, was stuffing
piece of white paper into his pocket.
His back was toward her, and he had
doubtless mistaken the tread OF her
horse for the trampling Of his own
beast
Look here, Dave Lumlyw
Lumly jumped to his feet and look
ed into the barrel of revolver leveled
with cool precision.
you git outer my way, young lady,
he snarled defantly, making move
ment to grasp her bride rein.
stop there or I'll fire" she said
calmly.
what do you wantY he growled,
looking at her out of stealthy red eyes.
II want you to put that paper back
In the hole" she commanded sharply.
"And If / don't?" he grinned savage
ly.
"Why, If you don't" she said, with
a calculating glance, Il believe I'll just
hero vo,1r RIGHT armW