Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-24

SAND dollars II the property was what
it was, and that fortune, after ALL Ridley's alb
sence seemed to unleash of good feeling among
them and they talked freely than they had
been known to before.
THE partners standing in front of the mess
house. discussing the best way to get lumber for
Sluce boxes, when they Frenchy come back from
the shaft.
aForgot my tobacker in all the excitement, he said,
grnning, and passed on into the clubhouse.
minute later they him standing in the door
looking at boot. He disappeared and returned with
another one, which he examined curiousy.
"Oh Hardpan!" he shouted. "4ou and Jim come
over here minute, will you? Got somethn' want to
show YOU.
The partners, curious did as he requested, Hardpan
leading the way They halted in front OF the bunk
aCome on in" invited Frenchy from the inside.
@The Chnk might u.s. somebody else might
along. Here Look at them!"
He held pair of boots toward Hardpan, who did
take them
@Well," he said call is pair of boots with some
aAnd how long should you say that there mud had
been on 'em, Hardpan?s insisted Frenchy.
The old miner took the boots felt the mud, caked
some off with his fingers and said ooh, eight
hours, | reckon"
He handed them back and Frenchy held them toward
@What do you say, JIM" he demanded, and Jim,
merely please him, and suspectng practical joke said
Somewhere between five and ten hours
He waited for the hoax. 1t did not come.
@Boys," said Frenchy with slow deliberation, "them
is Bill Ridey's boots the ones he works in. They're
the he yesterday when come from work.
| reckon you remember about how late 1t was before
there had been rain enough to make mud-anyhow, to
muddy up mans boots like that? You recolect too
that we thought we heard somethin' while
stakn' that claim. That somethin heard must
have been about Bill Rideys size, because
he amt had them boots on today: That know
He walked back to the end of Ridey's bunk and
dropped the boots where he found them Hardpan
gave harsh exclamation savorng OF an oath, and fol-
lowed and Jim, scowling, brought up the They
ran hands over Rideys clothing hanging at the end of
form a Da1r of hat
damp in that part which would be between the bottom
of peajacket and the tops of low rubber boots. As if
by mutual impulse they walked out into the sunlight
and stared at another, each convinced that Ridley
had them stake.
Suppose go up and if he's relocated us?7
Frenchy said, and they tramped away up the trail
Hold on, Jim suggested. "When he left this
ing he took the trail out toward the lake. Let's
where he went
Good idea" gr71nted Frenchy
TN single file they followed the trail whose only tracks
clear and legble They marked steady progress
up the edge of the forest wall, then stopped Ridley
had stood behind screening underbrush and looked
back at the camp below. They resumed their course
and fifty yards farther then again stopped and
lost. To three expert woodsmen such the
following them, there but momentary diff
Guilty in picking them up again and following them
BARE rocky patches, pine needle carpets, and
through tangled brush. They went with persistence
directly toward the big tree that had been used as
Monument Number One for the stalking, and halted
in front of it. Evidently Ridley had stood there merely
long enough to convince himself that the form the
same that which had been used in stalking the
claims in the far gulch and had then dropped down
over the divide.
"What do you make of it. Jim?" queried Hardpan,
scowlng his partner his hatch eyebrows drawn
stern line and his gray eyes looking hard and bright.
than shopping curiosity"
Il can't see how it could be anything else. !" Frenchy
said thoughtfuly. "You see, may have made noise
that woke him up when you called me, Jim
aYou did, interjected the latter
"Then he heard whispern', perhaps, and knew that
two slipped out of the clubhouse, and thought
he'd find what twas about. He'd just about have time