Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-03

books nothn like that the way you would pies. it
comes out of the ground They dig it up. It's yaller
when you get it. That's what miners like we be does
Has all that soaked through YETI"
Quite whmsically and with slight twinkle OF amuse-
ment in her blue eyes, Miss Waters said she believed it
gradually being understood, and that she was duly
aStonished.
"Well, then" went on Hardpan oracularly, "wunst
on time before you was horned, away back IN the 5O
this here was camp-right here in this valley You
see them heaps of rocks? Them chmbleys for fire
places Them miners mostly forty Miners and they
came up here and they mined right down there to the
waters edge, and then they couldn't get no turder be-
the water stopped 'em. Too much OF It, so they
up and hikes. Then along comes me and Jim King,
bein as we're pardners and prospectin and sold out
last claim for hellofalot more n it was worth"
"But what about that unnel she asked, as leading
him forward.
1--WE sees that tunnel about mile long would clean
all this and drain this here pond Lets the water
leak off into lower canyon Water runs down hlll'
Miss. You knowed that much, didn't you!"
IL believe So.
aThen when this water drains off we just naturally
has this valley to make stake out OF. suppose old
man Knight made good with this hotel thing OF his,
and enough suckers to board with him, we have
that land to raise tates and onions and garden sass
it. if like some Of you folks from away down
East; but amt that kind. What we IL raise will be
gold. Understand it now, do your"
Turing the entire conversation her face had ex
- pressed nothing but teasing amusement; but now
she several forms II the distance indicating that
the workers were homeward bound, her expression
SObored. She watched them moment as tney CAME
down low divide IN the west heading toward
the little shaped depression IN the hills Her
eyes wandered apprasngly over the familiar setting
taking in the details of the log messhouse, the bunk
house the tiny blacksmith shop and the cabin in which
the partners abode There were four men coming
toward her. and in the distance she could make out
in the clear evening air. the bundle of drills carried
on his shoulder for resharpening. Already her
knowledge of the camp had taught her that this
of the necessary parts OF days work lime and again
she had been fascinated by the play of sturdy barred
muscles exposed by Hardpan as he beat steel into shape
and critically watched its color change he plunged it,
glowing, into water and oil for tempering.
"This," she said in reality speaking much to her
self the old miner must cost considerable money
First suppose you had to buy the ground Then you
had buy the outfit, then you have had to pay wages
and live while making that mlle-long hole"
"Miss you didn't suppose 1t was all done tor noth1n
did you?' dryy queried the veteran glancng at her
from under his shaggy brows
@What should like to know, she said rrelevantly rs
what makes you certain there gold down there
under that water?'
Hardpan shook his head with great air of hopeless
ness. "Them old fellers right waseful men, Miss
They worked just where they could get good pay and
nothn' else. They want out here for their health.
We amt bankin' on nothn but what we've been told,
and that that the old eers worked to the waters
edge and that the was pay dirt right down to it,
"But suppose there was not!"
aThen" he replied with great delberation, II reckon
that and my pardner Jim would be just about the
two bustedest that put their packs on their
burros and hit the trail It'd raise hob with to
be disappointed in that there ground-down there un-
der the water This here mimi, of this kind amt
business, Miss. It's just gambln. It's bettin' that
you've thought somethin' that nobody else had
sense enough to think Of"
She shook her head doubtfully. II hadn't taken you
for gamblers, she said thoughtfully Il do not admire
Them
Hardpar appeared, despite his air of aggression, to
want to redeem himself in her estimation. ave amt
quite that worse he remarked. "'There was an old
Teller told u.s. up in this here State of California
Punas County, it was, that he worked here, and the
pay went to the edge of the pond It's growed some in
these here fifty years SO CANT prove him either