The Raymer enterprise., 1913-06-05
CHAPTER I.
The BONANZA kIna.

cramped and sdffened by 1t. and too
uncomfortaMy enwrapped against 1t,
to speak. Silence as complete as that
which lay like a spell on the land
scape brooded over them. At the
last stopping place. Chinese Gulch, q
scattering Of houses six miles behind
them on the mountain road, they had
halted at the main saloon. and whisky
and water had been passed to the
driver and to the burlier figure on
the back seat The watchers that
thronged to the saloon door had eyed
the third occupant Of the carriage with
the intent, sheepish curiosity OF the
isolated man in presence Of the stran-
ger female. Afterward, each one was
voluble in his Impressions Of her face.
pale in the smoky lamplight. and the
hand that slid, small and white, out
Of its loose glove when the warming
glass was offered her.
Since then both she and her com.
panion had leaned back in their sew
eral corners and preserved an un.
broken silence.
The surrey sped swiftly along the
road which wound in spectral pallor
over the shoulder Of the foot.hill, now
dipping into the blackness Of a ravine.
then creeping up bare slope. where
the horses hoofs dug In laboriously
amid loosened stones. The solemn
loneliness Of the landscape. family
revealed by the light Of large, clear
stars, seemed to find appropriate ex.
preston in this frosty. smoke-breath-
ing stiffness.
The larger figure on the back seat
moved, and turned face, all Of which
was hidden save the eyes, toward Its
companion.
"Hungry?" queried deep bass
voice; the inquiring polysyllable shot
out suddenly over an upturned bul.
wark Of collars.
"Fearfully," came the answer in a
muffled feminine treble, that suited
the more diminutive bulk.
Get move on. jake" to the driv.
er. This girls most famished."
"Hold your horses" growled the
other man; we're Just about there"
At these words the woman pricked
up her ears, and, leaning forward.
peered ahead. As they rounded pro-
tmding angle of the hill. a huddle Of
roofs and walls spotted with lights
came into view, and the sight drew
her hand forward with an eagerly
pointing finger.
$50 that's Rocky Bari" she cried.
'Have We really got there at last7"
The driver chuckled.
That's Rocky Bar all right. Now
get your appetite good and ready"
mo need" she responded gaily;
cts been ready and waiting for hours.
was beginning to think that you'd
lost your way"
Mel" with an accent Of incred-
ulous scorn. "Ah. get out! How does
1t come. Governor, that Bill Cannon's
girl don't know no more about these
parts than a young lady from New
York;"
"She's never been up here BEFORE"
said the man on the back seat, begin
ming to untangle himself from his en-.
folding rugs. i've brought her up
with me this time to show her some
Of the places where her pa used to
work round with the boys, long before
she was ever thought Of"
A loud barking Of dogs broke out
as they approached the first detached
houses of the settlement. Shapes ap.
peared at the lighted doorways, and
as the surrey drew up at the hotel
balcony a crowding Of heads was seen
in the windows. The entire popula.
ton Of Rocky Bar spent Its evenings
at this hospitable resort, in summer
on the balcony under the shade Of the
locust trees. In winter round the once
stove. splitting and smoking In CHEEKY
sociability. But at this hour the great
event Of Rocky Bars day was over.
The eight stages. the passengers Of
which dined at the hotel. had long
passed onward on their various routes
up and down the mother lode" and
into the camps Of the Sierra. That the
nightly excitement Of the "victualing
up" was to be supplemented by q late
arrival In . surrey. driven BY Jake
Mcveigh, the proprietor Of the San
Jacinto stables, and accompanied by
a woman. was sensational event not
often awarded to Rocky Bar. even in
the heyday Of summertime.
The occupants Of the ONCE crowded
into the doorway and pressed them.
selves against the windows.
The hotel proprietor. an ancient
man with q loosened vest, and trou.
sers tucked into long boots. dispersed
them a. he ushered the strangers into
the ONCE. That they were travellers
Of distinction was obvious. as much
from their own appearance as from
the fact that Jake Mcvsigh was driv.
ang them himself. In his best surrey
and with his finest team. But Just
how important they were no one
guessed till Mcveigh followed them
In. and Into ears stretched for the In.
formation dropped the sentence, half.
heard, like stage aside: