Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1914-12-18
CHAPTER l.
rhb Mystery Of the Spotted Collar.

plaiDed the nature Of the hole Pres.
emily u burly man emerged from the
hole. squirting He eyed the lump Of
quartz In his hand--always little. but
never quite enough gold to make II
wOrtl while. The pr0spector flung the
quartz savagely upon the accommodating
hubble and leaned dlsheartenedly
against the 10y support ~ the entrance
Ut the mine. His grubstake was fast
dwindling, and IN another four days
he would have to hike some thirty.twO
miles to the nearest town for supplies
Done! He had paid $500. every one
VI them earned at the risk Of his neck.
TOR this damnuble hole IN he grouYi.
He hlled and lit his pipe and fen to
dreaming what be would do when he
struck 1t rich.
By and by the dreams faded and
the bitter realities returned. He rose
lamely and carefully picked his way
down to the ll1shman's shanty. The
two of them shared their noon meals
VII pituMut uuyH.
"How's she comin'f''
Same old story" answered Trainor
erstwhile strong man Of the Eclipse
circus.
We'll. well; It's peggin away that
brings It. got lump t'duy that
don't look so bad. ! should say that
she'll run fifteen tn ton. guess them
wildcatters are tn chaps that make til
real spOndulix-w idders IN clerks IN
childer.'
In Trainors life there had been but
triiiing monotones He had been
sailor in the south seas. II lumberjack
In the nor,h. II cowpuncher. II nfennn
Oh u north Atlantic liner. He hid
come from poor but respectful Z. Ohio
family. His father nor his gambia
Their had ever stepped over the state
boundary lines But in him there was
a reyersion TO the type Of pioneer who
had eslaUli he'd the Trainer family
when Ohio was Il wilderness, He
gould not settle down; he must be on
ne move continually. and when NJ
length he Joined the circus he found
TINT roaming, uncertain life much to
bis fancy. There he had met Mimi
kpene. known Oh the handbills for
Autographs wer, far beyond the reach
Of this circusD ny Mimi La France.
world renowned tight rope walker
Remarkable as II might seem. these
two loved each other fOndly. and one
DAY the lust 10 wander died In the
mans heart. and he wanted roof
over his head. children about his knee
and money In his purse. When the
opportunity TO go hunting for gold
came he heSitated not nm Instant.
He had been hanmering away nj the
grim. unyie.ding rocks for eight
months. making only such trips to
town ~ were necessary for food. Per
haps the hubble extracted represented
a thousand dollars perhaps less. lie
WAS discouraged.
One day he staggered out into the
brilliant sunshine. A lump Of qunrtz
was clutched tightly III his hand
When be- grew accustomed to the daz
cling light he turned the stone over
and over. his heart beating AZ II Ind
never beaten before. There were veins
In it-br0ad fakes Of it-gold. gold,
gold
donovan. Donovnn!" ae cried.
The old Irish prospector came out or
his hole. blinking.
ave got II. I've got IT,"
Donovan silatchei the quartz from
the hand Of his friend.
Holy Virgin. ie'vp struck 1t! II
tia all like that ye're II rich man
Man. man. there's u hundred dollars
In TINT lump aloner
Trainor collapsed ON pile Of worth
less rubble aud laid his head on his
arms, He had done II all IN these few
months He was rich rich. And all
his dreams were gong To come true!
The freshman gazed down at him rue
fully, but phiosophcally.
An me that's been prospectin' TWEEN
~ years an amt h.t nay pile yet!
kyell. God bless ye. man. I'm glad ye
got 1t An NOV let's 20 take look.
Like all men who suddenly stumble
upon virgin fort lie. Trainor instant
~ began to plan how to protect It. dc
hud some bank attorneys draw up pa
pcrs leaving the mine to his wife. In
! case of her death to his child. to her
husband Ii WIS subtly understood
that tile brother.in.law. keene, should
never be able to touch t. These west
rrn bank attorneys were simple and
honest men
Before he had time to write to his
wife Trainer was killed by prema.
turc explosion He was buried under
the ruhble his own hands had torn
from the mountains side. AMI the kind
IL Donovan started out to hDd the
Eclipse circus
The caravan was al that time 2eO
miles TO the south. about to turn In
for the winter. But Donovan found
IL BY mistake he ambled Into the
mems dressing tent A young man
with shrewi dark eyes and u sinister
twist to the corner Of his lips laid
Ills hand on D0novans shoulder
How'd you get In herer
"why. walked in. said Donovan
amlably.
Suppose you walk out aghinr
Keep yer hair jill. bnb. I'm mere on
business. i'm loolsin' for Mimi la
FRANC. s they call her outside. Sue
walks tight rope"
We'll. I'm her brother: what 90
you want with herf'
so ye'er Train0r's brother-in'lawf
~Trninor:" said the young nlln.
dre lighting his eyes. DO you come
from himl"
"yes. An my messags Is TO bts
wife" -. -
la