The Washington herald., 1915-09-29
NATIONAL BISCUIT
COMPANY

you must get me back to town for din
ner. I'm hungry"
So she rode back along the downward
trail. hoping to meet the paymaster at
the round of every curve in the road.
At last. far below, she glimpsed Q
black horse flying along the trail and q
mount.
"He doesn't ride ike an old man." she
Thoughts with quickening pulses. Per
haps he is one of the Rio gang"
Far down the mountain side she met
the rider. a tall. sunbrowned man. whose
saddle bags were well filled. He looked
curiously at her as she approached.
Are you Mr.. Burgess? she asked
breathlessly.
Yes" he smiled. sweeping of his hat.
And you are paymaster of the Golden
Eagle?'
He looked sharply at her.
why do you ask that" he demanded
bluntly
Because you are in danger-they are
waiting for you up yonder-" And has
tily she told him of the evil face she had
seen and of the warning uttered by the
stage driver.
Il was warned" he admitted. but 1
didn't take much stock in it-they've been
threatening to hold me up for the past
year. I've got to get the money to the
boys-they'n be rioting II they don't get
, it." he ended ruefully.
Cant you transfer the money to my
saddlebags and let me follow you UP the
trail? Then. IL, they want you to throw
up your hands. you can. and before they
discover that your bags are empty 1 can
ride on to the mine. They won't hurt
your she asked anxiously.
'.No-all they want is the money. he
assured her. But l can't permit you to
enda niger your life"
IT'S for my own interests" she ssid
calmly: II am Vera Linwood."
Vera Linwood-why. Miss Linwood. -
was going East next week to see ytA
The Golden Eagle has developed anothoD
rich vein.''
And the Double Eagle has lost onsR
she said significantly.
You know, them"
II heard yesterday and am 50 sorry---
I feel like a robber myself-the owner or
a pirate mine"'
That's miners luck. Come. let US get
along. IL We must Just put these pack
ages in your saddlebags-so. and I'll
stuff mine with grass Ride on ahead
and don't worry. 1t will come out all
right" He slapped her pony's flank and
mounted his black and followed.
When Vera passed the ambush she was
talking to her pony as before.
"Once more Nicodemus Alexander"
she threatened. Il will ride to the top Of
the hill; then down again for dinner"
She passed the ambush and waited
breathlessly around the bend of the trail.
Somewhere nearby she heard the pound
ing of the ore crushers and she knew
that was near the mines.
Below. she heard the tread Of Burgess
horse followed by a sharp command, a
momentary silence and then the murmur
of other voices. The hold-up had hap
pened and they we're going through the
mine owners pockets and searching his
saddlebags for the Golden Eagles pay
roll.
Nicodemus Alexander was smitten with
indignant surprise when his rider sud
denly jabbed her sharp heel into his
flank.
He bounded up the trail. his hoofs
scattering the stones under foot In
furry of dust. horse and rider appeared
at the office of the Golden Eagle.
A dozen men surrounded Vera.
Mr. Burgess-held ur-help him." she
gasped and tumbled from her pony.
There was a shout Of anger as the
miners grabbed their weapons and dashed
down the trial to meet the paymaster.
Vera leaned dazedly agains. the office
door and stared at the blood tricklins
down the sleeve of her white blouse.
Some one must have fired at me-" she
smiled family.
THE plucky little angel,'' exclaimed
one roughly-dresscd man as he led her
inside the building.
Weeks afterward Mrs. Henry Hend-
rick reread n letter from Vera. II was
dated from Eagle City.
Dear Aunt Emily" wrote Vera. Il will
be home In another week-and I shall
bring my husband with me. Don't faint.
poor. dear auntie: he Is the most splsn-
did man. You can never guess. 20 I
must tell you that I am marrying An
thony Burgess. the son Of fathers old
friend. my trustee. The trusteeehip has
been transferred to young Anthony be-
cause his father Is dead. and Anthony
says 1t is perfectly natural that we
should have met and loved and married.
for now he can continue the truateeship
forever. And. best of all. you are to
give up the boarding house and return
here with us. II YOU will. for the Golden
Eagle has developed wonderful riches.
an Anthony's mine has a new vein of
gold and we are all going to be very rich
indeed. And Anthony wants me to add .
postscript that We are rich In each other
and richer in happiness than all the gold
~r,-fss