The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-01-18
The Euenine Story
Mates Claim.


into the hill street leading to the lit
tie railroad station.
Parker laughed back over his
shoulder at the other driver and call
ed something that was answered by
shout.
Matte.
grand old Doc Warren, great old DOC!
So long, Doc"
The other car was gaining. tnougn.
Warren. at the wheel, slipped into
high speed and took the hill dlzziiy.
AS thew flashed by, Matte caught her
first glimpse of him, sitting Tar down
in his seat, his cap pulled low over
his keen, dark eyes, just the hint or
a dark mustache and boyish smile OF
inuish Joy at beating Parker.
At the station, while she and MIL
drad went inside out of the cold, Far
ker shook hands with the victor :.
hadn't been been for the precious
load aboard" .,;.,,
who is she % asked Warren, with
a far-off look in mis- eyes.
mot for you, boy" laughed Parker
Grand old Doc, she's of rarest clay
Matte Burroughs. Father produces
millions from patent food product Tor
dyspeptics, but he hasn't lnventeu
ANYTHING for the trail of vlctlns
Matte leaves after her She's peen
visiting Louise up at Slasss iAo-N
Bet twenty dollars 1 marry her,
said Warren. I always peneEeu<I,u
know the right girl when L first look-
ed at her. and / do, too It's thirty
five miles to New London and three
into New York on the Shore Line
Parksie, before we hit the Grano Cen
trail I'm going to make her unoerseahu
how I feel about It
Parker heSitatcd. ~,
Won going to introduce me-
Warren smiled at him with oeatlnc
endowment of the situation ana as
the New York express pulled H. some
how Louise, had managed the lnlro-
duction in her quick way, ana wal
ren sat beside Matte Burroughs IN
the general pairing off of the two
narties Mrs Parker and warren
Aunt Paula were far too occupied
with their own reunion to pother over
the duties of chaperonage, and war
rem set himself to beat Time and rate
inside of three hours.
Matte in dark green and white 1ox
furs. took the onslaught demurely. In
fact. she was rather accustomed to
lust such situations. Easily she parrled
his opening points Yes. she nau
heard of HIM from Dave Morton, ner
cousin out at the School of Mines
Warren had been there, too, she be-
leyed Was she interested in mines
herself? She smiled doubtfully. After
one has been brought up on mines,
so to spe-k. they lose their glamour.
For the moment, Warren forgot his
bet.
DO you know anything about the
Diamond Eye?'' he asked eagerly.
She glanced at him curoiusly.
AT Crooked Creek? I've heard of
it. Why"
my aunt, Mrs Edwards, is inter-
ested in it. You see. years ago,
befrienuec CHAP wno was pretty
well down and out. She's always help
ing somebody, bless her, and this fell
low believed he could locate an old
mining claim somebody had told him
about. You read about such cases
and it seems like a joke, but this
came true. He found the claim, and
staked it Then he took in a partner,
and they worked it together. Well,
he died, and left his half to Aunt
Paula in return for what she had done
for him. She didn't need 1t and
handed it over to me. Aunt Paula's
got all the money in our family, and
she sort of played fairy godmother to
U.S. Well, this all happened about
twenty years ago ALL 1 know is the
my partners name. It's somewhere
in Nevada-did you say Crooked
Creek?"
She was interested enough now. Her
eyes opened wide as she leaned to-
ward him. She was all sparkle and
suppressed excitement.
What was the dead partners
name?"
'sTney called him Andy Bird. He
was a queer old chap. Aunt Paula said
he took out Epictetus with him and
Plato'S Republic L guess he spent
more time reading and dreaming than
he ever did digging. Somehow, when
Parker told me you were Matte Bur-
roughs, I knew you came from Ne
vada, and 1 wanted to know you
I'm afraid you'll know me better
before we're through with this she
said teasingly. Dad gave me the half
share in the Diamond Eye for my
eighteenth birthday a year ago.
Gave you
She nodded her head quickly.
You know, he started in just as a
prospector, and he met this old Andy
Bird-oh. I've heard him tell it so
often-way up in the mountains and
he liked his books. He said he had
long shelf filled with them in the
cabin, so he must have bought more.
Maybe those two didn't bring solace in
Nevada Anyway, dad became his
partner and helped him a little, but
the claim never seemed to give back
all they had expected from 1t. Dads
held onto it all these years for senti-
mental reasons, he said, and finally he
gave it to me for my birthday, at least
his half share So we're partners
My own name is Elizabeth, but dad al
ways calls me just Matte. You'll have
to come out now and develop it and
make it winner
Warren looked at her.
do you ask me TO go?"
IF we're partners. 1 suppose
must"
Are you going back too?''