Putnam patriot., 1916-10-06

No. sir. Not exactly. sir. The dog was cheap. so I-I just bought him.
 As matter of fact. dogs were not cheap. and Walsh should have been in bed at this hour. Murray walked on wondering what the fellow could be up ro.
 Later he came upon a Iaborer dicker- ing with kyak Indian over the price of fur robe. and in front of bunk house he found other members of the night crew talking earnestly with two lately arrived strangers. They fell si- lent as be approached and responded to his greeting with peculiar nervous eagernoss. staring after him curieusly as lie passed on.
 He expected Dr. Gray out from Omar, but as he neared the track be met MeIlen The bridge supeqnteud- ent engaged him briefly upon some de tail. then said:
 T don't knaw what's the matter with the meu thIs morning. They're loafne
 ~Loafnss Nonsense! You expect loo much.
 MeIlen shook his head "The minute my back is turned they begin to gos- siF. I've had to call them down.
 Perhaps they want holiday"
 They're not that kind There's something in the air
 While they were speaking the morn ing train pulled in. and O'Neil was sur prised to see at least dozen towns people descending from it. They were loafers. saloon frequenters. for the most part, and. oddly enough, they had with them dogs and sleds and all the equipment for travel. He was pre- vented from making inquiry, however. by shout from Dr. Gray, who cried:
 Hey. chief. Look who's here!''
 0Neil hastened forward with a greeting upon his lips, for Stanley was helping Eliza and Natalie down from the caboose which served as a passen- ger coach.
 The young women. becomingly clad in their warm winter furs. made pic ture good to look upon. Natalie had ripeped wonderfully since her mar riage. and added to her rich dark beauty there was now an elusive sweetness. warmth and womanliness which had been lacking before As for Eliza, she had never appeared more sparkling. more freshly wholesome and saucy than on this morning.
 We came 10 take pictures,' she an nounced. We want to see if the bridge suits nS.''
 Don't you believe her. Mir. O'Neil," said Natalie. Dan told us you were working loo hard. so Eliza insisted on taking you in hand. I'm here merely in the office of chaperon and common scold. You have been overdoing. You're positively haggard."
 Gray nodded He won't mind me. hope you'll abuse him well. Go at him hammer and tongs.'
 Ignoring Murray's smiling assertion that he was the only man in camp who really suffered from idleness. the girls pulled him about and examined him critically, then fell to discussing him as if he were not present.
 Hes worn to the bone." said Eliza. Did you ever see anything like his wrinkles? He. looks like dried ap- pie" Natalie declared.
 Dan says he doesn't eat"
 Probably he's too busy to chew his food We'll make him Fleteherize"-
 And eat soup. Then we'll mend his underclothes. I'll warrant he doesn't dress properly
 How much sleep does he get?'' Nata- lie queried of the physician.
 About half as much as he needs"
 Leave him to us, said Eliza grimly Now. where does he live? Wen start in there"
 0'Neil protested faintly. Please Ion't. I hate soup. and 1 cant allow anybody to pry into my wardrobe. It won't stand inspection"
 Miss Appleton pointed to his feet and asked crisply:
 How many pairs of socks do you wear?"
 One"
 Natalie was shocked "One pair of socks in this cold. It's time we took a hand Now, lead Us to this rabbit hole where you live
 With a feminine touch the girls en- thusiasticaily fixed up Murray's home. They put his house in order; they mended his socks. They had just fin ished their work when the doctor came running. He began abruptly:
 I've been looking for you, Murray The men are all quitting"
 O'Neil started Al quitting? What aIe you talking about?'
 There's a stampede-a gold stam- pedet''
 Murray stared at the speaker as If doubting his own senses.
 There's no gold around here.' he said at last.
 1.-TWO men came in last night. They have been prospecting over in the White river and report rich quartz. They've got samples with 'em and say there are placer indications every where"
 The significance of the incidents which had troubled him earlier in the day flashed upon O'Neil; it was plain enough now why his men had been gossiping and buying dogs and fur robes.
 "Who are these prospectorsT he in quired curtly.
 Nobody seems to know. Their names are Thorn and Baker That gang from Omar has gone on and our people will follow in the morning. Those who can't scrape up an outfit here are going into town to equip. We won't have fifty men on the job by to-