The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1916-11-18


yes"
"Well. found Il all Since the CON-
pany Is workin' the claim now and l
didn't have so much to do / got TO
thinkin' OF them papers. ! went out
there. paced her or down the track,
guessed at about where II was and
found EN-"
Found them
Eyes, sir There was that little bag
almost atop OF the sand, account OF
wind and rain. Then there was rec
ord OF the claim. our claim. It's been
fled on before. We made mistake
and fled on the wrong section. When
me and Billy went to file noticed the
clerk said something about hayin
nelghbors on the claim next but i
was scared OF answerin' too many
questions, so l give him some cigars
and beat IT,"
"Who owns our claim, thenY
That's the queer part OF It. You
know the guy we give the water to-
the one that died out there. He owns
the claim. or he did. II belongs by
rights TO his girl now His name was
Andre Lacharme"
"Lacharme!'
Eyes; Louises pa. Recollect your
boss tellin' us how the Rose Girls
daddy was missin' out in the Mojave?
Then they was letter-old and most
wore out-from Walter Stone himself,
II was to him-her pa-tellin' him
about the little Louise baby and askin'
him TO come to the Moonstone and take
job and quit prospectin' That's
where we stand"
Louise GREATNESS, listened and could
not believe that she was real, that this
was not dream. Andre Lacharme!
Her father!
! 81 seen n lawyer about It," resumed
Overland. HE said IL was plain enough
that the claim belonged TO the dead
prospector or his girl. now. You see,
we worked the claim and KEEP up the
work accordin' TO law. What we made
amt ours, but I'm mighty glad It's
/ hers. Course we earned what dust we
dug, all right. Now I'm leavin. II up
to you. DO we tell her or do we say
nothin' and go on gettin' rich?"
"Why do you put It up to me?" asked
Collie
Because. kid, you got the most TO
lose. Your chance IL about gone with
the Rose Girl If you let so the gold
Sabe? The little Rose Girl is wise
She don't give two cents for money
But she amt foolish enough to marry
| n puncher that's workin' for wages on
her uncle's ranch. And when she gets
all me and Billy made and your share
she'll be rich That won't be no time
for you to 20 courtin her. 1t amt
that you amt good enough for any
girl But nowadays things is different
You got 10 have money"
"Do you think Louise would take
the money" asked Collie.
81 don't know. But that amt IT,
! We either give It up-or we don't
What do you say?'
"Why--to tell Louise OF course.
meant that right along. You ought TO
know that"
you givin' It up because you had
some fuss with her or anything like
that?"
"No. Red / say tell her because It's
/ square. Did she stop to ask questions
when / was in trouble? No. She went
to work 70 help me quick. guess we
care more for her than n whole carload
OF gold"
"Wel, / guess. once l wouldn't "a
/ stopped to worry about whose gold ii
was. But KNOWN the Rose Girl
KNOWN what she is-why, it's maxim
] me soft in me morals"
"What do we do now, Redl'
I'm goin' 20 beat It. Back to the
| dusty for mine"
"You don't have TO do that, Red"
That's just why I'm a-doIn' IT. /
like to do what | like"
Quitting now seems like saying,
I'm whipped said Collie. quitting
after giving up our money TO her looks
] like we were sore, even IL we do II
and smile. She would feel bad, Red.
! Shed think she drove us Off. why
don't you ask Stone for a Job?"
"What? Me? After beln' president
i VI iuc ipSe biTl MINING toiHpdlI, III
Sayl They's no halfway house for me-
: It's all or nothln'. Why. / don't even
own the GuZzuh. Could you stand Il 10
see her every day, and you just a
puncher workin' for the Moonstone?
She would smile and treat YOU fine, aud
you'd be eatin' your own heart out for
her"
"No. | couldn't" said Collie slowly.
Red, guess you're right"
II amt askin' YOU Collie, but there's
'nothin like ramblin' 10 make you for
get. It's got hard work beat TO a mush.
because whom you're rambln' you're
most always hungry. Listen! Love Is
when you alnt satisfied So Is empty
stomach A fella's got to eat DO you
get thatf'
yes; bur, Rcd, You said you loved a
+ woman once. You didn't forgetT
"No, Kid. didn't once / didn't do
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