The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1917-01-13

clcan.cut ateps-a patter or phhn-
tom hoof beats following him.
stride for stride. Down tho long.
oycr-winding road they swung.
Louise turned him into tho Old
Meadow Trail. At tho edge OF tho
old Meadow the girl dlamountod,
allowing Boyar TO Craze at Will.
She climbed to the low rounded
rock where she sat with knees
gathered to her In her olasped
hands.
The moon was lost somewhere
behind tho ragged peaks. The
nlght grew deeper The old
Meadow. Swallowed by the range
above Il. grew dark. impenetrable.
II place without boundary or
breadth or depth.
Got match. kidf"
Louise raised her head Some
ono was Rfoot on tho Ola Meadow
Trail, Another voice replied.
Sure Here you are" And
Louise knew that Collie was one
OF tho men.
About TO call. she hesitated.
strangely curious ms to who the
other man might be. and why Col.
lie and he should foregather In the
Old Meadow. at night.
Never mind" mumblod the first
speaker: II thought wanted TO
smoke. but I don't want to talk
first-about tho Rose Girl"
Louise tried to call out. but she
VAS interrupted by Oyerland'S
voice. The two men had stopped
nj the lower side OF tho great rock
She could hear them plainly. al.
tho she could not see them.
Collie we're busted amt
said ho,hin to Billy yet He's got
money. anyway. This here only
hits you and me"
What do you mean. Red
Il mean that the Rose Girl mine
don't belong 20 ~ and never DID
'How's that"
Il was goln' 10 rite. But ! ain't
no hand TO write about business
You recollcc them papers and that
dust nlliy tried 10 find. out there
BY tho track"
Yes"
We'll. found II all. went gu,
there. paced her off down the
track. guessed at about where It
was. and found en-"
Pound thcmT"
Yes. sir There Was that little
bag almost atop Of the sand. nc
count Of Wind aud rain. Then
there WAS a record OF tho claim.
our claim. It's been filed on DO
fore"
Who owns our claim. them"
You know the guy Ne give the
water to-th. one that died out
there, Ito owns the claim. or he
did. Il belongs by rights 90 his
girl nov His name Was Andre
lAchArme
"Lacharmc'
Yes, Louisc's pa. Reoolioct your
boss tellin' uA as how the Rose
Girls daddy was rnissln' out in the
Molayc9 Then they Was a letter
old and mos, wore oui--from
Walter Stone himself. II was 10
him-hcr pa-tellln' him about tho
little Louise baby and ankin' him
TO come TO Ne Moonstone and
take a job s..d Quit prospcctin'.
That's where No stand"
louise. GREATNESS. listened and
could not believe that she was
real. that this was not n dream.
Andre tAcharmc' Her father,
Il seen a lawyer about It. re-
sumed Overland. He said Il Was
plain enough that tho claim be
longcd to tho dead prospector or
his girl now. Now I'm leayln' II
up TO you. DO we tell her or do
We say nothin'. and 70 on gettin'
rlch?~
why do you put II M 10 mel"
asked Collie.
Because. Md. You got tho most
TO lose Your chance IL about gone
with tho Rose Girl II you let 10
the gold. Sabe7 When she gets
all me and Billy made and your
share. she'll be rich. What DO you
say
"Why-to tell Louise. OF course"
You giyln' II M because YOU
had some fuss with her. or any
thing like that"
NO. Red. say tell her. be-
cause It's square. guess We care
more for her than a whole-carload
OF gold
Well. guess Once wouldn't
"a stopped TO worry about whose
gold Il was But KNOWN tho Rose
Girl-knowin' what she is-why.
it's maxim me soft in me morals"
What do we do now. Red7"
I'm goin' TO beat IL. Back TO
the dusty for mine"
Quitting now seems like saying.
I'm whipped" said Collie. quit
ting after giving up our money to
her looks like we were sore even
II We do Il and smile. She would |
feel bad. Red She'd think she
drove us Off Why don't you ask |
Stone for a Job"
WHAT Me? After bein' Presl- |
dent OF the Rose Girl Mining Com
pany. in-Say! They's no halfway
house for me. It's all or nothin'. |
Could you stand II 20 see her every |
day. and you just a puncher work. |
In for the Moonstone? She would |
smile and treat you fine. and you'd |
be eatin' your own heart out for
her"