Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1917-07-28
THE RAEBURN LUCK
By ISABEL FROST.

ONtTUlSul, 4NICN WcIL UlVllS lib iNi''h' V ly way, driving the stage to the Ma honk mines over from Rayolitc, the little makeshift railroad station below the big Rayolite construction plant. And the days when he had work to do his son drove the stage.
 Little Nick, they called him, al- though he was foot taller than big Nick, his father. Overgrown and easy hammered, he was the butt of all the newcomers to the mines.
 But, Lord Harry, you can't rattle him." Nick would say happily. He was born in the sunshine, that boy. prettiest mother you ever saw-used to run the pancake counter at Daniels cafe down at Chaffee Junction. Don't you know where that is? Up in the Panhandle. She ran away when Nick was about two and half, and got di- vorce in Reno. I never blamed hsr q mite. I used to drink like a fish those days and never earned whole weeks pay in my life."
 When the last strike happened up at the Mahonk the news of it reached the outer world and the rush began about week later. It was up in the noun tains, following the bed of the old Ramazan river, and folk had hard time getting to it. Nick knew the best way up and made trips steadily. One morning as he took the blankets off the bay mares woman came toward him from the little hotel that was part of the mushroom growth of Rayolite. She was about thirty-five, but slender and as pretty as girl, and trim as clip per in her dark-blue suit and white felt hat.
 "Is this the stage to the Mahonk mines?" she asked. Nick turned his head to answer in his usual way, fore seeing a prospective traveller, when he recognized her. Yet over him her gaze swept without gleam of memory. There was nothing about old Nick shrunken, stoop-shouldered, weather beaten, with his face twisted habitual- ly into one-sided grin-to bring back any recollection of the early romance that had happened in Daniels cafe, Chaffee Junction. Nick answered with some inward embarrassment. Fan had for him to affect unconcern. Yet all the way up to the mines she hardly looked at him, and he watched her leave the stage with surging emotions.
 'See that woman in blue that came up with you?' asked Dabney when he sauntered out of the hotel after Nick had eaten. Shes representing the Munson-Lane interests, they say. Nice, quiet little party with more nerve and punch up her sleeve than any man here. I heard the fellow saying she was always sent on ahead to scout a bit and find out how things were going before they sent on any buyers. She's | been asking what properties hereabout have been undeveloped."
 Nick nodded. He had a bunch of worthless claims up on the side of old Ramazan mountain that had cost him assessment work each year and hung around his neck like millstone. They | lay just beyond the river bed drift of ore.
 Before he left town for the trip back, Dabney told him the woman in | the blue suit was asking now, he said where the man was who owned the ten claims called the Lucky Lou group.
 "Tell her he's gone out of town, but given you orders to dicker on terms" :" replied Nick gravely. And if you can sell at good figure and keep my name out of it, why there's a nice slice to you. Dabney."
 The deal went through the next morning, and while the papers were being signed over at the record office the stage coach lay half way down the 1 side of Ramazan mountain with its driver buried under the debris. Little | Nick took the new stage in few days while they tried to patch up what was left of the old man at the hospital in Harden City.
 He was standing at the horses heads when Fan came along. All at oliNS SHS StpIpSu uSuu SAOils SNuA III 6, at the boy who held the mares heads. She gave him one startled look and held out her hand before she thought 1 twice, speaking only his name.
 "Nict! You big, long-legged, blessed ! boy. Don't look scared at me, Nick, I'm only your silly old mother. Where's the old man?"
 Nick told her, with the latest report that old Nick had only crushed few ribs and sprained his arm.
 That's the Raeburn luck" she 1 sighed happily. "He could have the whole mountain tumble on him and come up smiling. Nick, dear, you know those claims of your fathers that l Just took over from that fellow Dabney? They're worth about tive hundred thousand dollars at a rougf
 estimate. I'll just keep them in the family now. and we'll try and make 6 millionaire out of the old fellow, yor
 and l together. He's running on thu l level now, isn't he?''
 1 Nick grinned and assured her h' 1 tSure waS"