The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-07-06
Miners
Luck
Story Of a Girls Bravery
y ELINOR MARSH

near to his eyes.
Garrison threw aside his pick.
He posted his notice Of possession by
laying the paper on the newly broken
ground and placing stone on top to
keep 1t from blowing away. Any one
who jumped that claim now might ex.
pect the wild justice of the mining
camp to be visited upon him.
As he drew near the camp the thun-
der Of the stamp mills smote the air,
and the blur of smoking chimneys
dimmed the eastern sky.
Pete Clarksons persistent efforts and
dogged determination to find some
thing that would enrich him sufficient
ly to offer Molly Gray home had re-
suited In his striking what was prob
ably the lost vein Of the Great Dome
ledge.
He stopped once at the house Of Jim
Gray, superintendent of the Great
Dome. and Molly Gray, sweet as a
rose, with gray eyes. brown hair, pink
cheeks and pink gown, came to the
door.
How'd you make out, Pete:" she
asked, her little brown hand lost in his
great earth stained palm.
Its the Molly Gray" he said quiet
ly, thrusting the lump Of ore into her
other hand.
"Oh. Pete" she cried joyfully.
"whereT
ION Grow ledge, near Crow rock"
"Where we saw the sunset that
, night?"
Same place"
what were you doing there, Peter
she asked. with dimpling cheeks.
"Prospectin'," he grinned sheepishly
Then. passing his hand over his un-
shOrn chin, he nodded toward the
: Great Dome smelter. Il guess it will
be all right now down there" he said
:, confidently.
j "You know 1t has always been all
right with me, Pete" said Molly softly
u 81 know" he said soberly. I'm 60
in down now to git out my papers.
I'll stop on my way back
Haven't you registered YETI" she
asked anxiously.
"Nope; stopped here first thing. Got
: her staked all right, though, and the
name posted. Coin back there to
make camp SO long; see you later.
). And with a backward wave of his hand
" he loped down toward the registering
Office.
From the doorway of the cabin at
:, the head of the street Molly, holding
;, q pair of fieldglasses to her pretty
;, eyes, watched him enter the office.
u Then her gaze fell upon the figure OF
d q man sprawled upon the rough veran-
r da encircling the one roomed building.
A wide brimmed hat was drawn over
his eyes, and to all appea RANGES he was
lost in slumber.
Molly looked at the open window
over the mans head and calculated
Il that II Pete Clarkson announced his
Il discovery in his usual bluff, hearty ac-
= cents It could readily be heard by the
man ON the veranda if he were awake
- and listening, and if it should prove
to be Dave Lumly, who was own
brother to Jim Lumly, the registrar
of claims. why, then, Pete Clarkson
would have race for his claim, that
was all. She remembered the case OF
Allan Smith the young prospector
from the east who made find and
staked his claim. Before he could reg
lister IL and return to the scene Dave
Lumly had news of the find and had
iumped the claim. With his brother
to back his title to it, Lumly had de-
fed the sheriff and his posse to oust
him. Young Smith had shot himself,
and, after all, the mine had proved
/; worthless.
All, the somnolent one arose slowly,
: stretched himself, took careful sur
yey OF the street; then, with swift
movement, leaped into the saddle OF a
waiting sorrel and rode out Black lane.
It was Dave Lumly.
Presently she saw Pete emerge from
the registry office and cross the street
to the assayers. With sudden energy
she re-entered the house, scribbled a
few lines informing Pete of her where
abouts I'm case she could not find him,
pinned the note to the front door. sad,
died her little mare Daisy, mounted
and dashed down the street toward the
assay Office.
Pete Clarkson?" repeated Browning
.Just left here for down the street.
III he comes back tell him to go W
to cur place. There's a message fol-
him VIII you tell him?" she inquired
breathlessly.
"Sure thing, Miss Molly" he said
heartily; then he watched her disap
pear down the long street and out
upon the short cut through the canyon
to Crow mountain. The afternoon sur
shcne on her hatless head and tbs
Light wind f1uttered her pink skirts a:
the little mare broke into gallop.
Once she drew rein and took swift
survey of the country.
Nile after mile the mare covered
scrambling up steep hillsides and slid
ing recklessly down the slopes Molly