The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1917-11-13
Miners
Luck
Story of a Girls Bravery

Pete Clarkson was working on a
claim when he saw something glisten
in the sunlight. STOPPING, he picked
up small chunk Of ore and held it
near to his eyes.
Clarkson threw aside his pick.
He posted his notice of possession by
laying the paper on the newly broken
| ground and placing a stone on top to
keep it 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 Clarkson's persistent efforts and
logged 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 q
rose, with gray eyes, brown hair, pink
cheeks and pink gown, came to the
door.
How'd you make out, Peter she
asked, her little brown hand lost In his
great earth stained palm.
tits the Molly Gray" he said quiet
ly, thrusting the lump Of ore into her
other hand.
"Oh. Pete," she cried joyfully.
''whereT'
ION Crow ledge. near Crow rock"
where we saw the sunset that
nightT
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.
"You know it has always been all
right with me, Pete" said Molly softly
II know" he said soberly. I'm go
in down now to git out my papers.
I'll stop on my way back"
Haven't you registered yetT 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 backward wave Of his hand
he Hoped down toward the registering
Office.
From the doorway Of the cabin at
the head of the street Molly, holding
a pair of f1eldglasses to her pretty
eyes, watched him enter the Office.
Then her gaze fell upon the figure Of
q man sprawled upon the rough veran-
da encircling the one roomed building.
A wide hrimmed hat was drawn over
his eyes, and to all appearances he was
lost In slumber.
Molly looked at the open window
over the mans head and calculated
that if Pete Clarkson announced his
discovery in his usual bluff, hearty &C
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 a race for his claim, that
was all. She remembered the case Of
Allan Smith, the young prospect0r
from the east who made a find and
staked his claim. Before he could reg
lister it and return to the scene Dave
Lumly had news Of the find and had
jumped the claim. With his brother
to back his title to 1t, Lumly had de-
fed the sheriff and his posse to GUST
him. Young Smith had shot himself,
and, after all, the mine had proved
worthless.
All, the somnolent one arose slowly,
stretched himself, took a careful sur
vey of the street; then, with a swift
movement, leaped into the saddle of
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, scrubbed a
few lines informing Pete of her where
abouts In 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"
"If he comes back tell him to go up
to our place. There's a message for
him. Will 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 sun
shone on her hatless head and the
light wind f1uttered her pink skirts as
the little mare broke into gallop.
Once she drew rein and took a swift
survey OF the country.
Mile after mile the mare covered,
scrambling up steep hillsides and slid
ing recklessly down the slopes. Molly,
with blazing eyes and compressed lips,
watched for the temperance of the
sorrel horse and its slouching rider.
Lumly, taking advantage Of the infor-
nation he had cleaned at the registry
Office, would remove Pete's stake, sub
stitute one of his own and claim pos
session Of the Molly Gray. II she could
only reach Grow rock before Dave
Lumly she would fight with all the
Aerceness of old Jim Gray himself for
the possession of her lovers rights
Molly frowned as she thought all
these things over, and every now and
then she turned and looked back along
the trail for some sign Of the approach
Of Pete Clarkson. If he returned 70
the cabin, as he had intended doing, be
would find her note.
With heart beating in time to the
muffied thud Of Daisy's hoofs, she drew
rein on the crest of the ledge and
looked about for Dave Lumly, but he
was not in sight, and with resumed
confidence she cantered along the mar.
row, uneven trail to Crow rock.
When she rounded the rock the sor.
rel was nipping the parched turf and
Lumly, on his knees, was stufing q
piece OF white paper into his pocket.
His back was toward her, and he had
doubtless mistaken the tread Of her
horse for the trampling Of his own
beast.
Look here, Dave LumlyP
Lumly jumped to his feet and look.
ed into the barrel Of a revolver leveled
with cool precision.
"fou git outer my way, young lady"
ne snarled deflantly, making a move
mpuf RI erocp bor h-aHI1 ,.o3v,