The Kenna record. (Kenna, Roosevelt County, N.M.) 190?-1924, 1917-10-19

uiiuf HlCh WOuAA hhy MNBphse 49,
was born in the sunshine, that boy.
Prettiest mother you ever sRw--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 Nix
was about two and half, and gOtN'
vOrce in Reno. never blamed her
mite. used to drink like FISH those
days and never earned q whole weeks
pay in my life"
When the last strike happened up aE
the Mahonk the news Of It reached the.
outer world and the rush begaR abOuti
week later. 1t was up In the noun
tains, following the bed Of the Old,
RamazRn river, and folk had hard
time getting to 1t. Nick knew the best
wny up and made trips steadily. One
morning az he took the blankets on the
bay mares d woman came toward hin
from the little hotel TINT was part Of
the mushroom growth Of Rayolite. She
was about thirty-fvc, but elender and
as pretty as a girl, and trim as d clip,
per in her darlI-bue suit and white felt
hat,
as titjs the stage to the MNhOnk
mlnes?" she asked. Nick turned bis
head to answer in his usual way, fore
seeing a prospective Traveller, when he
recognized her. Yet over him her gaze
swept without a. CLEAN of metHOry$
There was nothing about old Nick
shFhnkeh, stnhp-shOdldered, weather.
! beaten. with his face twisted hNbtual~
ly into Z One-slded grin-tO bring bac cfS
any recollection Of the early romance
that had happened In Daniels cnfe.
| CHaffee Junction. Nick answered with
some ffiWArd embarrassment. Fan had
suffered too little from times raY1Res
for him to affect unc0ncern. Yet all
the way up to the mines she hardly
looked ut him, and he watched her
leave the stage with surging emotions!
"See that woman in blue TINT came
up with you?" asked DHbney when he
sauntered out of the hotel after Nick
had eaten. "She's representing the
Munson-Lane interests, they Say, Nice.
quiet little party with more nerve and
punch up her sleeve than any alan
here. 1 heard the fellow saying Rhe
was always sent on ahead to scout
bit and find out how things we're going
before they sent on any buyers. she's
been asking what properties hereaD0ur
have been undevelOPed."
Nick nodded. He had q bunch Of
worthless claims up on DE side OF old
Ramazan mountain that had cost him
assessment work each year aud hung
around his neck ike 4 millstOns. They
lay Just beyond the river bed drift Of
ore.
Before he left town for the trip
back, Dabney told him the wSman IN
the blue suit was GslIins now, he sid.
where the man wuS who OyRe6 tie ten
claims called the Lucky Leu group.
"Tcn her he's gone out Of town, but
given you orders 70 dicker on terms"
replied Nick grayely. "And II yeu can
sell at 4 good figure and keep my mAme
out of 1t, why there's q nice slice to
you, Dabney."
The deal went through the Aext
morning, and while the papers wefe
being signed over at the record Snice
the stage coach lay half way dOwR the
side Of Ramazan mountain With iss
driver buried under the debrD. Little
Nick took the new stage in . few days
while they tried to patch up what was
a left Of the old man at the hospital In
$ Harden City.
|, He was standing at the horses
, heads when Fan came saiOng. AL az
Z once she stopped dead short, staring
, nj the boy who held the mares beads.
She gave him one startled look and
held out her hand before she thoaght
d twice, speaking only his name.
T "Nick! You big, leng-legged' blessed
n boy. Don't look scared at me, Nick
I'm only your silly old mother. Where's
the old man2'
Nick told her, with the latest report
3 that old Nick had only crushed few
5 ribs and sprained his arm.
'aThats the Raeburn luck" she
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 I Just took over from that fellow
, Dabney? They're worth about two
= hundred thousand dollars at q rOuGl
r estimate. I'll just keep them In th'
I family now, and wen try and make
millionaire out OF the old fellow, yO'
o and l together. He's running on IN
y level now, isn't hef"
! Nick grlnHed and assured her D
q "sure was"
Fan sighed happily and pushed in