The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-04-10
Missouri Kid
A Mystery of a Prospec-
tor and His Partner
By ADA TRUAx


peared in Flynn canyon. where gold
had recently been discovered and int
which numbers of people were tiok
ing hunting for paying properties. He
was an attractive looking young fel-
low, with a pair of dark eyes. round
cheeks-there was rather too much red
In them for man-and an excellent
figure The latter was shown TO ad
vantage by a pair of loose trousers
tucked In his boots. q woolen shirt and
a conical shaped felt hat. AT his ncci,
silk handkerchief, loosely tied. dis
played handsome throat. Altogether
the youth was attractive TO look upon
He gave no name. but said he was
from Missouri. Therefore he was
bound to be called Missouri Bob or
Missouri Pete or some such name. But
In his ease the custom was slightly
changed 10y his receiving the appella
ton of Missouri Kid This was be
cause he was so young looking
Missouri Kid seemed 10 lie rather
hunting for person than for gold,
He was very guarded in his questions.
asking in a general way If any one
had seen a man pamed this or man
named that. SO that no one could tell
which OF the individuals he was inter
ested in. While making his inquiries
he worked his way up to Castle Rock,
where several holes In the ground had
turned out fortunes
One Jack Hughes had located claim
in this region and was digging away
with the hope that Il vein Of rich ore
That had been discovered near by
might extend through his property.
Hughes was a powerful man, OF whom
everybody was afraid. Several per-
sons who believed that he might by
sufficient digging strike the vein he
was looking for offered to grubstake
him. But Hughes. though he was
much down at the heel and had little
or nothing to eat, grufiy declined
their offers and finally. when troubled
with surfeit Of them. swore he would
shoot the next man who dared to make
him an offer Of assistance.
The next man came along the fol
lowing day. Several persons were
standing about Hughes hole. watching
him throw out the dirt, when he heard
voice
IL say. yo' down there, don't 70
! want a pard?"
Hughes looked up angrily to see Mis-
souri, Kid gazing down on him as tran
quilly as May morning. The miners
knit brows relaxed, his firm set jaws
loosened, and he stood with hand
on his shovel regarding the youngsteI
with feelings that were evident, but
the cause of which was unexplained
He made no reply. The Kid jumped
down into the hole, took up pick ant
asked:
where y workin'f"
There" said Hughes mildly, po.lt
ing to a place where the earth wa!
hard.
The Kid went to work with the pick
and Hughes resumed his shOveling
The bystanders stood looking on fo
awhile. then went away shouting
through the camp.
"B'gosh. Jack Hughes has tuck In
pardr'
who's the man?"
Missouri Kid"
by Jimmy! what'd the Kid offer !?
"Nuthin'. Jist asked Jack IL he want
ed pard and jumped down and wen
to work"
The news spread, and before long
crowd surrounded Hughes hole, watch
ing the big fellow and the beardles
minded them Of mastiff playinI
amicably with puppy.
Most OF the men at Castle Rock wen
into the Alhambra saloon that evenin
expecting to see Jack Hughes and re
ceive an explanation. But Hughe
In store for him by keeping away. tn
miners were obliged to content then
selves by swapping theories as to VIII
Jack had succumbed so readily to thi
youngster when he had sworn vengt
ance upon the next man who dare
| Iudke IiIu du outf. all Wcit VI III
opinion that the two had met befor'
but under what circumstances no on
could give a satisfactory explanation
One man suggested that the Kid had
secret which. II revealed. would sen
Jack Hughes to prison or to the ga
lows. Another believed that the Ki
was a detective and had come out
put the officers Of the law on
Hughes. but Hughes had bribed hiI
with an interest in his mine. The la
ter theory seemed more reasonabl
than the first because 1t accounted Il
the sleuth working In the mine. Bt
all agreed on one point-that the DO
was foolishly putting his head. to spea
figuratively. into the lions mouth. A
feared that they would wake up som
morning and find the Kid dead. Tha
considering what they deemed IL
cause of Hughes submission, was b
Il - - -,