The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-07-28
THE RAEBURN LUCK
BY ISABEL FROST.

A
overnight, Nick went along his leisure
ly way, driving the stage to the Ma.
honk mines over from Rayolite, the II,
little makeshift railroad station below
the big Rayolite construction plant.
And the days when he had work to DOL
his son drove the stage.
Little Nick, they called bin, o..
though he was foot taller than Die
MEX, his father. Overgrown and easy
hammered, he was the butt Of all thaI
newcomers to the mines.
"But, Lord Harry, you can't rattle
him." Nick would say happily. "Hest
was born In the sunshine, that boy
Prettiest mother you ever saw--used
| to run the pancake counter at Danlels
| 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 her
mite. used to drink like fish those
days and never earned whole weeks
pay in my life"
When the last strike happened up ct
the Mahonk the news of it reached the
outer world and the rush began about
week later. 1t was up in the noun
tains, following the bed OF the OLD
Ramazan river, and folk had a hard
time getting to 1t. 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. Sne
was about thirty-fve, but slender and
as pretty as girl, and trim as clip-s
per In her dark-blue suit and white felt
J hat.
as this the stage to the Mahonk
} mines?" she asked. Nick turned mis-
head to answer in his usual way, fore
, seeing a prospective traveller, when ne
Z recognized her. Yet over him her gaze
D swept without a CLEAN of memory.
7 There was nothing about old Nick
Q 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 care,
Q Chaffee Junction. Nick answered with
Q some inward embarrassment. Fan had
suffered too little from times ravages
for him to affect unconcern. Yet all
: the way up to the mines she hardly
looked at him, and he watched bel
Dr. leave the stage with surging emotions
"See that woman in blue that camt
up with you?" asked Dabney when ~
sauntered out of the hotel after Nies
IL had eaten. "Shes representing th'
n. IMunson- Lime interests; they say Ssies
III quiet little party with more nerve ailt
r. punch up her sleeve than any mai
here. I heard the fellow saying sh
IN was always sent on ahead to scout
re- bit and find out how things were goini
av before they sent on any buyers. She1
been asking what properties hereabou
= have been undeveloped."
Nick nodded. He had bunch Q
worthless claims up on the side OF OF
Ramazan mountain that had cost hlr
assessment work each year and nun
around his neck like milestone. Inc
Law lust beyond the river bed drift
ore.
Before he left town for the trl
back, Dabney told him the woman
the blue suit was asking now, he SAL
where the man was who owned the te
claims called the Lucky Lou group.
"Tell her he's gone out Of town, 81
given you orders to dicker on terms
---S replied Nick gravely. "And IT you GO
sell at good figure and keep my nan
out of it, why there's a nice slice
md you, Dabney."
e a The deal went through the ne
ted morning, and while the papers we
eof being signed over at the record ON
or the stage coach lay half way down =
en- side Of Ramazan mountain Win
driver buried under the debris. Lit'
Nick took the new stage in few Ola
or while they tried to patch up what "
o left Of the old man at the hospital
Harden City.
hoy He was standing at the hors
heads when Fan came along. All
once she stopped dead short, starr
at the boy who held the mares hea
lion She gave him one startled LOOK q
: In hold ont her hand before she thout
twice, speaking only his name.
,lies ''Nick You big, long-legged, bless
ncy. boy. Don't look scared at me, nj
she I'm only your silly old mother. Whei
mo- the old MANI"
top Nick told her, with the latest rep
rake that old Nick had only crushed
ayes ribs and sprained his arm.
,ast- "That's the Raeburn luck"
$ OF sighed happily. HE could have
whole mountain tumble on him
mer- come up smiling. Nick, DEAR
has know those claims of your fath
the that just took over from that lei
poor Dabney? They're worth about
ends hundred thousand dollars at 70
mer- estimate. I'll just keep them III
than family now, and We'll try and mar
e at millionaire out of the old fellow
mer- and / together. He's running on
level now, isn't hep
cor Nick grinned and assured ner
mely "sure was"