Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1919-10-14
135e
Twin Craters
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Copyright. 1919 by the Western News
paper Unton.l
It would have made no difference
II he had been poor as a church mouse
to Alice Leigh, but Wade Porter did
not know that. Besides, he resented
the idea Of asking q girl brought up
amid wealth and luxury to risk unit
Ing herself to q man without means,
and one. too. who had not even demon
strated his business abilities.
"She likes you, Wade" his best
friend, Neil Wolfson. told him, land
when q woman like Alice Leigh fixes
her affections they are likely to prove
lasting"
''Then will not take advantage of
her confidence" answered Wade reso-
lutsly. II believe there is something
In me worth bringing out, and when /
have proven that, am going to her
like man and tell her so.'
In a careless moment Neil impaired
this information to his sister and she
in turn passed It along to Alice. The
latter was made very happy by the in
telligence. When Wade, all uncon-
scious of this, made a call upon her
his hope was increased and his am
billions stimulated by the gracious way
in which Alice treated him. He made
his preparations to qualify for posi-
ton In another city, when he received
q letter from an aunt whose husband
had recently died and it's contents
quite interested and excited him.
"Your uncle always liked YOU"
wrote the lady, land 1t was his will
that you should be remembered before
he died, but the latter years of his
life he had some serious business trou-
bles and did not attend to 1t. Just be-
fore he died, however, he asked me TO
zee to 1t that you were given some
mining property he had traded for in
Arizona. 1t is my duty to tell you
that after looking up the property he
was. very much disappointed. Still,
he said that you were young, active,
ambitious, and that you might make
something out Of proposition he had
grown too old to handle"
when Wade told his friend Neil
Wolfson Of his acquisition the latter
was Aired with enthusiasm. why"
declared the latter, "Pd give all /
have for a chance like that. Gold. sill
yer, adventure! The very uncertainty
Of the thing Is fascinating" and he Of
fersd to supply the capital to finance
the Arizona exploitation.
1t was on the morning of gloomy,
threatening day that the two adyen-
turers halted their tired steeds at
struggling, dismal looking settlement
htly designated as Last Hope. They
had trayersed barren alkali stretch
of over q hundred miles without pass
ing q single habitation. Then had
come the mountains Here at the apex
was Last Hope, which was a halfway
point between q number of isolated
mining camps The tavern keeper
viewed the two youLg men with pity
Ing expression of face as they divulged
the motive of their coming.
II hope you're not expecting gold
or silver" he observed. II don't sup
pose there Is a foot Of Twin Craters
that has not been prospscted and not
~ much as true hssure vein Of gold
or q specimen of horn silver discoy-
cred Some shrewd spectators sailed
II once and palmed II OF on tender
feet investor In the East"
"Well. we will look II over, anyway"
suggested Nell. which they did and
camped on their possession that night,
a gloomy. uneongenisl duo.
They were discussing the feasibility
Of q return to civilization early the
next morning when an automobile
came numbering towards them. 1t
held half a dozen well-dressed intel
ligent locking men. and was followed |
by q motortruck loaded with survey
ing and other scientific instruments.
A brisk. pisassnt-fseed yoasg man APP
preached from the automobile FIRST 10 |
arrive. He spoke eeurteously In greet |
Ing and then with keen. searching |
glance observed:
Locking up the old craters. gentle
nenT
No" replied Wade bIunfly. -dis-
russing the surest means Of getting
away frsm them a. far ~ possible. / |
vas izre1 ext here thiaking thxt there
zt&At he Reua- xsSxx . The fnzz hun