The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-08-18
A WOMAN'S PREY
BY FRED JACKSON.
CHAPTER I.
 Mnn,S Gnunfru


 Griswold, superintendent and gem eraI manager of the Red Peak Mining Company, Ltd, looked up from the open telegram in his hand, and ad- dressed the lazy youth in the corner.
 "Jim, find John Bolt for me-" s Jim had not the vaguest notion where to look for John Bolt. Ee might be anywhere within the con- fines of the Red Peak mines
 Instantly. he was off along the up trail, the alkalf dust in whirl behind him.
 Griswo1d did not look up until he heard the returning hoofs beating the air, and the door banged behind the finest specimen of manhood in Ne vada.
 Looking for me, chief?" asked John Bolt. striding forward.
 "Ye-es.' he drawled. observing critically the young giant before him. stI've had wire from Sears. He's coming up from Reno with a party or friends to look over the mine. Sears asks for a well-mannered, intelligent guide-and your manners are sure hard to beat. John. There's ladies in the party. And you're the nearest thing to ladies' man we've got!"
 "A ladies man! gasped John Bolt, his eyes opening.
 "No insult intended. John," he said. What I mean is, you've had more education than most of us and you're not so likely to jar those sen sitive Easterners.'
 John Bolt sighed.
 Going" he answered, turning ana setting his hat on his head again. John Bolt. riding easily toward his own shack. mentally cursed Sears and his confounded Eastern guests. But that was not the chief reason for the scowl in the mans eyes. It was Griswold's referring to him as a "ladies' man." For all things on erth. the opposite sex seemed to John Bolt, the most useless, unim- portant and insignificant. He was a mans man, with an inter est in man-things and n1an-work. He had neither interest nor curiosity where women were concerned. He was still scowling as he reached his shack. He brushed himself off as well as he could. washed his face, connbed his hair, and put on a clean sIicker.
 He mounted his horse again ana | fared forth toward the railroad sta | ton at the bolt om of the mountain. AS he drew up alongside the station | platform, he saw the old stage har- messed up with mules, and near it, a | man from the mines, with three sad dle horses.
 ''Some of them can't ride" he guessed. They'll have to be toted about in that rickety old ramshackle | bus. And that means a days job to cover the ground. The devil fly away with thern.'' He scowled at the en- zine that came puffing around the curve below the station An instant later, however, his frown faded and wonder grew in his eyes as the locomotive halted. and BoN; saw what was hitched on behind 1t. It was a private car painted a dark green and trimmed off with gold. A negro porter descended with a ster 1 to aid the passengers to alight. The men dn the party appeared 1 frst-one elderly man with white hair and a dropping mustache (tha1 was Sears) one thick set, ruddy faced man of about forty, and one young man, pasty-faced and thin But, the men did not amaze Johr Bolt so much as the women who ro1. | lowed them. They were dffferen Gorgeous beings. they were, radian | with many colors, gleaming witt jewels.
 The first was small and very dark
 the second was all browns. but tn, | third was the most wonderful of all
 She had bright hair that glittered il
 the sun. and skin as white as tn,
 petals of flowers, and in her thick
 lashed gray eyes there was the lur
 of hell.