The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1923-01-04
Continued From Yesterday

Reluctant 20 leave hts gold. yet
seeing tho truth In Nelson's words.
Ray FASTENED to his cabin TO get such
few supplies a. would b needed for
tho days march into snowy Gulch.
In less than five minutes they were
On their way--trampinK In file down
the narrow moose trail
They crossed the divide, thus
reaching tho headwaters OF Poor
Mans Creek; then took tho trail
down toward tho settlements But
tho two m-jumpers had not yet
learned all the days M news Half
way TO tho mouth OF tho stream they
met Chan Heruinway on his way
hack 70 the claim.
Al tho first sight OF him. riding IA
the rear OF long train OF laden
pack horae@ they could hardly BE-
ilcve their eye& IL was not 70 be
credited that no had made the trip
60 hradleyhurg and back IN tho few
days no had been absent Only an
sirplane could have made 40 fast =
"trip. Could II be that in spite Of his
definite orders he was returning with
tho duty OF recording the claim still
unperformcdf To Nelson. however.
the sight OF the long pack train
brought some measure Of satisfac-
ton Here were horses iadcn with
the summer supplies that Chan had
been told to procure. and they could
be utilized in the pursuit Of Beatrice.
Two days at least could be saved
what tho devil you coming back
for r Ray shouted. when CHAINS
identity became certain.
Chan rode nearer as n he had not
heard He checked his horse DELHI
erateiy. undoubtedly inwardly ok
cited by tho news be had to tell and
perhaps somewhat triumphant ba-
cause he was It's bearer I'm COM
ina back because there amt no USE
In staying at snowy Gulch any
longer he answered at last ''Ive
got tho supplies. and I'm pacisin' up
to the claim. Just as was told"
But why didn't you 30 to Brad
ieyburg and record the elAimf- Ray
stormed- Don't you know until
that's done ~c're likely TO be chased
off any minute?"
Chan looked into his partners
angry eyes. and his own lips drew In
q scowi because there wasn't any
Una IN goin' 10 Bradicyburg-
nay was stricken with terror. and
his words saitered you mean you
. could tend 10 Il In Snowy Gulch
-~
4 don't mean nothing OF the kind.
Shut up.a minute. and IN tell you
about Il A few days ago Steve Nor
ris got . letter addressed to old
Hiram ,felviile--in care OF Steve. He
opened Il and read ". and I heard
about Il soon as l got into town.
There alnr no use OF our trying 10
record that claim
For Gods sake. whyT'
Because it's already recorded.
that's why. We all feIt 10 sure. and
ve wasn't sure At all. Before old
Hiram died he wrote iettcr--one OF
them two letters you heard about.
Neiison-~nd which you wished you'd
was an official In Bradleyburg an
old friend OF Hiram's-and In II was
. description OF the claim This let
ter Morris got was q notice that HIS
claim was all properly filed IN his
Hirams--nane. Whatever formaii-
ties was necessary was cut out be-
cause the old man had been too ssck
to make the trip--the recorder got
special permission from Victoria To
be Main I dfarss fila fNe f.fafv,- -.
cause It's already filed. and l didn't
want to show myself up as = claim
jumper quite as bad a. that
IT'S al over town--about the
ciaimr-
Sure. but there won't Be a rush.
There's quite q movement over Brad
hyburg way for one thing: for an
o<hcr. this Is pocket country. once
and for always"
For some seconds thereafter hts
partners could make no intelligent
response. This bitter blow had been
anticipated by neither. But Ray was
strong man. and his seif-control
quickly returned TO him
You see what that means, don't
your he asked Nelson.
1T means we've lost.-
The eyes before him narrowed and
Cleaned. 80 that's what n means
to you. Well. I don't look at II just
that way. II means 10 me that
ws've got to take these supplies and
these pack horses and start out and
ind Ben Darby-and never stop
hunting til we've found him"