The broad ax., 1925-10-10
Warder Murphy's
Gold Mine
BY JAMES r. DWYER
Copyright.l


rifle and looked dreamily across
the ten-acre patch Of vegetable garden
that surrounded Darllnghurst peniten-
tiary. A dozen TRUSTEES" shOrt-sen-
tence prisoners with full good conduct
marks, were working in a line that
stretched across the potato field, and
Warder Murphy formed the extreme
left wing. On the right was Warder
Finnerty, and between these two liv-
Ing obstacles In the path to freedom,
the squad Of cOnvicts tOiled industri-
Ously.
Murphy's conscious mind became
aware Of the fact that No. BOZ, known
to his prison companions as THE
Rat" had moved a few PAGES to the
left toward a little stream that trickled
over a gravel bed, and was then busy
with an empty tomato can washing a
few handfuls Of the sandy soil. The
warder was astonished. He moved
rapidly toward the prisoner and an
grily ordered him back to his work.
''The Rat" turned a weak cunning
face up to his guard and made a mo-
ton for silence
There's gold here, Mr. Murphy" he
whined. Gold, real gold, sure r.
The warder's eyes blinked suspi-
ciously, but he choked back the threat
that was on his lips The prisoner
twirled the can vigorously, while his
eyes and tongue pleaded with the Of
ficer.
'Let me just wash this tinful," he
whispered, hoarsely. Il know there's
gold here, Mr.. Murphy; I've been a
miner and I know the looks of the
ground"
With final twirl THE Rat jerked
out the last of the muddy water that
the tin contained, then he peered at
the silt In the bottom.
''LOok!" he cried didn't l tell you
there is gold here?"
Murphy grasped the tin with trem-
bling fingers. In the bottom Of the can
we're three little yellow pellets that
glistened In the wet sand Murphy
emptied them into the palm of his big
right hand and eyed them greedily.
'It's gold" he gurgled.
'Sure thing" affirmed the prisoner
The warder gloated over the find.
and "The Rat" watched him closely.
Presently Murphy looked at his
watch.
wen be going in to dinner direct
ly," he said, excitedly. what about
thisT" He nodded at the three pellets
in his hand.
The prisoner considered a moment.
Gold is no good to be-" he NUT
tered, sadly. i can't get out to spend
it, but I'll tell you something that /
can use. What do you say if I'm will
ing to take a plug of tobacco instead
Of the yellow stuff, and then I'll keep
mum about the find?"
Murphy was fOraging in his pockets
before "The Rat" had finished his
proposition, and he hastily slipped an
untouched plug to the prisoner who
eagerly closed his hand over it and
looked inquiringly at the face OF the
guard
"'Tain't much for three Jumps Of
gold" he mumbled.
"Tll get another plug off Warder
Finnerty and give it to you" STAN
mered Murphy. But hold your tongue
about the gold whatever you do"
The second plug, which Murphy i'm
mediately obtained from Finnerty,
recOnciled 1.-The Rat" and he wore a
smile upon his white cunning face as
he marched in with his eleven COM
panions when the jail bell rang for
dinner.
But Warder Murphy had no appe-
tite. Visions Of gold in unweighable
quantities came up before his mental
eye. But now the knowledge had to
be put to good use. Murphy had no
money, and he rapidly ran over in his
mind those Of his friends who had
capital to invest. Weisler, the Ger
man Jew, who owned a watch repair
ing establishment near the peniten-
tiary, had money, and ten minutes
after the prisoners had been locked
in their cells for their midday meal,
murphy was III Ine SnOp.
"Hey, Weisler," he cried, joyfulIy,
as he laid the three little pellets upon
the counter, what would you give for
patch Of ground where you could dig
those up by the bucketfulT
The Jew picked up the pellets one
by one. and after examining them
keenly laid them back on the counter.
Il would give holdings, Mr.. Muir
ply" he said, slowly, dose are tree
little Jumps Of brass"
When Warder Murphy returned to
the jail, the chief warder called him
aside.
There's trouble brewing for you"
he said grimly. Eve searched 3O7
and his pal 50 at dinnertime, and
found that each had a plug Of tobacco
in his possession"
mo. 59?" queried the astounded
Murphy.
Eyes, No. So" snapped the chief,
"that friend of The Rat who works
In the brass shop"
And then it dawned upon the fear
stricken warder how No. 3O7 had OBJ
tanned the necessary material to salt
the mine In the potato patch.
Drink" Sunlight