The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1925-03-25

suspicious meat, beans, and potatoes
that had apparently been frozen to
death in bed.
Lee, who had taken a seat oppo-
site the door, surveyed the other
guests with that quiet watchfulness
which was a part of his nature as
well as of his training. For the most
part he summed them up as being of
the average prospector type.
Among them, however, appeared to
be few of those hard-bitten charac-
tiers who are to be found In every gold
rush. Most of them had been drink
Ing hard, and all seemed embittered
by their experiences of the summer.
They were freely cursing their Ill
luck.
Lees attention was first drawn to
the two men who were seated oppo-
site him by the fact that they took
no part In this chorus of denunciation.
A glance showed him that they were
not prospectors, and that the under
standing between them was an init
mate one.
One was a short, thick-set, muscular
red-haired man. with one Of the hard
est and most repulsive faces that Lee
had ever seen The other, apparently
his partner, was a huge half-breed
with a great muscular torso covered
with black hair, and long gorilla-Iike
arms.
EFF 1 had that guy here what started
that yarn about the gold In Stony
range" began man on Lees
right.
"Ah, for the love of Mike, cut out
that spiel. Bill" shouted another
across the table. "D'yoa think you're
the only real FOOLS ben summerin' In
the ranger"
"Old Pelly never found no gold mine.
He was cracked about 1t. Eff he had.
wouldn't others have got wise to 1t.
with half the district hangin' about
the range spyin' on him."
Nobody knows what happened to
him, do rheyT
"Jest disappeared. Mebbe he had
stroke in the woods or somethin'. No
body's seen nor heard of hira this good
while past"
Lee absorbed this conversation
without feeling that he had got very
far. Pelly had discovered a profile
NAUTICAL gold mine. Pelly had disap-
peared; It began to seem probable
that the report of his return was
false If these men had been pros
pecting the range all the summer, II
was probable that If Pelly had re-
turned to the vicinity they would have
heard Of 1t. In which case someone
would have corrected the statement
that nothing was known about 1t.
While he listened Lee noticed that |
the two men opposite him were like
wise taking In every word The big |
breed was obviously under the in |
fuence of liquor, and his little COM |
panion was not only watching the |
company but also watching him. At |
times he would turn and whisper In |
MS companions ear. And once. in |
MS close scrutiny of the company. he
turned his gaze on Lee.
It VI a luOucAt ACC lClt NnliiSd W
he eyes Of the little red-haired man.
They were pale grey, CLASSY, venom
JUS. They looked like a snakes eyes.
Lee, though his gaze was as steady as
he others, did not like the look Of
he little red-halred man.
The conversation drifted. By twos
md threes the men began to make
heir way back to the bar. Lee had
isen from the table and left the din
ng-room, intending to take a smoke
N the stoop, when he heard a femi-
line voice, and found himself staring
n surprise at a girl who had just
ONE in and was in conversation with
he landlord.
For this was not In the least the
ype of girl whom one might look for
4 such a place as Little Falls