Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-19
ALoHDNme, a Girl and a Young
Man WH0 Has Been Picked Ont as
aDupe in One ofthe Oldest Skin
Games KnozVn to the WeSt Figure
in This Thrilling Tale Of a Quest
for Gold.

nor who it's Of" he growled at the old man,
but this Ill tell you fiat; this girl hasn't any
connection with any bue-sky mine nor with
any Dutchman named O'Riley either, and I've
a mind to see you jailed!"
Gimme that back!" shouted O'Riley.
"All right. But I'm going to drive down to
Two Pine. I'm going to find out if this girl is
there. And If your story doesn't tally, this
country isn't going to hold you, you hear?"
ORiley wiited My story's too good" he
almost whimpered. Its SO good nobody will
believe it. I've got to have help, and I've got
to have it soon! But If old Wild Bits boy
won't believe me, who will? I've tried
hundred fellers and they're as bad or worse
than you"
Suddenly his voice turned Shrill, intense, and
he shook his fists before Steve Hunters eyes.
Its there!" he shouted. Il know it's there!
know right where it is. fortune, an ever
lasting fo tune, lost in the hills-and can't
get to it! I tell you, know!'
He jerked from his pocket a United States
survey quadrangle, folded in innumerable &C
Gordon pleats. Its these new maps showed
me the light" he declared, shaking it out. Il
can stand here and put my finger on millions
right here on this map. But If don't set my
finger down your chance is gone, and mine
and hers too, and the fault is yours!'
Steve Hunter studied the old man. 1t was
incredible to him that anybody could lie so we'll
We'll, 1 still figure to drive to Two Pine"
he said.
That's more like Wild Bills boy!" said
ORiley with emotion. He led the way to Steve's
battered mountain car at rambling run.
nOWN in front of the Two Pine boarding
- house a long blue roadster stood.
THAT rig" said O'Riley. belongs to the
kI,nk ayake 20 fnlA
and horn in on my mine. Only won't let him.
Trying to trim me! That's him at the wheel,
and the other one is my granddaughter. Hey,
June!"
Steve Hunter angled in beside the blue road
ste--and found himself looking directly into
the eyes of the girl whom he had pronounced
q myth.
1t was the girl of the snapshot all right.
Only this time there wHs intervening shadow
and no hat to hide her face. It was thin face,
tanned and lively. The SOFT fine hair that
framed it was the color of sunlight through
Autumn leaves, and her eyes-Steve could not
have said whether they were green or brown or
blue or sometimes all three, in changing lights,
but they were gentle, humorous and awake.
You're Steve Hunter, aren't you?" said the
myth. This is Waly Parker"
Steve shook hands with the smooth haired
young man at the wheel without noticing him
much. He was absorbed with the battling
weather-reddened nose and historic whlskerS,
and the slender, smiling girl. If this was truly
O'Rileys granddaughter, all that preposterous
story about Lost Dutchmans gold needed
different explanation than that which he had
so readily supplied
Wally Parker broke in. Aren't you the
Hunter who runs the Three Bar pack outfit?
Can speak to you minute?"
Sure" Hunter, stepping to the board walk,
found himself drawn along the walk by the
stranger.
II suppose" Parker began, you've heard
ORiley's story by this time. I'm the boy that
drove him up to your place this morning"
Where do you come in?" Steve asked.
IT." said Wally Parker, take special and
particular interest in June O'Riey."
"Oh, you do?" said Steve.
"ORley," said Parker, 'is obviously the VIC
tim If sef-hypnosis. He's told the story of
Lost Eutchman's gold SO often that he be-
lieves 1t hmsef-so much so that he has even
convinced his granddaughter.
THE ORileys," Parker went on, "are-bank-
rupt. They can't seem to understand that
when June and are married there will be no
cause to worry about that. Meanwhile this
gold scare is a persistent nuisance. I can't
chase the O'Rileys all over the West forever"
mop" said Steve.
mo-" said Parker, "and I'm not at all sure
that I like your tone of voice. However you
happen to fit my plans, so we'll overlook that.
The trouble is, the old lunatic won't let me
finance the final search, and since nobody
else is idiot enough, there the matter rests"
mot bad place for it,"
IT dOnt agree with you Didn't mention
that my plans are held up until the ORileys
abandcl this cutlardisl notion? Now, want