Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-19

Graphite delirium." cheered Dennis ORilf
again Rich in gold rich in silver, and there
a million tons of it under the hill. We're rio
man, rich!"
IT see" said Steve. He didn't know all tt
geology there was to know; but he was not in
pressed by graphite and he knew that deliriu
was a state of mind. The painful thing va
that June's hopes would now be riding hig
upon the old mans mad imagining. He turne
his back upon ORiley and the worthless stop
Next morning, putting on as cheerful fad
as he was able, Steve Hunter set to work. Tx
day he spent in digging and chipping little p
holes in the rock. Systematically, in lines rae
iating from the abandoned stope. He sketche
a rough map of the location with his pot hoI
marked upon it, and from each digging he too
a sample which he carefully put away In
little bag marked with its map location. "
all day long he saw not one trace Of the yello
color for which he hoped against hope. III
was only going through the motions that h
would make if the discovery were real; and
knew that he was stalling, unable to make u
his mind what he going to say to June.
People think what they want to think" III
told himself. She'll never believe me agains
the old man. Wen take back the samples an
get them assayed She'll have to believe TIL
assay"
THE next day they started back. Stew
] Hunter kept to himself quite bit durlnt
those two weeks of the return. When spoke
to directly concerning the Lost Dutchman1
mine, he always grinned, but answered briefly
without committing himself. Sometimes Jun|
reproached him for his apparent indifference
Once when they sat in front of a camp hrd
while O'Riley slept, she turned to him.
Don't you realize what's happened, Steve?1
she said. Why, we're rich, Steve! All threi
of US"
IT don't exactly rate share" he saii
soberly.
"Of course you own a share!" she insisted
"a half share just as granddad said to begin
with"
He whispered to himself, Graphite delirium
Oh, gosh!"
I've made a thousand plans" she persisted
"I suppose there1l be some delay while tn
mine is organized and all that but after that
first of all, I'm going to have tons OF prett.
things to wear. like mother and used to hav'
before dads business went smash. Oh. wal
until Wally Parker hears about this! You
know, he never believed IN granddad at all. -
We'll" Steve commented, that was mutual
"Grandad doesn't understand Wally. Wall!
Parker is peach in every way"
Are you going to marry Parker?"
Marry him? don't know" she answered
eff dads business hadn't crashed suppose
would be married to him now suppose In
foolish, but, you see. Wallys family have s.
much money couldn't possibly think of marry
ing anybody like that when we had nothing a
ALL"
Must a million marry a million?" Stew
asked.
st don't mean that. But, Steve, you dom
realize how completely, utterly broke I wa
before we found the Lost Dutchman mine
When dad died he left nothing at all. I pu
every last dollar into coming out here with
granddad to take just one more look for hi
lost mine.
"So-you sect wasn't question Of mil
lions at all. If had married Wally any tim'
after dads crash some day he would have go
to thinking had married him only as rescuS
not because loved him at all"
"And now?"
"Its all different now she said, and hel
voice seemed to sing in his ears. steve, d.
you realize that we owe everything In thu
world to you?"