The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1934-07-06
CHAPTER VII-Continued

why do you have TO go away,
Mater"
Got a couple of deals on and
can't handle them from here"
IF you're coming back in the fall"
she suggested. you should have the
Bar 81 place put in order. It's fallen
into decay; il smells neglected. IT
isn't nice place for you to live, even
with capable servants TO care for you"
II had thought of that Indeed. it's
one Of the reasons / have to leave
Eden Valley. Got TO engage an arcbi-
tect TO draw plans fer a new house.
new barns. four-car garage. kennels,
and such. Got TO engage a smart gar
dener to put in a nice lawn around
the new house and plant flowers. Got
10 grade a new graveled road from
the main Eden Valley highway TO the
ranch house and plant a border of
trees. And wish you'd sort of super
intend the job while I'm away. And
when the house is finished I'd be
obliged TO you if you'd run down TO
San Francisco and buy the furnishings
for it"
-Oh, I'll be so glad, to. Nate, you're
giving me an interest in life. A wom-
ans interest. I'm kept pretty busy
operating the Circle &. but it isn't my
job and"
She sighed ecstatically. So he was
coming back, after all. He needed her
opd ha hadn't cor,,pIa5 70 +aIl bor ca
That night, when he departed for
the Bar 81, the girl walked with him
10 the gate. A full moon rode the sky
above them, and Eden Valley was filed
with the silvery light 1t was a night
for love, and Nate Tichenor, who had
never felt his heart beat high in any
wOman's presence, was suddenly
thrilled to the core of his being at
sight of Lorry Kershaw leaning over
the gate. He had sudden mad i'm
pulse to place his hand under her
adorable chin. tilt her face upward
and kiss her on the lips.
For the strangest of all reasons he
refrained. He had been reared In
Eden Valley; he was old-fashioned, the
victim of an iron code of morals and
social procedure. Her father hadn't
been dead long enough! So he CON-
promised and said, with an effort pa
ternany patronizing: Good night,
LOrry dear. I've had delightful eve
ming"
But his burning eyes betrayed him.
The girl smiled up at him wistfully.
Thanks TO you, I'm happy for the
first time since Owen went away" she
said.
At his gate he stood for a little
while, gazing over the hills toward For
lorn Valley. Coyotes !" he growled.
Not one Of you, except Doc Donald
son, would come TO her fathers funeral
and Doc couldn't. And not one Of
you came 10 my mothers funeral,
either. She was an angel and Rance
wasn't less than a man, If he did
pump Uncle Taylor off Well. one
day you'll come asking me for favor,
and when you do, by CAD. I'll remem-
Der and charge accordingly. Coyotes -
Silas Babson rose next morning, sans
headache. and with a very definite
realization that he had many busy
days before him. He drove over to
Gold Run first. to interrogate the coun-
" recorder, from whom be ascertained
that a deed TO a quarter-Section In
Eden Valley from Nate Tichenor to
the Mountain Valley Power company
and another deed for four thousand
acres, from Lorraine Kershaw TO the
same company, had just been sent over
by the First National bank to be re-
corded.
Well, he had been thwarted by this
interlOping power corporation, Just as
he had feared would be the case. Well
no matter. The Mountain Valley Pow
er company could not thwart him in
his plan TO secure from the Depart
meDt of the Interior permission to
erect a diversion dam in the Handle
and dig a canal from Eden Valley
creek down beyond the western but
tress Of Forlorn Valley. They might
have influence, but not with the con-
gresham and senator whose constitu-
ency included Forlorn Valley.
Well, his first step was to create
public interest in the proposed irriga-
ton district-not at all difficult task,
since the Valley Center Register was
the only newspaper in the valley and
its editor, Joe Brainerd. had financed
his venture largely on money borrowed
from the Bank Of Valley Center. Brain
erd would see his duty and do IL
nobly. He must attack the power COM
pany and pay the community's re-
spects, in no uncertain terms to those
two Eden Valley outlaws who had be
trayed them or at least sought to be-
tray them.
Suddenly, as he drove home across
Forlorn Valley. thought occurred TO
him with such force that he jammed
on his brakes and stopped in the mid
die of the highway so suddenly that
car coming behind him, smote his car
in the rear and skidded it OF the right
of way into a ditch. Babson emerged
from the wreckage unframed, but
frightened and exceedingly angry. just
In time TO come face TO face with a
young man emerging from Limousine
driven hv lvorioa chauffeur