Evening star., 1934-10-28
Genevieve was q tenderhoot
---but she had what it takes
By R. C. PfTZER

right the little wrongs of earth You've got to
take care of yourself"
Tim shook his head You're just q kid.
You'd be in the way, and If you got hurt it'd
be my fault. This is"
Mans work. I seem to have heard that be-
fore. But I'm man enough to be offered .
share Of your-well, Of your mine I'm man
enough to have a share in Tending on tres
passers. Besides, I've got .30-30 rife"
you're not to draw a gun" Tim hastily
warned Genevieve. "rll not trust boy with q
gun. He'll get excited and shoot when there's
no need TO-"
Genevieve laughed All right" she agreed,
adyenturously I'll let you handle it. Do We
leave Ace here?"
''Not necessary Well follow the ridge around
the right" He started of briskly while
Genevieve, with a renewed consciousness of blis-
tered feet. hmped at the heels of her pack
burro. An hour later. as she came down from
the heights to where the two guches met be-
yond Blue jay Knoll, Genevieve's limp had in
creased and her adventurousness diminished
until she could barely stumble to the edge of q
brawling creek
Nobody here yet," Tim told her, needlessly,
he started down the depression between
wooded hills. But they've got to begin their
ditch just about where We are in order to get
it around Blue Jay at the right pitch. Dogs
sore, Ell? Feel like you've been doing q fire
dance? While I'm unpacking your ri1e-which
I won't need-get your boots of and give your
feet cold bath"
She sat down. removing her boots.
"I'u be all right" she said. "Just tired.
Where's our mine? Has it got name?"
"of course. The Labo. That's what it's al
ways been called It's the two first syllables
of the original team who worked in back in
the early days. And it's just below the bend"
"Bo for Bogardus," Genevieve told him.
II recognized the name at once La for"
"Larrimer!" he shouted; and then fell silent,
staring at her.
"Our grandfathers were partners here 50
years ago. Longer than that, guess. Must
have been some sort of an instinct prompting
you to offer me a share"
Eyes, but-yes, of course" he stammered.
That's what brought us both, family memories.
But-Harry Larrimer! I thought the Lar
rmers were all dead"
Just dead broke" she corrected. "Or the
last one of them is. Look out!" she interrupted
herself. They're coming!"
THE gulch dipped steeply to a bend, around
which in single file Tim Bogardus' suspected
water thieves came into view. The first stuble-
faced, ragged fellow seemed to be more tramp
than prospector, nor was the horse that fol-
lowed at his heels in much better condition
than its master Two sparsely packed burros
followed. and at the two more men as
ragged as the first led horses that seemed to
be mainly ribs
Bogardus stepped forward, Genevieve's $3.50
In the hollow of his arm. "wen," he chal-
lenged
The little cavalcade halted abruptly. The
rearward men fell back with lively expressions
Of alarm, but the leader abandoned his horse
and came resoutely forward.
ITS o crime" he said. Ito draw a gun on
. feller." lurid vocabulary explained the
crime.
wood rats are always in season What
hop fal haav, 60
The man looked over an unclean shoulder.
~Hear that, boys? His place! Won't want to
claim it much longer, guess. Want to know
what we're amin at?" he truculently de.
manded. well. I'll tell you, feller We're
aimin' to make q Hvin' We're going to ditch
this water over into our gulch. Live an let
live is our motter. But we'd like you 10 live
somewheres else"
Not chance need and I'm keeping all
Of this water"
stop with a gun and see where the
sheriff lands you feller. Try to stop any
other way an well chuck you'n the kid In the
creek, and git you pinched after you climb out.
This creeks public property. That means it's
our property.
These papers," Genevieve said, she dis
played a small sheaf Of legal appearing docu-
ments that she had taken from her boot-top,
"are, first, q patent to Pick Gulch granted by
the Government to my grandfather Harry
Larrimer, after his partner, Timothy Bogardus.
had gone east. There are also tax receipts
from that year to this one, issued to grand-
father and myself. We've kept our title clear
all these years. Still want to take the water?"
The man swore heavily, shrugged, then
turned to his companions Shove the stock
over into Claypole," he ordered. "M right, Bo-
gardus. You win. Why'n hell didn't you tell
us first on you owned the placer We amt
crooks"
mot when you'll get caught at IT," Gene