The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1936-10-01
hand on his shoulder.

call what I told you about my en-
couraging worthy prospectOrS
stand by that now. I will give you
two thousand dollars for this pros
pect, and take the chance Of getting
back my money by large-scale plac-
ering."
You're too generous, " Garthe pro-
tested. II couldn't think of taking
your money. In fact, I'll have to own
up had little testing acid with
me when I happened upon this gray
alloy. So, as I do not believe IN
cheating, suppose we head back for
the Mackenzie"
The millionaire mine buyer chuck
led and clapped him on the back.
..Boy, you're whole lot less a fool
than you look"
Huxby stared hard. Then, pocket
ing the alloy, he went for the shovel.
"Good idea" Garth said. "A pan
from above Discovery, one below,
and the same from three or four
HUNDRED feet out each side-theyu
tell YOU whether or not it's merely
small pocket"
Without replying, Hubby set off
up the trough. Mr.. Ramin limped
slowly after him.
Miss Ramill appeared to have fall
len asleep. She lay still, protected by
her net from the mosquitoes that
tinged about her head.
Relieved from the company of his
unpleasant travel mates, Garth
stretched out like the girl. He
thought of the vast length of time
that had been required to erode the
side of the mountain above him. Ma
ture had spent ages in collecting
these hundreds of thousands OF dol
lars worth of precious alloy upon
which he now lay basking. And ne
had CHANGED to stumble upon the
treasure near the end OF trip OF
which exploration and adventure
had been the prime motive and
prospecting only side issue. Now,
by law, he was sole owner OF all this
wealth.
He thought of the two men up
slope whom he had brought to share
in his good fortune. They had thank
ed him by seeking to lie and cheat
him out of it all. But that was the
nature of far too many men. There
was no reason to be surprised or an
gered. They had failed to outplay
him with their stacked cards. He
looked at clump of alpine blossoms
close beside his elbow, and smiled.
Upslope he heard the swirl OF
gravel in the gold pan. After time
the sound died out. His keen ear
caught the dull tread of heavy feet
on the turf.
Mr.. Ramiu turned toward Garth.
eve will 60 back to the plane for
lunch while considering the matter"
"Only for short time" Huxby
qualified. II intend to return here
for more sampling. No need of your
troubling to join u.s.
Garth saw that his company was
not wanted. Thanks. Tn not hum
cry. Come to think, I'll go down to
the lake and make sure my old lady
grizzly isn't lurking in the bush"
. "Your phantom bear" Knocked
Miss Ramill. watch out she doesn't
make a ghost of you"
Under cover of his smile at the
gibe, Garth caught the glance that
passed between her father and
Hubby. The girl had said it. Watch
out" was the word.
He swung down the trough with
no sign of hurry. The length of his
gliding stride made bis movements
appear leisurely. Without looking
back, he slanted in among the
scrubby spruces.A mass of the dense
evergreens put him out Of sight of
the three chechahcos up on the open
tundra. He turned sharp to the right.
Midway down the brush-fringed
lake shore, the tall spruces stood
well spaced. He broke into run.
A vista between the trees offered
him a view upslope. He halted be-
hind a screen of young aspens to
look. The three had already reached
the side of the trough. They started
to hurry on aslant the mountainside.
Lilith Ramill and Huxby had the
girls heavy bodied father between
them. They were helping him along
twice as fast as he could have made
it without their aid.
No more was needed to confirm
Garth's suspicious. He glided across
the glade and ran on through the
woods like startled caribou. The
thick growth of spruces screened
him from the view of anyone up on
the open tundra.
He vaulted upon the monoplane
and ran along it to jump into the
cockpit. In moment he had hold
of Huxby's tool-kit. He went at the
engine like skilled airplane me-
chanic.
When, after a few moments of
quick work he replaced the toolzkit
and ran back out the wing, there
was a small metal object inside his
buckskin shirt. He jumped off and
slipped away to an alder thicket, a
short distance along the lake bank.
Less than three minutes later, he
heard heavy putting and wheeling
and the snap of dry branches. Then