The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1937-05-20


luctant even to mention.
81 want to talk about that" he
said at last.
"And I still want to talk about
you," she countered. "About your
plans"
He was silent a moment. Then:
"Did I build too pretty picture
down there in Scatter"
Don't be silly, I'm thinking of
you. Has everything turned out the
way you wanted it?"
"Of course" he answered, with
a little surprise. Naturally we're
not making lot out of those Loon
creek placers."
"But you've got some other
claims, worth lot more"
"Yes-if we can only find the
gold"
THAT'S what you mentioned last
night"
eyes"
"Where are they?"
''The claims? Back on the flats,
away from Moose river"
"But how would you 60 about
finding gold away off there?"
A long period of silence followed.
81 don't know how Joe will feel
about me telling that" came fl
nally.
"But you're just telling me-"
eyes, that's true. If the theory
ever got out this camp would go
crazy stalking claims"
"And you're afraid might pub
lish it," she asked, with queer
little laugh.
ooh, Kay! Of course not. Every
thing I've got is yours-even my
thoughts"
She pressed his arm.
you're awfully sweet, 10 you
know it?"
''I'm crazy about you'll know
that" he said, with a short laugh.
81 can say the same to you. And
oh, Jack, I want you to strike it
rich-richer than any other man on
earth!"
He looked out over the shadowy
valley.
Somewhere over there" he said
throatily, els enough gold to make
us all millionaires dozen times
over. Tons of gold, Kay-the de-
posts of thousands of years, just
waiting for someone to come along
and wash it out of the gravel"
"But where?" she insisted. He
ran a hand across his forehead. A
long moment passed. Jack Ham,
mond was struggling with his prom
ises to Joe. Then suddenly the Sc
cret flooded forth, the belief that
somewhere, far in the past, Moose
river had run in a different and
abandoned bed, there to de-
post alluvial gold, washed down
from the hills by thousands of fresh
cts and spring floods.
"Once we find that old river
bed" he said. tBut where will you
find it?"
"That's the problem. There's
nothing to indicate where it might
be. We're sure it's there, some
where. But that's all we know"
'"Then it's like looking for the
proverbial needle"
"Just about" Jack agreed. "We'll
just have to keep on putting down
test holes; one of them may turn
out"
"Isn't that rather silly?"
Hammond shrugged his shoulders.
"All we can do is follow Joe's
hunches-as to where he thinks that
river should have run. OF course,
other persons might go at it scien-
tifically."
"And find what they were looking
for"
Perhaps"
"Then why don't your"
"You don't know Joe's breed.
They distrust scientists. Any old
prospector will tell you that an engi-
neer or geologist can ruin the finest
mine ever discovered. Oh, they're
funny!"
Kay tossed her head.
II can't see anything funny about
it. Why should you give up every
thing in life just because your part
ner is-what do you call it
bushed?"
''But he's my partner, Kay! We've
fought the North together"
'"That's carrying chivalry too far.
You'd both be better off with sci
entific help"
"Of course we would, Kay. But
I couldn't sell Joe that idea in a
month of new moons. And he'd
rave if he found out that I went
after advice myself. Besides, where
would / go-where knew I could
be safe?"
She looked up.
"You haven't thought of Bruce
Kenning."
Hammond's eyes widened.
mo, / hadn't"
"My father trusted him for years
and wasn't sorry. He did all that
work down in Peru and Bolivia"
She added bitterly: 'We wouldn't
be penniless now if he had listened
to Bruce" Again there was silence.
At last Kay clenched her hands
and walked to the edge of the ledge.
Slowly Jack followed, entranced by
the picture of her in the moonlight.
ST wish I could talk to that part
ner of yours"
(TO BE CONTINUED)
Undersecretary of State
The undersecretary of state is the