Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1937-08-06

could see Kay's outstretched hands as
her fingers toyed with scattered, peb-
ble-like nuggets, where he again had
tossed them from the heavy moosehide
pouch to the tablecloth. Persons were
asking questions, all sorts of ques-
tions; now Hammond remembered a
young man with a newspaper stuffed
in one pocket, who queried him with
particularly.
eve did the town." he said. 81 guess
some newspaper man must have barg-
ed into our party"
Evidently. He got the story "a
bout as you've told it. Even to the
farewells down at the dock"
The telephone rang. Barstow turn
ed to answer it. Jack did not notice.
He was back in Seattle with the big
red sun coloring the waters of the
Sound, with the whistle of the S. s..
AIeutian sounding its warning for all
passengers ashore. And he stood at
the foot of the gangplank, with Kay
close to him, telling him that she
wasn't afraid of life in a new, raw
mining camp. Then there was Tim
my Moon, rubbing at his pudgy face
and rafting on about how they'd all
be up as soon as good weather came
and he could get his airplane fixed.
And Mrs. Joyce, the mother, thin, an
gular, amusingly acirulous, poking a
dead cigarette out of it's long, green
holder only that she might insert and
light a fresh one.
The receiver clicked on the hook.
Barstow turned back to his client.
$50 they're all alone now, just the
girl and her mother"
eyes, except for an old friend of
the family. Oh, shouldn't say he
was old in years-a little more than
my age. A geologist; the old man
was interested in a lot of mining down
in South American countries. This
Bruce Kenning used to look after a
lot of stuff down there for him."
mot rival?" asked Barstow with
a thin smile. Hammond laughed.
"My best friend. He reminded Kay
that she had talked more about that
boy who used to live down by the al
ley than any other person she'd ever
KNOWN" Hammond chuckled. eff it
hadn't been for his help, I might not
have had the courage to say a lot
of the things I did"
can old friend and plenty of liquor
certainly do help"
The attorney shuffled a few loose
papers.
"a man can't ask any more than
that"
"Not if he's been in the bush so
long that he's grown moss. God, I
was fed up with the North! But I'm
itching to get back now. That's why
Joe wanted me to see you. To check
up on all our claims. Shakers will be
running around hog wild in the snow
up there in another month"
The attorney swiveled about to his
filing case and brought forth a fat
envelope, scattering the contents on
the desk.
Lets see" he unused. "Three
regular creek placer claims apiece on
Loon creek, 200 by 100 feet off Moose
river. Correct?"
CHATS right. How about the half
mile government lease at the head
waters of the Loon?"
"Everything's paid up and granted"
"And those other five leases?"
Barstow counted the papers.
give. That's right. What'd you
two take up those for?" he asked.
''That's 400 acres of land that isn't
even near water"
"Have you got the government re-
ceipt for the lease?" insisted Ham,
mond.
Barstow tossed it over. The pros
pector looked at it and handed it back.
eff Joe and I make anything out
of this find-that's probably where
We'll do it."
81 thought the stuff was all in the
Loon creek sands"
"That's an old country" answered
Hammond. "Loon creek has wander
ed all over the map. We've got a
young bed-rock-not over couple of