The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1937-04-15
CHAPTER H-Continued

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
alley than any other person she'd
ever known" Hammond chuckled.
II it hadn't been for his help,
might not have had the courage to
say a lot OF the things | did"
An old friend and plenty of liq-
uor certainly do help"
The attorney shuff1ed a few loose
papers.
"A man can't ask any more than
that
mot If he's been in the bush SO
long that he's grown moss. God,
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. Stakers
will be running around hog wild in
the snow up there in another
month"
The attorney swiveled about to his
fling case and brought forth a fat
envelope, scattering the contents on
the desk.
Let's see" he unused. "Three
regular creek placer claims apiece
on Loon creek, 200 by 100 feet off
Moose river. Correct?n
That's right How about the half
mile government lease at the head
waters of the Loon?"
''Everything's paid up and grant
ed"
"And those other five leases7"
Barstow counted the papers.
Five. 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
receipt for the lease2" insisted
Hammond.
Barstow tossed it over. The pros
pector looked at 1t and handed it
back.
If Joe and I make anything out
of this find-thats probably where
we'll do it."
II thought the stuff was all In
the Loon creek sands"
That's an old country" an
swered Hammond. Loon creek has
wandered all over the map. We've
got a young bed-rock-not over a
couple OF hundred years old. II we
get into big money. we've got to
find the old bed of the Big Moose
the real one where nuggets were
piled up for thousand years or
more
Barstow nodded.
well, you've got the country
checkerboarded no reason why you
shouldn't have luck. Going out in
the morning?"
Hammond laughed.
.'Who isn't?''
Business was over. They talked
for awhile, Of the developing rush
into the new gold regions, the weird
hopes and dreams which every for
tune seeker would carry into the
North, few of which would be real
lied. At last Hammond rose to
leave.
The day passed; damned in the
crowds at the various hardware
stores, Jack bought gold pans,
picks, hammer, saw and nails, and
dozen other forms of supplies.
Night was broken by the barking of
soft-muscled Prince Rupert dogs, be-
ing led to the station-many Of them
to their ultimate slaughter. Trucks
whined up and down the abrupt
hill; slow-moving horses and truck
ing drays furnished an obbligato
to the rumble of motors. A new
community, in its every phase, good,
bad, upright, low, was forming for
life in far-aWay, unknown land.
He and Joe had created it; now
Jack Hammond. as he tried to
sleep, felt for the first time a true
responsibility for it. Perhaps that
was why Around the World Annie
snapped her greeting SO crustily the
next morning.
well, Prospector; sore because
you amt got the whole North to
YOURSELF"
Jack halted in his progress
through the jammed waiting room
OF the railroad station. The tri-
weekly train was just backing in
from the coach yards, with extra
chair and baggage cars. Hammond
waved to the woman, and with
laugh, edged toward her. 1t was
not an easy journey; bis pack sack,
topped by an eiderdown sleeping
bag, bumped and swayed awk-
wardly with contact against the
milling throng. Every one carried
pack sacks, one arm carelessly UNI