The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1941-03-07

no time in wrenching my arm away
from Ericson's clasp and signaling
the stern-eyed traveller.
will you help me?" ! called out.
whats wrong here?" asked the
driver, without getting down from
his seat.
''This coward" cried, sis threat
ening me-"
Threatening you with what?" in
CURED the stranger, still impartial.
But he swung down from his seat.
II don't know what" / had to
admit. "But it's not the first time
he's annoyed me-"
HAS he any claim on your" in
CURED the still noncommittal
stranger.
"Of course not" was my quick
retort.
Then he turned back to Ericsson,
who was advertising his composure
by lighting cigarette. But in do
ing so, I noticed, my enemy quietly
backed a step or two off the road.
81 think, son, you'd better be on
your way" the tall and grizzled
stranger announced in disappoint-
ingly casual voice. Then he turned
to me and once more looked me
over. I didn't like the assessing
way that glacial eye inspected my
person. He was, I could see, very
sure Of himself.
where are you going?" he asked.
"To my home," answered.
"That's in the Jansen shack down
the valley"
Get in" he said, "and I'll take
you there"
''Do you belong in the Valley" he
asked as he picked his way along
the puddled ruts.
''I'm the teacher here" / ex-
planned. That brought his eye quick
ly back to my face.
whats your manner" he ques-
toned, in voice too well modulated
to be called curt.
''I'm Carol Coburn," I answered.
$50 you're Carol Coburn," he
said with meditative quietness. II
rather thought we'd be coming to-
gether soon.'
"Why?" I asked.
Because I'm the new owner of
the Happy Day Nine" he said. "My
names John Trumbull. But I'm not
quite what your friend Lander is
trying to make me out to be-" he
added. "I've never tried to steam
roller orphans out of their rights"
l felt, all things considered, the
need of caution.
"Then you acknowledge / have
rights?" ! asked.
"Where?" he inquired, obviously
fencing for time.
Sin the Chakitana," l answered.
"Have you ever been there?" he
questioned.
/ told him that / hadn't.
"Then you don't and can't under
stand the situation" he said with a
fatherly sort of deliberateness.
''There may be mineral in that
claim. But what good is a claim
when it's out on the edge of no
where and bodybuilding costs more
than your mine could producer"
"Whose miner" asked in slight
ly sharpened voice.
His cool and not unkindly eye con-
sidered me for moment.
''That's a decision, apparently,
neither you nor I can make. It all
goes back to vested rights and the
records. And since we've come to-
gether in this friendly way, don't
even want to talk about it,
"But it will have to be talked
about" reminded him.
There's been too much of that"
he announced, especially from Lam
der. Are you in love with that
mani"
1t was plain that he didn't believe
in beating about the bush.
"I'm quite heart free," said,
meeting his side glance without a
flicker.
"You know my daughters going
to marry Lander?" he finally OBJ
served.
$50 she told me-" retorted.
''This whole mix-up is something
we've both inherited" he asserted,
after another moment of silence.
His tone, ] thought, was more friend
ly. Neither of us asked for it. And
there ought to be some reasonable
way out of it."
"What would you suggest?" quiz
city inquired.
had the feeling of being weighed
on a pair of invisible scales.
''I'd suggest that we leave Lander
out of it," he said, "and 60 at the
thing without rancor or prejudice.
Lander's bullheadedness hasn't got
you anywhere. And it won't get him
anywhere"
'I've never had any cause to ques-
ton his loyalty" ! asserted.
swell, / have" was the prompt
response. "And if you'd fly out to
the Chakitana and actually look over
the ground you'd understand the sit
uation a little better"
with whom?" questioned.
"With me-" he answered.
laughed a little. For pictured
him, in my minds eye, burying me