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Show I JIM'S GOLD LEDGE I B i KMmH By ANSON CARTER. KflHH It might havo turned out all right for HB Barton if ho hadn't stoppod ovor night HLH in tho ehoop camp and talked too lifliiH much with Silent ConteB. iiHI Coatos had little to say. Yes, ho BiiH know old man Petorson and his daugh- fliiH tor. Ho oven admitted that thoy still HH lived In Valley Croek, He nevor had HH known Aduma. That was beforo his iiiH time. Yes, bo had heard that he had iiiB discovered a gold mlno and then lost biiiiI Its location, but that wbb all ho know. Iiiifl All this mostly in nods and grunts of ilklB assent, while Darton questioned cag- flifliiB But nftor tho stranger lay fast H asleep by tho dying embers Coatos Eiil took out a stub of a pencil and tore off liiifl a ploce of paper from a soap wrapper H In tho wagon. Then ho wroto a noto H to his nearest neighbor, as nolghbors H run In tho land of buttcs. And ho tied tho noto with a plcco of string H to tho collar of Brag, ono ot his dogs, H and pointod down tho valloy road. Brag knew the road. Ho had car- B rlod tobacco along it beforo, and somo- H times brought back newspapers and H letters. Thoro woro only thrco spots H ot human habitation throughout tho H valloy Potorson's, Tony Allen's claim and, higher up, Coats' shoop ranch. H So thoy all hung togotber in mutual dopendenco. And the eovorotgn of tho three was iiiH She was . slim and dark, with H glancing, witching oyes and a bmllo HH that would havo mado Cerberus wag his tall. And noarly every ovonlug after sundown Tony would ride down tho mountain road just to talk awhile H with Suo out on the llttle front stoop H ot the shack and to tell her what It H meant to him to havo her oven In tho H samo world as himself. H Ho read tho noto from Coates. H When ho drow roln beforo the old H shack, old Peterson was out with a "H lantern. H "Tho moon's bright enough," said H Tony. "Put that out. I don't want H anyono to soo a light hero." H Suo slept on whllo tho two talked H together out in tho cloarod ground, H beyond the house. Whon sho awoke , H It was after four. H "You're hero pretty early, ain't you, H TonyT" sho called from tho wash H bench at tbo back of tha shack. ' "' H "There's more coming," answered '1 Tony dryly, and ho watchod Barton H approaching them half a mile away, 'B coming gingerly down tho rough butto H trail on a horso ho had bought In iH He laid two hands on her shoulders. . ,.,., :H and turned her around to faco him. "" H "Remomber how wo'vo waited and - iH hoped for years?" "For gold?" M "No, for oach othor. Haven't you? H Didn't I toll you when you woro only H sixteen what I thought of you? Look up at mo. You put your arms " "Tony, thoy'll soo you, plcaao, H pleaso " H Tho ntrangor and Peterson camo H leisurely up to tho shack. Barton looked cheerful and friendly. Ho rest- H ed one foot on tho first step and raised H his hat to Suo. H "Got a nice little place hero. I've "H Just boon looking tho valley over. I'm H a or a -geologist." H "Fine rooka around horp,"' Tony said . t: ,. H frravoly. H "Yes, splendid or strata. Do you H happen to know of a ledgo that Juts H out along tho othor sldo of this croek H somewhere through tho valloy? It's H hidden in a ravlno, Tbero's a .small H cascade thoro." H "I know tho place,"' Suo answered H atralghtly. H "You do?" Barton's stoall, dark H eyes gleamed with interest, "I expect H Id build, a cabin there. Tho water 1b H very good, I was told. I bdught tho H claim up from a man named Adama H this spring back in Ohio.' . H "Pleasant to havo you 'for a neigh- H bor," Tony said. Sue's dark oyes widened with nraaze- H mont and swift indignation. H "But tho ledge 1b ours, dad. He M can't have it. You wouldn't sol', out, jH would you, for anything?" M "It can't bo yours it I bought it up M Inst Bpring from Adams, could It?" H "And how could you buy it from a . B man that's been dead ovor a year?" jH demandod Tony, coolly, stopping be- PV twocn them. "Jim Adams died in the isjfl county hospital right eouth of hero In fflf .Sweetwater. Ho sold ovorything ho . aliai ever owned "in Valley Creek to Peter- ?IP5 son hero and it's on record. What aro $ you so anxious about taking it up $?' for?" ma Barton hesitated, choosing' hla &"$ words, watching tho girl's faco. wr$ "Well, slnco that's bo, 1 don't want to put through a crooked deal. I'm W$ willing to put up cash and work it out W$k fifty-fifty with you all here." $$ "Work what out?" demanded Suo. K "Jim's gold cltrlm. Til tell you tho iag straight truth, I was a nurse at tho - (C; hospital whero he died, and ho told H&j: me about tho ledge and whero It was, Wwm showed me tho sample ot rock he'd l&S brought away with him, and nftor ha fcjS dlod I took it down and had it assayed. yl It showed $800 to the ton, Pretty good, isn't it? So I camo after U Qfl But you'ro in beforo mo. Want a jl partner?" II Peterson shook his bend slowly, -lt"" jH "It'B all in my girl's name. I ain't jH got anything to say." f J H Sue laughed and putMior hand in' iH Tony's. " "" .B "I've got a partner, thanks, Mr. Bary H ton," sho said. H I (Copyright, mi. by the McClura Nwip- M I pr tryndlciUe.) jM m 'HMHMaHafttttNlHMHHHMflMiflMHJflflHMSBI |