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Show ft v J. ALLAN DUNN f" 7 'jtiu.nuu, B ock Issued that gave 20 per cent of w1' tl I CHAPTER XV-Contlnued. tl 1, name! KeHh, Wilson Keith," w the other. -I'm a mining promo- n M Pllraioll had agreed to sell mo bis t I Brett In certain claims which showed t( I lo away reports. They alono were m J'Alclent to interest me. When he ni rflgl (be news of the general 01 VWke the prospect of development bc 'Erf and I came on. You seem to ej Cblocked the deal. Ilowever, I ti LEom rilmsoM can bo located later, w jra any idea wbero he might be 1 'Jftdn't do you ono mite of good," m IkIi) Sandy, "i'llrasoll dldn"t own those th idita Didn't have an Interest In 'em. llfr) to jump 'em, an did tho Jumpln' Mmt I hmi Bomo castern M)t m bilbwn Mmplln' ore an' I saw some j,, Mjjji m on the Casey claims. Thoso CT im tbe claim' Pllmsoll tried to sell IN, I reckon, for cash, flggcrin' on tho M foln' through quick. He 'lowed j le'j frobstaked Casey, which was a itob He- Pllmsoll's got nothln' to , -villi end. From now on he won't ( Bjto. The claims belong to Molly (wi, tht time beln' my legnl ward." G iiP Wilson Keith's eyes grew r baud cold. "Hove you any interest r b ilea yourself, Mr. Dourke?" t He in' my two partners of tho line Star ranch own one-linlf inter- , KmI with Molly," snld Sandy ens- j ty.ffii eyes matched thoso of the pro- E sotcr ud held them for a second or c tin v V thought passed through Keith's altd that Sandy's Interest, and that of tb pinners, might havo been ob- n tilsti from the girl under false pro-Ms, pro-Ms, but he was very far from a fool mi among the things ho saw In Son- " tfi ejM, it was clenrly written thnt g( w vai a man who was both abso- t, sldj fearless and absolutely honest. ' h hid not seen mnny such. . "Ill b glad to talk with you later," M Mid "Just now I'm ravenous. Any , fi(t to eatJ And docs tho camp get P early or Just go to bed Jatot" " He remark raised a laugh In tho wd, now milling good-naturedly Wit the machine. I Sandy recommended Simpson's and fated it out, Keith, the man with 1, P" bli Mcretary, and tho chauffeur, fz W out and walked stiff-legged to their Judy introduced Sum ns his part-jr, part-jr, Weatlake as a mining engineer waasayer. Keith gave Westlnke a "I mi appraising glance, and a nod. ra too sleepy myBe'f to talk bust- to 1 'd Sandy. "My two partners n fte tho soma boat So. If you-all V t to look oveh the camp agln, Mr. bt k an' talk business with any ono n C&ad awake an' wlllln' IH-prob'bly at 1 yoa befo' nightfall. You know m the claims are." en tilth stood for a moment In the door w Kmpson's, looking after Sandy. tl 'k fairly slick article, the man with M (two guns, BInke," ho aald to his ' ptary. "But he's straight" 01 And mighty hard to bend," added ke with a yawn. IW ire only a few old-timers In sc I Hake," said Keith. "A heap In tear of a gold rush and M always a Tom Tiddler's nl washing out the rich sands lj Oiey'll be glad to sell and for cash." hi change tho namo of the w jested Blake. "Dynamite m an exploded prospect" a of that," said Keith, "now ' Town, after the original hi eho always believed In tho rn icked tho money for devel- f wouldn't tako in a part- tl resquo and good stuff for gi tuses. You might send off lbout thnt, Blake, work In Bourke and PUmsoil affair, publicity stuff, we can use Bl on. Romance of Casey's Wonder where she Isr 1 Into silence, swallowing 1 gulps, id his companions found leep on tho Bailey claims, owed coffee, and they told ib of Pllmsoll and the ar-1th. ar-1th. bad you didn't run Pllmsoll county, or tho state," re-s re-s spinster. "If that man to to buy my claims I'm oil. Mllkln' Is more In my uitn I've decided." ld a pow-wow before we Id Sandy. "Westlnko, what about Keith? Anything?" ird of him. I imagine be a promoter rather than -r. He has mado some m. There Is no doubt but float this proposition on a induce others to put 1 It He'll put the camp on basis. If the gold's here a sound one. There Is w my mind thnt Patrick d the best side of tho ' Indications nro In sight rould say sell these for cash, on price untU Keith refer re-fer more. Ho'll como back R 1 Hut let hlra organize 8 elms. Those claims are of this camp, and ho Per cent, nn' tho name's ai sy- then," said Sandy, w re, you-i-o to be consult- b' U 05wl'tevcr they :nll n: ?'f.r.C8,,,ake- rra dawK Vl '"s shack over to our Ir . . 01 a and Mormon returned n 8ar with the papers "J no wony property to her nnd 25 to ho three partners. Keith returned 0 New York with his -40 per cent to .cave his plans for the full devclop-icnt devclop-icnt of the claims ho had acquired. , He had tho capital and was willing ' Put It Into developing tho Molly lino if necessary, but it was a bssl-ess bssl-ess principle of his never to use his wn money when ho could get hold of nmeono else's. Ho had turned his yes toward oil of lnte, scenting quick lrns, nnd this took money. His 'ifo took more his son. Just out of allege, took all he could get. Mrs, Keith, he decided, should look lolly up at her school, take her Into 10 Keith homo on vacations, Intro-uce Intro-uce her Into the soclnl whirl. Tho ght newspaper men would see her, icet ber, get tho story from Blake of sr romantic childhood, with photo-nphs photo-nphs of the Western Heiress In tho 'ark on Horsebnck. Moreover, she :ould be introduced to the right pco-ile, pco-ile, thnt was Mrs. Keith's end of It Then would come the prospectuseo vlth theso extracts of tho best para-raphe, para-raphe, tied up with views of Casey 'own, with engineers' reports, with cml-sclcntlflc stuff about sylvnnlte, a masterpiece of romance nnd fiction, eppered with fact Tho whole to bo tied White Gold. Blake submitted his clever cam-atgn, cam-atgn, worthy of better things, and "elth approved of It. That tho part-crs part-crs of the Three Star as Ofty-onc per ent owners, of Molly Casey herself 'Ith them, should bo consulted or In-Drmed, In-Drmed, never entered his head. Blake's campaign was carried out lost successfully. Mrs. Keith de-cended de-cended overwhelmingly upon Molly t her school, chauffeur and footmnn n tho driving seat of her luxurious ;dnn; gasped n little when she saw mt Molly was a beauty, could be ade an unusual one with tho right rcsslng, tho right setting. Her brain, which was keen enough 1 business matters, told her that she mid Improve tier husband's program ' using Molly as an attraction to Ing Investors to tho Keith residence. might bo a good thing Mrs. Keith as quick at dealing with the future her son, Donald, fell In love with oily, tho heiress. She wroto to the ireo Star ranch, to Sandy Bourke, tardlan of Molly Casey, without olly's knowledge. Sandy read tho Iter aloud to his partners. car Mr. Bourke: "I feel that I should write this letter you although I have never met you, thcr than my husband, since the testlon. Is one thnt. a woman can lodta- better than a rann that only woman can understand and apprecl-e. apprecl-e. "I have seen your Molly and sho has tlrcly captivated me. She Is really ndcrful, with wonderful posslblll-!s. posslblll-!s. I want to take her Into my home, r. Bourke. I think she feels tho need the companionship and advice of an der woman, rather than that of tho rls at the school. "I wish I could talk with you per-nally per-nally about this. Letters are such adequate things. But I know, from r. Keith, that you have her Interests ; heart and so have I. J shall dear-love dear-love to have her with me, and I feel infldent from what I have seen of :r, that sho will be happier In a home, Ith some one, who, however poorly, ay take the place of tho motlier she ust have missed all these years. "Let mo hear from you noon. If my jalth and other matters permit, I ust try to come out with Molly bo-re bo-re very long. Mr. Keith has seen lis lotter and approves of my sug-istion sug-istion to have Molly with us. "Most sincerely yours, "ELIZABETH VERNON KEITn." It was a clever letter. There were iveral touches about It that almost nountcd to genius. The mother sug- he Wroto to the Three Star Ranch, to Sandy Bourke, Guardian of Molly Casey. sstlon, the need of companionship id advice from nn older womnn, nil ent home; though It was some time forc the trio entirely absorbed tho eunlng of the glossy phrases nnd glib icnbulary. The letter passed nbout 1 silence nftcr Sandy had read ItSam id Mormon plowing through tile muzo ' the fashionable script. J "Reckon she's right," sajfd Mormon. Holly's different Sho lud a mighty bout It Sam?" "Sounds good to me. What do you think, Sandy? It's up t0 you as her guard een." "It sure sounds good," said Sandy. Seems like this Mrs. Keith must bo a prltty Ono womnn to think of tnkin' Molly Into her own home. I'd be Inclined In-clined to put it this way: If Molly cottons to the Idcn, let her hop to it" "Mlrnndy ain't brought over tho butter yet," put In Mormon, with a Klance nt his partners that was half shamefaced. "Why not git her opinion? opin-ion? Takes a woman to understand n woman. She'd snho this letter a heap bcttcr'n wo c"ud." Sam winked covertly nt Sandy nnd shoved his tongue In his cheek. "That's a good Idea, Mormon," said Sandy. "Never did find out Jest what happened hap-pened to that last wife o' youn, did ye, Mormon?" asked Sam. "Never did." "That's too bad." "Why?" "Gcn'rnl principles." "Spenkln' wide, the weddln' cake of matrimony has been mostly mildewed for me," said Mormon reflectively, "but I'vo alius had an affinity fo' the sex. I ain't like Sandy. Nature give him an Instinct ng'ln' 'em, ns partners. part-ners. Ho was bo'n lucky." But Sandy had gone out. Sam nnd Mormon trailed him and saw hlra walking toward tho cottonwood grove with Grit nt his heels. "He thinks a heap of Molly." opined Sam. "I reckon ho sure hates to lose her, If ho Is woman-shy. 'Courso Molly was Jest n kid. But I don't fancy she'll tnko tho back-trall onco sho gltB mixed up with tho Keith outfit" "I nln't so plumb sure of thnt," returned re-turned Mormon. "Molly's bo'n nn' bred with tho West In her blood, She'll alius hear the call of tho range, llko n colt that's stepped wild. He'll drink nt tho tank, but ho ain't for-gettln' for-gettln' tho water-hole." Sandy, under the cottonwoods whero the spring bubbled, so near the old prospector's gravo that perhapt the old miner lying there could. In hit now nfllnltlcs with Nature, hear 1U flow, was thinking much tho same thing Mormon had expressed, hoplni It might be true, chiding himself les tho thought be selfish. Memories of Molly flickered acrosi the screen of his mind: Molly besidi her father by the broken wagon climbing to get the cactus blosson for his cairn; Molly at tho grave Molly giving him tho gold piece; th wild rldo across the paBsjind tho rac for tho train and a recollection tha was freshest of oil, ono ho bad no mentioned to his partners; tho touc' of Molly's lips on his as he hod bad her goodby. The kiss had not bee that of a child, there had been a magi In It that had thrilled soroo chord ii Sandy that still responded to that rt membranes. Miranda, alono in tho flivver, a nev car of her own, bought with mono; paid by Keith for her claim, was a tho ranch house when Sandy returned Miranda and young Ed Bailey, accept Ing Wcstlnke's advice, had sold foi cash, getting fifteen thousand dollar) to dlvldo between them, refusing mon glittering offers of stock. It was 1 windfall well worth their endeavoi and thoy wcro amply satisfied. Younj Ed had promptly gone to agriculture college. Miranda, Mormon and San were talking about this when Sandj camo up. "It sure made a man of young Et overnight" said tho spinster. "H thought It out all by hlmse'f an' nlgi surprised us off our feet Wo'n plumb proud of him. "Mr. Westlako was over day before yesterday," she went on. Ho sayi things Is boomln' up to Casey Town There's been some good strikes, on In tho claim nex but ono to ours Keith's coin' to start things wblrlln' I reckon." "Mebbe ho'll see Molly," suggested Sam. "Though of courso she ain't tc Keith's house yet." "How's that?" asked tho splnstei eagerly. "Wo are waltln' fo' Snndy to shov you tho letter," said Sam. Miranda read the letter througl twice, folded It nnd held It In her lai for a few moments. Then: "I don't rightly git the motive bncl of this wrltln'. It ain't been sen without one. Mebbe she's Just tnkei a fancy to Molly, mebbo she's a worn an that likes to do kind things ant thinks Molly'll pay well for beln taken up. I don't mean In money but, If Molly didn't havo a show 0 beln' rich, on' warn't prltty, whld she Is, I ain't certain Mrs. Kolth 'at be so eager. I guess It's all right but, somehow, It don't hit mo a plumb sincere." "You'd vote ng'ln It?" asked Sandy "No-o. I vudn't" "I flggered on puttin' It up to Molly.1 "That's a good Idee. An', as he gunrdeen, I'd suggest thut Mrs 'Keith lives up to that half-promise 0 hers an' make It n condition sh brings Molly out here Inside of si: months. That'll glvo time for a fal trial an' you can see right then fc yoroself how It's workln'." "That's a plumb fino Idee," snl Mormon, looking triumphantly at hi partners. - It ran with Sandy's own wishes nn ho subscribed to It Sam Indorsed I as well, nnd n letter was sent ens that night, containing the proviso c Molly's return nnd nnothcr thnt Moll should bear all her own expenses c tuition and living. All this to nan upon Molly's own desire to make th chnnge. When Mollv's letter came there at uvj.i, w 11 1 uio msuwi. After that Molly's letters woi prime crents at tho Three Star. 81 wrote every week telling of llfo 1 tho Keiths'. Miranda made up U quartet to read them. Molly wrot "It Is full of excitement this 1L at the Keiths', and they are Ju lovely to mo. There is a lot of cor pony always at tho houso and ever ouo seems to bo enjoying himself, bi Bomehow It strikes me as not quli real. I want to bo back where n body pretends. "I'd glvo anything, sometimes, ft a good gallop through U10 redtop ar sage and rabbit-brush on my pony." There was inoro talk of dlnnei and dances, of receptions and the tors, with mention of Donald Koll here nnd there, chat of new clothe kind words for tho elder Keith "Don't think I'vo changed," she sal "I'm the snmo Molly underneath eve If I have been revamped and dec rated." Tho famous Whlto Gold prospe tuses and advertisements duly fc lowed thn news ntnrlrn. r!nrv Tnn boomed with some bonn-fldo strike thnt sent Keith's stocks soaring hlgl Tho porphyry dyko at tho Molly mln began to yield rich results almoi from tho first, and dividends wci paid In such quantities as to stngg 1 "Th Qal W'udn't Promise t Qo ; .School 'Leu Wo Shared Evi b Steven," Said Mormon. the Three Star outfit who saw the t selves In a fair way to become rl n All over the barren hills, where 1 e first futile shafts had been driven a n abondo'ned, buildings sprang up 1! c mushrooms, housing machinery, scj a Ing up plumes of whlto smoke tl H tokened the underground energies. The three partners held consul tlon ns to their disposal of the chec that wero sent them. t "Molly, she's gettln' tho sai amount wo'ro spllttln' both way l said Sam, "but somehow it don't sci r right to mo tho way wo como in. , was her dad's mine, no found It J , we did was to find her an' Grit do , that" r "Tho gal w'udn't promise to go , school 'less we shared oven-Stevci I said Mormon. 1 "I see It this way," said Sand r "I've done a heap of thlnkln' over tl matter. I'm plumb suro that If we-i I didn't take the money Molly 'ud pt , out her picket-pin an' say wo wasi , playln' fair an' square with her. , flggcr wo can do this. We can u the money, keepln' account of it pt , tin' It Into stock an' Improvemen , thnt'll pay fo' themselves long bcl Molly comes of ago an' my guardd J papers play out. That way we'll ha the benefit of tho capital on' kcop ready to turn over to her If sho ov needs It. I don't believe she'll ev I take one red of It It was n gnmb , with her on' she's a thoroughbr sport But, In case anything ev . turns up, or sho gits married, we have It handy." t "FIgger she'B goln' to marry th young Keith? I suro hato to think 1 Molly hltchln' up with a tenderfoi But I subscrlbo to Sandy's sebemo these hero dividends of ours." t "Count me In," said Mormon. A: t so tho affair was settled. 1 Of Pllmsoll little was heard. T I gambler had deserted that professh ' and stayed closo to tits horse rani , It lay alone, and few visited It sa f Pllmsoll's own associates. Rumc 1 drifted concerning Pllmsoll's remai I ablo herd Increaso of saleable horn , but, unless proof of actual operatl s was forthcoming, thero was sm chance of pinning anything down . tho way of Illegal work. Wyatt on staggering out of some blind pig " Hereford, babbled In rcsudlln drui r enness of his determination to i 1. even with Pllmsoll for stealing 1 f sweetheart For Wyatt, for the sa o of tho girl, had gone back to PU |