The Argosy, Vol. 84 No. 1 — page 109: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Ns to do five thousand dollars’ worth of work on all these claims this month to hold them, and some one must cook for the ‘ shift’ and also continue the as- saying. You used to help your father do that, didn’t you?” “Yes,” answered Nancy, “I think I could do it if I could break up the specimens.” “We will crush up a basketful from the stuff taken out yesterday and you ‘can experiment on that. The only way by which we can ever get any capital from any one is by being able to show an.ore vein that really assays’ high and does not ‘merely run in streaks and hopes.” The gulch where the tunnel was located was only a few minutes’ walk from the shack and the men soon reached it. Moran explained that they had only been able to go in about thirty feet as yet, since the small amount of timber which they had for shoring necessitated very light “ shots,” and the rock was of brit- tle structure. When they reached the entrance Moran suddenly seized Derby’s arm as the latter, having lighted his candle, was preparing to stoop his way inside. “Wait a bit. Some one has been here since [ have. If he wuz here now he’d not to be here at all, but in a hotter place.” The Irishman stooped and picked up a cigarette butt from the ground. ‘“T niver smoke those things nor any- thing but a man-sized pipe. A man who knew his business,” he went on, “ and wuz not too tender-hearted “bout how many men he hurt might loosen up that. light shoring pretty easy, and whoever did get hurted wouldn’t know what hap- pened him.’’ As he spoke, he drew his revolver from its holster that hung from his suspender. Standing at the mouth of the tunnel he fired two shots into it in rapid succession. The heavy .45 sent a crashing reverbera- tion through the tunnel. The echo was followed by a sliding thud and within ~- DARING THE DANGER ZONE. .a’ while. 99 five feet of the entrance a great mass of — the roof of the tunnel caved in, com- pletely blocking the entrance. “King of glory! this side!” exclaimed Moran, spitting on his hands contemplatively. ‘‘ Still I’m thinkin’ that finishes our little tunnel for All we can do now is to start quarrying a bit.” They turned and walked slowly back up the hill, to meet Nancy, who was It’s lucky we are. hurrying toward them to find out the. reason for the shots. She gave an ex- clamation ef relief when she saw them. Moran merely explained that the shots had been fired to test the tunnel-and that it had caved in. Both he and Gerard had agreed that it was best to give her ne more cause for worry than was neces- sary, until a time came when they could take some active steps. They had decided that until they could obtain help from somewhere, one or the other of them should be with Nancy con- stantly. All the rest of that day they toiled on one of the claims where no work had been done, clearing and stacking mesquite wood and prying loose what ‘scattered boulders they could in order to determine the most favorable place to start “ open face working,” as with the collapse of the tunnel they had abandoned hope of being able to reach the richer ore vein which they thought might le bengal the sur- face. While they worked Gerard vues Moran with a view of finding out as much as he could about West Sym- monds. He related the story which he had heard as to an organization of “ Vampas,” and asked whether Patrick believed that there was any truth in it. ‘““Indade thin I do,” replied the old miner, punctuating his words with steady blows of the pick. Many’s the camp I’ve worked in more or less, and whiniver there was a trace of West Symmonds or his men in the neighborhood, there was after being trouble. all over whin they appeared, but they CORICLOOKS Sometimes it was ~— (E@)