The Argosy, Volume XLIV — page 308: what you’re looking at

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

THE GOLD GLEANERS.’ BY WILLIAM WALLACE COOK. we A story of the West, with a new background, in which modern science jostles the evil instincts of some men, the bravery of others, and the indomitable devotion of woman. SYNOPSIS OF CHAPTERS PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED. AMY TRAVIS, in charge of the Cyanide Works at the old Golden Eagle mine, is informed by letters from the owners that her services will no longer be required after the arrival of Mr. Whipple, whom they have selected to take her place. Tho safe has been broken open, and five thousand dollars in bullion stolen, hence the company have decided that their interests will be better safeguarded with a man in charge. The stage on which Mr. Whipple arrives is held up by road agents, but Whipple manages to frustrate their attempt, and lays himself open to the special gratitude of a fellow passenger, a Spanish girl, Teresa Gonzales, daughter of the night watchman at the cyanide tanks. The coach also carries a carboy of acid, which } is jolted off in the scrimmage, and the acid burns its mark into the flesh of at least two of the robbers. Whipple prevails on Miss Travis not to leave the works, and after making an enemy of Chombo, the leader of the men in an attempted strike, rejoices the girl’s heart by showing her, through what he calls an acid test, that Jeffries, the foreman, was probably concerned in the hold up of the stage, and inferen- tially therefore in the stealing of the bullion. She then insists on telling him that she had suspected her own brother Tom of the, latter crime, and begs that he will hire him in some capacity about the works. Whipple declines to do this, whereupon she asks him what he would do supposing she should have her brother come there in spite of him. He replies that he should have to hold both her brother and Jeffries, and communicate with the sheriff. In these circumstances, she is quite wrought up a little later when her brother unexpectedly appears, announces his name to Whipple as James Henderson, and secures from him a position in the works. But he falls into a trap Whipple lays for him and steals what he thinks is a bag of bullion, after which Amy realizes that Whipple has known all along that Henderson is really her brother. Called away by the sheriff on a matter connected with that other rascal, Jeffries, Whipple writes to Amy on business. Teresa, who has conceived a strong fondness for the new manager, chances to see the letter, and is jealous because he hasn’t written to her. She also sees something else—Henderson, who is wanted by the sheriff, skulking in the entrance to an abandoned mine. She is aware that he is one of the men who have made a murderous attack on Whipple, and scarcely knows what use to make of her discovery. For the present, however, she cotermines to keep it to herself. Of all: persons who should not have known, 1 was Amy whom Teresa took into her confidence. In going to the office Teresa had no intention of telling even the smallest part of what she knew. Indeed, when she left home she did not dream of go- ing to the office at all, but her feet led her there quite unconsciously. CHAPTER XIX. FRIENDS AT VARIANCE. SECRET is sometimes a very diffi- cult thing to keep; especiaily if the custodian of it is a girl like Teresa. And the difficulty grows in direct ratio with the importance of the subject and the amount of sensation 1t would cause if divulged. Naturally the Mertcana proved faith- less to the trust she had imposed on herself. The wonder is that she har- bored the momentous matter over- night. Revelation came with the morning, but it was not to the padre, or to the madre, or to Pablo that it was made. She had long since forgiven Amy that letter from Whipple. Although resentment flew quickly to the surface of her warm southern nature, it died out as speedily and was forgotten. So she found herself at the door of the office, looking apologetically at the slender figure bowed over the desk within. *This story began in the October issue of THE ArGosy. The three back numbers will be mailed to any address on receipt of 30 rere gle cents. ElOOO CO