The Argosy, Vol. 76, No. 3 — page 67: what you’re looking at

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

GOLD GRABBERS. was discontent among the men; then, on top of all this, Griggsby worried about the lost vein and his inability to make good. Finally,” and the girl shivered, “he paid the penalty for helping Deane. “Lacey was sent down. He was energetic and able, and he ruled with an iron hand. But he was not success- ful. His best men left, for the Mari- quita Mine was getting an evil name on account of Griggsby. He had to hire the riffraff of the district in order to do any work at all, and that move brought its own troubles. “Father and I, while all these other enemies of Deane’s were at work, watched and hoped. Would Deane give up?. Would he come to us? “Father heard of a plot against Lacey. We were both sick of the shooting and the bloodshed, hard though our thoughts were toward that master schemer in Denver. I sent Lacey a note and asked him to come to our ranch and hear some important news. He had distrusted us all along. For all that, though, he started to come to us, and—and those others seized that as their chance to strike. “ Afterward you appeared. Some one in Denver—a man in Deane’s office—informed us about that. You know what we have done and tried to do since you reached the mine, Mr. Bremerton. ‘This lost lead has been our only weapon in a hard, hopeless, one-sided fight against a powerful and influential man. Now ’’—a sob rushed to Mariquita’s lips as she said it—“ you know our secret. Ought I to have let you die rather than bring you here? Are we—my father and I—entitled to any consideration at your hands? I have told you the truth. Are you for us or against us?” There, in the dimly lighted level, her face and manner grew all appeal- ing. With tears running down her cheeks she reached out her hands in mute supplication. Bremerton’s eyes wandered to the breast of the level, to that foot-wide 537 streak of bonanza ore which the girl and her father, by the hardest kind of labor, had laid bare. The superintend- ent’s gaze returned to the slender, be- seeching form and tear-stained face in front of him. He got slowly to his feet. “T shall prove what you say, Miss Mallory,” he answered then in a husky, unnatural voice, “and if it is true, as God hears me, I will see that you get your rights! But you must wait—you must be patient—you must have confidence in me, and— No, no, not that!” Before he could draw back she had flung herself on her knees at his feet, caught one of his hands, and pressed it to her lips. CHAPTER XIX. O'HARA GOES GUNNING. | BREMERTON had not been gone an hour from the mine when King, wild- ly excited, came running to O’Hara. The Irishman had just climbed to the ore platform on his way into the mill, and the sharp cries of King brought him to a quick aboutface. ““What’s to pay?’ demanded O’Hara, startled by the look and man- ner of the cyanid expert. “Bremerton’s horse has come back, O’Hara, and with an empty saddle!” “When was this?” “Just now — just this minute! I ran from the corral to find you. They’ve got him, O’Hara! By George, they’ve got him!” O’Hara took the pipe from his teeth and knocRed out the ashes against the side of the mill. His thick eyebrows lowered over the crisscross eyes and his big, thin-lipped mouth twisted, but with no attempt at speech. With one hand he groped in his pocket for his tobacco-sack. With de- liberation he filled the bowl, put away the sack, and scratched a match. “Do you hear?” piped King, fail- ing to understand why he had not COMicdoo S CO@