The Argosy, Vol. 76, No. 3 — page 89: what you’re looking at

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

GOLD GRABBERS. The girl’s eyes burned. Leaning down, she took one of his hands in both her own and held it to her white cheek. “ Novia!” she whispered. true, then? ”’ He disengaged his hand and groped at the breast of his flannel shirt. He found there only a bandage. A troubled look came into his eyes. From her own bosom the girl took a glove, stained red at the fingers. “ Here,” went on Mariquita. “I found it—I—” Her head went down on the pillow beside his. “ Novio mio,’ she added in a stifled voice, “what matters the mine or anything else, now that we know?” He smiled up into O’Hara’s face. And then the throb of a motor-car awakened echoes in the silent camp. The car halted in front of the of- fice, and Ransom and Dr. Morton and —O’Hara could scarcely believe his eyes—Deane came into the room. “ What in the name of—” began the sheriff, then saw Mariquita and bit off his words. “ What’s been going on here? Who shot Bremerton? Deane brought us word, and we hit only the high places coming. What’s back of this black business? ”’ . “Deane can tell you!” cried O’Hara. “Deane shot Bremerton! The nerve of him, to come back here like this!” Deane was haggard and about spent. What he had passed through he alone knew. “Tt was an accident,” said Bremer- ton. “Lee!” protested O’Hara. “Tt was an_ accident,” Bremerton. Deane turned away and staggered out into the other room. “Ts it insisted CHAPTER XXVI. CONCLUSION. THE time came when Michael O’Hara, sitting under the oaks in the 559 cafion with his flute, paused in his playing to think of what had been and of what was to be. The old wander- lust was strong within him, and the beckoning hills would have had him long since but for Bremerton. He could not vanish before his friend was on his feet and the future way made straight for him. ’Twas coming four weeks now since the “accidental” shooting. Deane had gone away immediately, but con- science had spoken to him that night. Why else had he gone for the sheriff and the doctor and come out with them to the mine? His heart was sore for his anger and his hastiness. He wanted to know that his old friend would live. He wanted to see with his own eyes that he had not opened the gates for a dauntless spirit. Well, he saw. Troth, and he heard Bremerton speak and insist on the words that cleared him. After that he went away and not once had he been heard from. Another superintendent—from Col- orado he was—came in a week. He had a smooth, boyish face, and his brown eyes turned often to Mariquita, who would not leave Bremerton’s side. But the girl thought only, lived only, for the man under her care; and the brown eyes were disappointed. It was easy sailing for the new su- per. The mill was grinding bonanza rock, and was closed down every other day for a partial clean-up. Men with guns stood guard by the plates, and people from Phoenix came to see that new wonder in the Phenix Mountains —a mine whose performance outran expectations. It was no place for a sick man, what with the stream of visitors and the excitement. So in a week Bremerton was moved to Oak Flat in the cafion. Mariquita would have it that way, and it was admitted that no one had a better right to dictate. Red Collins and Gorman had charge of the transfer, and their aids COMicdoo S CO@