SUNGER GOES LAME
Jack was on the alert, ready to follow, but there
was no need. Mr. Argent came back with a grim
smile on his bronzed face.
“I thought I heard a movement there, as if some
one were listening,” he said, “but it
was a false alarm.”
“Are they trailing you as closely as that?”
“Yes, and more so,” was the answer.
“There’s a big fight on to get this mine
away from me and my friends, but we’re going
to beat our enemies. They’d give anything
to get the information that is to come to me through
the mail, and that’s why I’m always on
the lookout, fearing some one may overhear what I
say.”
“But I thought you knew where the mine is,”
said Jack.
“So I do, and I’m one of the very few
men who do know the exact location.”
“Then why are you expecting information through
the mail that will disclose the place where it is?”
“You don’t exactly understand,”
was the reply. “You see, after the man who
first located the mine came back with some rich samples
of gold from it, he died, and the place where he had
made the strike was lost for some time. Then
the documents giving the location were found by those
entitled to share the wealth, and I came in on the
deal.
“Now, in order to have everything perfectly
legal it was necessary, in this particular case, to
send to the authorities to have our titles made good.
To do that we had to describe exactly where the mine
was located. We had to send this information
to the government officials in San Francisco.
But of course our secret is safe with them.
“The trouble is, however, that they are now
sending back to us our original documents, which give
the location of the mine, and with them come our proofs
to the claim, our legal title so to speak. Of
course all these papers contain the written description
of the location of the mine. If these papers
fall into the hands of the men who are working against
us they may jump our claim, as they call it, for it
is not yet legally secured to us.
“That is why I am so anxious not to have the
expected letters lost. So if you get them, Jack,
take good care of them.”
“You can make sure I will!” exclaimed
the pony rider.
“Oh, I’m not worrying about you, Jack.
I mean I know I can trust you, just as I could have
trusted your father were he on the express route.
It’s the other fellows I’m worrying about.
They held you up once, Jack, and—”
“They won’t get a second chance!”
exclaimed the lad, with flashing eyes. “I’ll
be on the watch.”
“Well, they’re pretty foxy and cunning,”
went on the miner. “It’s treachery
more than anything else you have to fear now; treachery
and guile. They’ll try them now they’ve
found out their hold-up methods didn’t work!”
“Well, they may try them again,” said
Jack, “but they won’t catch me napping
again.”
