WEALTH OF THE WILD

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21457, 3 April 1933, Page 15

WEALTH OF THE WILD

By L. C. DOUTHWAITE Author of " The Unicom," " Fourfiush Island," etc.

(COPYRIGHT)

A STORY OF LOVE AND ADVENTURE IN THE GREAT OUTDOORS

CHAPTER XXVIII slim's surprise "What's to do now?" Rod demanded, wliilo Roy was enthusiastically tackling a dish of sturgeon at Tom Long's. " After I've bought a few things at Tom Marney's," said Roy, " I'm going to hit the trail straight back to where I came from." Red glanced at him alertly. " Where's that?" ho questioned. ) Roy paused only a moment before replying. Then ho reflected that as the news of the find would soon become common property it would bo a grateful compliment to make Red his first unofficial confidant. Besides, ho both liked and trusted the genial fisherman, and felt that his comments on the now discovery would bo worth hearing. So, omitting any reference to Slim Peters, ho told Red the whole story, a narrative to which the other listened with an interest that was almost ludicrous. " Aro you 'andin' mo this thing right?" Rod demanded when Roy had finished, " or aro you just stringin' mo?" A sudden thought struck Roy. Tlicro was a way in which his companion's sphere of usefulness might be extended. "Come and seo for yourself!' ho said quietly. The lig|it of newly-created interest flashed into Red's expressive eyes. " Jumpin' snakes!" he exclaimed. " I'll bo tickled to death to bo let in on the ground floor of a find liko that. Maybe yours ain't the only place in that locality where there's gold." " That's right, too," said Roy; and, slipping his hand into his pocket, produced a rough plan of the secondary group of claims his party had staked. " Why not stake these for a start?" ho suggested. Red scrutinised the plans as a puppy examines a new and unexpected beetle. " What's the big idea?" ho demanded at last in the prospector's invariable formula. *'Why hand this over to me?" " We've staked all we can—all we want to if it comes to that," Roy explained, " and you might as well register this other lot as anyone else." Still searching for a snag, Red stalled. " But are they any blamo good if I do stake 'em?" ho demanded. " So far as wo can tell," Roy assured him, " they run from 10 to 15 dollars a ton." The eyes of the two met in a long, appraising glance, and apparently what the sturgeon fisher gathered from his inspection was sufficiently convincing, for, his face beaming, he thrust a horny hand across the table. " Only stop at the Landin' long enough for me to put my old woman wise, an' I'll be right with you," he said. For the first few days of Roy's return to the lake it looked as though the point where harmony could be restored between Nell and himself had passed. It was not that her greeting was cold; it was as if, though welcome came from her heart, that heart was yet very definitely in her own keeping. It had been the same, too, when, having seen the Hoopers settled on their claim, for Mame had decided to accompany her husband, and hired them on generous terms to keep an eye on the Lobstick, the party embarked for Cinnamon Creek. Nor was Nell's attitude merely a passing phase, for during the journey back their relations were marked with the same easy non-committal friendship. Even now that they were all together beneath the informal shelter of the Prince Regent Hotel, though outwardly she treated him with the old, sweet friendliness, there was lacking still that spark without which love gleams with but an artificial light. From the material point of view, however, things could not have looked more promising. Her father's first idea of the richness of the claims had been confirmed by more searching tests during the time the party were marooned; in which period, too, more than sufficient high-grade ore had been loosed to provide for the full cost of the stamping mill. The pile of letters and telegrams which awaited him. at the hotel satisfactorily disposed of, it was characteristic of the old miner that he should have gone directly to Roy's room. "If you tako this along to the bank," ho said, passing over an envelope, " I guess they'll cable it to your pop's -business address right away." " It's no good keopin' the old gentleman guessin' longer than we can help," he added. The envelope contained a cheque on tho Canadian Bank of Commcrco for five hundred thousand dollars. Roy went rather white. His voice sounded strange and unnatural as he attempted a reply, and rather as though it did not quite belong to him, though coinmon sense told him the mine held gold in enormous quantities. " Mr. Murrian," ho said quietly, " will you answer me one question absolutely truly and without evasion or reservation ?" Tho Canadian's eyes twinkled. "Sure," ho said. "The only time I do either is when I figure on the other feller's tryin' to put one over me. So go right ahead an' shoot." " If you wore to put tho claims on tho market in America," asked Boy, ' how much could you sell them for?" "To retain a considerable interest for ourselves? Ma.vbo two million dollars. An' that's the truth," tho other answered promptly. Roy made a rapid calculation, and his heart gave a great throb of relief. Then, with him an unusual concession to sentiment, ho held out his hand. " I won't mako you uncomfortable by overloading you with thanks for all your wonderful kindness," bo said, " but I should liko to tell you tlicro is more than a strong probability you've helped to save my father's life." " For which I'm goin' to make a nice piece of change for myself without a cent's worth of risk," said the Canadian gruffly. " And when you saved Nell you took a chance that looked liko you was headin' for a coroner's inquest." Ho advanced a paco and laid his hand for a moment on Roy's shoulder. "Both you and that perm'nant burst of silence Tony Clarges is aco-high with mo for tho way you acted that night," ho said with a sincerity which lost nothing because tho words were lightly spoken, " an' I'm tickled to death I don't have to lose touch with either of you." lie made as though to movo away, and then turned suddenly. "But I shall feel 1)101*8 satisfied about that, ho added, " when I hear the Weddiu' March over you an' Nell." <

Hoy flushed uncomfortably. would have given much to discuss with this big understanding friend the doubts and fears which day by day took all the edge from his success, and made his nights a fever of restlessness. But until Nell herself put the position into words ho felt that it would be disloyal to do so. And while ho hesitated the older man's glance never for a moment left his face. " You've got to get out of her mind you ever supposed it mattered a hoot to her if you wore made of money or hadn't a cent," Mr. Murrian said over his shoulder. The momentary colour faded from Roy's face, leaving it white and strained. " Has Noll been talking to you, sir?" he asked quickly. " Not a word," said her father promptly, adding: " There aro things so near tho heart of a young girl she don't talk 'em over with herself, let alone to an old roughneck of a father. And this is one of those things where 1 can't butt in. No outsider could. It's a question that lies between yourself and Nell, an' only you two can settle it." Hoy reached for his hat. " Thanhs very much indeed, sir," ho said soberly. " I hope with all my heart to succeed." " That's all right," said tho Canadian easilv. " Go down to Tom Long's and have a bit of food and then come right back hero. I want to —cr hold a hit of a conference with tho whole bunch of you. There's one or two things want clearing up." So Hoy collected Tony Clarges, and together they went off to lunch, tho latter in unusually high spirits. It was over tho roeal, indeed, that ho mado his most surprising effort yet. " 1 owe a lot to you, Hoy, old scout," ho said casually as the meal was coining to an end. Hoy looked up. " This Lobstick Claim business, continued Tony. " My percentage looks liko bringing me in a small iortune. Enough at any rate, with my salary as Mr. Murrian's secretary, to get married on." Hov dropped his fork with a clatter. " To—" lie repeated. " 1 was engaged when I came out here," Tonv explained. " Of course, I hadn't a bean, and her father—Lord Beverley—made things dashed uncomfortable. So did mine for the matter of that. So I thought the only straight thing to do was to call tho engagement off and come out here. But, ° bless her. Enid refused pointblank to give me up. Said she'd wait for me until she was white-headed and "-•olio at tho knees if necessary. So, although it was a pretty faint hope, wo hung on. And now, thanks to you, I'm able to write and ask her to come out and marry me." When they got back to the hotel, Nell and her father were waiting for thein with Harry Pullen. " It's just a matter of cleaning up, Mr. Murrian announced. " In the first place, and so far as tho claim's concerned, I propose to form a private limited company right hero in Cinnamon Crock an' allot the shares as we arranged." Ho glancQd across to each oi the other four in turn. "How docs that go?" he inquired. "Agreed with unanimously;" he went " Now wo come to Slim rotors. If ho hadn't happened just to have been mound the time he was, an' taken Hoy a joy-ride back here, we should have been stumped for sure." Ho glanced across at Hoy. " That's right, I guess, isn't it?" ho inquired. It was obvious what was being led up to. "Of course," Tony said. I told them as soon as tho chief offered to take me on." He crumbled bread into pellets. " He was jolly sporting about it. I believe he even wrote to say I was making good; anyway, the 6 UV " nor's increased my allowance. And, or course, Miss Murrian's been most awfully good, and—and sympathetic. He crumbled his bread more furiously. Probably this was the longest connected speech he had ever made. For tho second time that day Koy stretched out an involuntary hand, which, if rather self-consciously, Tony grasped with great heartiness. " if it's a fair question, do Mr. Murrian and Nell know of this. - ' Hoy asked. . , " Mr. Murrian," Hoy saul quietly, " for reasons f don't wish to go into I want to ask you as a personal favour to allow me to settlo that matter entirely by myself." " Those reasons, whatever they ore," returned tho Canadian, after a silence during which ho regarded Hoy with an amazement which was not altogether free from annoyance, " are bunk. Plain, ordinary bunk, that I for one won't stand for." Ho rose from tho table and went to the door. "Oh, Slim!" he yelled. "Come riVht in!" Ho turned back into the room. " We'll see what tho feller has to say about it himself," ho added yly. Watching tho airman intently as no entered, Hoy saw how eagerly his eyes traversed tho room until tlicy rested upon Nell, and how they lighted as thoy did so. Indeed, it was not until tho Canadian asked him to sit down that tho airman appeared conscious of any other presence. " It's in regard to tho service you did us in landing Hoy in Cinnamon Crock," said Mr. Murrian. "We are all of one mind in considering that we cannot allow this to pass without recognition." Brief as was tho announcement, the airman's expression had changed to on£ of utter bewilderment. Ho looked at the speaker open-mouthed. " Say," ho said shortly at last, "that kind of talk don't cut any ice. When you said for me to come here I knew what I was up against. I'm prepared to tak» all that's comin' to me. And then, when you've said your piece " —once more his eyes rested lingeringly on Noll —" maybe I'll have something to say myself. But " —he turned once more directly to Mr. Murrian —" you can cut out that junk about landin' Mr. Coniston here in tho Creek. You know darn well tho only place ever 1 landed him was in the plumb centre of Sandy Lake." (To bo continued daily)