silence. Mrs. Brewster seemed the only one who appeared grateful for their safety. Doubtless, the others felt a certa

silently followed by the rest. Not until they reached Bear Forks

John and his friends. It doesn't look as if we-all can use their knowledge now, but we may as well talk thi

y to find Haywuth's body. Mebbe it will show whe

p Notch Trail the same time John and Tom take the expert up? The larger

em, mother?" Polly sa

en't you cured with wh

he same place twice,' Mrs. Bre

nty years," quickly added Polly, dropping back into her ranch vernacular in h

of the cave that we need in a s

words showed how little she really un

nt to advise us. Meantime, you-all ride home and rest up. Ah'

zly, and knowing that so many of their prominent citizens were there at the time, they were grouped abo

ilies who feared their men-folks might never return, but also from the citizens wh

ge of the horse-trough thinking over the recent thrilling experiences, he suddenly realized that if Polly had lost her mine again, she might also lose her

e moment the train slowed down, and soon Mr. Brewster h

s had enough for one day," laughed John, placing

, Sam Brewster walked down the street towards Simms' office. Both young men

own this will be the moment we begin oper

hrough future glasses-seeing the rows of fine store-buildings and th

to borrow his horses. I came on to meet you wi

I suppose you were so excited over Polly's discovery of gold that you clean

th of Bill's man, and the newly arrived young engineers heard h

whispered John, anxiously, as he

and-slide on Grizzly that had, most likely, buried Choko's Find unde

en a large party was to go up Top Notch. As they sat arranging who

ing along the road

ount, and so Jeb was hurried here with extra horses for you,"

had much to say to each other, for John had been Jeb's particular charge when the hired man first went to

ensible replies to John's questions about the avalanche, he

ave been a narro

run away from Pebbly Pit she'll git

laughed John, beginning to understand that Jeb was wor

that widder! It's l

any advice, but he thought best to agree in everything with Jeb

y of them farm-hands at Pebbly Pit, like-as-how she has on me, they'd roll right over and

nderstand she is fickle, so that you won't consider her for a mate," whispere

ary would fall fer it? Ah tells you-all she ain't no fule. She

und they had reached the Rainbow Cliffs. Tom and Mr. Brewster

ly's loss of the gold mine, if you would but

h am that it turned out so. Now she won't coax to go away

Brewster a keen look and thought: "So that is why he

and women eagerly awaiting them. Polly ran down the road and caught hold of her brother's stirrup in her impati

walked along, arm linked in arm, she smiled and sighed, then turned to greet Tom Latimer. But she d

warmly welcomed by them as well as by the Brewsters. Barbara felt an especial interest in him, as he was "one of h

and introduced him to Eleanor and

s here this minute?" cried Poll

the reason. Now she quickly diverted attention by saying:

the Trail on the morrow and ascertain just how much damage had been done. John seemed to be as excited a

f the others, and slyly whispered: "Anne Stewart went out toward

having had their attention directed to it by an exclamation from Mrs. Brewster, John

n had passed there that he stumbled up the stone walk. Sary stood in the doorway grin

by wid this

b! Thar's nuthin' in the wurr

ky Mountain avalanche ever, so that he forgot he held an armful of wood. He suddenly went lax in the musc

s or clay," she uttered a yelp of pain. Jeb never stopped to inquire wha

foot held tenderly in both hands, she rocked back and forth,

ain't! Ah'll git you yit, so run away an' make-out like-es-h

ath against Jeb, the cook limped over to

ted a scheme she was going to try on Jeb, some day, soon, so she w

the living-room, mother,"

e one whereby we eat out-of-doors when it is good weather. To-night we will ea

following morning, and it was decided that Jeb should

e why the owners of the mine can't go, too. W

and women-folk would not feel comfortable with such a lot of m

you, and seeing it is our mine, we ought to have s

nice young stranger and his friend, Jim Latimer, over t

like Montresor!" Anne now added, understan

his Sunday he is coming

nly Friday night, you know," persisted Polly,

that end the argument!" now s

e over to visit some old friends of mine to-morrow. We will take our lunch and spend the day with

on the climb when day breaks. Nolla and you will plea

leave her in that frame of mind. So she ran over and jumped up to throw her arms about his neck in her usu

we might go?" w

th them as far as Bear Forks, if we were up in time. I'm bo

l seven o'clock. The riders were far up along the trail b

to Mr. Brewster that he wished to speak with him, so they

Ah'm quittin' your ranch. Not what Ah've got any kick comin' about t

elief. "You couldn't leave us! Wh

ster, but Ah jus' dasent stay where

nd Ah'll fix it if Ah can," an

in gazing, his eye rested on John. Big splendid John who had

r Paw what ails me?" shouted Jeb, certain that

rriedly explained that Jeb seemed to have a queer belie

, Dad? Here, you ride on in my place, an

sively: "Now tell me all about i

s in love, mebbe you-all kin u

ely 'second' until that derned old dance at the school-house. It wuz that time when she perked up in all that borrered finery that

and March with her. Mebbe it w'ar the way Ah danced, that took her fa

en lots of pritty gals on the movie sheet in Oak Crick. Gosh! Some of them peaches Ah see'd would make yuh leave a stiddy jo

n a hole under the barn-rafters, then she'd hold it out to tempt me, like-es-

sketched of Sary and himself, but the orator cared nothing

iss Anne's, and hair like Miss Polly's. But she can cook! Gosh, cain't she cook and clean. So ef

o sing to me, or dressin' up in finery like Miss Bob's and playin' a lady? Ah've ben a hired man and worked

to live on when she met a feller what owned a little ranch in Arizony. They hooked up and she was that happy on the farm! She churned the butter and f

en to Sary sing? Mebbe she kin churn better'n that one I saw in the

usation of Sary's short-comings, that John

of laughter. Then he looked at him as if to ask what had he to say about such positive eviden

traying your trust and faith in womankind. For they sure did more than amuse you for your dime. You took for a solid fact, all the s

adonna eyes, painted lips you could never kiss, blackened eye-lashes and eye-brows, and

ned eyes to this strange description of

, but the little ones try to mimic the big stars and get into all sorts of trouble. I haven't heard of but two or three who could treat a good husban

't the porch open right out on a little pasture and tidy barnyard, where her devoted husband could stand admi

you see that gal, Joh

ns to kill herself. Or sometimes it is the husband who hears how his head man ran away with his foolish little wife. But, Jeb, never believe anything you see in t

want my best

n, cuz you-all kn

ll before you leave Pebbly Pit and take you

eworker. You admit that she is thrifty, and will

him working on a ranch that she saved up for. Didn't she keep him at it until it was m

ore she cripples up. Any man who has ambition would make no mistake

stock she comes of. There isn't a better family in all Colorado than the Morson's. And Sary Morson

you make a big mistake if you go away to find a pretty girl, all dolled up like the M

at kind is worth a shake. Take it from me, Jeb, you'd be happy and contented if you had a ranch of your own, and a sensible wife

passing on his rainbow dreams forever.

s'pose Ah'll hev to let her marry me, er git out to onct. Sence yuh've ben talkin', Ah have a sort of weakenin' fer her c

and Tom Latimer turned back his ho

boys like you, Tom," laughed J

of help to Jeb as well as

eb, in a funereal tone. "Ah've made up m

he great trouble that almost disrupted the household at Pebbly Pit. "Now, thank Heavens, I

d to your profession. I'll be wary

atches before you can m

pretty girl at Pebbly Pit, whereas the

self lovely enough for a match-I don't. But mother and Sary w

see how your own little sister is growing up to be a stunning miss. Why,

hn. "Wh-y-Polly

differently, and you'll want to club him. But the trouble is, that Polly will think exactly as the

and will grow to wonderful womanhood. Now, John, take more notice

n't know better, I'd say you were half-way in love with Polly, yourself. But I

ty reached Four Mile Blaze. Mike tolled off the riders, and warned each one to give stri

rees that obstructed the old trail. Simms felt sure his man had escaped in some miraculous manner, after the avalanche swept him

ly over the side where the two miners had been discovered, that day. Nothing but trees, roc

blaze that told them they were going towards the cave. But the nearer they came to the claim, the greater was the destruction of the forest. Finally they

lla trees on Grizzly Sly-hi

"If the gold is in that spot it is s

thing that ever happened to the girls

, visions of his darling being carried

easy thing to burn and clear away. Meantime, it keeps off all

ent and bury all the apparatus. All previous efforts will be wiped out and you must begin all over again. Then consider the

the earth for gold! See what happened in Alaska. Once men found gold to be had for the pain and pri

ned, cities founded, people settled there, and all bec

of-the-way mine if father would consent t

nsent!" retorte

itch camp and get something t

-don't mistake me there. But I have a serious reason for refusing

l you admit it to me some day?" qui

ven to my wife-