Part 27 (1/2)

”Tender-foot, I never would have found this if it hadn't been for you,”

said he, with so like a tre particular pains to keep his hands out of the way ”I'll take your word for it”

”I won't squeeze you, honor bright!” said Elah Elaave him his hand He didn't squeeze it, but he shook it very warmly

CHAPTER XVIII

CONCLUSION

I had often heard To his stories, but I believe he was utterly confounded by the turn his ”luck”

had taken in this particular instance He was too amazed, so much so that he couldn't speak, while Elam, it was plain to be seen, looked upon him as a lucky omen In these days he would have been called a ”mascot”

I was completely thunderstruck, and if Toest mountain in the valley, and I could have it for theafter it, I believe I should have put faith in his story

”I wish that nugget could speak,” said Ela doith his arm thrown over his find ”I would like to hear it tell of all the places it has been in After soI have at last secured the object of my ambition, thanks to you, To to make yourself rich out here, did they?”

”No, and I don't suppose they know it now,” replied Toet your father had?”

”What is the reason they don't know it now?” demanded Elam

”Because the find isn't ive you half of it theit up?

You will find that I am awill pan out?” I said, seizing the nugget with both hands and trying to lift it froo”

”That nugget will pan out between five and eight thousand dollars,” said Elam ”That's the price that Spaniard put upon it”

”Do you think this is the saood reatup”

”That's the reason I wish it could speak,” said Elam ”Until I know differently I shall believe it is the sa to Texas as soon as I can get there You will go withdown there for?” asked Toet theing theood order for next winter”

”I don't knohether I will go or not There may be some lawless men down there, and you will have money on your person”

”Well, what of it? A ainst the Red Ghost is not going to be afraid of lawless o, Tom

You are a lucky o, too There was h to keep me in that country If Uncle Ezra would sell his sheep and buy the herd, I would be a free o to Texas, or any other place to see some fun And that there was fun there I could readily believe All ot into a ”little trouble” in the et out of reach of the law, and in a new country they did pretty near as they had a o down there with one or two thousand dollars in his pocket, but I for one was not unwilling to back hio to sleep on it, and tellto his feet and et in one of the pack-saddles ”I wish one of you boys would go back and get that pick and shovel that we used to dig this thing up, for ant to have the the gold that we couldn't think of anything else”