Part 25 (1/2)
”You're a fine lot, to bring a small army against one man!”
”We have as much right here, Gage, as you have, spoke Tom, steadily.
”What do you want here!”
”We have come to look this claim over.”
”Get off, then. You have no right here.”
”You know, quite well, Gage, that we have as much right here as you have,” Tom rejoined easily. ”We are quite well aware that your man failed to file the claim because all of you have exhausted your mineral rights under the law.
”So you think you can come here and take it from us, do you?” glared Gage, his face livid with pa.s.sion.
”We have just the same right to this claim now that any man has who has any mineral rights left under the law,” Reade made answer.
”But you haven't. I'm going to get this claim yet,” Gage insisted.
”I've sent for a friend who hasn't taken up any mineral rights yet.
He will file the claim. See here!”
Gage moved aside, displaying a new board, on which a notice had been written.
”That's signed with the name of the man the claim belongs to now,”
declared Gage, triumphantly.
Tom handed his bridle to Harry, then dismounted, bending over to scan the new notice. It was a duplicate of the former one, except that the new signature was that of one, Joseph Pringle.
”Where is Pringle?” Tom demanded.
”None of your business.”
”But you see,” explained the young engineer dryly, ”it happens to be my business.”
From under his coat Reade drew forth a folding camera. Quickly opening and focussing he held the camera close, pressing the bulb.
”That photograph will enlarge to almost any size,” Tom declared.
”Now, then, Gage, do you claim that this strip has been claimed by one, Pringle?”
”I do,” scowled Gage, ”and Pringle is our partner. We're going to work this claim with him, and you're trespa.s.sing.”
”Is that Pringle's own signature?” Tom insisted.
”None of your business!”
”You've given me that same kind of an answer before,” Tom smiled.
”As it happens, this is our business. Gage, the writing of that notice looks exactly like your writing, and Pringle's alleged signature is in the same hand-writing. If you've signed Pringle's name---and I charge that you have---then that notice has no legal value whatever. Recollect, I have a photograph of the notice and signature, and that this notice in turn, so that you may remember that the writing throughout is the same that my photograph is going to reveal.”
Jim Ferrers quickly came forward. Gage stepped squarely in front of the board holding the notice. But Tom took a swift step forward.