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"He is a good friend to everybody bu,t himself," pursued Ward. "Aren't you, Rufe?" he challenged lightly, "Going to mend in that, though, daughter, and here is a little docu ment he wants you to witness with me. "Yes," burst forth Rufe irrepressi- Diy, as the fair girl signed her name, "and if only out of respect to you, I swear never to break this pledge.' "You are a goodxman," she said simply and sweetly. C Rufe was charmed with- the com fort and welcoming atmosphere of the litle, home. It was not until noon that he left its peaceful, solacing in fluence. When he left the house he traced mingled anxiety and-tender-. ness in the tones of Rose, as' she said: "You have quite capitivated the two children. They will be expecting youyhome early to tell them some more of those captivating stories of yours, Mr. Glidden." "I certainly shall not disappoint them," assented Rufe, and his heart beat fast at the underlying token of genuine interest on the part of a. true woman. ' Sure enough, long before dark he came down the road from the town. His eye was bright,. his step elastic. He seemed like one buoyed up by some sew energy and. interest in life. "My old friends had programmed a sort of a reception for me in the town," reported Rufe, after a pleas ant evening with the little ones,, "but I shut them off on the happy w"ater you are that I've got some business to talk oyer with you. I was a good deal surprised when I got inquiring around to find that the Golden Hope mine had petered out" "Yes, two years ago," nodded Ward. "The vein ran short not untli they had taken out a little for tune, though." "So I hear," said Rufe, "and I found ,thp runway going to . ruin 'and the 1 wildfire that Rufe Glidden had fotad stamp mill rusted and .broken. Do you know that the old owner of the mine offered it to me for a thousand dollars?" "I know it's gone begging, and no one would touch it at any figure," re marked Ward. "Well, I'm going to 'buy it," an nounced Rufe. "Don't think I've gone out of my senses," he added. "Will you stake me?" "You mean, will Lloanyou a thou sand dollars?" - "Just that" "Rose, bring my bank book," di rected Ward, without a moment's hesitation. ' "Not so fast, dear old partner!" in terrupted Rufe. "The money will do tomorrow. I want you to help me will you do it?" "You mean work with you?" "Yes." "Rufe," old friend," spoke Ward, "I wouldn't give five cents for the Gold en Hope. You're buying it for a thousand dollars. I never knew you to make a miss in the' mining gaipe. f don't know your plan, but I do know that you know your business, tfse me. With you for the leader, I follow." x "Thank you, Ward," replied Rufe with palpable emotion "you shan't miss it . The Golden Hope mine was lo cated out of the traversed trails. For a solid month every day, quietly and keeping their own counsel, Rufe and Ward visited the abandoned digging. Every day Rose brought them their dinner. What a iiew glorious life end of it Now then, friends forN what a mighty throbbing secret those three talked over, worked over, dreamed over! And every new day two ardent hearts understood one another better and better. At the end of the week Rufe Glidden drove out of town with a hired wagon and two horses. He returned, with a cover over the heaped-up wagon box, in front of the assay office. A croWd gathered. The rumor spread Mke