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"Oh, stow that, Davidson," rejoined the stranger in an irritated voice;

"that rot don't do any good I know you, and you know ame yet, and you know it"

"I does know it, Jack!" ca deal, an' y' can't be too careful!"

"All right, all right," the stranger responded "Now tell us your

sche the claims," replied Arthur calmly There ensued a short

pause Then: "Don't be a fool," exclaimed Slayton with contempt; "this is no hold-up

country You can't drive a un"

"I knows that These claial"

"How?"

"They ain't be'n a stroke of assessone long ago They lost their job last January

Them claier uttered a long whistle Old Mizzou chuckled cunningly "I

has charge of them claims from th' time they quits work on 'em 'till

now They ain't be'n a pick raised on 'em Anybody could a-jumped 'em

any time since las' January"

"But how about the Company?" asked Slayton "How did you fool theh! And I didn't throay th' h But how about the people around here? Why

haven't they juues about this a-way These yere gents sees I has charge,

an' they says to themselves, 'Ole Davidson takes care of theht,' an' so they never thinks it's worth while

t' see whether it is done or not"

"You trusted to their thinking you were perfor risk!"