Ruth Fielding at Silver Ranch Part 8

"What crazy fellow is that?" demanded Lawyer Savage, quickly.

"Why, thar's been a galoot around Tintacker ever since Spring opened. I dunno but he was thar in the winter--"

"Young man, or old?" interrupted Savage.

"Not much more'n a kid, my boys say."

"You've never seen him?"

"No. But I believe he set the gra.s.s afire the other day, and made us a heap of trouble along Larruper Crick," declared the ranchman.

The lawyer looked thoughtful. "There was a young fellow here twice to look up the Tintacker properties. He came to see me the first time-that was more than a year ago. Said he had been left his father's share in the old Tintacker Mine and wanted to buy out the heirs of the other partner. I helped him get a statement of the record and the names of the other parties--"

"Oh, please, Mr. Savage, what was his name?" asked Ruth, quickly.

"I don't know what his name really _was_," replied the lawyer, smiling.

"He called himself John c.o.x-might have been just a name he took for the time being. There wasn't any c.o.x ever had an interest in the Tintacker as far as I can find. But he probably had his own reasons for keeping his name to himself. Then he came back in the winter. I saw him on the street here. That's all I know about him."

"Tenderfoot?" asked Hicks.

"Yes, and a nice spoken fellow. He made a personal inspection of the properties the first time he was here. That I know, for I found a guide for him, Ben Burgess. He stayed two weeks at the old camp, Ben said, and acted like he knew something about minerals."

Mr. Savage had found the proper books and he discovered almost at once that there had been an entry made since he had last looked up the records of Tintacker a year or more before.

"That fellow did it!" exclaimed the lawyer. "He must have found those other heirs and he's got possession of the entire Tintacker Mine holdings. Yes-sir! the records are as straight as a string. And the record was made last winter. That is what he came back here for. Now, young lady, what do you want to know about it all?"

"I want a copy, please, of the record just as it stands-the present ownership of the mine, I mean," said Ruth. "I want to send that to Uncle Jabez."

"It is all held now in the name of John c.o.x. The original owners were two men named Symplex and Burbridge. It is Burbridge's heirs this fellow seems to have bought up. Now, he told me his father died and left his share of the Tintacker to him. That means that 'Symplex' was this young c.o.x's father. One, or the other of them didn't use his right name-eh?"

suggested the lawyer.

"But that doesn't invalidate the t.i.tle. It's straight enough now. The Tintacker Mine-whether it is worth ten cents or ten thousand dollars-belongs to somebody known as John c.o.x-somebody who can produce the deeds. You say your uncle bought into the mine and took personal notes with the mine for security, Miss?"

"That is the way I understand it," Ruth replied.

"And it looks as though the young man used the money to buy out the other owners. That seems straight enough. Your uncle's security is all clear as far as the t.i.tle of the mine goes--"

"But according to what I know," broke in Mr. Hicks, "he might as well have a lien on a setting of hen's eggs as an interest in the Tintacker Mine."

"That's about it," admitted Mr. Savage. "I don't believe the mine is worth the money it cost the young fellow to have these records made."

"Well," said Ruth, with a sigh; "I'll pay you for making the copy, just the same; and I'll send it home to uncle. And, if you don't mind, Mr.

Savage, I'll send him your name and address, too. Perhaps he may want you to make some move in the matter of the Tintacker property."

This was agreed upon, and the lawyer promised to have the papers ready to send East in two or three days. Then Mr. Hicks took Ruth to the hotel to dinner, and they started for the ranch again soon after that meal.

When they came in sight of the Crossing, Ruth saw that the little red painted schoolhouse was open. All the windows were flung wide and the door was ajar; and she could see Sally d.i.c.kson's brilliant hair, as well as other heads, flitting back and forth past the windows.

"Hi Jefers!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Bill Hicks. "I reckon thar's goin' to be a dance at the schoolhouse Sat.u.r.day night. I nigh forgot it. We'll all hafter go over so that you folks from Down East kin see what a re'l Montany jamboree is like. The gals is fixin' up for it now, I reckon."

"I want to see Sally," said Ruth, smiling.

"Huh!" grunted Bill, with a glance at the big box of candy the Eastern girl held so carefully before her. "You kin see her all right. That red head of hers shines like a beacon in the night. And I'll speak to Lem."

Ruth rode her pony close to one of the open windows of the little schoolhouse. She could see that the benches and desks had been all moved out-probably stacked in a lean-to at the end of the house. The floor had been swept and mopped up and the girls were helping Sally trim the walls and certain pictures which hung thereon with festoons of colored paper.

One girl was polishing the lamp chimneys, and another was filling and tr.i.m.m.i.n.g the lamps themselves.

"Oh, hullo!" said the storekeeper's daughter, seeing Ruth at the window, and leaving her work to come across the room. "You're one of those young ladies stopping at Silver Ranch, aren't you?"

"No," said Ruth, smiling. "I'm one of the girls visiting Jane Ann. I hope you are going to invite us to your party here. We shall enjoy coming, I am sure."

"Guess you won't think much of our ball," returned Sally d.i.c.kson. "We're plain folk. Don't do things like they do East."

"How do you know what sort of parties we have at home?" queried Ruth, laughing at her. "We're not city girls. We live in the country and get our fun where we can find it, too. And perhaps we can help you have a good time-if you'll let us."

"Well, I don't know," began Sally, yet beginning to smile, too; n.o.body could be _grouchy_ and stare into Ruth Fielding's happy face for long.

"What do you do for music?"

"Well, one of the boys at Chatford's got a banjo and old Jim Casey plays the accordion-when he's sober. But the last time the music failed us, and one of the boys tried to whistle the dances; but one feller that was mad with him kept showing him a lemon and it made his mouth twist up so that he couldn't keep his lips puckered nohow."

Ruth giggled at that, but said at once:

"One of my friends plays the piano real nicely; but of course it would be too much trouble to bring Jane Ann's piano away over here. However, my chum, Helen, plays the violin. She will bring it and help out on the music, I know. And we'd _all_ be glad of an invitation."

"Why, sure! you come over," cried Sally, warming up to Ruth's advances.

"I suppose a bunch of the Silver outfit boys will be on hand. Some of 'em are real nice boys--"

"And that reminds me," said Ruth, advancing the package of candy. "One of the gentlemen working for Mr. Hicks asked me to hand you this, Miss d.i.c.kson. He was very particular that you should get it safely." She put the candy into the red-haired girl's hands. "And we certainly will be over-all of us-Sat.u.r.day evening."

Before Sally could refuse Ike's present, or comment upon it at all, Ruth rode away from the schoolhouse.

CHAPTER IX-THE FOX IS RECKLESS

When Ruth arrived at Silver Ranch that afternoon she found that the ranchman's niece and the other girls had planned an outing for the following day into the hills West of the range over which Mr. Hicks'

cattle fed. It was to be a picnic jaunt, the object being mainly to view the wonderful "natural bridge" in a small canon, some thirty miles from the ranch.

A sixty-mile drive within twenty-four hours seemed a big undertaking in the minds of the Eastern young folk; but Jane Ann said that the ponies and mules could stand it. It was probable, however, that none of the visitors could stand the ride in the saddle, so arrangements had been made for both buckboards to be used.

Tom and Bob were each to drive one of the vehicles. Jib Pottoway was to go as guide and general mentor of the party, and one of the little Mexican boys would drive the supply wagon, to which were hitched two trotting mules. The start would be made at three in the morning; therefore the ranch-house was quiet soon after dark that evening.

Maria had breakfast ready for them as soon as the girls and Bob and Tom appeared; and the wagon was laden with provisions, as well as a light tent and blankets. Tom and Bob had both brought their guns with them, for there might be a chance to use the weapons on this jaunt.

"There are plenty of kiotes in the hills," said Jane Ann. "And sometimes a gray wolf. The boys once in a while see cats about-in calving time, you know. But I reckon they're mighty scarce."