gs are likely to be hot."

Mr. Hunter now advanced and held a long conversation with the
superintendent and his friends, at the conclusion of which he ordered
Joe to have the lumber dragged from the tract staked out by the
surveyors.

In this work Fred assisted, while the miner stood guard with his
revolver to prevent any interference, and when the task was finished the
former whispered to his partner:

"Did they scare you, Joe?"

"Well, I don't mind ownin' to you that they did; but not one in the gang
knew it. I was bound to stick as long as I could, an' a big lot of bluff
helped me through."

"Mr. Hunter says that if the injunction can be served on Mr. Wright
before the men begin work, it will be all right."

"Is that the only thing he knows of to stop matters?"

"It will be enough."

"I'd rather trust to my fist than any paper that was ever written."

After a time Fred succeeded in making the miner understand what kind of
a document it was they depended upon to prevent the superintendent from
trespassing, and the explanation had but just been made as Mr. Hunter's
clerk arrived with the important document.

When this had been served on Mr. Wright the matter was settled
temporarily, and the lawyer said to Fred and Joe:

"You can return home, and the next summons will be for the trial. This
move of Wright's has been a foolish one, and will, I think, prejudice
his case."

CHAPTER XXXIV

THE NEW MINE

It is unnecessary to give the details of the long trial to establish the
title of that certain tract of land known as "Louder's Slope."

Suffice it to say that all the claimants were there with the exception
of Bill Thomas, and the case was finally settled in favor of the
defendants.

The farmer who sold the property to Joe was literally frightened into
telling the truth, and although the company showed a deed for the land,
no record could be found for the same.

The general opinion of those who understood the case was that Mr. Wright
had attempted to play a desperate game, and failed because it was
impossible to corrupt certain parties in the Recorder of Deeds' office.
In fact, a very ugly rumor gained circulation immediately after the
trial, to the effect that a large sum of money had been offered a clerk,
if he would change a number of figures on the books to correspond with
the deed which was exhibited in court.

When Joe, Fred, and Sam returned home absolute owners of the valuable
tract,