wn."

So he dashed off in the direction of the ranch and the girls wheeled and
galloped back in the direction they had come--back toward Dan Higgins'
mine to warn him to stake a new claim before others reached the spot.

They were so excited that it was hard to make their purpose clear at
first, but when the old man and Meggy comprehended what they were trying
to tell them, they were immediately galvanized to action.

"I'll show you the best place," Betty eagerly volunteered.

Mollie offered to stay behind and give the old man her horse, and in a
minute Betty and Dan Higgins were galloping over the plain to that part
of the ranch where the new gold mines were to be. They had not far to
go, and they saw with relief that they were the first on the spot.

Betty pointed out the place where Peter Levine had said there was gold
running wild, and old Dan Higgins staked his claim as near to the place
as he could without actually encroaching upon the ranch itself.

With trembling fingers he printed on two big placards the exact
dimensions of his claim, and, with Betty's help, nailed them to two
trees at the two extreme ends of his new property, and began to dig.

"Thar," he sighed, after a few moments, taking off his hat to mop the
perspiration from his forehead, "I've made another bargain with luck,
an' mebbe this time I'll win."

"I'm sure you will," cried Betty, with conviction. "If there is gold on
our ranch, and we are sure there is, then there is almost certain to be
some on your property also. Oh, Mr. Dan Higgins, I so dearly hope that
there is!" This was so evidently a cry straight from her earnest young
heart that the keen eyes of the hardened old miner filled with tears and
he patted Betty's head with an unsteady hand.

"You're a mighty fine little gal," he said finally. "Ef an old man's
gratitude means anything to you, you sure have got it. I've a sort of
sure feelin' you've changed the luck for Meggy and me."

They were silent on the ride back to the mine, but as they reached the
last stretch of the trail that led down to it the old man shifted in his
saddle and looked at Betty earnestly.

"An' ef Meggy's mother was alive," he said simply, "she would thank you,
too."

CHAPTER XX

THE VIOLINIST AGAIN

As Allen had predicted, there was a general rush on the part of the
miners to establish claims on the property adjoining the ranch, and the
girls congratulated themselves over and over again that