"I'll bet anything he kept
you fiddling around until those fellows all filed on their
claims. And now it's got to go till the case is finally settled
in court, because they are technically within their rights in
making lawful improvements on their claims.
"Grant," she said, and her voice nearly betrayed her when she
spoke his name, "was sure they faked the gold samples they must
have used in filing. We both were sure of it. He and the boys
tried to catch them at some crooked work, but the nights have
been too dark, for one thing, and they were always on the watch,
and went up to Shoshone in couples, and there was no telling
which two meant to sneak off next. So they have all filed, I
suppose. I know the whole eight have been up--"
"Yes, they've all filed--twenty acres apiece--the best part of
the ranch. There's a forty runs up over the bluff; the lower
line takes in the house and barn and down into the garden where
the man they call Stanley run his line through the strawberry
patch.
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