CHAPTER VI
THE SECRET MINE
Whether the young postmistress, or the two strange men, was the moresurprised could not be told. Both Jennie and her annoyers started at thesudden appearance of the young pony rider. Then looks of anger andannoyance came over the faces of the two men, while Jennie appearedrelieved.
"What's the trouble?" asked Jack, and with a seemingly careless motion hethrew open his coat. In his belt was a revolver, which he carried morebecause the regulations compelled him to than because he really thought hewould ever need it.
"Trouble? There's no trouble," said one of the men in surly tones. "Who areyou, anyhow, to come butting in?"
"Oh, Jack!" exclaimed Jennie. "They want--"
"I'm the pony express rider on this route," interrupted Jack, with a nod atJennie, as if to beg her pardon for not letting her finish. "I just came inwith the mail. It's outside, but I thought I heard some trouble in here, soI just jumped in--just in time, perhaps, too," he added, significantly.
"If you're looking for trouble," began one of the men, "I guess we canaccommodate you."
"That's enough," his companion said. "Come on out. Don't you know when toquit?"
"Oh, Jack, they were so annoying!" cried Jennie. "They came in here when Iwas all alone, and insisted on knowing the times when all the mails andexpress shipments went out and came in. I said I wasn't supposed to tellstrangers that unless there was a particular reason why they should know.Ought I to have told them? They said if I didn't they would make troublefor me."
"They'd better try it!" Jack exclaimed, with flashing eyes. "Now, lookhere, you fellows!" he went on. "I don't know who you are, nor what yourgame is, but you'd better get out of here. This is government property, andI'm a government employee for the time being, and I've got authority toorder you out of here. Now, you--get!"
For a moment one of the men hesitated, though the other seemed anxious toleave. Jack threw open the door, and pointed in the direction of the trailoutside.
"Get out!" he exclaimed again, "and if you think I'm not big enough tohandle you I can get help. Tim!" he called, as he saw the doughtyred-haired youth who helped Jennie, "just come in here, will you?"
"Why sure I will, Jack," was the answer, Tim having just loomed into sight."I didn't know you were here. Is there mail to carry out?"
"Well, there are a couple of _males_ who need putting out, if not carryingout," said Jack, smiling grimly at his play upon the words.
"Come on!" muttered the more conciliatory of the two intruders, and withblack looks at Jack and Jennie, the two men left the post office.
"Were those the men?" asked Tim, coming in as the two went off down therail.
"Yes," said Jack. "But they saved us the trouble of carrying them out. Now,Jennie, what was it all about?"
For a moment the girl seemed on the verge of tears, and Jack found himselfearnestly hoping that she would not have hysterics. But she bravelyconquered her inclination.
"Oh, Jack! I'm so glad you came!" she exclaimed, as she held out both herhands, which the young pony rider clasped warmly.
"I guess this is no place for me!" muttered Tim, with a sly wink.
"Oh, yes, Tim, stay!" Jennie begged. "I'll tell you about it, too. You'llwant to know in case these men ever come back."
"If they do!" exclaimed Jack, doubling up his fists, "I'll--"
"Oh, please don't fight with them!" pleaded Jennie. "Just let the sheriffdeal with them, Jack."
"Well, if I can't manage them myself, I'll call for help," promised theyouth. "But now tell me about it. Who were they?"
"I don't know, Jack. They are strangers around here. I was working allalone in the office, getting my reports into shape, and was just going tocheck up my stamps, when they came in. I had left the private door open, asI didn't expect any one. Mother is away for the day, but I didn't in theleast mind being left, as I had a lot of work to do.
"Well, these men began asking all sorts of questions. I don't mind givinginformation to strangers if it's the kind I can safely let out of theoffice, but they wanted to know too much. Why, they even asked about you!"
"They did? Why, they didn't seem to know me just now!"
"Perhaps they didn't by sight, but they knew your name, and they asked mehow often you made the trips, where you stopped, how long it took, and theyeven wanted to know what kind of a horse you rode.
"I simply refused to tell them, and then they began to threaten andbluster. I was beginning to get frightened, but I made up my mind Iwouldn't give in to them. And then--well, you came along, and I guess Inever was so glad to see you, Jack! But, of course, they really did me noharm. How did it happen that you got here ahead of time?"
"Oh, I just hurried, that was all," Jack answered. He did not want to tellJennie what he had overheard on the road. It might make her nervous, as shemight think there was some plot afoot to rob the post office.
"And there is something in the wind, or I'm mistaken," mused Jack, "thoughwhat it is I can't guess. I'm going to be on the watch harder than ever.The plot is beginning to thicken, as they say in stories," and he made amental picture of the two men.
The stage coach came in a little later, and Jack received a number ofparcels for transmission to Rainbow Ridge. As he was ahead of time, and asthere was some mail of importance, Jack resolved to make an immediate tripback, though he would not arrive at the other end of the trail until afterdark.
"Oh, Jack! Do you think it will be safe?" Jennie asked.
"What safe?" he asked, with a smile. "The mail?"
"No--you!"
"Why shouldn't I be safe? I've ridden the trail before after dark."
"I know. But those--those men--"
"Nonsense! I'm not afraid."
Nevertheless, Jack was a little nervous as he galloped along the mountainpath after night had fallen. He started at every little noise, for whilethere had been no robberies of the mail for some time, still such thingswere known to happen occasionally.
But the two strangers who had annoyed Jennie were not seen around townafter the episode, and Jack did not think they were desperate enough to tryto hold him up. Besides, while there were some letters and parcels ofimportance, there was not enough of value in the pouches this trip to makeit an inducement for robbery.
"They wouldn't take the risk for what I've got with me," reasoned Jack. Andhe was right. At least there was no attack on him, and he reached RainbowRidge safely and delivered his stuff.
Mr. Bailey was not quite so well next day, and Jack was worried about him.But Dr. Brown said the ailment, which was a form of intermittent fever,might often take a turn like that. Jack said nothing to his father aboutthe two men who had annoyed his cousin, but he did report the occurrence toMr. Perkfeld, who promised to have an investigation made.
But nothing was heard of the men, nor could any trace of them be found,after a somewhat limited search was made.
"I guess they were just fresh tenderfeet," said the manager of the ponyexpress company.
Jack, however, did not altogether share this view.
It was about a week after this that, as Jack reached the Mansion Hotel onemorning to receive the mail, he was approached by Mr. Argent, who had anumber of red-sealed letters in his hand.
"This time I'm really going to let you take them, Jack," he said. "Myfriend Wayde thinks it's all right to forward them to their destinationnow."
"Are they as important as ever?" asked Jack, with a smile.
"Yes, and more so, Jack. I'll just give you a hint," the miner said, in alow voice. "Wayde and I have discovered a secret mine, and if things goright it may mean a big thing for us."
"A secret mine?" questioned the young pony express rider.
"Yes. It was one located by a prospector some years ago, but he died afterhe came into town with some mighty rich nuggets. He gave the location ofthe mine to a friend, but the latter lost the papers and never could findthe claim. Lately a relative discovered the documents in an old coatpocket, and s
ent them to me, suggesting that we work the claim on shares.
"I went into it with Wayde, and we've found the mine. It's rich, too, andit isn't far from here. But there are certain legal forms to comply withbefore we can actually begin work, and these letters refer to thosematters. The reason Wayde didn't want to send them the other time wasbecause he feared a counter legal move on the part of some men who aretrying to locate the mine and get it away from those entitled to it But nowmatters are about straightened out, and I'm going to send off these lettersby you. I'll expect answers back soon, and when they come--"
Mr. Argent paused suddenly, for a sound came from around the corner of theporch where he and Jack had been standing during their talk. The minersuddenly turned the corner of the hotel, with Jack following. They saw aman walking rapidly away along the other part of the porch.
Jack of the Pony Express; Or, The Young Rider of the Mountain Trails Page 6