CHAPTER XV 



BILL MCCLAIN PROSPECTOR 



A BLACK hungry dog came up the snowy 

 road and stopped in front of the Gray- 

 bird boarding house. The miners were 

 just out from dinner, and were enjoying a few 

 minutes of sunshine before returning to work. 



The road was blockaded with ore wagons and 

 their teams. The drivers had stopped in front 

 of the house to exchange greeting with the 

 miners. 



The dog was a stranger in this camp and, find- 

 ing the road blockaded, was at a loss as to the 

 best way to turn. It was plain, too, that he 

 had been mistreated, and apparently he was 

 friendless. 



He had barely stopped, when a miner in the 

 group by the house called "Get out!" He 

 gave a start, but hesitated. "Get down the hill, 

 you cur!" shouted another. The dog turned, 

 and gave an almost pathetic look down the 

 mountain road he had just climbed. He low- 

 ered his head, but he did not move his feet. 

 Evidently he had left a place where his 



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