THE TREASURE OF HIDDEN VALLEY By Willis George Emerson Chicago: Forbes & Company 1915 Sons of the rugged, rock-ribbed hills, Far from the gaudy show Of Fashion’s world-its shams and frills Brothers of rain and snow: Kith of the crags and the forest pines, Kin of the herd and flock; Wise in the lore of Nature signs Writ in the grass and rock. Beings of lithe and lusty limb, Breathing the broad, new life, Chanting the forest’s primal hymn Free from the world’s crude strife. Your witching lure my being thrills, O rugged sons! O rugged hills! DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF MY FATHER REVEREND STEPHEN LAFAYETTE EMERSON (The Flockmaster of this story) CONTENTS THE TREASURE OF HIDDEN VALLEY CHAPTER I—AT THE PARTING OF THE WAYS CHAPTER II—A MESSAGE FROM THE GRAVE CHAPTER III—FINANCIAL WOLVES CHAPTER IV.—THE COLLEGE WIDOW CHAPTER V.—WESTWARD HO! CHAPTER VI.—RODERICK MEETS JIM RANKIN CHAPTER VII—GETTING ACQUAINTED CHAPTER VIII.—A PHILOSOPHER AMONG THE MOUNTAINS CHAPTER IX—THE HIDDEN VALLEY CHAPTER X.—THE FAIR RIDER OF THE RANGE CHAPTER XI.—WINTER PASSES CHAPTER XII—THE MAJOR’S FIND CHAPTER XIV.—THE EVENING PARTY CHAPTER XV.—BRONCHO-BUSTING CHAPTER XVI.—THE MYSTERIOUS TOILERS OF THE NIGHT CHAPTER XVII—A TROUT FISHING EPISODE CHAPTER XVIII.—A COUNTRY FAIR ON THE FRONTIER CHAPTER XIX.—A LETTER FROM THE COLLEGE WIDOW CHAPTER XX.—THE STORE OF GOLD CHAPTER XXI.—A WARNING CHAPTER XXII.—THE TRAGEDY AT JACK CREEK CHAPTER XXIII.—THE FIGHT ON THE ROAD CHAPTER XXIV—SUMMER DAYS CHAPTER XXV.—RUNNING FOR STATE SENATOR CHAPTER XXVI.—UNEXPECTED POLITICAL HARMONY CHAPTER XXVII.—THE UPLIFTING OF HUMANITY CHAPTER XXVIII.—JUSTICE FOR THE WORKERS CHAPTER XXIX.—SLEIGH BELLS CHAPTER XXX.—WHITLEY ADAMS BLOWS IN CHAPTER XXXI.—RODERICK’S DISCOVERY CHAPTER XXXII.—STAKING THE CLAIMS CHAPTER XXXIII—THE SNOW SLIDE CHAPTER XXXIV—THE PASSING OF GRANT JONES CHAPTER XXXV.—A CALL TO SAN FRANCISCO CHAPTER XXXVI—IN THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS CHAPTER XXXVII—RODERICK RESCUES GAIL CHAPTER XXXVIII—THE SEARCH FOR RODERICK CHAPTER XXXIX—REUNIONS CHAPTER XL—BUELL HAMPTON’S GOOD-BY CHAPTER XLI.—-UNDER THE BIG PINE AFTERWORD THE TREASURE OF HIDDEN VALLEY CHAPTER I—AT THE PARTING OF THE WAYS IT was a dear, crisp October morning. There was a shrill whistle of a locomotive, and then a westbound passenger train dashed into the depot of an Iowa town. A young man descended the car steps with an armful of luggage. He deposited his parcels on the platform, and half expectantly looked about him. Just then there was a “honk! honk!” from a huge automobile as it came to a palpitating halt, and a familiar voice called out: “Hello, Roderick, old man!” And a moment later Roderick Warfield was shaking hands with his boon friend of former college days, Whitley Adams. Both were in their early twenties, stalwart, well set up, clean-cut young fellows.