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 ]