Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-12-23


side the door, which was slightly ajar. He
could see Jim's gray coat and felt hat. 1t
seemed strange to him that Jim wasn't at the
corral, milking. Then he II membercd that Ii
was Monday, the day they were to start for San
Francisco. He must have oversight himself
and it was doubtful IL they now could reach
Pescadero in time for the stage.
Why hadn't Jim called him? 1t wasn't very,
kind in him, TO say the least Now they would
be obliged to remain another day.
1t must be ten O'clock" said Tom 10 him
self. " must be stirring"
He attempted to rise from his bank, but fell
back weak a. an infant.
"Well, well!' thought Tom, "that sleepI
took out there last night has fixed me, guess
Jim,''
In a moment Heron was by his side.
"Jim," said Tom, "what in the name Of
Nothing strange, old boy" said Jim.
L" You've been sick; lower than any man ever
saw that lived, but now the doctor says you'll
GENE out all right. You mustn't talk"
Mustn't talki Look here, Jim! You're
making game Of me. Yesterday took a stroll
down 10 the beach and walked over the sands a
mighty thirsty and crawled up into a bit OF a
run into the chalk hills to get a drink. 1 found
some water, sweetish but not bad to swallow.
/ took good draught and laid down to rest. l
fell asleep and had the strangest dream YOU ever
heard of. II must have been past midni ght
when 1 awoke, stiff and rheumatic. 1 came
home as soon as possible. Twas some
that's the reason oversight this morning. The
night air was bad, know. but il must have
been the blamed water that made me so weak
What do you mean by being sick?'
i mean,' answered Heron, chat instead Of
going down TO the beach yesterday. you wen
down three weeks ago to-day; that you awoke
the morning after in a raging fever and have
been terribly sick and delirious ever since
You've rayed like a mailman. You had some of
the strangest notions in your head! Gold
seemed TO trouble you the most. You swore il
ddnt let you go, somebody would nnd it and
take it from you. Sometimes you thought the
coyotes would get Ii, and then 'twoud be the
owls who were after it: oh! tell you, Tom,
I've had hard time with youi'
Tom lay back on his hard pillow, his eyes fixed
on vacancy, and his lips silent 1t must be true
what Heron said, and yet it all seemed like a
strange dream. All seemed MYSTICAL; but the
most vivid of all was his dream in the ravine.
"You say it was three weeks ago that slept
down there by that spriug?" pursued Tom.
EYES, three weeks ,"replied Heron.
And I've been sick ever since?"
You came near dying"
You spoke OF the doctor"
"Yes. He has been here perhaps a dozen
times; came down from Pescadero f"
81 And all this time you have been taking care
Of me?"
"0f course have; You don't think, Tom,
I'd let You die like dOg?"
"a No, JIM but what 1 was thinking OF was
the money. Our funds must be low by this
time"
1--WE shall have enough to bring you out of
this, guess. You'll be getting well fast, now,
Tom. i think We can save enough to take us to
Frisco, where reckon We can lind a ship"
I'm not going to ship again, Jim, if know
myself; and well have plenty of money, toe,
before we leave this ranch!'
Heron looked at his sick comrade with an ex-
preston of pity, wondering If he was not still
slightly deliriOus. He must be, or he would not
think of having wealth in their present position
"Tom, you must not talk so. the doctor
said. Go 20 sleep now, and you'll feel twenty
per cent better when you wake up" said Her
ron.
Tom Berkeley recovered rapidly, and in two
weeks was able to walk about the ranch Her
ron looked forward with impotence TO the time
when Berkley would be able, to proceed with
him TO San Francisco. He was heartily sick of
living on a ranch. Give him the craziest craft
that ever sailed in preference to u California
cabin, he said.
1t seemed very strange to Heron, but Berk-
ley never spoke OF leaving. Always much
given TO planning for the future, he now had
nothing to say about his course when well
On Saturday night Heron came in late from
his wOrk-for a week he had been milking for
Grey, Tom being well enough to take care of
himself-andfound the cabin vacant.
He was somewhat alarmed, fearing an acct
dent might have happened to Berkeley. Just as
he was about starting out ins search Ofhis friend,
lem came in.
"You should be more careful. Tom said
Her on. "YOu must remember you have Just
recOV cred from a severe Illness and ought not to
e1pose yourself in any manner"
80, don't YOU be alarmed" replied Berkley.
- i feeling fTst-rate. I'll take care of nv
.eli, Iever you fear, Jim. What's the state of
the treasury?''
About twenty dollars in the bank. after the
doctor receives his pay"
- suppose you are anxious to go to 'Frisco?n
As soon as you are able, Tom, think we
- supposed that was your intention. But.
Jim. I'm not gOing!'
:. Not going! Tom, you're crazy again"
90 was never sOberer in my life.' "
do you mean to stay on this cursed old ranch
and milk cows all summer! I'd rather be shot
than do It."
- don't like milking better than you do,
Jim. I'm going To hunt for a living"
:" Hunt, Tora Berkeley, swear you're crazy.
What il there to hunt?"
rabbits, hare. quails, doves, larks, deer,
and.Jim, shut that door, 10 one can hear us,
can they?"
:. Not unless you speak loud enough to be
heard fifty yards-Grey is out there by the cor
al said was going to hunt rabbits, quaiIs,
and such, but mostly" and he lowered his voice
TO a whisper, I'm going 10 hunt for oold;'
Heron looked ath m in pityIn surprise.
Tom Berhley!" he said, you're either
crazy or fooll'
you'll not say so in month from now. Turn
out the tea, Jim, while take up the hash, and
III tell you all about it,
Heron did as he was bid: and seating them
selves at the rude table, Berkeley commenced.
GU know, jim, all about my sleeping out
there by that spring on the chalk hills. It came
mighty near ending my days, that snooze did,
but had a dream that night, the strangest
dream / ever dreamed. thought was walk
ing down that way, just as did that Sunday;
that was thirsty and clambered up that ravine
after water, that found a good place to drink
and took a drink, just as actually did, mind
We. i thought then laid down to rest, fell
asleep, and had dream. In that dream I
thought some one came to me and told me to get
up, that he had something to tell me. He then
told me to note everything around there, the
little stream of water, the chalk bOulders, a
black streak in the side of the cliff, a dead
greasewood and the back end of the plateau, a
bunch Of chapparal under it, etc. Then he told
me that in that bunch of chapparal there was
something that looked like the black stump of a
tree, and that under that was gold; gold in
enormous quantities. As soon as he told me
this turned to look at him, to see what kind of
looking fellow he was, and just then / awoke.
- saw everything Just as he pointed il out to
me, only hadn { time to search for the stump.
came home, and you know how 1t has been
since"
Berkeley stopped and looked at his compan-
ion to note the effect OF his story. 1t was evil
dent Heron regarded il as the wild dream of a
man suffering from the effects Of O fever
"IOu don't believe anything in the dream
10 you, 1Om?" asked Heron.
% can't say that did much, jim until to-
day." said Berkeley. "This afternoon | went
down there, and took look at things. / found
everything jest as l saw it in my dream. and,
jim" Tom again lowered his voice to q