The Red Cloud chief., 1885-07-17
CHAPTER XIII-Coxrtxt-rn
-Or, JUST A CAMPIN',

ne watched the dirt crumble and dis
solve, while great trees and rocks slow
~ sank into the abyss. Talk about
faith movln mountains, and I'm a
i-e-e-t-l-e bit s~keptical. ! am: but say.
faith and Il stream of water from one
OF these here pipes. an I'll gamble Oh
it every time"
John Parsons turned from the sight.
faint and SICK a, heart. He had seen
enough They would wash the earth
of those hills from their rocky foun-
~daiions * the dust is washed from the
paved streets ri a city by a july shower.
and the valley must become It's rest
Ing place. Farms. and orchards. and
vineyards would be covered, al the
fir,t great flood. with the worthless
earth of the mountain tops which was
now pouring through the sluice into the
gulch below. Fertile fields would be
madc barren. their owners Empower
lshed, their homes made desolate: all,
all that as.few men already rich might
grow richer by possessing themselves
~of the few penny's worth of gold that
Law hidden in each cubic foot of the
mountains top.
low do You do. sir; l 'ope ! see
YOU weIl?''
John Parsons turned sguarely around
and stood face 10 face with Mr.. job
ber,. who extended his hand with a
rather pompous though cordial air.
"Ow is Mrs. Parsons and the young
ladies: well, / 'ope2 Mr.. H~annelsey
was Hing me before e left as 'ow e
ad hoiten called on you during is fish
ing and uniting excursions. Come hup
10 my quarters and ave a glass Of
WINE
II is not to be supposed that Mr..
Jobbcrs' invitation was caused by his
having noticed the look OF exhaustion
and hopelcssness which had settled
upon the face of John Parsons. He was
not in the habit of noticing the look of
peoples faces, unless he suspected them
of having designs upon his purse. He
vas not a bad man a! heart; he was
even capable of being generous at
times and in a way-or AT least he be-
iieved he WAS.
II a bcggar appealed to him in a par
siculariy touching n he gave him
ashilling, and had even been known 10
give n half-crown when feeling espe-
cially amiable: but it never oc-
CURED TO him that a bcggar
had any feelings except of cold or
hunger, and these he supposed only in
Il modified degree, and not keen
" as people in afiiuent circum-
stances would do if by accident they
were To miss a meal, OF Ice caught out
an a storm without sufficient clothing.
Besides. il was intended that some
should be- rich and some poor; of this
ne had no doubt whatever; and it was
the duty of every one to lie contcntcd
in the condition in which God had
placed him. He was contentcd with
his lot. and he felt that he thereby per-
formed pretty nearly his whole duty TO
society, and he had no sympathy with
those who made complaint against their
condition i'm life: but occasionally
would give the price of a meal of Wit
1Ials just 10 prove to himself m the
world that he could be generous as well
as strictly Just.
Such freaks were not common with
him: at least not enough SO to excite
any fears of his bankruptinC himself on
the part of his friends; and when il did
occur il was invariably after having
eaten a hearty dinner.
Then. too. he recognized the claims
of hospitality; and having eaten and
slept beneath the roof of the man now
standing before him. he wished TO
prove that he could be hospitable in his
turn.
John Parsons was not n lover Of
wine. and seldom drank il. although
wine of his own making was always in
his house. and often on his table; hut
now he felt that a glass of it would
sstifren him up and may he clear his
ideas. which some way seemed terribly
mixed. Then. too. he suddenly re
.membered that he wanted to talk with
Mr.. Jobbers.
He had utterly forgotten about Mr..
Annelsey. and would bave given him no
thought had not Mr.. Jobbers mentioned
him. and now he did not think to in
auire why or where the young man had
gone. 1t was sufficient that he was
gone, and so could be Of no use in in
ihuencing the company to the
work of destroying homes. But MI.
Jobbers was one of the company: he
represented that half of the stock which
was held in London. and If he could
only be made to see how much damage
WAS certain to be done. how many
homes ruined if the work went on. he
might, voting for those whom he rep
resented. stop the whole thing at once.
by stopping work upon his own mine
and refusing to sell water to the other
companies
1t WAS a foolish thought, for when
have men ever refused to get rich from
fear of running others?-yet John Par
sons said to himself that he would try.
and if that failed he would threaten
them with the law. No. not the law.
for he fel: that that was ALWAYS on he
side of the rich. Only the higher law:
the right of every human being to all
the products of his OWE toll. and to de-
fend that right regardless of conse-
quences TO those who attempted to VIC
late that law. was worthy of being Sp-
pealed to. he thought; and he called to
mind the instances in which men who
were being robbed under guise of legal
enactments there on the cosst had
appealed to this higher law and admin
iStered justice with a bold hand.
But now he would 60 with Mr.. job
bers and would see what could b. lone
to save his own home and those of his
neighbors from destruction.
CHAPTER XIV.
DEEPENING sH Apows.
So that he gathered the red ore and precious
stones.
What has man ever cared for hearts that
What has he rocked Of affairs overthrown:
OF brave men dead: of hearths1ones
Overgrown with weeds.
Iouder sneak than words sud deeds