Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-05-26

to each horse and man. Handing back
his cup, he turned as if to drink his own,
and poured it back in the key.
Jack caught the sound. He had sus-
pected something like this.
''No, Bill" he said. "We are partners.
We share alike. Either you take your
share of the water, or pour mine out on
the sands"
"For Gods sake, DON'T p Bill grabbed at
him with shaking hands. "I'll drink, boy,
I'll drink" Then with sob, hard and
dry as the cracking of dry boughs cts
orful thing to lose faith in yer kind But,
Jack, little chap, yer hev Civ it back
ter me-"
He was silent moment, then his face
frightened as he said with a chuckle,
Eyer hev sed, an a sensible speech it
was, we wastes our capital when we calls
too heavy on our feelin's"
He sat chuckling to himself as he
munched his bread, watching Jack when
he could do SO unperceived. Jack was
very quiet; the oppression on his lungs
took away all desire for speech. After
little, shamed by Bills apparent gayety,
he tried to laugh.
" Don't" Bill caught at him, almost
put his hand over his mouth. Don't lit
tie chap he said more quietly, as Jack
yielded to him. Save yer breath. It's
valuable capital. Why, Jack, eff we keep
on discoverin' our capitals, well be mill
lonaires afore we come up TO our fortin.
P'Taps that's one o the mysteries o the
Valley O Death. When we enters it, we
larns jest how valuable was the things we
hes he'd as a right an never priced
After the rest they started forward, GO
ing further into the valley. The low hills
rising about them shut out all view but
their hot, dry sands. Now there was moth
ing but sand. Not lizard dared venture
into these dry depths, yet the men pushed
on.
The pack-horse suffered greatly, stag
gering under the weight of the two kegs,
and when night came and they relieved
him Of his burden, he sank down groaning
was SO exhausted that he had to be given
a double allowance of water, even to have
his head and nostrils wetted with the pre-
cious liquid.
The night was oppressive; the saddle
horses, with little appetite for grain,
begged for water, rubbing their noses
against the kegs.
Poor critters It's hard on 'em. They
amt goin' ter git any benefit, Jack, it
seems ter me-" Bill turned, and found Jack
had fallen asleep beside the kegs. "A
young 'un," he said softly. "Sleep comes
easy ter the young" He stood looking at
him, then he sighed and walked away from
the might camp" He bent low over the
sands, trying to find some tracks, but could
not succeed.
faint no use. l know Pm right. |
was takin' the course all along with the
compass. Yet | amt satisfied He's a
young I'm, brightness afore him; ! feels
the responsibility"
He was so uneasy that he was up long
before the break of day with the horses
saddled and ready to start When Jack
awoke the anxious look had passed from
Bills face, and when, before drinking his
cup of water, Jack asked, Bill, have you
taken yours| the old man burst out with
one of his strange laughs which somehow
harmonized with this strange valley.
"Did | drink mine? Shelp me, didr'
Then he chuckled to himself, d" he's takin'
care O the old man. He mounted his
horse with a spring, as if on that morning
he was especially full of life. Jack with
dulled eyes watched him, wondering how
he could look so i'll and have so much vi
tally. He did not see the strained effort
in Bilfs face, nor the wistful look which
preceded his encouraging words.
"On'ards, boy; we'll reach it ter day, eff
we has luck. An then yer'll git back in
two days more. -Four daysI faint much
O. life to give for a fortin', an yer'll hev
yer adventure into the bargain"
Bills spirits were wonderful. He told
Jack how he'd been out prospectin' fer
the road" and how, on looking over the
trackless desert he had seen his land
mark" A quar- one, an unwillin' one 4;
but it did me a sarvice, an l allus speaks
of the sarvices done ter me. P'raps
cause | amt he'd too many"
1t was a CHASTITY Landmark" They
came upon it later in the day. A wagon
going to pieces, and around it the skele-
tons of men and horses. All Just rotting
in the slow process of decay Nothing had
disturbed them, for nothing lived in the
hollow vale Here, left to nature, mans
bones might lie in open sepulture 4
grave whose covering is heavens vault
Jack shuddered as he passed the CHASTITY
group. Adventures" he thought, "who
perchance started out as gay as l." His
adventure did not now seem so alluring,
as with groaning, staggering beasts, with
an old man whose dried lips and face were
cracking open. he still pushed on The
pain in his breast amounted now to agony.
He could have shrieked out, but he had
no breath. He caught Bills eyes fixed or
him, and tried to smile; but his skin was
so hard and dry he could scarcely move
his lips. Was it possible for this air to
change a living man to mummy?
Eyer bars it well, boy Pm proud o
yer strength" said Bill. He spoke now in
whisper, but his eyes were as bright as
ever. Jack was shamed under their steady
gaze, for he knew he did not deserve the
old mans praise. Strength! His chest
was bound as if with iron hoops and on
his head fire burned.
AT sunset they came to a grave. can
other adventurer," thought Jack But Bill
had scrambled from his horse. ats thar
It's tharw His whisper was louder, the
eager hand pointed outwards barely shook,
and his eyes burned like lamps
He staggered forward, falling on the
grave. Pulling himself up, he chucIlled
Il put it in it's grave, fer SEE |, its like
ter put me in mine, an Pll return the
compliment
He was tearing away the sand with his
long, thin fingers, Jack, catching his ex-
element, helping him, and soon they had
uncovered large lump of solid gold.
How beautiful it was How yellow in the
sunlight What possibilities it opened
"Yes, sir" said Bill, patting it, !" | heard
as how in this valley thar war lots O gold /;
but that only one man who entered it had
ever lived ter come out. Wal, | he'd lots O
things should ha' held as precious capital,
but no gold. Them things'n keep seq |,
an FL hev the gold, too So / comes
along, pretty nearly as we come. When |
passed that wagon | just larfed. Well,
ole fellers,' SEE |, yer has a wagon an a
team, an | is afoot, but | amt afeard of yer
a iumpin ma claim walked along past
this yer place, till | got so dog on tired |
he'd ter rest. didn't see no sight o gold,
but just struck out my hand, thinkin' o
the pertatoes at home, and diggin', when,
Cord Jest this pretty yaller lump struck
agin me. | Jest larfed and cried, think
in O them as was wsitin' for me. Sayin'
a sort o prayer, too, for she never forgot
them prayers, though we lived so long in
the wilderness. Wal, Jack, Jest TUX this
in my arms as easy as baby. See |,
Thisll do for me- This is about all ken
carry. Tbis'll buy silks for her an make