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


bill, you are pluckyp Jack exclaimed
with admiration.
"Plucky? Lord yerd say so eff yer
know'd what I've been through"
He rose to his feet. The memory of
what he had endured gave him strength.
Tall, emaciated, he lowered above them.
Pluckyp' He shook one hand out to-
wards the west, the rags of his sleeve fell
away from an arm white and tieshless as
skeletons. "Human mater amt ekal ter
tellin' it." He staggered, would have
fallen, but Jack caught him, Jack held
him, and as he breathed, fairly heard his
bones rattle.
Yer the little chap" he said, looking
over his shoulder at Jack; and then: I" No
offense, Jack" Perhaps he thought that
Jack, who measured FIVE feet eight, might
want to be a giant "No offense We
SEE little when we likes a thing. / was
little onct, ter-ter-her as loved me-"
Again he gulped down something, and
Jack, who had gently laid him on the roll
of blankets and sat beside him, said, "Old
fellow, if you set US crying well be no
good. We can't afford to go prospecting
for sorrow. 1t comes fast enough. I'm
sorry for you; so sorry for you that if |
can help you FL do it. | swear FL do
1t )" here he shook off Jim's hand that in
warning had been placed upon his Shout
der. Phi do it, if it costs my life"
4eTll do it! He'll do it Hear him
This to me! Lonely, broken-hearted ole
me- An me a stranger jack" he sprung
up leaning on his elbow, "yer've Civ me
suthin' to live fer. I'll make yer fortin'"
He fhratu he H. IL
lows neck, Rugged him tight as bear,
and then pushed him from him.
He still leaned on his elbow, watching
with his bright eyes Jim, who had called
Jack to help him, with the pack-horse,
and was now speaking in lowered tones
'Yer think Pm weak Amt able to go
on. Surmises what yer sayin' to Jack,
Jim. guess Eve done what, young as
yer are, an strong, yer'd not banker arter
Hal hap again he chuckled eyer don't
ask. Wal, FL tell yer. Eve been through
the Valley O Death. Yer've herd O it
in yer Sunday-school books. Wal, this is
real, rinety-dinety valley, an no
mistake. An, Jack, eff yerll come with
me, yerll hev ter go into it. But we'll
be onlike the usual travellers through that
mysterious wale"-another chuckle-"fer
| they hez ter leave their riches behind on
enterin', an we'll bring our'n out O it .
P'raps the reason is angel summons
them. An me? Wal, not to be too fiat
term to my vanity, l really can't say
thar's any O the angel look about me-" At
this idea he laughed so long and heartily
that, hollow as was the sound, Jack caught
the infection of his grim humor and
laughed with him
"Old chap" he said, when the laugh
was over, and Bill chuckling to himself,
you are about the pluckiest chap I've
ever met. SOplucky that, help me heaven,
I'd be ashamed to go back on you. Well
60 together through this valley, Jim and
/; we're just out hunting something,
thinking a little of going to Volcano Dis
trict; but if you are bound for Death
Valley, Pm your passenger. How is it
with you, Jim?"
But Jim was more rational and unwill-
ing to follow the lead of what he called
"such a queer fellow" So after they
reached volcano" that with is copper
mines was just starting into existence
the two friends parted, one decid-
ing to pitch his tent" among
his promising prospects of the new
camp, the other going out with
Bill inter ther mysterious vale" They
rode along slowly, the pack-horse follow
ing, not now with blankets and tools, but
with two kegs of water for load.
" Wen prize it morn all the gold i
this world" Bill said, when he had exam
ined the kegs
He had improved surprisingly during
the few days rest at "Volcano." And
now, clad in the flannel shirt, canvas
jumper and with pants stuffed into boots,
uniform of the reg'lar miners" as he
called it with chuckle, he had lost the
"specter' look to which Jim objected.
His humor was unfailing, and Jack, &C
customed to his laugh, was now always
ready to join in it. On the second days
ride Jack saw what in the distance looked
like a lake.
There's water, Bill, not half mile
away. Let's go to it for the nights camp"
he said, rather surprised that Bill, whose
eyes missed nothing, had not been the first
to see this. As he spoke Bill turned upon
him fiercely.
go ter it! Would yer hev me kill
myself? | hez swored to 60 thar only
when l die. Starvin', dyin', 1 he'd the
strength ter leave it, to kill one who stole
morn life. But l didn' hev the chance.
No, didn't hev the chance"
And then, as he saw Jacks astonish-
ment, he said gently: " Forgive me, Jack.
We all hes our troubles; leastwise, us who
hes lived a half century. That water yer
see thar is Fish Lake; | used ter live thar
onct But all that hes no share in our ride
This ride is fer your benefit. Yes; sence
yer hes made me blieve that all atop O
the airth amt devils, it's fer your benefit"
They rode on some time without speak
ing, and, when the sun was setting, made
their campfire of sage bush, for except
this product of Nevada, that lives in driest
sands, they had left behind them every
kind of vegetation.
Our last cup o suthin' hot, till we
comes back millionaires," said Bill, and
rising with a very ceremonious bow. "Mis-
ter Jack Earne, l drinks ter yer health
an yer safe return from the VALLEY O
Death"
A toast to which Jack heartily responded
and returned
" An now, friend, pardner, little chap,
shake onct more, an eff evil comes ter yer.
forgive ole Bill for | swear ter yer now,
as we STAINS on the borders o tibet mysteri-
Gus vale, tibet eff | thought | could 90 in
an get fer yer what lies thar, I'd 90,
willin' ter die, an save yer the danger
Bill don't talk about DYING As for
me'-with laugh" do you think Pm
molly-coddle? Do you know that, stand
ing here with good land back O me, good
air around me, and there before me that
valley, whose depths are lower than the
sea, that the adventure alone without one
hope of gain, would lure me on? Why,
man, all that money seems to give is lux
ury, fattery, deceit and treachery. But
adventure After years have passed, the
very remembrance of it stirs our blood and
sets our hearts beating"
BilFs only answer was a sigh and Little
chap" said under his breath, and then
aloud, Wal, on'ardsl We amt got time
ter waste. We hev miles an miles ter
make, an not much time ter make 'em in.
For breathin's not easy down thar"
The descent was so gradual that Jack
hardly perceived it, would not have be-
lieved it possible that he was on so low a
plane, but that his lungs, accustomed to
the free air of the mountains, became op-
pressed, and his breath, of which he had
had plentiful supply, grew short and
/ labored. He felt this with 4 sense of
shame for his weakness. for looking ut RiIl