The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1890-06-06
JOE'S PARTNERS.
Bf BERT T.. THOMPSON.

camp he was forever picking up the
stmg@lers WHO cume along, no matter
how il!-favorcl or unsavory they up-
pcarcd. glvin. them work Oh his
claim, and now and then taking one
int" partnership -genar.tlly with the
result of finding himself cheated and
deserted within few weeks time -
but just as chcerfully trying the ex.
pertinent over when the next tramp
came along. notwithstanding the re-
monslranrcs of his friends.
''Some o. them t,uyhs'.l cut your
th,oat one ui these nights for tue sake
vi the dust you've got" the, pre-
dic:cl
"So need of that, when they're well
come TO it without" answered Joe.
He was an easy-yoinr individual.
whose work only suticed to keep his
wants we'll supplied, though there
were men who declared that il they
had Jcc's claim they would grow rich
from il.
The wonder was that no one of his
partners had stuck long enough u test
the Tact.
"Joe's too confoundel lazy hissc!f
TO get down to solid business with his
pick and shovel, and them vaylnn,s--
thar's no good in the who.e kith and
kin OF Them" the camp pronounced.
"Thcy never calEila cd TO do nothin'
hut impose on his good nature; ind 1
tell You what. ho.s, it's no credit. 10
The camp to have them hangin' round,
and l propose. ii he don't Ict up ON
MS promlsctlons ch:.rit..', to be- one of
the committee that'll warn him TO get
out. He NAV lie willin' to run the risl.
o! bein robbed aud murdered h:sself,
but faint fair TO ask all the rest Of us
To do the same"
"iime enough to talk wheu some
bo'y's been robbed aud murdered,
said Joe. when The speech was report
ed To him.
| And il was not NOR. than a weci,
later that news wen: around that Joe
| laa taken another partner.
"Nighcr To brim' IL cadavcr than n
I'VE man. to judge by his luolss,'' de-
clared the informant. III reckon thn,
Joe, "l last, mas got holt OF tho angel
he's been lookin' out to entertain I'M
awa'eS. Hen be goin' to jinc 'cm asor,.
long anyway. DO To star, IL graveyard
with Scein' as 'lipsy Bill disapI' int.I
us BY Jnmpin' into deep river when h.
GOT tn" jams. and big Saul was rum
"at OF caln,' atnre he killel hi, man.
lie to our credit il sc mct IL natural
death 10 start with.
lhls iavorin" view of Tho cas-. WAS
helped along when they found Joa lab
"fihg alone on his claim, Il day or two
afierwanl
'i'ara's laid up to-lay." he imparl-
e"' Loot IN: consumption. Joys, an
and Is most gone with it. Coughs
dreadful of nights. an ha, Bit of -
S'ri Vile wai,in Tor him. to 90 back To
hcr. M ;!-2Oing TO work double tnrns
10 m"kH up his pile for him, and If
any "I you-tIns wants to help. here's
the rhanre for You. an'l akin il
quo; Nollr po 'sct understand, but in
w rs On Tie ii lim 4"
Au,! doc got the promise from every
man present to dohis share.
Was it any wonder then, that their
lynatlon rose. on their return to
chmp, To lind their cabins riled of their
ready dust and the consump,ivc gonc,
leaving no trace behind him?
| Joe WAS the most cr, 4, a,l,, m,n of
the oi
"l wouldn't have believed it," Ii.
declared. "lf you can lnul... uD Your
h'SscS out OF my claim, boys Iii b.
glad I" have you do it, I've got 10
give il un nov: you WAS right and /
was wrong bout pirkln' up strangers
tlirt way"
"IEcn let il b.. Il lesson Ia you. .Ioe.
Wei! forgive you aud -1.y no NOR,
about it, If you won't ta':e up viii, any
more parducrs
An's .'oa promised rea lily.
a month Went by. and then one In,
he appeared before them.
II "ant you To let mc oil on nv
word. boys. 'Iain't in ua,ut' To t,lrn
hlm "ll just "a b., Of Il boy: no harm
in him. You'll say so. know"
And in spit" Of their prejudircs they
IN say so. tor The pale lad. vino scarce.
~ looked more than sixteen ,u,chp,l
lhtir warm hearts with II f.n'il. uf
pity, aud he speedily beclllIo; !. iu,url,c
among the men. SO willing was he to
render amy service. So eager to BIZ of
Use about The camp
"l.ct me COO. for the lot Of vn,l.' he
begged. "im Il fanou, hare. nt 1t:
my m"tac: tau~ht ms how. And I'll
tidy up yo'lr cabins hcttcr'n YOU keep
them. You ran try me first. and then
pay me what you like in dust. III
have time enough, asiie from w.,ri;in'
pardnrrs with .'o'.'
Iiril turned lic laugh against Joe.
whose Time was given NOR. To his pipe
than his claim.
The boy Andy was saau quite at
home all oscr the camp. lie was as
good as Il woman AROUND. the men dc.
clhrcd, which remark Aniy MthLr r,-
serted.
I'D rather have yo, say Pm nn i'm
rrovcmnnt ov.'f JOSS 9th plrdncrs.
hut nci,5a you'll be rannin' me on,
some day like You waat,l to do with
Them
"lt all d d,!enls on ho% you Dehave
yourself you kno@ II We catch yol
fooiin' aron.nd our. dust like tho last
I chap Gi', wei: do wu.s'n run you
out"
a night or two after thu, Joe sal!
suddenly upright in his bunk. wouder-
ing what has! walscncl him.
"A"dy':' he called, viii. a., Acas,
th"mpins strangely.
! No "ns#cr. Apdy YVES not in his
bunk. but his place ,hcrn VA. wu.,,,.
| lr r.nS something. i.r scarcely knew
what. dos hurried out iu.t us he WAS
half-''rcss"d bn. bootless and making
no sound, came close upon Il gr,u,
That moved I'o.n one oi t.,u ,anluS.
81 was awake "trl saw him at the
Jop:' - lnan low vote. declared cy-