Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1890-05-09


lead somewhere that would make his fortune.
didn't like to discourage him, but felt
kind o sorry for him, cause l knew that the
chances were all agin him. I've seen men
come into the hills with their hearts full of
hope and their pockets full of money, and I've |
seen the same men go out again with empty |
pockets and their hearts almost discouraged. |
But then, too, I've seen men come in with |
hardly "a dollar in the world, and go cut with
enough dust to keep EN- in ideness tivkl'est o.
their lives Under the circumstances didn't |
discourage or Encourage him | thought he'd |
find bad luck easy enough, and if he had a
run of good luck it would make him all the
happier if it wasn't predicted.
The next day saw Jim, and he didn't have
on them store clothes He was dressed like
any other miner in the Forks. He was headed
for the hills pick slung over his shoulder
and beautiful rifle in his hand. | was stand
in at my cabin door he came along. He
stopped to speak a minute and asked me to
go along with him prospectin' hadn't time,
cause I'd neglected my claim for a few days
and felt as if I'd ought to do little diggn',
so | wished him luck and he went on upon
the trail and | went down into my claim.
l didn't see him again for most a week
He was up and away every mornin' fore |
got down to the postoffice to see Sandy and
always turned in every night as soon as he
had smoked cigar after supper; any way,
he went to his room and locked the door.
When l did see him, wished hadn't, for it
was in the evening, and he was walking up
the street toward Dan Purdy's gambling
house, and Dan was with him.
Dan was the most notorious gambler in the
whole region. and just as soon shoot a man as
mr. Ho nod haar ba min of bo,
man in the mines, and | felt sorry to see Jim
with him had kind o taken a lliin' to the
boy after that first meetin', and | made up
my mind to give him little advice
didn't sleep much that night. Somehow
| kept thinkin of Jim's mother The next
mornin' fore light got up and went down
to Sandy's. Jim hadn't got up, so | sat down
OH the bench and pretty soon he came out
"Hello, deacon" says he, you must have
been pretty thirsty to get up so early"
mo, l wasn't thirsty" says |. "But |
came to you. How much did you lose
last nightf'
"What do you mean" says he.
didn't you go to Dan Purdysl"
80, yes says he, with laugh, 81 just
went up to watch the game
ITO watch the camel That's Purdy's old
game" says l. "Jm, I've took interest
in you, and don't want to see you 90 to ruin
Dan amt no kind of a man for you to go
round with, and his place amt no place for
you"
"Why, do you know anything against
DanW says he.
"Tnow anything agin him. l don't know
anything for him, and l suspect good deal
agin him Didn't he have to leave Del Norte
or get lynched, cause the miners all suspected
that he was the thief that stole old man
Turner's dustl Didn't he shoot old Mike
Flynn at Denver two years ago, and only es-
capped hanging cause they couldn't prove that
it wasn't an accdentl Take my advice, Jim,
and keep away from Dan. If you don't I'll
make trouble for Dan"
l was too full to say any more, so left
him and went up to my cabin and got break
fast.
My warnin' didn't do any good found,
for Jim and Dan were together the next
evenn' | called for Jim again the next
mornin' and gave him another lecture.
'See here, Deacon" says Jim, after I had
got through, 81 amt boy that needs a
guardian to watch over him aud tell him
what to do Then, too, I've about made up
my mind that there amt any money in pros
pecting, rather think Dan can put me in a
to cultivate his acquaintance"
saw it wasn't any use to talk any more to
JIM so left him. That afternoon hunted
up Dan Purdy.
dan" says l, "you know there amt any
love atween us, and there'll be less if you
don't send jim Bates about his business. I've
took a likln' to him. and amt a-goin to see
him done up like you've done up others
Now keep cool, Dan, cause I've a drop on
you"
'Well, why don't you talk to him' don't
want your lectures" says he, surly like
Il have, and he won't hear to me-"
"What does be sayf
"He says that he thinks you can put him
in the way OF making money easy. Now, if
you have put them notions in his head you
want TO quit, that's all. ~
See here, deacon" says he, II like the
boy myself and can put him in the way Of
becoming rich l shall keep right on en-
couraging him."
dan" says |, there's a rope up in Del
Norte, and you know what that means. If
harm comes to that boy, that rope won't
stay at Del Norte. You know me and what
| say goes"
left him and went back to my cabin. For
two weeks Dan and Jim were together every
evening and then one day man came into
camp, leading a horse behind the one he
rode. He went right up to Dams place and
left the horse and then rode off
That night saw Jim on that horses back
riding up the trail long with Dan, who had
the fastest horse in the whole region. l sat
up all night and towards morning they came
back Their horses were all foam, so knew
that they had been ridin long and hard. 1t
looked bad to me, but couldn't explain it
all to myself.
The next night saw Jim ride off in the
same direction, and as Dan wasn't with him
| didn't watch for him to come back. The
next night Jim didn't leave the Forks, but he
was locked in his room
About dark | saw him leading his horse up
the trail, and hailed him. hurried up to
him and says, Jim, what does this all meant
Here you are rdin' off every night like a
highwayman, and me, your self appointed
guardian, worryin' myself into old age over
you"
Snow, deacon" says he, pleasant like, 'it's
| all right | amt going To ruin shOuld fell