The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1891-01-23

~ P gS.' u li ,..Ls
old. who was absolutely without the
sense Of fear. This quality, and the
disposition TO be obedicnt no matter
what danger lay in the command. and
The queer things she said and did. got
her the name. But the miners Of the
basin loved her; the rough. drinking.
homeless fellows, banning and sluicing
FOR gold in this lonely sink among the
mountains Of California.
Sometimes grizzly mopcd indiffcr-
cnily across the open spaces on the
mountain side above their heads. or d
sattlrsnalSe, cold and loggy and loving
thc sun. was found sleeping On the
warm rocks by the spring. and i'm such
moments Qnccr Trick was thought Of
with thrill of apprehension. She was
like music 70 the men. calling back 10
fhtir memories home, its comforts and
thc faces Of dear ones left behind But
She was Sol Braintree's child: there was
tie rub
81 Was not liked. for his life lay
mdera cloud that made him hard and
rstirc. He was a massive fellow. with
shagny. auburn beard and keen blue
eyes, and was reputed the most power
FIJI man among the hundred or more
who worked in the basin. He asked
nv man u help him in his work. but
carried timhers and moved powders
M matter how large or heavy they
Glanced 70 be- He said but little. and
that auSfcrcly like one with sore
heart. He had come into the basin
tNee years before. when gold was first
dill. overed there, and stalxcd out
IA; ia on the creek and built cabin at
TIE mountains foot. They rcmem-
lejced that he had been a rollicking.
firinking fellow then, but after
working time on his claim
he went below" as they say Of
onc who goes down out Of the
mountains 10 the settlements in the
valleys. and when he returned he
brought the child. and was stern and
changed. Its mothers dead" was all
he said in explanation. lie drank no
Y more after that. and kept himself apart.
hurying himself in work and the child's
1--we and care. The cabin he rebuilt
down on the floor Of the basin, with the
rude door opening directly upon the
claim. There the toddling child played
month after month in the sand and
among the white heaps Of gravel. happy
ana contented as only babies are when
playing in the dirt. The skies seemed
always clear, the air was balmy, and the
very ground was sweet and warm with
perpetual summer. Every night the
chiid slept with her yellow head by the
fathers bearded check. and woke at
dawn 70 be loved and tendcrly com
tortcd
i sweetcncd the mans life. Nv de-
Tees his gravity Of word and mcin
toifencd q little, but he was never com
panionable. However. not a day passed
PIT miners came into the shallow pit to
pay with and fondlc the child. Her
baby speeches made them roar with de-
hrht They often gave her little mug
FIT q gold. and Sorrel sam. a red
headed fellow who worked the claim
next above Braintrcc's, fashioned these
INTO rustic chatelain which little Queer
1ncH always wore about her neck.
Perhaps in time the fathers heart
would have come clear Of bitterness.
ma not very grave thing happcncd:
M and Sorrel Sam fell foul Of each
other over the use Of water in their
GAINS. Nothing could have been more
Unfortunate, for next in value TO the
Rold itself was water with which 10
wash the metal from the soil. Like the
ton' TOO, water was often weighed in
'ne balance against life itself and count
81 'he most precious Of the two.
First. with Sol and Sorrcl. weeks Of
heated rancor approaching blows went
w Then they brought the crude law
y The time to bear upon the bitter
problem, and Sorrel won. For days
hereafter Braintrcc mopcd about in
m mine or sat brooding in the cabin.
Sorrel had turned the water away from
~ claim and he could do nothing. Ills
H'art seemed consuming with rage, and
une night after little Trick had gone 10
s'eep' ne took his rifle and crcpt over 70
.orrels cabin with murder in his soul.
light was burning ON the inside. and
W. window, such as II was, stood open.
a'val'hily he crept up to the window
anr lald the muzzlc Of the rifle on the
Tilt Sorrcl was sitting by the light.
Nv mead propped on his hands, his brow
4. .''''s inicntiy studying rude map Of
WI h'nes which lay on the table before
.''" i'raintree took aim at his fore
"n lhc man was SO near he could
MI 1ne blood stirring the veins on his
mp'es he drew his finger 70 the trig-
ls'' NH, ana thc blood rushed into his own
II. aa until y seemed TO roar in
s,s ears. A hundred thoughts
NIL M Pictures flashed through his
,r.na as his finger touched the trig.
Ut men suddenly voice cried: Papa
:. % " was little Trick calling him.
u M lar and plain as he ever heard her
- ne My God!'' he gaspcd, and