Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-04-01

Suddenly his conversation with his partner
came back into his mind. What was it Boss
had said upon the subject? Tell her how they
live at the Mines He revolved It in his brain.
1t seemed curious thing to talk about: but
Boss had said 1t. and Boss was ALWAYS right
He would take the plunge; so with a premoni-
tory hem he blurted out
They live mostly on bacon and beans in the
valley"
He could not see whs: effect this communica-
ton had upon ms companion. He was too tail
to be able to peer under the little straw bon
net She did not answer. He would try again.
Mutton on Sundays" he said
Even this failed to arouse any enthusiasm.
In fact, she seemed to be laughing. Boss was
evidently wrong. The young man was in de-
spair. The sight OF ruined hut beside the
pathway conjured up fresh idea He srasped
at 1t as drowning man to a straw
"Cockney Jack built that" he remarked.
'Lived there till he died
What did he die of?' asked his companiou
"Three-star brandy" said Abe. decisivelv.
II used to come over OF a night when he was
bad and sit bv him. Poor chap, he had a wife
and two children in Putnev. He'd rave and
call me Polly by the hour He was cleaned
out. hadn't red cent; but the BOYS collected
rough gold enough To see him through He's
buried there in that shaft; that was his claim,
so We just dropped him down it an filled it up
Put down his pick. too, an a spade an a
bucket. SOS he'd feel kinder perky and at
home"
Miss Carrie seemed more interested now.
DO they often die like that?" sine asked
We'll. brandy kills many; but there's more
gets dropped-shot, you know"
Il don't mean that Do many men die alone
and miserable down there. with no one to care
for them?" and she pointed to the cluster of
houses beneath them. sis there any one dying
now? 1t is awful to think Of
There's none l knows on likely to throw
up their hand
4. ,l.,
burton. said Carrie. 'You know il isn't po-
lite. You should get a dictionary and learn the
proper words"
''Ah. that's it, said Bones apologeticallv
ITS gettin' your hand on the proper one.
When you've not got steam drill. you've got
to put up with the pick
Yes, but its easy If Won really try. You
could say that man was diving, or 'moribund,'
if you like"
That's it," said the miner enthusiastically
i" Moribund" That's word. Why, you could
lay over Boss Morgan in the matter of words
'Moriound! There's some sound about that. :"
Carrie laughed.
Its not the sound you must think Of but
whether 1t will express your meaning. Seriously
Mr.. burton, II any one should be Ill in the camp
you must let me know. l can nurse, and 1
might be of use. You will. won't Won?
And now l must say good morning." said
Carrie. as they came to the spot where a crooked
pathway branched off from the track and wound
up to Azalea Villa. Thank you ever so much
for escorting me-"
So poor Bones departed in a mixture of MANY
opposite feelings. He had interested her. She
had spoken kindly to him. But then she had
sent him away before there was anv necessity:
she couldn't care much about him if she would
do that. L think he might have felt a little
more cheerful. however. had he seen Miss Car
RE Sinclair as she watched his retiring figure
from the garden gate with n loving look upon
fan n,,1 IL.
bent head and responding appearance.
".
The Colonial Bar was the fayorite haunt of
the inhabitants of Harveys Sluice in their hours
OF relaxation. There had been a fierce COM
petition between it and the rival establish
ment termed the Grocery, which. in spite OF
its innocent appellation. aspired also to dis
pense spirituous refreshments. The importa-
ton OK chairs into the latter had led to the ap-
pearance of a setsee in the former. Spttoons
appeared in the Grocery against a picture in
the Bar, and, as the frequenters expressed it.
the honors We're even. When. however, the
Grocery led a window curtain. and its oppo-
nent returned a snuggery and a mirror. The
game was declared 20 be in favor of the latter
and Harveys Sluice showed its sense Of the
spirit of the proprietor by Withdrawing its Gus
tom from his opponent.
Though every man was at liberty to swasyer
into the Bar itself and bask In the simmer of
its many-colored bottles. there was a general
feelnS that the snuggery OK SPECIAL apartment
should be reserved for the use OF the more
prominent citizens. On this particular evening
there was an assemblage Of notabil,ties in the
snuggery. The rangers were the present sub
ject Of discussion. For some few DAYS rumors
OF their presence had been flying about and an
uneasy feeling had peryaded tbs colony
fresh impetus had been given to the panic
by the report just brought in Dy Jim Struggles.
Jim was OF an ambitious and aspiring turn of
mind, and after gazing in silent disgust at his
last weeks cleanup he had rnetaphoricaIlv
shaken the clay of Harvey's Sluice from his fee.
and had started off into the woods with the in
tentlon OF prospecting round until he could hit
upon some likely piece OF ground for himself
Jim story was that he was sitting upon fallen
trunk eating his midday damper and rusty
bacon. when his trained ear had caught the
cllnk OF horses hoofs. He had hardly time 20
take the precaution of rolling of the tree and
crouching down behind it before a troop of
men came riding down through the bush and
passed within stones throw Of him.
There was Bill Smeaton and Murphy Duff ~
said Struggles. naming two notorious ruffians:
land there was three more that / couldn' {
rightly see. And they took the trail to the
right and looked hike business all over. with
their guns in their hands,
Jim was submitted to a searching cross-exam-
lnation that evening, but nothing could shake
his testimony throw a further light upou
what he had seem
There were a few. however who were loudly
skeptical as to the existence of the rangers, and
the most prominent of these was a young man
who was perched on a barrel in the center of
the room, and was evidently one OF the leading
spirits In the community. We have already
seen that dark curling hair, lack-lus ter eve and
thin, cruel lip, in the person of Black Tom
Ferguson, the rejected sultor of Miss Sinclair.
Its always the same" he said: IF a man
meets a few travellers in the BUSH he's bound
TO come back ravlng about rangers. If thev'd
seen Struggles there, they would have gone off
with a long yarn about a ranger crouchng be-
hind a tree As to recognizing people riding
fast among tree trunks-it is an impossibilitv"
Something seemed to be on his mind, too.
for occasionally he would spring off his perch
and pace up and down the room with an alb
stracted and very forbiddinS look upon his
swarthy face. 1t was q relief to every one
when. suddenly catching up his hat and wish
ing the company a curt good night" he
walked of through the bar and into the street
beyond.
Seems kinder put out" remarked Long
Mccoy
He can't be afeard of the rangers, surely"
said Joe Shamus, another man of consequence,
and principal shareholder of the Ell Dorado
NO, he's not the man to be afraid"
answered another. There's something queer
about him thelast day or two. He's been long
trips In the woods without any tools They
DO say that the assayer's daughter has chucked
him over
Quite right too. A darned sight too good
for him" remarked several voices.
Its odds but he has another try." said
Shamus. "de's hard man to beat when he's
set his mind on a thing