The morning times., 1895-08-11
Ome there latelyg" persisted the pleasant


tramped the whole distance that you
fellers just rode over"
There amt said the leader, deliber-
ately, ANY enchanted castle or cabin that
goes Waiting round the road with re-
volving windows and fairy princesses
looking out of 'em?'
But Collinson, recognizing this as purely
irrelevant humor, with possibly trap or
pitfall in ii, moved away from the fire
place without word and retired to the
adjoining kitchen TO prepare supper. Pres
emily he reappeared.
The pork barl's empty, boys, so III
hev TO fix ye up with Jerked beef, potatoes,
and flapjacks Ye see, thar amt anybody
ben over from SINNERS store for week.
"All right only hurry up" said Uncle
Dick, cheerfully, settling himself back
in his chair. Il reckon to turn in as soon
as I've rastled with your hash, for I've
got TO turn out agin and -be off at sun-up."
They were all very quiet again, so quiet
that they could not help noticing that
the sound of Coliinson's preparations for
their supper had ceased too. Uncle Dick
arose softly and walked TO the kitchen door.
Collinson was sitting before a small
kitchen stove, with fork i'll his hand gazing
abstractedly before him. AT the sound
of the guests footsteps he started, and the
noise OF preparation recommended Uncle
Dick returned TO his chair before the fire.
IONdTu HeGlOSS-Suof cA
man, he said in lower voice:
HE was off agin."
"Thinkin' of that wife of his"
''What about his wife?" asked Key,
lowering his voice also.
The three len's heads were close to-
gether.
When Collinson fixed up this mill he
sent for his wife in the States, said Uncle
DICK, in half whisper, waited a year
fo har nrpund a nd grliup pyery
enligrant wagon that came through thePass.
She didn't conle-only the news that she
was dead" He paused and nudged his
chair still closer-the heads were almost
| touching. They say-oyer In the bar, !"
his voice had sunk to a complete whisper
that it was lie! That she ran away
| with the man that was fetchin' her out
Three thousand miles and three weeks
! with another man upsets some women. But
! he knows nothing about it, only he some
times kinder goes off loony-iike, thinkin'
| of her" He stopped; the heads sepa-
rated. ColInson had appeared at the
| doorway, his melancholy patience appar-
| emily unchanged.
'GrubS on, gentlemen; sit by and eat. ="
The humble meal was dispatched with
zest and silence. a few int rjectional
| remarks about the uncertainties OF pros
pecting only accented the other pauses.
| In ten minutes they were out again by the
fireplace with their lit pipes. As there
We're only three chairs Collinson stood be-
| side the chimney.
"CoIIiusoD," said Uncle Dick, after the
usual pause, taking his pipe from his lips,
| "as we've got to Eetup audEetat sun-up, we
| might well tell you now that were dead
| broke. We've been living for the last few
weeks on Preble KEYS loose change
| and that's gone. Youu have to let this
little account and damage stand over.
ColIiusoD's brow slightly contracted, with
| out, however, altering his general expires
sion OF resigned patience.
I'm sorry for you, boys, he said, slowly,
d'-diffdenly-"kin cory for my
| self, too. You see, reckoned on goin' over
| TO SINNERS tomorrow to fill up the pork
| barlaud vote for Mesick and the wagonroad
But kiuDer can't let me have any thing more
until I've paid suthin' on account, as be
calls it."
''D'ye mean to say thar's any mountain
man as low flung and mean as that said
Uncle Dick, Indignantly.
But il isn't his fault" said ColliDsor
| gently; you see they won send him goods
from Sacramento if he don pay up, and he
can't If l don't. sabe?''
"Ah! that'sauother thing. They aremeai
in Sacramento" said Uncle Dick, some
what Modified.
The other guests murmured an assent K
this generous proposition. Suddenly Uncl
| Dicks face frightened.
LOOK herel know Skinner, and II stoI
there. No, blank il all! / can't, for it's OF
my route! Well, then, Wen fix IL thl
way. Key win go there aud tell Skinne
! that ! say that ! Il seud the money to tina
Sacramento hound. ThatN fix it!''
| Coliinsons brow cleared; the solution oi
the difficulty seemed TO satisfy everybody
and the close-shaYen man smiled.
And III secure it," he said, "and give
Colinson a sight draft ON myself at SaI
Francisco"
sudden suffusion on each cheek.
I'm case of accident"
"Wot acciGent?' persisted Collinson
with dark look OF suspicion on his usual!
placid face.
I'm case we should forget it." said tn
closely-shaven man, with laugh.
And do you suppose that il you boy
went and forgot it that I'd have anything
to do with your paper?" said CollinsOn, {
murky cloud coming into his eyes.
why, that's only business, Colly," in
! terposed Uncle Dick quickly; that's al
jim Parker means; he's business man
don't you see? Suppose we got killed
You've that draft to show"
"Show who?" grOwled Collinson.
"Why-hang it-our friends, our heirs
our relatous-to get your money" hesi
|
And do you kalkilate," said COllinson
with deeply laboring breath, THAT if yol
got killed, that Ia be coming on your folk
for the worth Of the truck | CIV ye? "
away! Lemme git out o. this. Your
maxim me tired" He stalked 10 the door
lit his pipe, and began to walk up and dow'
the gravelly river bed. Uncle Dick followet
him. From time to time the two othe
guests heard the sounds of alternate pro
tests and explanation as they passed ant
repassed the windows. Preble Key smiled
Parker shrugged his shoulders.
He'll be thinkn' you'v begrudged hin
your grub if you don't-that the way Will
these business men," said Uncle Dick'
voice in one of these intervals. Present.,
they re-entered the house, Uncle Dick say
ing casually to Parker: You nleave tha
draft on the bar when you're ready to e
tomorrow, and the incident was pre-
sumed to have been ended. But Colinsol
did not glance in the direction of Parker 10
the rest OF the evening and. indeed, stand
ing with his back to the chimney, NOR
. than once fell into that stolid abstraction
which was supposed 10 be the contempia
ton of his absent wife.
From this silence, which became in
fectious, the three guests were suddenl
, aroused by furious clambering down tn
steep descent of the mountain-along tn
trail they had Just riddeni 1t cam
near, increasing in sound, until 1T eve
seemed to scatter the fine gravel of tn
river bed against the sides of the house
and then passed in a gust of wind tha
shook the roof and roared in the chimney
|. With one common impulse the three tray
elers rose and went to the door. The
opened it to a blackness that seemed t
: stand as another and an iron door befoI
them. But to nothing else.
Somebody went by, them" said Uncl
Dick, turning to CoIlinson. Didn't yo