The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-09-07
THE YELLOW GOD.
by LHAvEswonrH MAcHAB.

of the shack. 'Seems to me, Billy"
he said, slowly, "that hopin' to find
it is better N findin' it,"
Dull CLEANS of light from a smoky
lantern fell athwart the face of the old
miner, rugged, homely, deep-furrowed
by time and hardships, and Offering O
marked contrast, indeed, to the hand
some, patrician features of Billy
Bailey, his junior partner.
''Findin', Billy, means quittin'
It's an end to the wants an privations
I've knowed for nigh twenty years.
But, somehow, I've come to like these
still ole mountains, an the singin OF
the pines, an the river. They've
growed like friends, an I'm never
lonesome among 'em. Listeni you
can hear 'em now. Maybe it's the las
time they'll ever sing fer me-"
"We're goin' back to civilization, "
continued Tom, unheeding the Others s
lack of sympathy with his reminiscent
mood, "an' that means separation.
know you like me, Billy. A Teller
couldn't want better pardner than
you've been fer the two year I've
knowed You. But with yer eddica-
tion, an yer young blood, an yer am
bitions, You amt my kind in civ'liza-
tion. We can't be the same down
there. l couldn't expect it. But l
think powerful deal of you, Billy.
/"
"Oh, come, Tom," broke in his
companion, impatiently, 'you're in
the dumps tonight. Take walk and
brace up. Should think you'd look
on the bright side of things now.
We've worked and starved in these
cursed wilds for gold. until at last
we've got it. Think of the city's ten
thousand pleasures that this stake can
buy for us. There's no life in these
solitudes. It's there in the crowded
streets, and it can be ours when we've
got such god-the god of gold-to
see us through"
Billy laughed gloatingly in anticipa-
tion. Then once more he fixed his
eyes with glittering intensity on the
yellow heap, which meant for him all
that life can mean to selfish, love-
lack nature.
"But it amt fer me-" persisted
Tom. 'Tm past them things. If it
want fer the hope of fndin' the old
woman down there in Frisco an max
in her comfortable, I'd stay. don't
care fer the gold after ALL I've found
it, an my hungerin' fer it's satisfied. I"
Billy made no answer. He had
long since become resigned to the di-
versity of their tastes, and tonight he
was in no mood for argument. He
got out some materials, and began to
repair rent in his coat. Tom rose
presently, and dumped the nuggets
into gunny-sack. Then he arranged
his blankets for the night.
"Put 1T away safe, Billy" he said,
jocularly; were already on the edge
of civilization, an must learn to be
pertickler."
'I'll look after it, never fear," said
the other, shortly; good d-night."
Billy finished his task, but his mind
was still busy with thoughts of the
future. He rose and stepped out into
the night. At his feet the turbulent
river rushed blackly along, its foam
crests cleaning like dull silver in the
clear starlight. Behind him lowered
in silent majesty the rugged, wooded
mountains. The air was heavy with
the breath of the pines. But Billy
saw none of the beauty of the night.
The mountains awakened memories of
hardships and hopelessness; the river
was only a highway to civilization. He
lit his pipe, and began TO pace up and
down the shelving shore.
There was none of the stuff of which
heroes are made in Billy Bailey's COM
position. Had the fates seen fit to
continue their kindly beginning, he
would probably have developed into
one of the horde of whited sepulchres
that SO largely make up what the
world is pleased to term the respect
able of humanity-those who observe
the conventions to the letter, indulpe
every desire with studied care that
wins the approval Of men, and dying
are respectfully buried and speedily
forgotten. On the contrary. fate had
preferred giving Billy chance to
provo his mettle. His college career
cut short by the melting away of his
fathers fortune, he awoke one morn
ing to find himself face to face with
the world, his wits his only capital.
He remembered tonight his struggles
to maintain his social position; the
sights heaped upon him by erstwhile
boon companions; the gradual sinking
away OF hope, until, with starvation
staring him in the face, he had shipped
In o vessel bound Ground the Horn"
On his lips we're angry phrases for the
friends who had failed him; in his
heart resolve some day to retaliate.
he recalled his hardships ON the
Westcrn frontier, his final falling in
with old Tom jenkins, and the hope
less search for gold until = week ago.
whom tho gravel Of dried-up noun