The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-07-29
The Yellow God.

fndin' It."
Duh CLEANS Of light from a smoky Ian
tern fell athwart the face of the Old mi
ner, rugged hone3y, deep-furrowed b
time and hardships, and offering a marke
contrast indeed to the handsome, patri
clan features of Billy Edwards, his JUNO
partner.
"Findin' Billy, means quittin'. It's a
end 10 the wants an privadons I've know
ed for nigh twenty year. But, somehow
I've come to like these Still ole noun
tains, an the singin' or the pines, AT
the river.
We're goin' back to civilization" con
| tinued Tom, unheeding the others lacl
| Of sympathy with his reminiscent mood
| can that means separation know yol
like me. Billy. A feIer couldn't want
| better partner than you've been fer tn
/ two year I've knoTed you. But with We
dedication. an yer young blood. an ye
| ton. We can't be the same down there
] couldn't expect it But think pow
erful deal Of you. Billy. /"
"Oh. come Tom,' broke in his compan
| ion. impatiently, you're in the dump
! tonight. Think Of the cty's ten Thousand
| pleasures that this stake can buy for US
| There's no life in these damned solitudes
| It's there in rhe crowded streets, and i
| can all be ours when we've got such Z
! god-the god Of gold-to see us through"
But il amt fer me-" persisted Tom
~ m past them things. II II want fer tht
| hope of findin the ole woman down there
| In Frisco an maxim her comfortable, IC
stay. / don't care fer the gold after all
I've found it, an my hungerin' fer IL:
| satisfied
| Billy made no answer Tom rose pres
emily, and dumped the nuggets into q
gunny-sack. Then he arranged his blan-
| kefS for the night
Put it away safely, Billy he said jocu-
| larly; we're already on the edge of civ
ilization, an we must learn to be per
tickler''
I'm look after it, never fear" said the
other. shortly; good night"
Billy finished his task. but his mind was
still busy with thoughts of the future. He
rose and stepped out into the night.
There was none of the stuff OF which
heroes are made in Billy's composition
His college career cut short by the melt
ing away of his fathers fortune, he awoke
one morning 10 find himself face to face
with the worih. his wits his only capital.
He remembered tonight his struggle to
maintain his social position; the sights
heaped upon him by erstwhile boon COM
panions the gradual sinking away OF
hope, until with starvation staring him
in the face, he had shipped in a vessel
bound round the horn Or his lips were
curses for the friends who had failed him;
in his heart a resolve to some day retail
late He recalled his hardships on the
western frontier, his final falling in with
old Tom Jenkins and the hopeless search
for gold until a week ago. when the gravel
of dried-up mountain stream unexpect-
eddy yielded them their fortune, and end
ed for him the hell-on-earth existence
in these solitudes. His future course was
plain. Mercilessly he would engage in the
war for wealth. His heart must know
but one ibve--the love of gold.
And the stake! 1t was not so much
after all. If he only had Toms share, tool
The thought startled him, and he looked
furtively about, as though already under
surveillance. Well, why not? What was
Tom to him now? The old man cared
nothing for gold-he had said as much.
Why not begin the task of wealth gather
ing tonight, and double his fortune by a
single coup? The skiff was already for
the morrow's journey down the river. He
could easily reach North Fork by day
light, and miles of distance would lie
between him and Tom before the latter
could make the trip across the almost i'm
passable mountain trail. He weakened
for a moment as he thought of Toms al
most mOtherly soHcitude-of how through
out their wanderings the big-hearted mi
ner had borne the brunt of the struggle
covered the old mans first words were:
I'm glad for your sake, Billy" Then he
asked himself if he, too, was growing
sentimental, and tonight, of all nights, on
the very eve of battle.
He walked back to the house. Tom was
fast asleep. The Pickering light OF the
lantern fell aslant the corner where he
lay his powerful form half swathed in the
tattered blankets, his brawny arms thrown
above his head
But the touching picture meant moth
ing to Billy, who watched the sleeper for
an instant and then proceeded to put his
cowardly scheme into effect. There was
a look of cunning triumph on his face as
he completed his preparations.
He made a cautious step toward the
door of the shack, when a slight noise,
real or fancied, caused him to glance back
over his shoulder. The next instant the
bag of gold crashed to the floor, while
Billy sank on his knees, as though felled
by a blow. Tom was sitting bolt upright
in bed, with a revolver leveled al Billy'S
heart
The two gazed at each other a moment
in utter silence Billy's eyes, fixed with
the penetration born of despair. scanned
the old mans face and read there re-
proach and pity, rather than thirst for
swift revenge. This somewhat treasured
him. and ne rose to his feet.
well" he said bluntly, what do you
intend to do?"
80" said Tom. with long breath. ''I
wuz mistook in you after all. To think
that 1 give you my friendship an you
want worth it. What be 1 goin' to do?
What do men usually do when a pardner
turns theft"
You wouldn't shoot me Tom?'
"Why not? Mems been killed fer less
n this, an the world wuz well red of
EN-"
Then It did mean death.
ooh. spare me, spare me, Tom. You
said you cared nothing for gold, while l.
l was mad with love OF it. 1t is my god
my heaven-my everything. But take it,
take it ail-only give me my life-Toni-
I-T-can't-die.'
cit up" commanded the other, cold
". Don't make me despise you worse Il
I do. What would you do If you WIZ in
my place? Shoot. wouldn't you. You'd
XIII me now if you had the chance"
But think. Tom, what life means to
me; I'm young and
Think what friendship meant TO me,
Billy. I'm old"
In the momentary silence that followed
the pines and the river could De heard
singing their old. old song, unheeding Of
the strife OF mortals for a scrap OF the
treasure they guarded. Tom heard the
song. and his bitterness seemed 10 go
out with the weird melody. The hand
that he'd the weapon dropped listlessly to
his side.
I'll spar yer life" he said hoarsely; |
you kin go"
Billy stood a moment as though he had !
not heard.
Yer free. CO." said Tom.
The boy glanced from the old man 20 the /
bag OF god, and then turned slowly to- I
ward the doorway.
You better take yer pile now" saii 4
Tom quietly. "ss I reckon you WON'T be I
comm back"
'Dou you mean it," gaspsd Billy.