The San Francisco call., 1899-04-16

than a year ago. In the bed Of this well
nigh dried up stream man was vas, " WoFkthhs nf ths
stream. some fifty yards away, stood
a much patched tent and beside it
farm wagon; two ,,5ing mgiesi Tibs wI1d spd
fore feet hobbled were visible IN the
nearer distance as they moved to and fro
with that kangaroo-like movement Wh1ch
three miles away and divided from the
stream by many rugged guich, Stood
the crazy Diablo ranch house, It's White-
brightly through the dancing Transparent
cy, and far away behind 1T again rose
the towering camel-backed mountain, the
largest of all the threatening fantastc
volcanic monsters which completely sur
rounded the landscape. Not tree was
Visble-not a patch of ~reeni nothing ouL
bowider-strewn reddish SOIL with mere
and there a sapless, blackened shrub, or
q patch of dull gray brushwood, or the
gleam on the bones of long dead peast,
or the sheen on swollen hide yet to
be picked by yonder carrlon birds.
Hour after hour the man plodded on at
perspiration steadily dripping from his
face and standing out in beads on the
gray-fecked hair on his temples, He had
damned the stream some yards above
him, and had conducted the accelerated
current to the place where he was work
ing, and his labor consisted in filing
from the banks and swaying it gently to
and fro as the water played on 1t with an
even, rocking motion, until all the soil
was washed away. 1t was wonderful, ex-
hilarating; No matter where he plunged
his shovel, the loosened soil fairly gilt
tered with shining metal. and the worker,
a huge. pulging sack with great
knobs of shining gold. until the
banks Of the stream were punctured in a
hundred places by his miniature excava-
tions, and the bed of the stream was lit
tered with gistening fragments. 1t was
plain from the mans frantic exertions
that ne was working against time, and
though his tall spare frame and mus
GUAR arms showed no sign of strain or
tlrlng. the drawn and driven expression
on his deeply lined handsome face was re-
pulsive in its intensity.
At length, when the sun had sunk be-
hind the hills and a vapor was beginning
to rise from the stream he dropped his
tools and picking up gardeners line
measured out a square which included
all his workings, marking out each corner
with heap of powders. Then. lifting
up the sack as though it were feather,
he ran headlong to the tent
On a cot inside the tent a man was
lying, muttering to himself and cease
lessy chewing the blanket which par
TALLY covered him. One of his feet was
swathed up in an old horsecloth, and
fever shone in his eyes and burned on
his puffed CHASTITY face. Up to this cot
the laborer strode, and taking the burn
Can you start for home tomorrow,
Unky? Home, Unky! Home at last!"
Home! Home! Never again, never
again" echoed back from the dusk
hoarse and strange on the evening still
ness.
Passing a hand across his forehead, the
laborer took a stable lamp from the
floor, and. lighting it, gazed long and
earnestly in the sick mans face with un-
speakable dread in his own. Then, put
ting down the lantern, he filled a cap
sule with quinine. and. tenderly raising
the lolling bald head said:
Is the pain very bad? Here. take this
That's right. Can you eat some beans?"
But the sick man, feebly shaking his
head, dropped to the pillow again. fixed
his eyes Vacantly on the tent-roof and
beat with his hands on the cot.
busted Himself in preparation for r. the nor nor
rows departure. Not a tremor in his
voice betrayed the patient, hopeless suf-
fering which his face expressed, as he
chatted blithely on of the homecoming
in store and the well-loved faces so soon
to be seen again; and as he worked, un-
consciously gripping each thing he
his eyes ever wandered to a species of al
tar by the side of his own cot, consisting
which a mantelpiece border, once, no
doubt, a masterpiece of feminine achieve
ment. but now faded and tattered, had
been ruthessly nailed, and on which was
girl. whose trusting. steadfast eyes fol-
whence directed. And always as his eyes
met hers a flood of hopeless bitterness
seemed to shine from their depths, and
the lines seemed to deepen round his
mouth.
Often he went to his cot, and smooth
ing the pillow with womanly tenderness,
or holding water to the dried-up lips said,
some Of the contents Of the sack which he
had carried into his wide-brimmed hat,
and held it before the sufferers eye, but
saw its contents were black as night, and
rushing across the tent, he hurled the hat
through the gaping flap out into the dark
the tent-pole on which the lantern stood,
he took from its drawer a paper bag of
powder and some shot. and loaded
Leaving the bag open on the table, he