Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1899-01-20
THE YELLOW GOD.

Tom Jenkins ran his hand through
the gold that lay heaped on the floor Of
the shack. "Seems to ne, Billy" he
said slowly, that hopin to find it is
be.ter'n finding il.
Dull CLEANS If light from a smoky
lantern fell athwart the face Of the old
miner. rugged, homely, deep furrowed
by time and hardships and Offering q
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 fer nigh 20 year. But somehow
I've come to like these still ole noun
tains, an the singin of the pines an tho
river. They've growed like friends, an
I'm never lonesome among EN-. Listen,
you can hear 'om now. Maybe it's tho
las time they'll ever sing fer me-"
We're gUin back to civilization"
continued Tom, unheoding the others
lack of sympathy with his reminiscent
mood, "an that means separation. l
know you like me, Billy. a Teller
couldn't want a better pardner than
you've been fer the two year Two know
cd you. But with your cddication. IN
your young blood, an your ambitions, You
amt my kind in civilization. We cant
be tho same down there. | couldn't cx-
pect it. But l think u powerful deal Of
you, Billy. r.
snI al..o No.. - L-,I-, =, IL, 1850,
panion inpatiently, ''you're in tho
dumps tonight. Take n drink and brace
up. Should think you'd look on the
bright side of thingsnow. We've work
cd and starved in these cursed wilds for
gold until at last we've got it. Think
of the city's 10, O0O pleasures that this
stake can buy for us. There's no life in
these id solitudes. It's there in tho
crowded streets, and it can all be ours
when we've got such a god-the god of
gold-to see us through"
Billy laughed gloatingly in anticipa-
tion. Then once more he fixed his eyes,
with a glittering intensity, on the yell
low heap, which meant for him all that
life can mean to a selfish, love lack ma
ture.
but it amt fer Inc, " persisted Tom.
"I'm past them things. II it WANT fer
the hopo of findin the old woman down
there in Frisco an maxim her comforta-
BILE, I'd stay. don't care fer the gold
after all. I've found it, an my hungerin
fer it's satisfied.
Billy made no answer. He had long
since become resigned to the diversity
If their tastes, and tonight he was in
no mood for argument. He got out
some materials and began to repair a
rent in his coat. Tom rose presently
and dumped the nuggets into a gunny
sack Then he arranged his blankets
for the night.
Put it away safe, Billy" he said
jocularly. Were already en- the edge
Of civilization an must learn to DO per-
tickler."
"Ill look after 1t, never fear" said
the other shortly. GOOD night"
Billy finished his task, but his mind
was still busy with thoughts of the fu-
ture. He rose and stepped out into the
night. At his feet the turbulent river
rushed blaokly 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 high
way 10 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 CON
tinue their kindly beginning he would
probably have developed into one Of the
horde of whited sepElohers that SC
largely make up what the world il
pleased to term the respectable Of hu.
manity-those who observe the conven.
tions to tho letter, indulge every desire
with a studied care that wins the ap-
proyal OF men, ard, dying, are respect
fully buried and speedily forgotten. On
the contrary, fate had preferred giving
Billy o chance to prove his mettle. His
college career cut short by the melting
away Of his fathers fortune, he awokf
one morning TO find himself face T.
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 erstwhilC
boon companions, the gradual sinking
away Of hope until, with starvation
staring him in the face, he had shipped
in a vessel bound round the Horn. >
On his lips were curses for the friends
who had failed him, in his heart re.
solve some day to retaliate. He recalled
his hardships ON the western frontier,
his final falling in with old Tom Jen-
kins and the hopeless search for gold