The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1899-01-19
x TEhad been at work on sur
tains since earlyinthe spring

mis-, the cook. Besides, we were fam
ishing for news. Our mail and the late
papers and magazines should have
been sent to us every two weeks, hut
for nearly two months nothing had /
been seen Of the old trapper who acted
as mail-carrier. and no messenger or 4
message of any kind had reached Us +
from the outside world.
Every day we eXacted from the cook /
a promise that he would bring our let
tiers out to us in case the carrier should |
arrive while we were NJ work on the |
line. Then we would watch inpatient
ly till evening and hurry back to camp, |
more than half-eXpecting that the post
had come in spite OK the non-appear-
ance Of McGinnis. Expectancy was tor
turing us. Dsappointments repeated
every evening for several weeks deeply
affected the spirits OF the party. We
became restless and Cnsociable. We
tried to imagine what had happened
out in the world since we had lost
touch with 1t, and each feared that
some one dear 10 him had been seized
by illness or had met with misfortune.
We worried and fretted and tormented
ourselves with impatience.
One night after supper we lounged on
our damp beds. ten Of us in one tent,
waiting for bed time. The work of the
day had been unusually hard and the
hours long We were too leg-weary
and heavy of spirit to do anything but
the little patching that was regularly
necessary and to lounge
| McGinnis came over from the cook
! tent to tell us one of his tales of forty
! years ago. His stories possessed one
rare quality. They were reminiscent OF
! the wild life of the mountains IN the
earlier days, but McGinnis played no
prominent part in any of them. We
were all curious to learn something
about the old man. but our curiosity
was never satisfied. Frequently as Il
story in which lie figured gave promise
of showing his younger self put to n
test of strength or of courage, he would
break off suddenly or change the entire
trend of his story But he enjoyed
spinning his yarns, and our silence OF
late had afforded him the opportunity.
"Well, | see yous are the same merry
crowd as ever" he said. cheerlly as he
took the only chair in the tent. But
which of you is it that's comm up the
slope yonder, I'd like to know
Several of us looked at him wonder
ngly. Those who were busy paid nc
attention whatever.
The camp dog stretched, went lazlll
to the opening, then grew suddenly
alert ana began to bark. Almost in
} stanty ten heads were crowded be
tween the tent flaps.
Sure enough, some one whom W.
could not see clearly in the dim ligh
: was coming up the valley. 1t was evi
IDENTIFY man. following the line of on
: survey higher up the mountain slope
though only Il short distance away.
We finally fell over one another il
our sudden excitement. Every on
seemed moved by the same impulse.
half-dozen pairs of wet and worn-ou
boots disappeared from the passage be
D tween the two rows of hunks at I'll
same instant. Some one ran out an
shouted to attract attention. The
everybody else shouted, because ther
was suddenly shouting in the soul @
, each.
e McGlnnis went quietly and llghte
o the fire he had laid for morning in til
a cook stove. The head chairman mad
. place near the tent opening for Al
n other bed.
The rodman and the "stake-artist
fell to wrestling, and rolled about
the tent and then out of it with mos
= unexpected agility and high spirits.
q. A voice said it was not the old mai
g. carrier, aud we became still more cur
Gus. Not member of the party doub
ed that it was some one bringing OF
mail.
~ Two or three of the boys went
= meet the newcomer, and the rest of II
~ half-ashamed of the eagerness we HI
shown went back into the tent, thre
!. ourselves down on the beds and assuT
I, ed attitudes of Indifference.
!, We heard McGinnis calling: ICON
,s over to the cook-tent and eat befo
Of the boys start you to talking; they
ns never let you stop after"
"l'ye e't,'' a strange voice answere
ks We inside sat up again, our anticip
~ ton reawakened. A short, heavy-s,
o. square awed man, without grub-pa
ly or blankets, limped painfully into I
or tent and sat down on one of the bee
- He was evidently much travel-wol
but his small, bead-like eyes were
in tensely bright, and their glance fro
o. one to another of us was rapid a
d, searching.
he didn't you bring any mailY ask
the rodman. abruptly.
tn We all looked at the stranger cage
,el and waited.
vn NO" he answered, in a dislntere
nd cdly calm voice that fingered unple
II antly in our ears.
, The stranger felt in the inside of
ia pocket
only letter found in the trail
. the last creek crossing he said Qui
ly, rs he again searched us with
small, restless eyes.
Its for some one named Patrick
oo Ginnis," he continued holding mp
, Of unopened letter
: ~ ''Do you know hlm:'
III The old man reached for his let
i, and silently held it to the light of
,cid nearest candle. Then we all saw I
the 1t was crumpled and deeply stained
aus "Widout my spectacles. it looks
'''' blood on IT," said McGinnis. slowly
|. u thnn,rht n WIS hlnnl TOO