Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-05

who is the sole witness to the narrative, IS
a weIl-known pioneer. guide. interpreter.
mining expert and judge of judges. This
strange story came to us from the lips of
one of the survivors between signs that at
times We're almost sobs:
1t was in the summer of 81 that a quiet
man came to Calgary. on the Canadian
Pacific, province of Alberta, to open an as
say office. 1t was week or two later that
a miner. ore stained and wind Drowned,
pushed his way into the local bank and
asked for the manager. The paying teller
indicated back room. and the man went
in. The manager turned slowly on his re-
volving chair. the stranger looked at him
steadily for a moment. shook his head
slowly. sighed and turned away.
No. he's not the man. he said, moving
toward the door
ager.
?oh. nothin'. was lookin' for Mr.. Mac
quagin-"
That is my name"
Yes / know: but you amt the man.
You amt Sandy Macquagin."
The disappointment and bereavement OIL
the stranger interested the manager, and
in little while he had the sad story. The
hoar hermit, after years of hill and bush
life. seemed quite willing to talk. Finding
himself face to face with white man, the
past came back again, even his boyhood S
happy days down in Old Kentucky.
They had been pards for years. Mac
quagin, who was younger, was known as
Sandy. and this grizzled trailman as Uncle
Ben.
Indeed. that was the only name he gave
would give.
Yes. they had been pards but in an evil
hour they strolled into FL Paso, the cards
and a woman went against them, they quar-
relied. each reached for his gun-and then
they both changed their minds.
That night they parted on, the banks OF
], . ho izAt
whichever happened to be first to find pay
dirt should look the other up and share
the fortune with him. They were to be
partners still. but never again to sleep
under the same blanket.
Sandy remained in FL Paso, with the
senorita at his feet rolling and lighting
cigarettes for him. Uncle Ben wandered
to the north and fell in with a very wise
Indian named Chekko, who lived alone far
from any man, red or white.
In time Chekko and Uncle Ben became
fast friends. One night the Indian had
dream He dreamed that away to the
north ran a river whose shoal water rip
pied over pebbles of gold. Going into the
bush. he brought forth staff OF witch
hazeI-a sort of divining rod-and off he
started for British Columbia, followed
closely by Uncle Ben.
After weeks and months of weary march
ir g. when in a deep canon in the heart 81
the SelkirkS, Chekko stopped suddenly ard
looked at the walls on either side. The
divining rod quivered and pointed into a
side canon. They had gone but little
ways up the narrow gulch when the rod
was wrenched from Chekkos grasp and
fen upon his foot. Hard by they saw
running brook, the black sands OF which
were brilliant with pebbles of gold In
proof of his story, | ncIe Ben brought from
his deep pockets any amount of dust, mug
gets and a small bar of pure gold. They
had been in the gorge for more than two
years Chekko in addition to being super
stitious. had great dread of white men,
They We're all thieves and robbers, he said,
and he had sworn by the bark of the witch
hazel that no white man would ever come
within twenty PAGES Of him, and he, II he
knew it. and could avoid it. would not pass
within twenty miles of white man.
And so it had taken Uncle Ben two years
to persuade Chekko TO allow him to take
the gold out to Sandy MaCquagin, who, as
Uncle Ben had learned. ran bank at Cal
gary.
He knew Sandy. he said. and knew him
to be an honest man
But now Che dashed tear away 1t was
all off This Macquagin was not Sandy,
and he would not deceive Chekko.
Gathering up his gold, Uncle Ben moved
toward the door.
DO you think Sandy would buy your
gold if you could find him. asked the
banker.
.Oh. / don't want him to buy it. 1 only
wanted him TO take 1t and ship it away
an git some sort of machine to git the
gold out with. You see the whole noun
tain's full of this kind o. rock and as he
4
gold quartz that had ever been seen in
Calgary.
Now, the banker could not know, posi-
lively. that the slab was gold that the
great nuggets were not nuggets of brass,
but this quartz was good rock and he want
ed some OF it. As Uncle Ben put the speci-
mems back into his deep pockets and reach
ed for the door the banker spoke:
Perhaps. II you can't find Sandy. you'll
let me help you out
The old prospector smiled sadly, and
shook his head.
No" he said, II don't say you amt
square. an 1 thank you very kindly, but
Chekko won't have it-not fer a minute"
That was all he said. and he passed out
into the street. followed the street until
it became a dim wagon road. then trail.
and when the trail pinched out disappeared
in the trackess forest.
The quiet man with the brown beard and
the Georgia accent, who had come to Cal
gary TO open an assay office became, In a
few short weeks. one Of the leading citi
zens." He identified himself at once with
one of the churches Qhe oldest and most
aristocratic in the camp. sang in the choir
and taught class in Sunday school when
the regular man was away in the hills.
This is of the first Importance when you
open new business in a Canadian town
to identify" yourself.
The manager Of the local bank attended
the same service and the two men be-
came acquainted But the banker did not
tell the assayer of his mysterious visitor
or OF the faraway river that rippled over
bed Of gold. Not that he had forgotten.
He lost many an hours sleep on account
of Uncle Ben and his fascinating story.
Three fretfui. feverish weeks passed, the
door suueaked and Uncle Ben stood once
more in the bankers private office. The
banker tried to appear unconcerned. He
got up and closed the door that Uncle Ben
had left open. but before he had resumed
his seat the strange visitor had swung it
wide again THE whole wide world amt
none too big fer me-. said Uncle Ben. AN
they amt no use droppin' the blanket over
a square deal
The old man had abode long IN the
open. seeing and knowing only Chekko,
that he hated four walls and no opening.
Ii required a great deal Of diplomacy upon
the part of the banker to bring the old
miner to consider a proposition from a
Macquagin who was not Sandy. Finally.
by careful angling. the money man got
from Uncle Ben a vague promise that IL
Chekko could be won over he would be
willing TO allow the banker TO help them
cut but with the explicit understanding
that the manager should risk nothing. This
was the wish II the honest old prospector.
He even insisted that the banker should
have the bar. nuggets and the dust tested
before shipping the former. that en-
barrassment could possibly come to his
new friend 1t was further agreed that the
banker, for his part in the work. should
have One-third interest in all that
ChekkO and Uncle Ben possessed