The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1900-06-21

hand on the door.
as this" he queried with himself.
'the friend who is to show me to my
nights lodging? He does not come like
one who is sure of his welcome" Then
his face broke into smile at the sound
Of Mikes wellknown whistle. trifie
more guarded than usual, with rising
note of inquiry, as if to ask Are you
there, Darcie dear?'
Mike detected no change in the man
ner of his partner, nor, at first, in his
countenance, more than his hurt and
subsequently confinement might have
accounted for, and they began to chah
and berate each other in the language
| in which men, surprised into strong
feeling, seek to conceal the same.
"Was we expectin' me?" asked Mike.
sinking his voice into the depths of his
richest brogue. Did the docther tell
We where l was hid? III be bound we
niver axed him; for why wouldn't he
tell we, unless the little CURL was by? l
bet she was in it the heft O. the time,
and we niver gev me thought. But we
betther be h'istin' out av this. Sure,
I'm livin' like Robson Crusho in a cave
O. me own as handy as pocket in
shirt There's grub for two, an the
docther was tellin' me he'd sind me
boarder. He never mintioned your
name, but whistled on the chant. The
docther is an honest man, entirely; he's
threated me white. He had me loife in
his hand the night l borrowed a lodgin'
unbeknownst to him, whin thin blag-
yards was chasin' me trough the
woods: an he justchucked me the wink
Lay low, Mike says he; there's bet
Their men underground than some that's
on top
"An' now follow me into me diggin's;
it's pair O. gophers We'll be. / been
spreadin me toes bit underground.
feelin' for daylight by the back way.
Up yon," he added, pointing generally
up the gulchside among the under
brush, "is the back door av me gopher
hole Hearts is thrumps, but spades is
our long shut, me lad"
Without more elucidation of the facts
conveyed in these mixed metaphors,
! Mike undid the hasp of the cellar door,
and Darcie, STOPPING, followed him into
, a place where an odor of pine kindling-
: wood mingled with that of freshly dug
earth.
ST put out me light beca'se I'm not
keepin' a public" Mike explained
Stan still in your thracks till l faster
Z the door, an thin we'll see the color o
night underground.
This was the ould mans wine
cellar" he babbled on, while making
{ hospitable arrangements for his board
er's comfort; jabbing miners pronge'
iron candlestick, in which he had place.
lighted candle, into a beam of tn
cellar timbering, and dragging forth
y soap-box for seat.
CT is pity he didn't miss two o
tree dozen av beer whilst he was clear
= in up, or gallon av good whisky. TIL
docther, honest man, he's good for fire
Q iodgin's and grub and 'baccy, but he
aiver said beer to me vance since in
.come, and don't think it's manenes'
q suit touch O. precaution, seem ho'
= some folks exceed themselves that
y builder nor what am.
- TITS dhry supper we'll have, for it
mostly canned stuff I'm livin' on, nc
havin' the means O. conshumnin' m
= own shmoke when I'm cookin'."
- 1t was after II o'clock, and all was We
silent outside so far as the deaf an
dumb walls of the cellar reported til
; sound Of the night. Darcie was lyin
. on the pallet of boards and blanket
? that Mike had prepared for him, broa
awake, and staring in the darkness
70 His arm was aching steadily, and h
u was thinking, thinking the blac
10 thoughts of grief at night, trying tn
&C depths of his pain, and finding it yer
deep indeed. He had forgotten a
"a about the doctors poppy and maj
. dragora. He stretched forth his han
ia and felt Mikes shoulder, and shoe
~ the honest sleeper beside him.
az make light, will you? can't
L. here in the dark" he complained in a
IN injured voice, as if Mike had sever
10 times and persistently refused him IL
&c small boon of candle.
whats the matter that We cann'
n, sleep?" Mike inquired. els your ar
Oh lurtin' We bad?"
re Everything is hurting me-" Dare
is specified. my arm weighs ton, al
q every pound is pulling on the small
Ell my back, and there's sickish lump
- my chest that stiles me. Is it likely
- can sleep?"
That's quare mess av symptoms
SO have. l snags, / dunno what to MAJ
nd av it. Whisper, Darcie!"-Miks coaxe
US lowering his tumultuous voice to Sc
to timental aside that might have be-
m heard, barring the Intervention of d
ng ccllar-walls. across the gulch. "Ha