The suburban citizen., 1901-10-19

q uHIIuN NuEbNHNloil "a 81 pt1AA NiANuSA
the brush, he Travelled for time
westward up the hill.
"Hullow he cried again. Hey, there,
hullo!'
This time a smothered moan was
borne ON the wind
Across the gulch," lie breathed,
ana descended 80 the bottom Of the
wrinkle in the mountain, and up on
the further acclivity. Forward and
back he plodded calling repeatedly
AT length, nearly ready 20 give the
search over, he stood in the storm to
listen. Suddenly, less than three
feet away, hump of snow stirred
slightly.
Sturgis stopped toward it instantly
pushed Off the blanket of ice and lift.
ed up stifrenlng little form, cold and
helpless.
by gracious" said he. "but this is
too bad The tunnels the nearest
place to go and maybe I can light
fire.
"Diyesting himself OF his coat, he
wrapped it about the child, held him
close, and strobe away in the path OF
the storm. Floundcring here, slipping
there, blocked under foot, confused
by the fight Of snow, he wandered
for an hour, up hill and down. BY
sheer good fortune he found himself
at last by the side of the uump of his
claim.
His hands were numb and as stiff
rs wood; he felt that hardly u spot OF
warmth was left in his body. AS he
labored up the side OF the dump to
the top, he was confronted by n
hunching flgure-a man, who like
himself, had just achieved the scaling
Of the pile.
Instantly the man stopped and drew
pistol. 1t was Roberts "Cuss the
cold!" he growled His hands were
so stiff he could not cock the revolver.
! He threw it down in the snow. "Stur-
gisr he growled advancing; git away
! from here. Your claim is jumped.
You haven't done assessment The
mine belong to me-sayvy?-unle5s
you're better than me at a fight"
Sturgls staggered a tritlc backward,
and placed his burden quickly in the
snow.
You is it. Roberts?' he chattered
stand awayw He tried to draw his
pistol, but failed.
Crouching the men circled about
their great numb fists awlwardly
swinging, like frozen clods. Rushing
heavily in. Roberts dealt the younger
man Il blow in the face, and they
clinched like bears. to struggle on the
rocky dump, scufiing the snow with
their frozen boots.
They broke away and circled again,
Sturgls silent, Roberts savagely grOTl-
ing:
Blame you, I'll learn you now!
Mary would have made a good moth
en- to my kid, if it hadn't been for you.
She liked me first"
You lie" answered Sturgls.
Roberts's hands were not so stiff as
those of his foe: he paved in the
snow a second for the buried revOlY
er. Sturgis leaped to strike with his
leaden fist. Weakened and chilled
however, his muscles all but refused
to act Roberts met him, grasped al
his throat, and pulled out the pisto
dangling from the others belt
Look out for thatw breathed Stur
gls, as they surged about, and lurchinl
: Roberts backward, he made him ayoi(
uampllng on the child.
This action gave Roberts an opening
, Down came the butt Of the pistol, anC
without a sound the miner sank in thu
: snow.
? Il told you'd do you-up il eve
you came tO-Alder Creek pantet
, Roberts. land there-you are"
Pocketlng the pistol, he moved to
ward the tunnel, and stumbled over
: small heap in the snow.
Huh" said he. Blankets, hey?
, reckon l can use them myself" II
? raised The bundle. 1t stirred; the Goa
fell away from the white little face
, while tiny hand dropped limpl
e. down, clutching n smooth round gourd
Lord! It's my little kidw erie
, Roberts. Hey, little boy-it's DG(
God. you're cold.' he added, grooming
~, terrible cold,' and he held til
p child wildly and fondly to his breas
/ "Sturgis" he cried abruptly, "h
, fetched you!-ectchcd my boy--an
where was /? He done it, sure-m
y Lord, but you're cold"
lie stumbled toward the nine
"Ho done it" he went on moaning
/, I'm 90 and apologize viii, I'll g
= and fetch him in. l didn't know
couldn't have knowed.'
Fastening forth, after placing II
:, child on the warmer floor Of the tul
u mel lie ahambled forward. out on Il
. dump the figure Of SturgIs was veal
% ly attempting to rise Crouchlng nea
n stcalthily advancing, knife hel
ready FOR q deadly stab, was Stink. Il
n half-breed, nearing the wolndcd mi
o. or for a stroke.
"Hey" roared RoDert5.
~ Jumping ahead like a naddelcl lu
. he threw himself on the savage IT