The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-09-15

lowed the strip the long way, but it
insisted in running across. and a week
of the lonely labor showed John Wood
that he was taking from the ground
that which was not his, not McQue de's,
nor anyone'S save that of the rightful
owner of No. 9 above discovery
But Wood did not tell McQuade, nor
did he impart the information even af-
ter No. 9 had found out the theft and
threatened him with a Canadian prison
if he did not desist. He worked quietly.
thawing snow when McQuade slept, to
get water to wash out the small dump.
1t was slow work. but the dirt was
! exceedingly rich. With what he already
had in his bag he now weighed out
LOO ounces, or a little over $40, 900.
Il ought to have that extra dust for
taking care of him, anyway" was
Woods apology to that which he called
his conscience
After he had washed out all the gold
he built up the dump again, and when
he saw the snow fall and cover it and
his fraud. he said: THAT proves I'm
all right
What worried him now was that John
McQuade had hidden away somewhere
about the cabin a sack with about $1O,-
600 in it. McQuade had told him that
he had that much left after his sum
mer's dissipation.
That ten thousand would never do
| him any good Wood reflected. He
would run through it in no time. He
] don't care much for gold. He just
/ mines for the fun of it,
| After looking from the roof to the
| floor poles and under them and all
about the sides of the cabin for Johns
| sack, he concluded that the miner had
/ hidden it in his bunk. He could not
4 bring himself to rummage the bed for
| the sack. 1t was too much like steal
/ ing, he said, and besides John always
/ stirred a little and broke off breathing
whenever his partner began to poke
/ his fingers under the blankets.
| Johns foot was now quite manage
/ able. He could pull mukluk over, it
! without wfncing, and could get about
/ very well with his stick. He was think
/ ing. For several days he thought and
/ then he said to Wood:
I'm up now and out o. that dirty
bunk an hereafter I'm goin' to be a
man. I've thought it all over. Whisky
1 has been several too many for me.
/ Now-t m goin' to quit an I'm gOin to
keep clean an live like a Christian"
! He bought new blankets and burned
| the old ones. He cut off his unkempt
( beard and shaved clean. He asked
! Wood to trim his hair, which was done
rather creditably. He melted some
/ snow and took his first bath for three
4 months, and followed it up with an
! other inside a week. He put on clean
! Undertaking and a smart new parka.
/ II a new man." he said exultantly
and by the help o. God Almighty I'll
never be a gin-pig ag'in.''
He skipped about the cabin. shook his
stick and waved his lame foot in the
l air
Il feel good all over. How about this
/ claim of ours, pardner?''
/ When Wood told him of the sudden
, termination of the pay he did not
seem to care so very much. He said
1 some new prospect holes could be sunk
] which was done without improving the
situation.
wal. I don't care. got $4,000 an
{ I'm goin' back to Californy." said the
miner. IT'S too hard to keep clean an
decent an sober in this froze-up coun-
try. It's too fer from nowhere Let's
wash out a little O that dump an see
what's in it to add to our pile He
rocked some of the dirt, but finding nc
gold in it woods rocking had been
I thorough he said: Let the chechakos
/ have the rest of it."
He and Wood made ready for the
B trail Wood was perfectly willing tc
go. once back in civilization he could
make that twenty thousand grow fast
During the week OF preparation OF
repairing the dog harnesses. mendine
the sled and patching the outfit one
thought haunted him: That 1000
would never do. John McQuade any
good He couldn't keep. his VOW The
meeting with his old friends would be
too much for him. The gold would
melt in a month. 1t was too bad
McOuade really had no use for money
Wood insisted on the treasure being
hacked together, his sack and Nc
Ouade's. though he secretly kent hall
of his apart and his partner had not
the slightest idea that he had double
the amount of his own dust on the
sled. Wood studied the map of the
trail very carefully, putting down al
the distances and seeking out all the
l landmarks.
You needn't he afeard o gettin
lost" said McQuade- 81 know the way
like a book
yes. no doubt" said Wood. adding
TO himself. ''but I'm not the one who i:
going 10 get lost
They started. John McQuade LEADING
the way bravely. without the sign of :
limp. and Wood driving the dogs. as h
said he wanted to learn the knack OF
it, Though they Jagged. got over the
traces. doubled about or lay down in
the snow he kept at his task very dill.
gently. and by the time they had
reached White Horse they had learned
TO drive very well. This pleased hin
nightly and he looked about the whit,