Omaha daily bee., 1902-06-21

"An right. Needn't tell II you don't feel
the spirit moving you. Only / like you and
you might as we'll stay right here. where
God or the devil dropped you for ne to take
care OF. Any good reason why not?"
The stranger smiled. He had a smooth
face, white and clear skinned as a girl. but
his eyelids had a trick Of narrowing ever so
slightly as he looked at one. and when he
smiled his lips drew tight across his even
white teeth
Laughs like hound dog" the Hawk told
Bones, and he did not seek the strangers
favor.
But Ellis liked him. He was a clever,
brainy young fellow, brimful Of the latest
lore Of the world below, not particularly
ambitious to all Appearances, yet he entered
heart and soul into Ellis plans and ideas.
The shack became his permanent home, and
while the stranger shared the frelight with
Ellis. the Hawk and Bones sat outside, look
ing up at the stars and bordering over
! many things.
You have a queer chap In that Shos-
hone" Hardy. as he called himself. re-
marked casually one day. Where did you
pick him up?"
cover the states line, one day. We had =
mutual grievance against the world"
laughed Ellis grimly.
lncy were coming up the narrow pain
that ran like a thread through the woods,
up the mountain side to the shack. Hardy
glanced sideways at his companion.
you've seen trouble, Jack. somewhere"
he said. "It's the way with nearly all who
come up here"
you. too?' Ellis shot the question at
him point blank.
Nothing special" replied Hardy. Flight
| over a girl"
Ellis drew a long, deep breath and stepped
nearer to his companion.
That's me, too. over a girl with yellow
hair"
Murder" the other mans tone was light
and disinterested, but Ellis caught himself
up with a laugh.
mot as bad as that. We fought fair.
only l happened to be the stronger. He
knew It. and so did I, only I had a little
dif1culty in making the world believe it
after ward"
Hardy looked out over the hills to where
the Yukon turned into the embrace of the
distant mountains, and he was silent. That
night he wrote a. letter and sent 1t out by
Cy Danvers, who was going down to Seattle.
The Hawk saw him give II to Danvers. but
he did not tell Jack. After that, when the
two went to Ellis claim In the morning
Bones and the Indian followed leisurely and
watched. So passed a year and still moth
ing had happened. The friendship between
the two men had become a hyword in Daw-
son, and Ellis had prospered. One night up
at the shack, when the leaves we're stained
again with the frost kings c%olors, Ellis
rose suddenly from his seat beside the
table where Hardy sat figuring.
IT'S enough" he said under his breath,
walking with quick, nervous steps to and
fro. while the small dark eyes Of the Hawk
watched him from the corner. Hardy, I'm
going down"
Hardy smiled up at him through the torn,
ragged smoke wreaths from his pipe.
why not?" he asked lightly.
Ellis frowned. He had forgotten all save
the man before him.
you know what I told you one day last
year" he began, about that girl and the
man I fought fair? Well, they don't ex-
actly take my view of the matter down
there. They're waiting for me. do you see!
It's free up here" - ~ ["
But you want to see what she thinks
about it," said the other muslngly.
That's It," cried Ellis earnestly. That's
Just the point, She knows / hadn't any bad
feeling toward him only so far as she was
concerned, and abe hadn't promised either.
We Just made up our minds to fight 1t out
i ana let the Deel man nave nCI' AhN w
didn't try any dirty work. either, knives OF
guns; Just took the weapons God gave US
and went to work one night after a dance,
We were coming home through the woods
He paused and rested one booted foot on
the chair he had vacated, as he leaned for
ward toward Hardy. There's q big jagged
BLUM this side Of town, and there isn't
anything but rocks and river below. 1t was
clear OF trees on top, though, and Bot
said to end 1t there. l didn't know It,
Hardy. I swear l didn't know he was dead
until felt him go all limp from my arms
Something had snapped. I didn't know what
until l tried to wake him up"
"wellf" asked Hardy interestedly.
That's all. The neck was broken."
"what made you throw him over the
blum. them"
Ellis shuddered.
Ibid l say threw him overt"
Hardy's slim white fingers closed sud
denly and he bit his under lip.
yes. you told me BEFORE" he re-
turned.
81 didn't remember. Some devil put 4
in my head that maybe they'd find hin
down there on the rocks and think tina
was how It happened. So l dropped hin
over easy" He looked over Hardy's hea'
to where the freight played q witch gam
OF tag with the shadows, The eye
wouldn't shut" he added under his breath
They looked at me as he went over"
And OF course someone had seen yo'
light and told." concluded Hardy lightly
Jack, old man. you're a fool. Such
thing isn't q crime, It's an episode In
mans life. Forget the eyes and don't sc
sentimental. You're a millionaire. O.
down to Indiana and get the girl. I'll &c
too"
In a week the shack was empty. Twt
men and an Indian and q yellow dog tool
the south trail.
TITS too long by the river" Ellis had said
We'll so TO Juneau and take the steame
down to Seattle.
Hardy had kicked against the company o
! the Hawk and Bones, but It was useless
Ellis had ordered them back, but the mex
day found them keeping steadily to the trail
and Ellis laughed and said he wouldn't g
back on old chums. The way was long an
: tedious. and as they neared Juneau hi
nerve began to leave him. In every possibl
) way Hardy urged him on. 1t was nearl
/, Ave years, he argued. He had change
wonderfully. II necessary he could TAX
= another lame until he found how the Ian
lay. And there was the girl, perhaps walt
ing for i'm. But Ellis wsvered.