The Savannah morning news., 1903-06-14

plates, over each of which were stack
ed, pyramid fashion, an iron knife,
fork and spoon. Tin cups spaced the
plates. Down the center of each Ia
BILE We're distributed thick white china
receptaclas containing sugar, lumpy
and brown with coffee; salt; and but
ter on the point of melting. At din
ner time the cook placed between these
receptacles capacious tins, steaming
respectively, with fried and boiled
pork, boiled potatoes, cornmeal mush,
and canned tomatoes; besides corn
bread, soda biscuits, and a small guam
tity of milk for the coffee. Then, wip-
ing his glistening face on the red
checked little towel that hung at bis
waist. he entered the office and,
Selling huge bell, changed forth, now
to the right, now to the left, that mis-
meal was ready.
| The men ate in their shirt sleeves,
those farthest half obscured by the
clouds of steam from the uncovered
dishes. The cook stove, the dishes, and
! the men heated the low unventilated
room almost to suffocation. They COB
bled their food rapidly, taking noisy
swigs of the coffee from the tin cups.
AS each finished, he wiped his plate
clean with the soft inside of soda
4 biscuit, drew his knife across the bread
| once or twice, swallowed the gravy
laden biscuit at one mouthful, and de-
| parted without further ceremony into
| the outer air.
1t was all thoroughly Western, thor
oughly material, thoroughly restful to
tired wings.
AS the meal progressed, the exalta-
ton faded slowly. Molly received the
assiduous attentions of everybody. Aft
er dinner. as has been said, she and
the wonderful Billy Knapp disappear
ed into the twilight, leaving the dis
consulate miners to find their way to
the Little Nuggetwhen it pleased them
to do so.
Billy talked. He poured out his con-
! fidences. He told how great was Billy
how bright were Billy's prospects, how
important were Billy's responsibilities
He was glad to show this young girl
the town; it was Billy's town. He was
pleased to tell her the names of the
hills hereabouts; these hills concealed
within their depths the veins of Billy's
lodes. He delighted in giving the his
tory of the men they met; for these
men looked up to Billy as the archi-
tect of their future fortunes. He
spoke enthusiastically of the prospects.
Thar is Lode said he, earnest
ly, "over on the J.. G. fraction that's
shore tn purtiest bit of quartz lead
you ever see. The walls is all of slate,
running jest s slick side by side, with
a clear vein between 'em, and she'll
run way up, free millin. 1 tell you
what Miss Molly, thar's big money in
it, thar shorely isl When 1 get those
Easte'n capitalists interested and
ready to put a little salt in, and git
up few mills and necessary build
ms, you'll jest see things hummin' in
this var kentry."
Out of the darkness a silent little
figure glided and fell in step with the
girl.
''Hullo, bub." said Billy. indifferent
ly, and went on to tell what he was
going to do. Billy had great plans.
Molly said nothing to the new men,
Der of their party but she reached out
her hand and patted the little cotton .
covered shoulder She looked about at
the dark town and the hills, and drew
a deep breath. This was real, tangi-
BILE. She felt at home in it, and she
was adequate to all that its conditions
might bring forth. Above all, she was
confident here Graham and his ideas
seemed to her at the moment quite
nebulous and phantom-like.
Lets go to the Little Nugget" she
suggested suddenly.
They turned to retrace their steps.
AS they passed an open doorway, a
big man darted out with unnatural
agility and seized the Kid by the scruff
of the neck.
81 beg your pardon, miss, whom I
am oVerloyed to meet. Standing rs 1
do in loco PARENTS, the claims of the
rising generation constrain me to post
pone that more intimate acquaintance
which your attractions demand of my
desire. Come along here, you!" and he
dragged the Kid, struggling and cry
ing. out. into the dark cabin.
"Ain't he CREATE cried Billy, with
real enthusiasm. "Ain't he just? They
amt man in tn whole Northwest as
can sling the langwidge that man can
. when he tries. You just ought to see
him when he cuts loose, you Just
ought"
. "Who is he?" asked Molly.
Him? What, him? He's Moro
ney!"
/ His tone denied the need of further
question. They entered the saloon.
The first half of Molly's evening in
the Little Nugget was constrained. Up
to this point she had met the men OF
the camp under extraordinary circum-
} stances. Now she was called upon to
face them in their time of relaxation
and accustomed comfort. Such mo-
/ ments of leisure crystalize for us men
everywhere our opinions of people
Anybody is welcome to sail with us
> hunt with us fish with US, ride with
us, work with us, provided he is per-
sonally agreeable and understands the
> game. We are not so underestimate
! ing when IL comes TO a study fire and
= an easy chair. Translate the study fire
and the easy chair 10 the Little Mug
set and n quiet game. and you will
see one reason for the constraint. No
{ unkndness was intended. The situa-
I ton was merely, but inevitably, awk-
ward for everybody.
, In such emergencies as this, where a
; / creature OF coarser fiber would fail
. Moily'a hereditary hneness OF instinct
{ stood her In good stead. She saw in
| fultively the attitude she should take
/ In the first place, she held herself In
the background, left the lead 10 others
. behaved az n she suspected herself Of
) / being an intruder. 80 that the men
: suddenly felt themselves very pater.
{ / nal and adaptive.
3 ln the second place, she encouraged
3 them 40 show on which they did with
fhe utmost hrHFtinesf. The first en-
b ] harraaemfuf wore away before lnnE
J . and MOLLY took her place in the cornef
) J al enc her win she thrit approval VI
3 even ulan ~ fhe fogns