The Washington times., 1903-02-22

away to Oakey's. or to the range. to
lead life OF regret and sObriety for
months.
In January. 1889. the oil craze struck
Central Wyoming. The territorial geol-
Ogist examined the black patches in the
Dutton Basin and said they were &C
foundations OF dried black oil. Oil
springs were everywhere. Millions had
been lying open TO the eyes of the COW
boys. and they had known il not. EverS
one took up an oil claim; struck 1t of.
filed on it, and improved" it. Two
by Four took claims about twelve miles
south Of Landers. and others near Err
Ways. Syndicates were formed in nearly
every State west OF the Mississippi
River. to prospect for oil; and in
March the first sprouter was struck on
land adjoining some of Two by Four's
claims.
The new well flowed six hundred bar
Tels OF thirty-five degrees petroleum in
twenty-four hours. Every oil claimant
was future millionaire.
As the weather warmed into spring
time. the representatives OF Eastern oil
syndicates helped to pay the expenses
OF the various business communities of
Central Wyoming. Out on the range,
Two by Four saw the strangers follow
ins the trails. or turning aside 10 exam
inc black patches on the mountain sides;
ne answered their inquiries when ne
could not avoid them: but he kept out
OF their way with his pony. dog and
sheep as much as possible, for of late
there had come much of Inconsistencies
into his heart, and he had only half
succeeded in suppressing many a sigh.
June had commenced TO pace its meas
u-ed way into the forgotten when the
roundup orders came. Oakley was 10
shear at Bongis again. and Two by Pour
started his band toward the Sweetwater.
h hated the coming round up. He
wanted to go 10 Rongis and get his
mail: for he could already see the dozen
CT more letters from Dolly to Edward
Hampton. He knew. too. that when he
had written his answer of love to her
full Of regret, most full of self-reDroach
he would be unhappy. he would drink
10 excess. would gamble, would hate life
itself. and then-there would DC blank.
and he would be out on the range again
with his only true friends, the pony, the
dog. the sheep and the stars.
And the regrets TO follow, Oh. God.
TO regret, Take this from man and let
life be mere existencei
4 few days of the drive had passed
VIXEN a party of tenderfeet. returning
in q blackboard. hailed Two by -Four
from the trail. A short exchange o.
questions followed. and Two by Four
had, been offered the unhearJi-of sum Of
500. 900 for mis- oil claims. They had
teen inspected il the interests OF the
Minnesota and Wyoming oil Company,
who would buy at that price.
Two by -Four accepted the offer with
the feeling OF a drowning man Selling
! . plank Here was the road to life. to
/ Dolly A preliminary exchange Of agree
unents was soon made, 10 be carried 10
n conclusion in Rawlins in thirty days.
When the strangers had gone, Two
| by Four saw visions OF better days. He
/ would 20 back to his old home. He
would tell his father that his range life
4 had led him to be man who could re
/ spect a gentleman. He would 20 into
! business with his father, and this very
| experience would be valuable TO him
/ He would be sent back here 20 buy
wool for Hotaling & Son.
And Dolly, whom God had sent into
| this world TO help him TO be better
man, should come into his life and be
a part of il, and make him what he
wished 10 me, and under the bright stars
OF a clear Wyoming sky Two by Four
kneIt and prayed, for the first time in
years. that the good God give him
power to be a man.
With firm step he brought his
| sheep to the banks OF the SweetwaJer
A man OF steel. he rode over the bridge
10 Signor's. and was hailed with greet
ings of good-feIlowshlp by the boys
Billy Bragg fred a salute in his honor
and then invited him to take a drink.
NO. boys, 1 amt going 10 drink this
| II you please / haint sworn of, but
I've just had a hard tussle between
whisky and Two by Four. and IN on
top now, and I guess III stay there
for a while. Much obliged, Billy, but
II you don't mind I'll leave it alone
BY this time the bottles had begun
| TO pass from each end OF the bar along
which the boys had ranged. Siguor
suggested that they should all drink To
| the breaking Of Two by Four's good
resolutions. and passed fun glass &c
the latter as he drank himself. But
I OVID STODN