The farmer and mechanic., 1903-12-01

The trail" said the Man with the Cash.
An / only 'opc a. youll appreciate the
hoppcrtuaity OF consqrtin' with 4 man Q
NV mug. Get steam up in that fre-boX
o. yourn. I'm goin' TO unrig the dogs
an grub en- An don't be shy o the
wood, my lad; there's plenty more whcrs
HAT come FROM, and its you've got the
time 10 sling an ak. An tote up
bucket o. water while you're about IT.
Lively. or III run YOU down, 50 'elp
me-
such thing was unheard Of. JACOB
Kont was making the fire, choppnG wood
packing water-doing menGl tasks tor
guest.
Strike me blind, but you're 'u7tlcr,
the Man with the Cash said admlringly,
his head cooked TO one side. as his host
buctlel about. You never 'ort TO ave
zone Klondlking. L. the keeper OF
pub YOU was laid out for. I'm ITS often
~ ave card tho lads UP an down the
river speak O you. but ] 'adn't no idea
YOU VAS so jolly and nice
DO it 'urt you?'' Jiin Cardegee tha-
dercd suddenly, looking up from the
spreading OF his blankets and encounter
Ing the rapt gaze of the other fixed upon
that cash. ITS strikes me as 'ow it ud
be the proper thing fer YOU to draw your
lib. dousc the glim. an turn IN, seem
as 'oW it Worrits you. Jc5' lay to that,
YOU swab. or so 'elp me Ill take Pull
on your peakpurchascs
Kent was 50 nervous tina. 1t took three
puffs 10 blow out the slush-lam9 and lie
crawIcd into his blankets without even
removing his moccasins. The sailor vas
soon snoring lustlly from his hard bed on
the floor, but Kent lay staring ZIP into
the blackness, ore hand on the shotgun,
resolved not TO c!cse his eyes the whole
night. He had not had al opportunity TO
seIrctc hts five pounds OF .1id, and IT Lag
In the ammunition box - the bead Of
his bunk. But, try as he would, he at
last dOZrd Off with the weight Of hlS dus-
heavy on his soul. Had he not ma,'vcr-
tently fallen asleep with his mind in SUCH
condition, the sonnambuijc demon would
not have been invoked. nor would Ji,n
Cdrdcgeo have gone mining noEt day With
a dishran..
The sailor lay like log. w..ilc his hos;
tossed rcetles~ly about the vietim ct
strange fantasies. As midnight drew
near he suddenly threw off the blankets
and got up. It Was remarkable that h.
could DO what he then li9 without ever
strikin. Il light. Perhaps it was because
OF the darkness that he kept his eyes
shut, and perhaps 1t was for fear he
would soc the terrible ga.n on the check
OF his visitor: but hc this as it may,
il is q fact tl8t, unseeing, he opened his
ammunition box. put . heavy charge into
the muzZle oc the shotgun without spliling
a particle. rammed it down with double
wads ana then aut everything away and
got back into bed.
! Just as daylight laid its steei-Sray fin
gers on the parchment window jacob
Kent awoke. Turning on his elbow, he
raised the I'D and rcerod into the am
munition box. Whatever he saw, or
Wha tcycr he did not see, exercised q very
peculiar effect upon him, considering his
ncusotic temperament. He glanced at
the sleeping man on the floor, let the Id
; down gently ana rolled over on his back.
/ II was al unwontel CAIN that rested
on his face. Not a muscle quivercd.
There VAS not the least sign OF excite
ment OF pertCrbat tlUn. he lay there Il
I long Na;!c thinking and when he got uO
| and began TO move about ii was IN a
! cool, collected manner, without noise anCt
! and without hurry.
; II happened that q heavy wooden peg
! had been driven into the ridge pole just
above Jim Cardogec's head. Jacob Kent
! working softly, ran Il piece Of half-nch
manila over il, bringing both ends to the
ground. One end hc tied about his waist,
and IN The other h. rove 4 running moose.
! Then he cooked his shotgun and laid it
within reach by the side of numerous
! moose hide thongs. BY an effort of viii
! he bore The sight OF the scar. slipped the
moose over the ;lcertr'9 head. aud drew,
il taut by throwing back on his weight,
! at the same time SciZInS the gun and
! briDGlDg it bear
! jim C1rdegec awoke choking, hewiI-
! ieTed staring down the twin wells Of
steel.
j where is it?'' Kent asked, at .hc same
time Stacking on tho rope.
, You blastcd--ugh-''
/ Kent merely threw back his weight,
shutting off the others vlnd.
''Bloomin' n'--Dur-ugl--''
! Where is it?" Kent repeated
! 'Wot?" Cardcgec asked, as soou as he
had caught his breath.
The gold dust"
! '>Wot gold dust?" the pcrplcxcd sailor
demanded
'You know well enough nine
"Ain't ceen nothinl1 Of H. Wot do ya
| take ne for? 4 safe deposit? Wot ave
/ | got TO do with it. any-oW?'
Mebbo you know. and mcbbc you
don't know. but anyway I'm going to
! stop your breath till YOU do know Aud
| il you lift q hand. Ill blow your head
off,
Vast hca1in':r Cardcgcc roare-l, as tie
rope frightened.
| Kent eaScd away 4 moment, and the
sailor, wcigglins is neck as though from
! the pressure, managed to loosen the moose
a bit aud work it up 50 the point OF CON
! tact was just under the chin.
/ 'Wen?" Kent questioned. expecting
/ the disclosure.
Hut Cardegeo srinned. GO ahead will,
your 'angin'. you bloomin' old pot vol
| loper'"
! Then, as tho sailor had anticipated. the
tragedy became 4 farce. Cardcsee being
the heavier OF the two. Kent throwing his
| body backward and down could not Iiet
/ him clear OF the ground. Strain and
strive to the uttermost, the sailors feet
| Stll stuck 10 the floor aud sustained a
part OF his weight The remaining por-
ton vas supported by the point Of ccnta ct
! just under his chin. Failing to swing him
cloar. Kent chung on. resolved to slowly
throttle him or force him to tell what