The Democratic advocate., 1904-11-19

empty bacon sack. lie looked al II. MIST
with bright anticipations expressed III every
feature, then when he discovered its con
dition, with solemn disappointment
Next | directed his attention to the
meal bag, whose gaunt proportion, prom
ised little better than the disgraced bacon
pouch Discovering, however, that it re-
tanned remnant of the former bulk, he
seized it with ayidity, and soon placed
smoking Johnny cake upon the ground
between Us.
Already it seemed to me that he and
not | was the proprietor Of the Kicking
Mule Digsings, and | wondered myself
to sleep that night, trying to analyze the
why's and wheretores' of our relations
So peculiarly had my strange companion
impressed me that, on the following morn
ing when he started for the rocker and re
marked in the most casual manner, you
rustic grub, | dig. no thought of ques-
tiouing his arrangements occurred to me;
and an honr later found me tramIing over
the foot hills bound for the nearest sup
pIy station. two hundred miles distant
Arrived there, and a new mule, in the
place of the deserter. obtained. had soon
exchanged large sized ba- Of dust for a
very small sized pack of provisions, and
arrived in camp again less than two weeks
after the date Of my departure therefrom.
Baboon received me with no demonstra-
tiouS of surprise at what | considered a
very quick trip. As grew near. he bobbed
his head above the bank under which he
worked, sazed a, my pack of grub. and
CALCULATED
Way up
Shortly joining me in camp, he attacked
the fresh provisions 80 vigorously a> TO ill
my heart with sad forebodings relative to
a second trip over the roa;e from which
had just returned.
His stomach demands satisfied, he took
nav hand. and altering uo word led the
way 90 the i,>i Of towering pine tree.
Scrapin. ava, she dirt from it, base, he
revealed a good sized box nearly tall Of
shining dust aud nuggets Locking at me
With his humgly face all aglow. he gelIe,i
out
Way up'
Indeed it va, way mp there al
ready -lrnerei, vas far more than | ex-
pected to realize from the claim.
Al this tired, in nav JOY, TO express To
him he replied only 10 one sentence, 'ka
,ie 6xcd. and returned 60 bis silent work
/ now assumed the Position of cook aud
general rau-tabout ~ our camp and oheyed
Babaou short, crisp inJunctions with the
us0si PLACID coutcnimenl Observation had
taught NE that he sas q far better workman
than / and, moreover. having but enc
rocker. hi. untinn- energy moaoPoiized If
;o the exclusion Of any effort upon my part
Baboou couid not, by any stretch Of
courtesy. BE- called compaui1nabe; Yet
derived much pleasure from hi. COMPANY
simply watching aud studying the peculiar
zruiu, of the man.
Another fortnight passed thus 10 silence
and work
Oae morning, wiJh finger pointed to-
warj she digging be remarked, " Bust
si, and began packing our -eaDly outfit
When al sas ready for departure he went
io the bax under The tree and proceeded
90 divide the treasure lie requested uo
opinion upon my par, a. to cur relative
shares. but, carefully dividing !, into tso
equal parts handed one to ne, and seizius
the other, started up the trail without
wJfi
The male followed Baboon, and | fog
bowed the mule Thu, we ,ramped On day
Aftef iAy. no words, except monosyllabite,
rclat,n. 60 necessary matters, ever escaped
my impursurbabIS comrade With the au-
ciral shot gun ,luug across his shoulder,
be marched, the same silent complex being
who had rous,d my curiosity when he first
came 60 the confines of Kicking Mule
GuIeh-
A. length the los aud ,lab walls Of sac
rameuto rse before us The solemn old
mule pricked up his ears 10 anticipation Of
A rest aud something 90 eat stilI ma word
relative So the past, present or future e.
cared thar uni4ue partner Of mine, and /
wa< incliniu2 to the belief tina, be would
have ne, a he had eoug to me, withouta
word OF explanation,
Ia thj. anticipation | was doomeel 60 DIS
appointment
Just n we entered the outskirts at the
town. saw a stout. buxom .jrl coming
towards oar procession was teastln- my
eyes on the unusual sight oi white woman,
when. happening to glance IN the direction
Of Bab1en. | observed that he was making
frantic effort, To iuprave his personal looks.
Oae hand struggled iu vain 70 stTai-htea
ont the tangled abundance Of his HAIR aud
beard. the other spasmeiically jerked AT
the belt OF hi, oyyrhauls ConlemF1rane-
Gus With these demonstrates occurred
convulsive shakes Of the body evidently
the result of a desire, wa his part To effect
a general smoothing out.
The da,nsel soon perceived us and
paused in an attitude Indicative uf over
whelming surprise. Then came glad
shout Katie and rushing forward a
fast as his bulk and limp would allow
Baboon cla,ped her in such hearty and
original embrace that my previously con
ceived idea Of his similitude 10 a grizzly
bear was materially strengthened within me.
Here. then. was a solution Of the few
remarks with which he had favored me in
camp, in the Young woman | evidently
beheld the object Of his affections and the
destined recipient of his gold.
somehow or other she did not seem to
be as enthusiastic over the reunion as did
Baboon.
No suspicion of such condition Of at.
fairs, however, appeared in the beamlns
ugIines Of my partner visage, Turning
to me. he remarked triumphantly:
Me and Katie splice tonight Dom
inie-grub-bug juice; way up. Tote
yourself around.
Thus far the woman had spoken no word,
nor did she seem inclined to do 50. Turn
ing. she walked back in the direction Of
her coming, with Baboon following close
behind
Just as they disappeared, Baboon, way
ing they ancient shot gun in one hand, and /
his dilapidated felt hat in the other, shouted
way up and vanished.
Thus forsaken passed on in a state OF
wonder al the peculiar tactics Of my part
r Pv;Japlv he intended 10 marry ka-