The daily Alaskan., 1904-07-12
THE UNKNOWN
Iorlginal.l

lOrlginall
 It was long ago when there was string of mining camps on Clear creek. There was DO law there except what each man made for himself. The pop ulatlon was made up of, first, the gam blers. who stood highest In the scale; second, the miners, and, third, women who had drifted In Ike refuse on food. There was one more element but so small that 1t is scarcely worth couutiug-a few lrrepro0chable repre- sentativeS of the softer sex,
 One day a stranger came tramping up all the way from Denver and stop pen in the easternmost camp, now re- spectable town. He hunted through the place as if looking for some one till he had seen every one in town, then went on up the creek. Having made tour of every camp, he returned to the first and there he remained.
 The quickest way to attract attention Is to arouse curiosity. Every one felt sure that the unknown was waiting and watching for some one who had done him a great wrong and that when that some one appeared there would be a quick exchange of shots and one or both would bite the dust Then there would be a burial, and the denizens of that region would go on washing for gold as before, waiting for the next episode to break their monotonous lives. But who was this some one, and how had he injured the stranger? He could not have taken his money at cards, for the stranger seemed to have all the funds be wanted. There was but one man In the camp who dared question the unknown. That was Bill Tut. He did not ask direct questions He went at the stranger on the flank.
 Ever been much of card playerT he asked.
 "NO.p
 Had a rich hole in the ground jumped or anything like that"
 "No."
 'NEarried?'
 'No."
 Ever been marriedF
 "Yes."
 The unknown gave a hitch to his re- volver, and the questiOner got up and went away to give the group of lockers on, who had pretended to work, but were really watching the pumping process, the result.
 q got 1t out O him." said Tut
 "What Is itT7 asked all at once.
 Did you see him hitch his revolverf I can always tell when touch the ten der spot in a man, cause his fingers invariably go to his weapon. l asked him if he was married, and he said no. Then l asked him if he had been mar ried, and he said yes, That brought his hand to bis gun. Some feller tux his wife away from him"
 After this revelation attention. turned to the man who had taken the stran- gers wife. The stranger himself was no longer the object of curiosity. That object was now the man he was look ing for. Curiosity and imagination go together, and fancy made many a pie ture of the unknown. The men usual ly painted him as a driYeling, coward ly little man with a crafty look in his eye, the women as a splendid speci- men of manly vigOr, though there was no rule for this. All hoped that if he ever came the stranger would not get the drop on him to preclude the possi- bility of fair fight.
 But would the unknown ever come? For a time the stranger seemed to be troubled lest he should not, going about with lowering brow and giving rasplng replies to any one who ven tured to speak to him. Then all of a sudden there was q change. Whether he had received some important infOr- nation, some clew or other means of knowing of his enemy's movements was not apparent, but it was noticed that as soon as the creaking of the stage that semiweekly numbered up the Incline was heard in the distance he would go out to the road, fix his eye on 1t till 1t arrived, then scrutinize the passengers.
 One afternoon the stranger, catching the creak far below-fOr 1t was blown westward on an east wind-went out to the road and stood waiting, with arms folded. It had been noticed all day that his manner was changed. He was seen several times to give a short laugh and rub his hands. Many be lieved he lad securci IafOrmation that his enemy was on the coaching coach. Word was passed through the camp that the long expected affray was likely to take place The gamblers laid down their cards, the washers de serted their pans. and the woTen took position at the windows, all eager to enjoy the spectacle
 The stranger stood peering down the road. but. turning, saw the people watching him. There was a movement In the crowd, some fearing that he might be irrltated at the interest dis played and put a few shots among them. The stranger surveyed them for a moment with cOntemDtuOus wonder,