The Van Buren press., 1904-08-06
In Gold Time
By ROBERTA LITTLEHALE


Copyright issj, by the short Story Publishing Co.
All rights reserNed)
lie WAS straight, and grizzled, and
keen of eye. He had worked,
ana fought. and gambled his way
through the lawlessness and passion
Of the states early life into the de.
cency and uprighteousness Of a sue
cessful contractor.
His name was Bill Bowen.
As a civil engineer, came more or
less in contact with him, and rejoiced in
the largeness OF his mental mold, as
well as in the business sense OF security
he let me enjoy
One summers night we took a drive
10 a distant town on the San Joaquin
river. We were to look Z, stone for
bridge building. ard the blisterng heat
Of the day made US willing to lose our
sleep for the more comfortable travelling
by starlight.
The horses logged lazily through the
coarse. thick dust on the rivers leyee,
and the insects from the grain fields and
the frogs from the sloughs had things
wholly to themselves until Bill sudden
ly interrupted.
Mrs. Chase is pretty enough yet TO
understand why she sent two fellows to
the devil, isn't she?'
What are yo& .alking about?" an
swered.
oh" said Bill, pulling himself up, Il
forgot you diant struggle with the rest
of us through those groggy days
knew Bill enough to let him RELAPSE
Just so many minutes; then | said:
Judge Chases wife is lovelier at GO
than most girls at 10, but hadn't any
idea she figured so romantiCally in the
early days as to send anybody over
board"
HIN" replied Bill, refiectively.
The horses travelled on without atten-
ton, and | waited in patience.
you know what it was like" he be-
gan at last Men with guns from all
over the union and gold the heaven we
sweated for. Prayers, and court, and
the gambling tables all running under
one roof and nary woman s face show
ing up in the mass to give us courage
To be sure there were viXenish ribs o
Satan who robbed, and killed, and
drank with the worst of us; but until
81 we'd never the woman for reverence,
Then, by degrees, the lawyers and a
stray merchant or two aired their fam
lilies, but things wasn't dizzy till pretty
Grace Blanchard got out with her IA
ther
Understand, she carried herself as
she'd ought to; but, understand, there
was men among US as was born and
bred to i've with blood, The mass OF
us had 10 take our satisfaction in look
ing at her; but for two the favor in old
B.anchard's S eye was easy reading, and II
wasn't long seeing the course the straw
took.
New Emory was a long, lean, blonde
fellow, with a blamed fine face, and a
way that made friends Of the toughest
They said he looked a swell when he
called at the BlanChards', but | never
saw him but like the rest of us--red
shirted and oyeralls, and an angle to his
pistols than made him JOY.
George Stokes shorty, we callea
him-was a man with an answer that
ripped like knife and head that
made success Of everything, because II
could work crooked as well as straight
He'd been on the bench, but he'd To-
Gated a vein at Mariposa, and was over,
seeing up there in 80 Naturally, he lost
opportunities, not being right on the
spot, and the danger began.
The Blanchard house was swelled
larger than most Of the cabins, and had
two long windows that opened onto a
porch Things might never have been
so bad but for those two lidless eyes In
front
"One fatal night shorty Stokes rode
into the sett,ement-but I'm getting
ahead Of affairs"
Bill tossed his cigar into the tules
and hurried the horse into effort as tho
interest OF his Renaissance swept him
on.
THE girl carried herself after The
fashion OF high.steppers, and neither
fellow could swear whore he stood. Il
was laughter and spirit for both OF them
they said, and nip and tuck for the yield.
ing, The pace was the sort that ex.
hausts men, and Shorty's brain 70.
lawyerng cooked up a scheme for his
rescue. He was for their going together
some night before her, and, after for
nal marriage proposal, each argue his
claim and fitness for ten minutes by N,
clock, their honor at stake to stand by
her decision,
ut got about afterwards that
Emory wouldn consent TN he saw IN,
devil TO pay IN shorty's earnestness, ant
they swore with their fists in eacr
others to carry the thing through tt
the finish. The date and hour were ar
ranged for the following Sunday night
at eight, and they drank to It with gal
in the cup
when the evening came the clock hat
already struck eight when Stokes
reached the Blanchard house,
"The lights from the room fell oyei
the porch, and from the shadow OF the