The Washington times., 1905-04-09

his part that he usually undertook the
necessary journeys to the coast.
We had not only to get fresh supplies
from time to time, but we wanted tC
keep in some sort of touch with the dis
Iant old world that we had abandoned
or. as we put it, that had abandoned us
Letters and papers from home were
sometimes found at the coast, generally
a whole bag of them at once. and they
were more welcome than I know how
to express.
Hugo was absent long time on one
of these trips. I was at a place called
Rawlln's Gap. where there seemed to be
real promise OF gold in paying quantity
| We had panned handful of dust which
Hugo took with him to exchange for
| better implements.
| Rawlin's Gap was by no means our
discovery. If it had been we should have
| given it a name suggestive of the Faith
| erland.
/ 1t was a raw-boned American who
! found it, and who. Yankee-like, made
sure of a fairly good thing by taking
possession of the whole district and
| farming out subclaims to later corners.
| We, and by that I mean several wan
| derers besides Hugo and myself. were
| willing enough to give any man per-
centage of our product If we had any
product from which a percentage could
| be taken; and accordingly. though we
suspected that the Yankee had no real
right to tax us, we yielded to his de-
mands and got along with him pleas
| antly.
! Rawlin was a good natured fellow,
| full Of grit and with all the persistence
| of a German. He shook his pan with
| the rest of us, working at a part Of the
stream that he had reserved for himself
and getting as little out of his section
as any of the rest of us did out of ours.
| Once week he went around from
cabin to cabin collecting his rent, as he
called It,
These visits were not at all trouble
some, for Rawlin never asked mean
questions.
Wal, Smitty." or wal. Dutchy," he
would say to me, how much We got to
show thet ye hev any right to be alive
hey?"
Then l would answer, "One ounce,
Rawlin,'' or Two ounces" or whatever
the case might be; and sometimes
would have to confess that 1 had moth
ing at all to show for my labor
Whereupon the Yankee would rub his
chin thoughtfully and guess" so, or so
much would do; and If the amount of
my product was very small, or nothing.
he would say. Never mind, Smitty
keep your dander up an yer pan wig
glin'. fe can't git blood out of a tur-
nip. but thar's gold in the Gap or I'm
Injun;' and then he would go on to
the next cabin to see how the work
Jared there.
II was very irregular and dishearten-
ing Sometimes the entire camp would
fail to get enough out of a weeks WORK
10 pay ordinary wages for day Iaborers.
LII was thus during Hugo's absence.
and II 1t had not been for his expected
return the Gap would have been de-
serted earlier than it was
hugo, you see, was messenger. for
the whole outfit. There were Others
besides myself who hoped for word from
home, or who had sent to tie coast fo,
fresh supplies. X was supposed that he
would be back in week or so from the
time of his departure, but a month had
passed. and still no Hugo or any word
from him.
All were annoyed and I was anxious
We theorized that he had heard of y
steamer that would be in presently ard
that he was waiting for II.
Doubtless others than u1yseIf feare,,
that he had been killed by natives hut
am quite sure that nobody suspected
MIN Of any sort of treachery: for aside
rom the honor that prevailed in the
dealings of the men. there was the nat
eht 1ftct that Hugo had not taken
enough dust with him to make theft =,
object an
90 We waited, panning the useless
Sdhu steadily until at last Hugo came.
was toward the close of day that.
Iookilg up from my pan, ! saw him
YEARLY depositing his pack in front of
cur cabin.
instantly gave a yell of delight.
cropped my pan. and ran up to him.
How goes it, Hugo?' I cried cheer
n.y. Tor the sight of him alive and well
gave ne glow Of courage.
He gave me his hand rather Iir,nIv
and there was Il gloom in his voice as
he answered.
l am tired from the tramp said he
l We had about enough of it. How goes
il here?"
Not SO badly" ] replied, for I was
hound to supply courage for both of us !
If need be: were still at IL. you see.
and that much is we'll
Hugo Srunted bit contemptIousiy
What have you got 10 show for ft?''
he asked. That Is more to the point. ="
Little enough, Hugo, but the sand
seems promising I've actually banned
a spoonful Of dust today, which is more
than ! could say for all Of last week "
The sand makes plenty Of promises "
said he. disconsolately, but It never |
keeps them
we can only keep trying" 1 insisted. |
But let's talk Of that later. What |
about news from homer"
Hugo sat himself down upon his pack. |
pulled his hat ov," his eyes. leaned his |
head on his hanGs and mumblcd rather |
than said, There Is none"
| gulped down my disappointment, for
I really was bitter after this long wait
ng to get no message, not even q news |
paper, from the old country. and | tried |
&c comfort him.
No news" said /. is better than bad !
lews, and If there had been any bad |
news We should have heard 1t, you may
depend upon IT."
Doubtless" he responded, and then
he other men, who had been attracted
by my yell. came Struggling up.
hugo gave one and another of them