The San Francisco call., 1905-02-26

GVHE Western sun poured food of
clear, speckless light down the
long parting between the noun
Il tain slopes. On either side red
woods, frs. spruces. close-packed. rose
TO the crests of the ranges. while down
the river to the west, flanking the suns
pathway, crowding, timber-clad ridges
faded away into jagged, purple dis
tances.
A faded, false-fronted store, with a
high porch. a blacksmith shop and two
dwellings spread their rustic, rambling
shapes on the level and unlevel be-
tween the meetings of the hills.
Billy Williams stood below the store
porch taking off the packs and pack
saddles from the backs IF twenty three
mules. Twenty-four of the sturdy, i'll
tempered beasts had formed the train
in the morning.
As he tossed the bundles Of picks and
shovels the kegs Of powde. and coils
of fuse, the sacks Of flour and slabs of
bacon in a pile along the edge of the
porch, through the open store door
Billy could hear Beasly, his boss, tell
ing Brown. the blacksmith. in graphic.
forceful language how another mule
and pack had gone down the bank on
the dangerous River Trail.
He was saying. BY gum. Billy'd bust
Up millionaire at the rate he's going
two mules in five months
Billy could not hear Browns reply.
but he had no difficulty in catching
Beasly's next heated remark.
It's no Use. Luck's dead agin him.
Well, no; don't know as he's TO blame,
but when Luck gets man up stump
he might as well quit and, by cracky,
IL he looses another one before the year
is out I'll fire him
The red blood Of anger and chagrin
surgeo UP over Billy's face and burned
darlly in his cheeks. for out of the tail
of his eye he could see Charley Chinn,
the other pack-driver, leaning against
the door-jamb smoking and listening
to every word that was said.
At the gleam OF satisfaction which
shot over that smiling face UP there
above him Billy's ire rose. II would
have given him a savage JOY TO strike
the chance TO chew his rival.
Billy finished unpacking and drove
the mules down TO the feed corral,
while has heart was hot within him.
He was not going to let the boss FIRE
him-so he told the mulcs-he'd jump
the Job and let old Beasly whistle for
driver. 1t was not his fault that that
rope slipped On that keg of nails and
threw the weight 20 one side and over
balanced that last mule Guess the
boss wouldn't find it such an easy mat
ter TO pick up a trusty man these
times. The next driver might not be
any Iuckier and might slide out with
the whole caboodle TO boot, then
where'd BeasIy get of.
As he tossed the pitchfork on the
haymow a soft "who-oo" came to him
from across the narrow trail.
At sight Of the face above the pickets
Of the little garden fence in front of
the low ranch Louise Billy's anger slid
from him as a cloak slips unnoticed
from the shoulders to the ground.
L was Bessie. old Beaslys daughter
Silly had forgotten her while he cursed
his luck and Charley and old Beasly
and the mules all in a bunch.
The kitten has fallen into the well
and Johnny and ] can't get her out, 7"
she called TO him
Billy strode across TO the ence, leap
ed over and stood beside the girl
Daiatily winsome she looked as she
stood there in the late afternoon light.
What made you so late to-day,
BiIly2" she asked he followed her
UP 10 the well.
oh" he answered slowly. Il played
on the way"
She looked steadily UP at him for an
instant but said nothing. then their
heads bent close together over the high
curbing.
When Billy let himself down into the