The Weiser semi-weekly signal. (Weiser, Washington Co., Idaho) 1904-1911, 1905-05-13

sitting In the glow Of the flames, wit
Bones stretched peacefully at his fee
snoring restfully until spark from
rosined knot would make him start an
growl sleepily. At midnight ELI
would look at his watch. 1t was not
handsome one, merely an old silve
plated open face, but In the back cas-
there was a picture of a girl laughing
One night the two had been Sitting
thus for hours. All at once Ellis hand
ed the watch to the boy.
That's her." he said. The Hawl
looked at it long and dispassionately
Got yellow hair?" he asked as ht
handed it back
"You bet she has, kid" replied Ellis
under his breath. soft, warm, yellow
like prairie grass In August"
II saw woman shot in Rawsons,'
said the boy after pause, as he push
ed Bones head away from the fire with
his foot. yellow hair"
Ellis was silent He never showed
the picture again, but he always felt
that the Hawk knew his weak point
and respected him accordingly.
When they reached Forty Mile creek
1t was an outpost Of the world, an odd
corner of earth where the last of the
old miners made final stand against
the onrush of modern civilization. 1t
was pleasant corner, and they rested
there. Then one day some one, happen
ed to find the root of all evil lying
around loose in the everlasting hills,
and In month all the world below
was shouting Klondike.
Ellis built his shack near the first
trench that was sunk.
We'll get in on the ground floor
kid" he said grimly. "Lowrie sold out
for fifteen thousand yesterday what
can't be bought for half million next
week. And there's girl down in In
diana"
While he worked and fought and
planned down in the trenches that were
slashed like great wounds in the breast
OF the mountain the Hawk and Bones
remained In the shack, cooking and car
ing for everything and worshiping as
master the sall, deep chested boy from
Indiana.
Its up to quarter, kid" he would
say at night when it's a million
straight we'll go out"
Two men came up the river from st
Michael's one day. One had been sick
oil the way. They buried him decently
and divided his pack. In two week.
Dawson had smallpox, and the othe,
stranger took tumble In front of Ell
lis shack. He was a clean, well bred
looking fellow, and Ellis liked him
The Hawk and he gave battle to death,
and one day the stranger was sitting
up outside the shack, and all was well
The mountains were afiame with red
and gold, and an amethyst haze hune
around the river distances.
IT'S awfully pretty up here" the
stranger said dreamily.
"Bet your life 1t is" responded Ellis
warmly. Wrap that blanket round
you, though. You don't want the damn
curling up your bones. Going to plant
here?"
II think So" said the other slowly.
OOhiC uJ Oil UUSlleSS
Eyes; little private business"
"All right. Needn't tell If you don't
feel the spirit moving you Only l like
you, and you might as we'll stay right
here, where God or the devil dropped
you for me to take care of. Any good
reason why notY'
The stranger smiled. He had
smooth face, white and clear skinned
as girl, but his eyelids had trick OF
narrowing ever so slightly as be looked
at one, and when he smiled his lips
drew tight across his even white teeth.
Laughs like hound dog" the Hawk
told Bones, and he did not seek the
strangers favor.
But Ellis liked him. He was clever.
brainy young fellow, brimful of the
latest lore of the world below, not par
ticularly ambitious to all appearances,
yet he entered heart and soul into Ellis
plans and ideas. The shack became his
permanent home, and while the stran.
ger shared the freight with Ellis the
Hawk and Bones sat outside, looking
up at the stars and bordering over
many things.
you have queer chap In that Sho |
shone" Hardy, as he called himself, re |
marked casually one day. where did |
you pick him up?'
over the state line one day. We
had mutual grievance against the |
world" laughed Ellis grimly.
They were coming up the narrow
path that ran like thread through the
woods up the mountain side to the
shack. Hardy glanced sideways at his
You've seen trouble. Jack. some
where" he said. Its the way with
nearly all who come up here"
you too7p Ellis shot the question at
him point blank.
Nothing Special" replied Hardy.
Fight over a girl"
Ellis drew a long. deep breath and
stepped nearer 10 his companion.
"Thats me too. over a girl with vel
0w hair"
Murder The other mans tone was
a