Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1906-07-07
HIS YELLOW GOD.


shack. Seems to me, Billy" he said,
slowly, that hopin' to find it is better'n
fndin' it,"
Dull CLEANS OF light from a smoky
lantern fell athwart the face of the gold
miner, rugged. homely. offering marked
contrast indeed to the patrician features
of Billy Bailey, his junior partner.
Finding Billy, means quittin'. It's
an end to the wants and privations I've
knowed for nigh twenty years. But,
somehow. I've come to like these still
ole mountains, an the singin' of the pines
an the river They've growed like
friends, an I'm never lonesome among
EN-. Maybe it's the las time they'll ever
sing fer me.
We're goin' back to civiliza ton" CON
tinued Tom, unheeding the others lack
of sympathy with his reminiscent mood,
AN that means separation. / know you
like me- Billy. 4 Teller couldn't want a
better partner that you've been fer the
past two years I've knowed YOU. But
with Yer eddication, an yer young blood,
an yer ambitions, you amt my kind in
w iEdCioH' we tdIl L ne lllC same GOWN
there. ! couldn't expect it. But | think
a powerful deal of you, Billy. ="
%, come. Tom" broke in his com
panion, impatiently, you're in the dumps
tonight. Take a drink and brace up.
We've worked and starved in these cursed
wilds for gold, until at last we've GOT it.
Think of the city's 10000 pleasures that
this stake can buy for US. There's no life
IN these soitudes. It's there in the
crowded streets. and it can all be ours
when we've got such q god-the god of
god-to see us through
But it amt fer me- persisted Tom
I'm past them things. If it want fer
the hope of finin the old woman down
there in Frisco an maxim her comfort
able, I'D stay. | don't care fer the gold
after all. I've found it. an my hungrin'
fer it it's satisfied"
Billy finished his task, but his mind
was still busy with thoughts of the
future But Billy saw none of the beauty
of the night The mountains awakened
memories of hardships and hopelcssness;
the river was only a highway to ciyiliza-
ton. He lit his pipe and began to pace
up and down the shelving shore.
There was none of the stuff of which
heroes are made in Billy Bailey's COM
position. His college career cut short by
the melting away of his fathers fortune
he awole one morning to find himself
face to face with the world. his wits his
only capital.
lie remembered tonight his struggle
to maintain his social position; the
Sights heaped upon him by erstwhile
boon compam1us; the gradual sinking
away of hope, until. with starvation
staring him in the face. he had shipped
in vessel bound round the horn"
He rccai:ed his hardship Oh the west
cm frontier, his final falling in with old
Tom Jenkins, and the hopeless search for
gold until a week ago when the gravel
Of drie l-up mountain stream uneN-
pectcdly yielded them their fortune. His
future course was plain. Mercilessly he
would engage in the war for wealth. His
heart must know but one love, the love of
gold.
And the stake! it was not so much.
after all Ii he only had Toms share too,
The thought startled him. and he
looked fwtivcy about. as though al
ready under surveillance Wen, why not?
What was Tom to him now? The old
man cared nothing for gold; he had said
as much Why not begin the task of
wealth gathering tonight and double his
fortune by Il single coup?
The skin was all ready for the NOR.
rows Journey down the river lie could
easily reach North Fork by daylight, and
miles of distance would lie between him
and Tom before the latter could make
the trip across the almost impossible
mountain trail
lie walked back to the house. Tom
was fast asleep. The tickcrjng light of
the lantern tell ashanti the corner where
he lay, his powerful form half -wathtd
IN She tatteyed blankets, his braVny arms
thrown above ms head.
1t was hut the work of a few min
ute% to gather together the things ueerS-
>ary for the short journey down the
river ami TO secure the treasure for safe
transportation. There was look of
cunning triumph on his face rs he com
pieted his preparations.
He made a cautions step toward the
door of the shack when lieht noise.
real or fauciei, caused him L. glance
back over his shoulder The next instant
the bag of gold crashed to the floor. while
R3iy sank on his knees. as though tclIrl
by ~ blow. Iom wu> sitting bolt upright
in bed, his revolver levelel 81: 3ilh'.
heart.
Well" he said blmtly. what do you
intend To do.'
Sc" said Tom, with d long breath
Il WIZ mistook i'm You. after au 10
think that / give You my frieuJ-bip am,
/ Won want worth il. What he / .aiua
/ to do. What da men u>uHy De when
Z "a ;.