The San Francisco call., 1906-05-20
Copyright Little. Brown & Coz
CHAPTER I.
In the saaebrush Country.

IN the Sagebrush Country
When the train stopped a Battle Noun
tain, q certain morning in May. 1881. there
was only one passenger 10 alight. He pre-
sented a remarkable appearance, even in
that place and al that time. The other
passengers might be forgiven for putting
their heads out Of the window to look at
him, nor was il strange that the station
agent rolling his quid into the ether
cheek. stood at gaze, as the newcomer
stepped briskly towards him Tall, slen-
der, with the bend at the shoulders which
betrays the student, the eager stoop of
one who drinks thirstily of his books and
long, intent on what he saw, alive TO his
fingertips he came striding forward, his
large. dark eyes glowing in the pallor Of
so much of his face as showed above the
silken black beard yelling the lower half
He was clothed in clerical black. all but
his hat. That was Nevada's. the cow
boys, the miners, a soft, golden brown
sombrero, giving him a brigandish look
which I'll consorted with his large, gentle,
melancholy eyes. He moved with i'm
petuous energy. his long black coat-tails
floating out behind, vet sedately. as one
accustomed to be noticed and approved.
Good morning" he said cheerfully;
'can you tell me where can find a horse
To take me to Galena?"
The station agent was not man to
hesitate. especially when he scented
trade. you bet he returned cordially.
Sound and kind. stands without hitchin',
leads like a lamb" and he disappeared in
the direction OF a shed behind the station.
The stranger waited, waving his hand
TO three little girls punched like flowers
in one of the car windows. They waved
themselves bodily IN, lost for lack of an
interpreter, for before their mother could
intervene and translate, the agent re-
turned. dragging after him a sorry-looking
animal, ribbed like a sea-washed hulk,
knock -kneed, spawned, and blind in one
eye.
There" he announced complacently;
that's the dog-gondest finest mar in
these parts. I'll sell her to ye for fifteen,
and you'd have ter pay ten for hire. II
she's yourn you kin do as yer minter
with her. II We hired her an there was
anything happened, there might be
trouble
IN take her" said the newcomer briefly.
and slid his long. brown hand deep into
his trousers pocket, bringing II UP filed
with coin. "Is that right?" he asked.
The agent ran his eye over the money.
Yep" he replied contentedly. "If you
wanter give me five more I'd throw in
the saddle"
Again the long. brown hand slid into the
trousers pocket and fshed up another gold
piece.
lightedly 'T don't suppose We know the
way? Ye wanter hit the south trail be-
tween them two hills and wiggle along the
foothills TIL We strike the up trail. When
ye git inter the canyon ye can't git out"
Thank you" said the stranger, climb
ing awkwardly into the saddle and sling
ing his travelling satchel over the horn.
The agent watched him and elected a
stream Of tobacco juice with the accuracy
and rapidity Of a hose company playing
on 9 fire. The little girls watched him
and babbled more inarticulate appeals for
attention. Their mother made no at
tempt to explain. She was standing star
ing over the childrens heads. Every one
in the car stood and stared. The men.
women and children who had rushed out
OF the one street OF the little town at the
approach OF the train did the same.
The young mamie was young in spite
of his beard and his solemn ways-bore
their gaze with the utmost tranquility,
shook the reins, and spoke encouragingly
20 the horse. The animal stiffly re-
sponded. At the same moment the loco
motive gave a Shrek and started on its
way, which lay parallel with the street.
There was a futter Of handkerchiefs at
the windows, the horseman lifted his hat;
then the train went on, and Clement
Vaughan, once itinerant preacher In
Gainsborough, England, because an atom,
Nevada plain, absolutely alone.
He turned in the saddle to look this
way and that. Wide stretches Of gray,
dusty soil. with leprous blotches of alkali,
he saw. patches of sagebrush, no other
growing thing, high mountains trimming
the horizon. over him burned the blue OF
a cioudless sky Around him poured the
nmpid atmosphere. A curving line of will
lows showed the path OF the Humboldt
River. The one street OF Battle Mountain
stood out straight and clear. All else
was barren plain, sagebrush and allsah.
Toward the two attic hills between
which ran the road the stranger urged his
horse: but the two little hills evermore
retreated. They were like everything else
in this strange, tantalizing, new country;
At last he reached them and began to
climb. Sounds met him, coming forward:
the rattle Of wheels. the clank Of chains,
the call OF the driver. and between the
walls Of sagebrush appeared the leaders
Of a string of mules. They SHE'D at sight
OF him, and the entire twenty swerved
from the road The driver, seated on the
of wheel-horse in front Of the first can
Yas-topped wagon-there were two-pulled
on the iron rod which went from the bit
OF one leader TO the rein of the other
and commenced to swear. He cursed the
leaders and he cursed all the other mules
OF the string, calling each by name: he
cursed their ancestors and their descend
ants TO the third and fourth generations,
backward and forward. up and down,
TIL he was out of breath, and then he
briefly and succinctly cursed the man in
his way, who. astonished at the pic
turesqueness OF the profanity, listened as
20 something new. forgetting its sig
niflcance. He watched the driver gee
his train with a steady pull on the rod
and "haw'' IL with two swift, strong jerks
The last wheel of the second schooner
creaked past him.
Wonderful" he calculated, Wonder
fun" and logged along.
The road was a rough one, mere path
in the sagebrush widened by use. When
the ruts had become too deep others had
'--~a formed to be abandoned in turn for