The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1906-01-09

Dawson had smallpox, and the other
stranger took n tumble in front OF ~
lis' shack. He was clean. well bred
looking fellow and Ealis liked him.
Tba Hawk and he gave battle to death,
ana one day the stranger WAS sitting
M outside the shack, and all was well.
The mountains were afiame with red
and gold. and an amethyst haze hung
around the river distances,
"ft's awfllly pretty up here, the
stlaiigci. said dreamlly.
.!Bet your life ii is" responded Ellis
warmly. WRAP that blanket round
YOU. though. You don't want the damp
curling up your bones. Going TO plant
hcrc:''
"Ithink SO" said the other slowly.
Come up on businessF
"Yes: little private business
San right Needn't tell il you don't
feel the spirit moving you Only ilhe
YOU. and you might aF well stay right
| here where God or the devil dropped
you for me to take care Of. Any good
| reason why notf'
/ The stranger smiled. lie lad u
| smooth face. white and clear skinned
rs A girl. but his eyclids had trick OF
narrowing ever 50 slightly as ne iooScd
At one. and when he smiled ms iipS
,lrew tight across his even WIlte 'eeln.
Laughs ike hound dog" The Hawk
told Zones. and lie did not seek the
strangers favor.
n
h,piny young fellow brimful OF the
n,fcet lore Of the world below not par
tioufarly ambitious to all appearances,
W III. entered heart and soul into Ellis
nla "A and ideas. The shack became has
nnuainent home, and While the siran-
oe,. Elared the freight with Ellis lhe
4 rIeaA; and Bones sat outside. looklhS
ND 1T the stars and ponderhg over
many things.
"You have queer chap IN that sho,
shdnc" Hardy rs he called himself re.
marked casually one day Nv mere ana
Won pick linn up"
cover the state line one day. we
had 4 mutual grievance against the
world" laughed Ellis grimly.
They were coming mp the narrow
oath that ran like a thread through inc
woods up the mountain side to tht
shack. hardy glanced sideways Mt MS
companion.
You've seen trouble, Jack, some
where he said. Its the way VIII
nearly all who come up here
"You toof" Ellis shot the question ~
him point blank.
"Nothing special replied Hardy
Fight over a girl.
Ellis drew a long, deep breath ant
stepped nearer TO his companion
THAT'S me too over 4 girl Win yei
low lair"
, .'AIlfder:" The other mans tone wa
highland disinterested. but Ellis caugh
himself up with laugh,
, Not a. bad as that We fought fail
only | happened to be the stronger, II
knew il. ana 50 did /. only had litll
difficulty in making the world belleN
it-afterWard.
3 Hardy looked ont over the hills I
where the Yukon turned into the eh
/ brace of The distant mountains an
6 he was silent That night he wrote
letter and sent it out by Cy DahVef
. WHO was going down to Seattle ~
Hawk saw him give it to Daners, Dt
no aid not tell Jack After that, Whe
me two went to Ellis claim III IL
nlVrning, Bones ana the Indian folioN
4 ed esureiy and watched. so passed.
n year and still nothing had happehe'
!, The friendship between the two me
. had become q byword in Dawson, an
q Ellis had prospered. one night up
Tho shack. when the leaves we're stan
- ed again with the frost kings color
n Ellis rose suddenly from his scat bessie
@ the table where Hardy sat figuring.
ITS enough" he said, under h
~ breath. walking with quick. ncrvo'
Il steps 10 aud fro, while the small dai
). eyes of the Hawk watched him fro
70 The corner. Hardy. I'm going down
, HaEly smiled up at him through q
: iorn. ragged smoke wrcathS from Il
n pipe.
4 "Why uot:' he asked lightly.
a FDis frovncd lie had forgotten
M sayc1hc man before him
+. "You know what / told you one d
4, / last year be began. about that z
pr and The man Fought fair? Well th
20 don't exactly take my view of the m'
% ter down there They're waiting
~ ne. do You see? It's free M here
Il But you want 10 see what she thin
about it, said the other musingly.
* THAT'S it, cried Ellis earnest
That's Just the point. She knows
he hadn't any bad feeling toward him on
so far as she was concerned, and q
lis hadn't promised either. We just ma
". M our minds to fight itout and lei |
best man have her Aud we didn't
/" any dirty work either, knives or gui
N lust took the weapons God gave us n
rh 4 went TO work one night after 4 Jan
We were coming home through
ed woods" lie paused and rested
elr booted foot on the chair he had
mt Gated as he leaned forward towS
Hardy. "There's big Jagged vi
TX This side OF town. and there isnt ~
dd Thing but rocks and river below.
he was clear of trees on top. though.
lst Bob said to end II there. I didn't I'm
H. It. Hardy. I swear I didn't bDew