Evening journal., 1907-01-07
"a ;, TA.r.a. 4. nsKs..

ened a defornity At times the
ot would slip and be completely
Hfd in drift, and then, High Card
tshon himself about their chance.
he Nfed, the wind in his throat and
III The #pally had chances
Gard g1n thought he had given the Camp
y peo the slip. For several days he had
foiiL those things winch long prospee-
snc Hhd taught him were absolutely nee
Matches and ammunition had been
mp, and High Card dared not seem
either He forced TO content
moderate supply of these things
a wild beast successfully with bare
ght not hgit cold without fire.
loads.
Baldwin was 4 woodsman and not fool
all the imprudence Of attempting this
afly in the season, but there were reasons
was common talk wait into the
onths would entail much undesirable com
Card Baldwin wanted to get away and
of his allotment as discoverer.
this decided advantage he must risk much
ling to risk much
Z Camp Frseze-out in the night No one
part. He felt sure of this In the first
in1rney he met About him was
srile. naked and exhausted from its
A,ard deserted of birds As though
SIC in the iron clutch of this
nYas not TO be haunted
would be lettering
at from Camp
the face OF this stern
1ays-somethinR, an in
fear, told High Gard
lowed. In the beginning
he said
ion reourred again and
asing persistency.
bn became fear, strong,
eysed him.
tew so nsistent that it could no
hen it had fed sufficiently upon bis
Baldwin stopped and waited for
tch up A whole day ne waited
n the end of it he was disap-
barren waste, with faraway
vutures against sheeted
Frd Then, with an oath:
loever he is"
uld heap up his fire until II
almost exhausted, he would
fhe windbreak, and consider
LTd would say warming his
accident It had almost
le tin box. in which were ali
his hands and tumbled fairly
ard Baldwin heroically plunged
The matches were sn1olino-
fare up. High Gard Baldwin
y-it5ized his safety turned sick all over ana
sank down to the ground, then flushed as with
els hands shook but from pain He
as though he might have covered miles
cawd" he whispered, his lips quiverinS.
sssnt more and he would have faced the wilder
49, snov barred ee-slreathed like PrometIss.st
ing reSsn9 When these foolish sensations 49,
past High Baldwin laughed in LITTLE b;g;,s msIs
tucked il away IN his pack He took from il onv ons
match at time His operations in this way were
painfully deliberate and precise He revered the
them They were his genii, his gods
One night when the stars were calmly critical and
the whole world touched with enchanted peace
High Card made his lone camp the sheltered side of
ridge and at great distance from the summit The
opposite ground dropped away into the valley which
he had that day crossed. He contemplated his
hre and smoked pipe. He about to roll into
the blankets when near by orackle caused him to
start Some four five deer had slipped up through
the underground and staring in blank wonderment
at his hre At his first movement they went over
the ridge making little frightened leaps High Card
caught up his rife quickly and scrambled after them
IN have steak" he said with determination
drawing back the hammer of the gun. A few seconds
later he had parted the damp branches of the thcke
which fringed the summit An exclamation from
his lips and as if his hands had been relieved of all
power, he allowed the wet branches to whip back
across his face Venison gone from his mind
eight by Gawdw he said aloud his mouth and
tongue becoming dry a bone He stood for long
time gazing the valley. where faint sparkle
peepsd from the folds of the hills. 1t FIRE The
pursuer had caught up with him.
In former years. years of plenty, wiren High Card
knew the gold OF his first stake, and when the cards
high enough to bestow him name he had
gambled desperately. He knew the worth of gold only
by the sensation it caused when a big bet swung on
single turn. He had sat upon both sides Of the
table Of Fortune, beside her and facing her. He had
seen his pile disappear IN single cycle of play, tire
board like false mistress, and crossing the table
mock him in the abyss. On that last night when he
had been beggared, certain look settled as though
hard, adamant, criminal That night decided the ut
most length to which he would go for gold Gold,
though it had triceed him. beaten him, starved him,
deserted him, was, after all, his goddess The fasy
Of the deity proved only the fanatcsm of the devotee
And such expression swept his features again
as he stood, this night upon the summit of the ridge
and looked the valley toward the second player
Once again the stakes hgh and the turn against
him.
An old old dread caught him in its cruel talons
He remenbered man, certain old man The guilty
are mindful of their sins first and the chance OF
happening after in its urn. The gambler gripped
his hands and fought back his momentary cowardice
"By the Living Gawdw he cried out, tremulously
I'll share my finds with no man. It's my gold, mine
mine. And you want your share1 Well follow me
For the next three days, High Card Baldwin en-
deavored 10 lead this follower astrsy.
High Card made off TO the right into the wild, un.
trammeled hills. He did not hesitate, He was willing
to tread the dangerous edge of a precipice that an
other might slip it. The thickets were now
denser, the dehes more rugged, the way steep i
was detour but he kept gritting his teeth
against his every hardship He knew that across coun
try distant perhaps five terrible uncharted miles, opened
several very deceptive passes through the range 1t
about, and pick up his original bearings.