Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-06

dividing the outfit. He separated the por-
tons of it with a rare precision.
Courageously desperate. he shouldered
the small pack and came to a more serious
conSidera tion-his surroundings.
What had been familiar ridges were now
a series of chaotic shapes. The wind was
tempered with bitterness. There came into
the air a soft warning of future snow. High
Card noted these things, shivered and pre-
pared to make his circle without delay.
The hardship and worry had made him like
a lean animal His boots were showing
signs of strenuous wear The ammunition
was and had been at all times low enough
He counted the cartridges-now thirteen.
In the morning" he promised himself
luck may change then"
The luck changed as he sat toasting his
feet that night before the only friend left
to him. He started at the sounds of crunch
the thickets. Without halo of greeting,
without word man suddenly came. into
the light of his fire High Cards hand
moved toward his rifle, but the other man
came up boldly and stood opposite, a
strange figure Well snarled High Card,
recognizing this newcomer.
The other man raised his hand to his
| head, seeming dazed; then he looked at the
| fire in the way a man regards something
which he must respect. When he spoke the
words came slowly, pronounced in a queer
monotony of tone:
Lost my bearings back there-matches
ran out, too. You got any matches? Glad
you got a fire-been lookin' out for one
some time. You've made a big strike, To-
catn' this fire."
High Card Baldwin listened watching the
other suspiciously. He had thought to hear
reproaches demands, threats; but there was
nothing of the sort. This man was fairly
old. His hair was n grayish white in places
and struggled down unkempt.
Matches ran out back there he re-
peated, without looking up.
We'll, do we. expect to refill the matchbox
q he "a
insolently refused to loan to man he had
beggared al cards. He had spoken at that
time quite the same. Matches or gold
which the most precious?
The old man looked up, vacant stare on
his face.
Why" he replied to the question, we're
pardnerS you an me"
You've been following me- broke out
High Card angrly.
Just comm along"
What right had YEP"
why, were pardners, you an me-"
High Card Baldwin laughed-a nasty, de-
risive laughter
"Pardners nothin'," he snorted
There came over the others face a grim
look. Several moments passed while he
sat stroking one hand over the other ner-
vously, as if they were cold. He did not
notice the fire. His eyes were alert, rest
less. His dirty gray mustache struggled
down on either side of his mouth, giving
him the fierce expression of a Viking.
'Pardners, of course he continued, as if
persuading himself. We opened the Mary
Ellen mine, didn't we? Oh, yes, share an
share alike, we said
$50 that's your game!' beloved High
Card
It's a fair enough game. We staked out
the Mary Ellen; but that was a long time
ago. That's past, High Card; but when you
came to camp awhile back an said you'd
made another strike why, says l. that's
where High Cardll make good, says l. So
l comes along. Had to pack all the stuff
myself, an, that made me quite bit late,
ye see. Then the powder gave out back
there an then the matches gave out too.
Somehow. never thought of that But l
kept on-I knew ye'd wait somewhere for
me, High Card, am
wait for you!'' sneered the gambler
why, we staked out the Mary Ellen, We
came out O the east together, you an me
were pardners."
Not by a = sight!, proclaimed High
Gard i BALDWIN doubling yv his FIST FIST and shak
neither gold, nor powder. nor matches, nor
nothn'. My finds 1 keep to myself. Sabe?'
But l found the Mary Elem said the
old man, speaking trifie faster
AN you were fool enough TO let me lose
the stuff; but that's not me- L finds this
trick, l trumps it an l counts it. There We
are"
High Card Baldwin stopped down to rake
the fire little He noted as the flame
Kissed upward at his touch that the old
man drew aside Then, still watching the
rudy heap of sticks, the old man continued
in his monotone:
You forget there was a lot In the Mary
Ellen sides gold. Gold there was aplenty
to be sure, but there was a woman an
there was a child. You lose it all at faro
you. First went the gold, yellow stuff
could see the man rake it in across the ia
BILE. Then you lost the woman-then you
lost the child Somehow l didn't seem to
mind it-then. Ever since that fight at