The Red Cloud chief., 1907-11-01

partner II few days later,
indicating u man in he cut
below, busted in setting II line OF
sluiccs.
That's old Slapjack Simms, friend
of mine from up Dawson way"
Glenistcr laughed immodcratcly, for
the object was unusually tall and loose
jointcd and wore II Soiled suit of yellow
mackinaw. He had laid off his coat.
and now the baggy. bilious trousers
hung precariously from his angular
shoulders by suspcnders Of alarming
frailty. His legs were lost in gum
boots, also loose and cavcrnous. and
his entire costume looked relaxed ana
Tapping. so that he gave the impress.
sion of being able TO shake himself out
of his raiment and TO rise like a bur.
lesquc .Aphrolite. His face was over.
grown with n grlzzlcd tangle that
looked as though it had beer trimmed
with %buttonhole scissors. while above
the brush heap grandly scared Il shiny,
domelike head.
Has he always been bald?"
NAV! He amt bald at all. He
SLAVES his mob. In the early days he
wore Il long flowin' name which was
inhabited by crickcts. tree toads and
such fauna. 1t got to be a hobby with
him finally, SO that he growcd supersti.
tious about goin' uncurried and would
back into a corncr with both guns
drawed if n barber came near him.
But once Hank that's his real name
undertook TO fry some Slapjacks and in
givin' the skillet Il hcave, the dough lit
among his forest primeval, jest back
of his ears, soft side down. Hank pol.
luted the gulch with langwidge which
no man had ought TO keep in himself
without it was fumigated. Disreppita
bleness oozed out through him like
sweat through an ice pitcher, an since
then he's been known as Slapjack
Simms an has kept his head shingled
smooth as a gun bar'l. He's a good
miner, though. Ain none better-an'
square as Il die"
Slulclng had begun OH the Midas.
Long sinuous lengths of canvas hose
wound down the creek bottom from
the dam, like gigantic serpents, while
h roll of gravel through the fumes
mingled unsteady with the rush Of
waters, the tinkle of tools and the song
Of steel OH rock. There were four
strings of boxes abreast, and the
heaving line of shovelers ate rapidly
into the creek bed, while teams with
scrapers splashed through the tail races
n an atmosphere of sOftened profanity.
In the big white tents which sat back
from the bluffs, fifty men of the night
shift We're asleep, for there Is no re.
spite here--nO night, no Sunday, no
halt, during the hundred days in which
the northland lends herself to pillage.
The mine lay Graded between won.
derful, messy, willow mottled noun.
tains, while above and below the gulch
was dotted with tents and huts, and
everywhere. from basin to hill crest.
men dug ana blasted, punily, patiently
while their tracks grew daily palmer
owe the face of this inscrutable vii,
derness.
a great contentment filed the two
partners as they looked on this scene
To wrest from reluctant earth heI
richest treasures, to add to the wealth
of the world, to create-here was sat
isfaction.
I'VE amt Robin no widders an
orphans dom 1t, neither" Dextry sud
denly remarked, expressing his part
ner's feelings closely. They looked al
each other and smiled with that rare
understanding that exceeds words.
Descending into the cut, the old man
filled a gold pan with dirt taken from
under the feet Of the workers and
washed it in a puddle, while the Other
watched his deXterous whirling mo
tons. When he had finished they
poked the stream of yellow grains into
a pile; then, with heads together
guessed its weight, laughing again de
l~ighte1ly, in perfect harmony and con
tentment.
1--WE been waitin' a turrible time fel
this day" said the elder, 'Tye suf
them slipped, and 1t crashed against q
brace which held the sluices In place
These boxes stand more than a mans
height above the bedrock, resting on
supporting posts and running full OF
| ~.atAa should a sluico fall the rush