The daily Alaskan., 1907-01-19
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My Friend Jardin
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LCopyrlght. 1906, by c. H. sutcline.l

l My friend Jardin and l had been tO- 1 gether nine years when we separated, he to go west with an uncle and Go enter a law office at home. We wrote each other weekly for three years and were as faithful as lovers. Up to this time We had both been poor, depend ing on ourselves more than on our fa- | thers, but now a relative died and left me SIO,OOO In cash. My first letter to Jardin after receiving the news was to offer him present of 5000.
 He replied that he was doing well in the mining business and did not need and would not accept the money, but If | I wanted to double it in six months he would show me how and take share of the profits. After some further cor respondence started for the west with my legacy iu my pocket
 l I found Hardin serving as assistant superintendent in a gold mine, and we greeted each other as two old friends should. He had prOspected a bit and made q great find.
 It was a week before we were on l the mountain where his find was To- catcd and where my money would be needed to make wagon roads, purchase machinery and bring in a stan of la | borers. On the forenoon of the second day our pack horse met with a fall and was lamed, and VIC decided to lay by | for day to give him a chance to re- cover.
 At 8 R'clock in the afternoon Jardin started out 10 scout around the camp and over the trail we were to follow the next day, and I spread a blanket l over the pine needles and lay down for nap. It was q still, quiet day, and 1 was dozing when the thought suddenly dashed over me that Jardin meant me i'll. and I found myself sit ting up before l knew it. 1 laughed aloud at the thought If my own mother had been there and told me that he meant me i'll I would not have believed it. lay down again, and then 1t struck me that he had acted rather queer and constrained since starting. He had written me to bring gold from Denver. He had made sure that brought $3SOOO. He had almost hidden me away in the mining village, aud he had insisted that take another name and conceal my home address. His excuses at the time seemed more than enough, but now when ! began to argue things point by point was stunned. Taking the case wholesale, as you might say. I believed in him as in DO other man. Taking it point by point. had to conclude thar he lnd some evil scheme on hand.
 .Jari!u was absent for two hours and then returned to report all quiet l began to watch him now, and knowing Llm as well as I did I soon saw that be was i'll at ease. He no longer look ed me in the eyes as of old. He was nervous and furtivc. I found a dozen reasons for suspecJmg him.
 To the west of our camp the side of the mountain rose sharply, and there were several great howllcrS almost towering over us. If it had been the rainy season should have feared that some of them might have become lJoS- ened and fallen down on us. After supper We smoked. talked of old times and cared for the horses, and about D o'clock Iardin suggested that We turn in SD as tu get an early start in the morning We had pitched our small tent and gathered pine needles for a bed, and the night was one for sleep. Hardin seemed to fall asleep almost at once, but I could not shut my eyes. didn't sigh and kick about and Jar din must have believed me to be sound asleeu when he finally rose up with the utmost care, looked at me for a mo- ment and then, taking the crowOar from the pack. walked toward the powders. What on earth he was go- ing to do was beyond me until l slyly followed him to see with my own eyes.
 I found him digging and prying be- hind the biggest powder, and that powder was right in line with the tent and only fifty feet away. l thought at
 first that he was looking for gold; that he was developing some sort of find to show me in the morning. l held to this idea for three or four minutes and was about t1 address him and give him
 the laugh s,Acn another idea entered
 my head ual brought out the goose flesh all over my body.
 Jardin was working to roll that giant powder down upon the tent and me as l slept. It was matter not to be ar
 gucd. It was murder he had been con- templating ever since he had written
 me to come west. Some men might have acted differently in my place. They might have made their presence known, exposed him, played the hypo-
 crlte or what not. I did nothing but l. wait and watch.
 The man had worked for a quarter of
 an hour in my sight, when he passed
 around to the front of the powder to remove a stone He showed the crow
 bar under it and gave hcave, at the same time turning his face toward the
 tent as If to see If was astir. The big | powder moved. It broke out of it's bed 1 of a sudden, and Hardin jumped to es- ] cape 1t. He Jumped down hill. IL ! caught him up and rolled oyer him h