Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-06-06
1T E Spoi1er 81
By REX E. BEACH.
By Elk E. BEAC
CHAPTpR VI.

lister inquired of his partner, a few
days later, indicating man in the cut
below, trsied in setting a line OF
sluices
That's old 'Slapjack' Simms, friend
OF mine from up Dawson way"
G1en1ster laughed immoderately. for
the object was unusually tall and loose.
1ointed, and wore a soiled suit of vel.
low mackinaw. He had laid off his
coat. and now the baggy, bilious
trousers hung precariously from his
angular shoulders by suspenders of
alarming frailty. His legs were lost in
gum boots, also loose and tapping, SO
that he gave the impression Of being
able to shake himself out Of his raj
ment and to rise like burlesque
Aphrodite. His face was overgrown
vito grizzled tangle that looked as
though It had been trimmed with a
button-hole scissors, while above the
brush heap grandly scared a Skinny
dome-like head"
Has he always been bald?'
Nav! He amt bald at all. He
shaves his mob. In the early days he
wore q long fowin' name which was
Inhabited by crickets, tree-toads, and
such fauna. It got to be hobby with
him finally, SO that he growed super.
stitious about goin' uncurried, and
would back into corner with both
gums drawed II barber came near
him. But once Hank-that's his real
Lame--und ertook to fry some slap.
jacks, and in givin' the skillet heave
the dough lit among his forest
primevAl, Jest back Of his ears, soft
side down. Hank polluted the gulch
with langwidge which no man had
ought to keep in himself without it
was fumigated. Disreppitableness
DoEed out through him like sweat
through an icepitcher, an since then
he's been known as Slapjack Simms,
an has kept his head shingled smooth
asa gun bar'l. He's a good miner,
though; amt none better-an' square
as die"
sluclng had begun on the Midas.
Long sinuous lengths Of canvas hose
wound down the creek bottom from
the dam, like gigantic serpents, while
the roll Of gravel through the fumes
mingled unsteady with the rush OF
waters, the tinkle of tools, and the
song Of steel on rock. There were
four Strings" Of boxes abreast, and
the heaying line of shovellers ate
rapidly into the creek bed, while
teams with scrapers splashed through
the tail races in an atmosphere of
softened profanity. In the big white
tents which sat back from the bluffs
fifty men Of the night shift were
asleep; for there Is ma respite here
no night. no Sunday, no halt, during
the hundred days in which the North
land lends herself to pillage.
The mine lay Graded between won.
derful. messy, willow-mottled noun.
tatns, while above and below the gulch
was dotted with tents and huts, and
everywhere, from basin to hill crest
men dug and blasted, punily, patient
", while their tracks grew daily plain.
er over the face Of this inscrutable
wilderness.
A great contentment filled the two
partners as they looked an this scene.
To wrest from reluctant earth her
richest treasures, to add to the wealth
OF the world, to create here was salts
faction.
We 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 goldpan with dirt taken from
under the feet of the workers, and
washed 1t in puddle, while the Others
watched his dexterous whirling mo.
tons. When he had finished, they
poked the stream of yellow grains In
to a pile. then, with heads together,
guessed Its weight. laughing again de-
lightedly, in perfect harmony and con.
tentment.
Eve been waitin' turrible time fer
this day." said the elder I've suffer
ed the plaques Of prospectin' from the
Mexicos to the circle, an yet l don't
begretch it none, now that I've strucl,
pay"
When they spoke, two miners strug-
gled with howlder they had unearth-
ed. and having scraped and washed it
carefully, staggered back to place 1t
OF them slipped. and it crashed against
Z q " az WuACL u0lu Cu0 SIuCGS
place. These boxes stand more than
I q mans height above the bedrock,
resting on supporting posts and run
ming full of water. Should sluice
fall. the rushing stream carries out the
gold which has lodged in the rifles
and floods the bedrock, raising havoc
Too late the partners saw the string
OF boxes sway and bend at the joint
Then before they could reach the
threatened spot to support it, Slap.
jack Simms, with shrek, plunged
happfng down into the cut and seized
the flume. His great height stood
him In good stead now, for where the
Joint had opened, water poured in a
cataract. He dived under the breach
unhestatngly and stoopng, lifted the
Hne as near to it's former level as pos
sole. holding the entire burden upon
his naked pate. He gesticulated wild
" for help, while over him poured the
deluge oflicy muddy water. 1t enter
ed his gaping wastband, bulgng out
his yellow trousers till they were fat
and full and the seams were bursting