Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-11-26

ine NY way was steep and rugged,
and %rhododendron clumps caught at
her ankles, and once she heard a snake
Slip over the dry rustic of leaves, but
she went on rapidly, dragging at the
bride, turning back now and then
an1iously to urge the. horse to greater
speed. She scarcely heard the often
sively honeyed compliments which
Prendergast offered to her courage.
1t seemed an eternity they climbed.
IN reality 1T was scarcely twenty min
utes before they reached the grassy
knoll and the cabin, whose crazy
swinging door stood wide to the night
air. She tied the horse, went In and
at Prendergasts direction found
matches and lit a candle. The bare,
two room interior it revealed was I'M
kempt and disordered. Rough hunks,
a table and a couple of hewn chairs
were almost it's only furniture. The
window was broken and the roof adj
mitted sun and rain. Prendergast laid
the man they had brought on one of
the hunks and threw over him a shah
by blanket.
MY dear young lady," he said, you
are a good Samaritan. How shall we
thank you, my poor friend here and
II"
Jessica had taken money. from her
pocket, and now she held it out to
him. "He must have a DOCTOR" she
said. You must fetch one"
The yellow eyes fastened on the bill,
even while his gesture protested. "You
shame me!' he exclaimed. "And yet
you are right. 1t is for him" He
folded it and put it into his pocket.
LAS soon as l have built a fire I will
go for our local medico. He will not
always come at the call of the luck
less miner. All are not so charitable
as YOU"
He united her horse and extended a
hand. but she mounted without his
help. HE will thank you one day,
this friend of mine," he said, "far bet
ter than l can do"
"It is not at all necessary to tell
him." she replied frigidly. The sick
are always to be helped in every cir
cumstance."
She gave her horse the rein as she
spoke and turned him up the steep
path that climbed back of the cabin.
past the Knob, and so by a narrow
trail to the mountain road.
August Prendergast stood listening
to the dulling hoof beats a moment,
then re-entered the cabin. The man on
the bunk had lifted to a sitting posi-
ton. His eyes were open, dazed and
staring.
That's right" the older man said.
you're coming round. How does it
feel to be back in the old shebang?
Can't guess how you got here, can
you? You were towed on horseback by
a beauty, Hughey, my boy-a rip stav-
ing beauty! I'll tell you about it in the
morning If you're good"
The man he addressed made no an
swer. His eyes were on tho other, in
dustrious and bewildered.
81 heard about the row." went on
Prendergast. "They didn't think it
was in you, and neither did II He
looked at him cunningly. "Neither did
Moreau, eh, eh? You're Il clever one,
Hugh, but the lost memory racket
won't stand you in anything. You
hadn't any call to get scared in the
first place. | don't tell all | know"
He showed the candle nearer on the
table. There's a queer look in your
face, Hugh" he said, with a clumsy
attempt at kindness. "Ihat rock they
threw must have hurt you. Feel sort
of dizzy, eh? Never mind, III show
you a sight for sore eyes. You went off
without your share of the last swag,
but I've saved it for you. Prendergast
wouldn't cheat a pal"
From a Granny in the clay chinked
wall be took a channels skin bag. 1t
contained a quantity Of gold dust and
small nuggets, which he poured into
a miners scales on the table and pro-
ceeded to divide in two portions. This
accomplished, he emptied one of the
portions On to a paper and pushed it
out
"That's yours he said.
Harry's eyes were on his with a
piercing intensity now, as though they
looked through him to a vast distance
beyond. He was staring through a
gray midst at something far off, but
significant, that eluded his direct
vision. The board table, the yellow
gold, the Pickering candlelight, recall
ed something horrifying, in some other
world, in some other life, millions of
ages ago. O
He lurched to his feet, o%verturning
the table. The gold dust ratified to the
floor.
"Your deal!" he said. Then, with a
vague laugh. he fell sidewise upon the
bunk.
August Prendergast stared at him
with q look of amaZement On his yell
low face. He's crazy as a chicken
he said.
He sat watching him awhile, then
rose and kindled a fire OF the unswept
hearth. From a litter Of cans and
dented utensils In a corner he pro-
ceeded to cook himself supper, after
which he carefully brushed up the
LTD J,,pt nnl enftrrnV - oil