La Junta tribune., 1908-02-08


watching Brent's skiliful movements
with ravenous but xppreciatire eyes.
Not until their appetites were entirely
satisfied and they. had moved back.
wipinx their mouths upon their hands.
did one OF them speak. Then the white
haired giant nodded sociably to Brent
'Prospectin'7" he asked.
yes"
well, slowly. II reckon well have
to let ye in--on u small lay. mebbe.
After eatin' that supper we couldn't
plan for noihIn' hostile. How much
grub We goty'
"A three months allowance for one
man
That's three weeks for four men. or
month. mebbc. with moderation.
Plenty. guess. to carry us through"
Brent smiled sarcastically.
Don't you think II might be a good
idea to ask my consent tirst:. he ask.
ed
Were three men, an you ain't but
one" composedly. Though. Of course.
that don't matter now. After the sup
per we couldn't DE hostile. Anyway.
ven be ready TO come In all right. even
on the smallest lay. soon's We know.
Seems odd. don't it"-reiiectively-"but
Jest the smell O. that supper was all
that saved your life. oh. don't mind
tellin' now" at the inquiry in Brent's
eyes, .long = yc come In this cave.
an Dikker there heard We speak bout
explorin' II, That left but one thing
for us TO do. We was hid mp there with
our guns p'inted. an we was goiu' to
give ye ten minutes to pack up an git,
II ye didn't. an from what Dikkcr said
we knowed We wouldn't. we was goin'
TO shoot. There wouldn't be nothin'
else we could do" earnestly.
We'll. had my gun p'inted an
mouth open to holler when got full
smell O them ham an eggs right In my
throat. an l waited little to git one
more smell. with my mouth wide open.
when the onions come up. Lord,
smacking his lips remlniscently. I've
lived seventy years, an I never had
another second like that In all my life.
jest laid my gun down an stuck my
nose out fur's ! could: then l felt
'shamed an looked round. But DIX
kcrs nose an Sans nose WIS both
stickin' out Jest the same. That 6n-
ishcd us. We couldn't "a stayed up
there another minute for all the gold
in these mountains. It's been ten
weeks - ten whole weeks since we
swallered our last bit o. pork. an In all
that time we amt had a thing but
roots billed to chaw on"
Ten weeks exclaimed Brent III
amazement why. man alive. ! once
lived ON them two days and thought
I'D starve Why didn't one of you 60
out after provisionsI"
"Dassent." laconically. "They's too
many prospectors round watchin'. They
can tell from the size Of mans eyes
what he's found. We have a spot
where we can pick up gold with our
fingers. an we'd ruther starve than
take chances. But reckon We four
can git II all out In 4 month. an you
can have an eighth share from now on.
An'-oh. yes. my names Moses. thirty
nine years prospcctin an never struck
1t rich till now Who might you be:"
MY names Brent Harlan. ten years
prospectin', but going home soon now"
A week later they were gathered
around the campfire. 1t was after sup.
per. and they had all been smoking.
but now the pipes were laid aside. and
they were gazing into the fire. Pros
pecting days were nearly over for
them.
Into eyes that had grown hard with
gold seeking We're coming new express
sions of tenderness aud JOY. But the
face Of Moses was grave.
'.Thirty-nine years Of prospectin'," he
said at last breaking the silence. an
now at seventy ready To quit, with not
a kith or kin or friend in the world
save you three 10 look glad. 'Taip't
.on' to lie so blame fine as thought
you've all got somebody" he went
on presently. Il can zee II in your
eyes an in the way you smile to your
selves I've never had nobody in all
my life. not one. The fust thing l re-
member was bein' an orphan an fight
in for my grnb. Now I'm gon' to ask
you 10 sheer your homes with me for
half hour or so. I've been watclin' you
an thinkin' II over. Well he sayin'
.,oodby in few weeks an mebbe won't
ever see each other ag'in Won't you
sheer your wives an babies with me
FOR n little while: You've got letters
an photographs. an ye can tell me
what they do an say an how they
look. It'll be something for me to think
about arter we separate
Il don't mind" said Dikker. He drew
II package from his pocket. worn and
soiled by much handling. and took
from 1t the photograph Of middle
aged woman. which he passed across
to Moses. Then he read his letter.
through. one by one. slowly.
We've been married thirty two
years" he said as he finished. ''an'
there's only jest we two. But Lizzy's
the best woman ON Gods earth. WIS