The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1909-03-05

give the devil his due. AS for the
other ugly tale. there's no more evil
donoe against him than there is
against you or me-
THEY didn't find the body on my
ground" had been the others surly
rotorr. and didn't clear out the day
before either"
The phenomenon. however, whether
credited or poohpoohed. was a draw
ing card. More than a few found oc-
ca>ion to climb the mountain by the
hillside trail that skirted the lonely
cabin These as likely as not saw
Prendergast Longing in the doorway
smoking. while the younger man
worked, leading a trench along the
brow of the hill to bring the water
from its intake, which Harry's quick
eye had seen was practicable.
The spectacle of Hugh Stires. who
had been used to pass his days in the
saloons and his nights in even less be-
coming resorts. turned practical miner
added a touch Of opera bouffe to the
situation that TO a degree modulated
the rigor Of disprase. 1t was the con
seusus If opinion that tn. new Hugh
Stires seemed vastly different from the
old, that if he We're playing game"
II was a curious one.
on the one side was Il black record.
e1empIihed in Prendergast-c louded in
fanny. a shuddering adherence Of his
past self as he saw it through the pitt
less lens Of public opinion; on the other
was n grim constancy Of purpose. pas
sionIie wish 10 reconstruct the warped
structure Of life of which he found
himself the tenant. days of healthful.
peace inspiring toll a woman's face
that threaded his every thought As he
welded his pick in the trench or labo-
riously washed out the few gllStening
grains that now were TO mean his dai
II sustenance he turned often to gaze
UP the slope where. set in its foliage.
the glass roof Of the sanitarium spar
kled softly through the Indian haze
Strange that the sight should mysteri
ousIy suggest the face that haunted
him,
Treu1er-ast saw the distracted re
gard rs he came up the trail from the
town He was in an ugly humor. The
bag If gold dust which he had shown
To Harry he had not returned t" the
hiding place in The wall. and with this
tn his pocket the faro table had that
day tempted him The pouch was
empty now.
Harry'S back was toward him. and
the gold pan in which he had been
washing the gravel lay at his feet
With a noiseless. mirthless laugh Pren-
dor-ast stole into the cabin and reach
el down from the shelf the bottle into
y hich each day Harry had poured his
S,lnty findings. He weighed IT in his
hand almost two ounces, a little less
than SO He hastily took the empty
hag from his pocket
But Just then shadow darkened the
doorway. and Harry entered He saw
the action and. striding forward. took
the bottle frcm the others hand.
Trcniergast turned on him. a SIMS
ter snarl under his affectation Of sur
r iSe Can't you attend to your own
rat Billing" he grovled Il guess I've
got a right to what ! need"
Not 10 that said Harry quietly.
we shall touch the bottom of the
-four sack tomorrow. You expect to get
your meals here. presume"
1 still look forward to that pleas
ura." answered Prendergast. with an
evil sheer. Three meals a day and a
rotten roof over my head When
tLinE If the little | have done to de-
serve it, the hospitality overcomes me.
An | have done is to keep you from
starving 10 death and out Of quod at
tie same time. 1 only taught you a
safe way to beat the game, an easier
one than You seem to know, and to
live on Easy street"
Il am looking for no easy way" re
snoGded Harry. whatever you mean
tr that expect to earn my living as
I'm earning it now. It's an honest
method. at all events"
You've grown all fred particular
since YOU lost your memory" retorted
Irendergast his eyes narrowing
You'll he turning dominic one of these
q 'Es. Terhrps you expect 10 get the
t'"n TO take M with You and to make
i.fo f" the beauty in the green ridin.
lhit that brought you here on her
horse the night you were out of your
IHl"
Horny started What do you meanT"
b. asked thicEly
ICgHle~gs@Us oily manner was zone