Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-02-09
Copyright, 1908, by
Harper g. Brothers.
All Rights Reserved

| tory was in great demand. After some
discussion this was arranged, and Maude,
as trustee, allotted her ground In tracts,
as Lee had done. Poleon followed suit;
but the trader chose to prospect his own
claims, and to that end called in train
of stiff-backed Indian packers, moved
a substantial outfit to the creek, and
thereafter spent much of his time in
the hills, leaving the store to Doret. He
| seemed anxious to get away from the
camp and hide himself in the woods.
Stark was almost constantly occupied at
his saloon, for it was a mint, and ran
day and night. Runnion was busy with
the erection of a substantial structure
OF squared logs. larger than the trading
post destined as a dance hall, theatre,
and gambling house. Flambeau, the
slumbrous, had indeed aroused itself,
stretched its limbs. and sprung into Wig
orous, virile, feverish being, and the wise
prophets were predicting another Daw-
son for II, notwithstanding that many
blank spots had been found as the
creek of Lees finding barred its bed
rock to the miners. These but enhanced
the value of the rich finds, however, for
a single stroke of good fortune will more
than offset a dozen disappointments.
The truth is, the stream
was very spotted, and Lee
had by chance hit upon one of the bars
where the metal had lodged, while others
above and below uncovered a bedrock
as barren as a clean-swept floor. In
places they cross-cut from rim to rim,
drove tunnels and drains and drifts, sunk
shafts and opened trenches without find
ing a color that would ring when dropped
in the pan; but that was an old, old
story, and they were used to it.
During these stirring weeks of unsleep-
ing activity Burrell saw little of Necia,
for he had many things to occupy him.
and she was detained much in the store,
now that her father was away. When
they met for a moment they were sure
to be interrupted, while in and around
the house Alluna seemed to be always
near her. Even so, she was very happy
for she was sustained by the constant
hectic excitement that was in the air
and by her brief moments with Meade,
which served to gladden. her and make
Of the days one long, delicious, hopeful
procession of undisturbed dreams and
fancies- He was the same fond lover as
on that adventurous journey up BlackBear
creek and wooed her with reckless fire
that set her aglow. And so she hum
med and laughed and dreamed the days
away, her happiness matching the peace
and gladness of the season.
With Burrer, on the contrary, it was
season of penance and Negotiations of
spirit lightened only by the moments
when he was with her, and when she
made him forget all else. This damnable
indecision goaded him to self-contempt;
he despised himself for his weakness; his
social instincts and training. his sense
of duty, and the amenities of life that
proud men hold dear tugged steadfastly,
untiringly at his reason, while the little
imp of impulse sat grinning wickedly,
ready to pop out and upset ali his high
resolutions. It raised such a tumult in
his ears that he could not hear the other
voices; It stirred his blood till il leaped
and pounded, and then ran off with him
to find this tiny brown and beaming
witch who was at the bottom of it all.
No months in any cline can compare
with an Arctic summer when Nature is
kind, so she crowds into this short epoch
all the warmth and brightness and SPLEEN
dor that is spread over longer periods
in other lands, and every growing thing
rejoices riotously in scent and color and
profusion. 1t was on one of these heav-
emily days spiced with the faintest hint OF
autumn, that Necia received the news of
her good-fortune. One of her leasers
came into the post to show her and Po-
leon a bag of dust. He and his partner
had found the pay-streak finally, and he
had come to notify her that it gave prom
Use of being very rich, and now that it's
location was demonstrated, no doubt the
other 'laymen" would have it within a
| fortnight AS all of them were ready to
begin sluicing as soon as the ground
could be stripped, undoubtedly they would
be able to take out substantial stake
before winter settled and the first frost
closed them down.
She took the news quietly but with
pf,, nj vua "a
no greater or more genuine than Poleon's.
who grasped both her hands in his and
shouted, gleefully:
''Bien! I'm glad! You'll be richie gal for
sure now, an wear plaintee fine dress
lax 1 fetch you. JUS t'ink, you fin gol'
on your place more queecker dan your
fader an he's good miner, too. Ha! OATS
bullyr'
"Oh, Poleon! TIL be a fine lady, after
ALL" she cried-"just as I've dreamed
about Wasn't it beautiful, that pile of yell
low grains and nuggets? Dear. dear! And
part Of it is mine! You know I've never
had money. I wonder what 1t is like
| to be richr'
How I'm goin' tell you dat?"
"Oh, well, they will find it on your
claims very sooH."
He shook his head. you better
knock wood wen you say dat. Mebbe
| L draw de again. nODOuy can I
tell I've do de sam ting before, an
dose men wat been workin' my groun'
dey're gettin' purity blue"
It's impossible. You're sure to
strike it, or If you don't, you can have
half of what 1 make-TIl be too
wealthy, anyhow, so you might as
| we'll"
He laughed again, at which she sud-
| denly remembered that ne had not
laughed very much Of late, or else she
had been too deeply absorbed in her
| own happiness to mark the lack Of his
songs and merriment
when you do become a F1ambeau
king" she continued, what will you
do with yourself? Surely you won
continue TO search for your far country.
It could never be so beautiful as this. ."
| She pointed to the river that never
changed, and yet was never the same,
and to the forests, slightly tinged with
| the signs of the coming season. Just
| look at the mountains" she unused, in
a hushed voice; "see the haze that hangs
over them-the veil that God uses to
| cover up his treasures" She drew a
| deep breath. The breeze fairly tastes
| with clean things, doesn't ft7 Do you
| know, I've often wanted to be an ami
| NAL, to have my senses sharpened-
| one of those wild things with a funny,
| sharp, cold nose. I'd like to live in the
| trees and run along the branches like