The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1909-12-03
When the Double Comes
a TEMPERANCE TALE.
BY z. c. pITzHR.

mountain ana lBOlALeu the log ChDln
on its knoll until 1t was afloat in
swirling mist. But too little light
sifted into the low, smoke-stained
rom through its one narrow window;
the door was tight shut and the air
alightly tinged with blue smoke. A
cracking blaze jumped in the fire.
place, throwing dancing shadows and
red lights over the chromos and pho
tographs, the furs, horns and hides,
and implements Of work and the
chase that we're hung and tackled
upon the logs. Jorkin sat In rocker
made of Embarked pine saplings. a
Gracker-box table beside him, where
he shufiied greasy cards and played
solitaire through the dreary hours.
A big, heavy man was Jorkin, with
the neck Of bull and gorilla chest
so deep 1t seemed almost a deformity.
His broad hands we're cracked and
brown, his face was blowsed to rusty
iron, and, framed in his blond beard
and tangled yellow hair, 1t glared out
with red menace. Blue eyes could
not dispel the mistrust his threaten
ing face usually created among his
fellows; wherefore Jorkin for the
nost part lived alone, prospecting
the hills far and wide in the summer,
trapping and hunting in the winter,
and yearly sinking by slow stages
shaft deeper into the heart OF his
mountain.
Jorkin had played for hours; he
still played, with knit brows and COM
pressed lips, intent on the cards His
was a hard game to beat; "Old Sol"
constantly had the best of Il, but
Jorkin was stubborn. Once started
a something superstitious that lurked
at the back Of his head kept in his
mind the dim IDEA that much depend
ed upon his winning; II he won he
would be lucky in some material
way; If he lost-lost constantly
there would be something else to
lose. He gave no thought as TO what
he had to lose; there was the mine.
to be sure, but that was his past dis
pute, and no one could get IT, II
would bring him a living until he
died. There was nothing else to lose
but himself, and he was fit and forty
Twenty years hence would be time TO
think OF that If, in the meantime. he
were left alone To live with-what
he had been living with. was perhaps
too much for fate TO ask of any man.
Despite his rudy complexion, his
giant frame, there was something un-
wholesome about Jorkin that day; he
was under the weather." as he
would have phrased IT, His blue eyes
we're not clear, rather, a CLASSY film
was over them, and though indeed he
had no nerves to trouble him, his
tense attitude would have given the
impression that his will power alone
restrained a burst OF hysterical emo
ton. Causeless one would have fan
cied 1t to be; for Jorkin had little to
worry him, few hours OF shame. or
sorrow or degradation to remember,
and certainly after his long years OF
lonely mountain life the solitude
could not have affected him. Paus-
Ing his game, he sank into rev.
erie, staring at the far wall with UNI
seeing eyes: then interest flashed into
his face, and he looked and laughed.
Laughed at nothing; not at his
thoughts, surely. for he was a slow
and languid thinker. like most folk
OF the open. Nevertheless, he laugh
ed; and In few moments looked and
laughed again.
neither was II amusing. the moth
ing that Jorkin saw: only, at the far
end OF the cabin, seated In a rude
rocker by rude table, was another
JorE.a playing solitaire. who made
faces at him when Jorkin loked. The
hallucination vanished, and the pros
pector, little wondering. resumed his
game. The red and black dots of the
cards hypnoucally flashed before his
eyes.
From somewhere down the hill
slope a man hallooed, but the hermit
neither started nor moved A knock
came upon the door, and Jorkin look
ed up. Come" he called, not rising.
The man who entered, dripping
and chilled, was as big as brawny
as Jorhn was, but dark, with pleas
ant race. He nodded and hurried to
the fire.
Chilled to the bone pardner," he
said; may graft some of your heat
Nasty storm, huh ?"
From Alameda?" Jorkin asked.
as he picked up his cards and began
shuffling.
No, Black Valley. Going over 10
Alameda. | hear that Rounce has
started the gypsy Girl lode. / want
10 run one Of his drills. Used to be
shift-boss over on his fryfngpan prop
erty. Went down and out last winter.
All mt now. Names Mulyaney" Hav-
ing given an account of himself, he
waited for reciprocal information.
none came Jorkin resumed his in
corrupted game, the fire cracked and
nlckered' and the wind streamed un-
ceasingly through the pines.
Mulvaney took of his wet coat and
hung 1t over a chair-back. "Old
fiTDnr hare oh h.,
studied the rom from his post on the
neartn. Must have taken you a long
Time 10 collect those deer heads for
instance. XIII the grizzly yourself ?"
he pointed to an enormous bear rug
that covered Jorkin's bunk.
Jorkfn nodded. On the cards 4"
old Soils got it in for me. He rose
Cold Z" he asked. Have a drink ?"
He fetched jug from a corner and
poured his guest stiff peg of whis-
ky. When the glass was returned he
nlled II to the brim and emptied II.
In a moment be repeated the feat
Drink = he asked again.
Cant In this altitude. One glass
feels comfortable, however" Null
yaney's brows lowered Jorkln's hue
OF face was not all blowse. as the
stranger saw in the light of present
developments; solitary tipping long
continued in had brought some of
that permanent rust to the surface.
Jorkin resumed his seat and the
cards. Ought to know you" he said
over his shoulder. Your faces ia
miliar."
No, I've never ben in this district"
Mulyaney ?" Jorkin mumbled Hs
turned his chair. You come from
PASSPORT way, your fathers farm was
between Willow Creek and Lords
Junction"
Well, be-" Mulvaney stared.
True as you live, You're an East