The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1909-10-07

In the spruces the wind hissed in
termittently; the day was dark and
damp. a white cloud befogged the
mountain and isolated the log cabin
on its knoll until it was afloat in
swirling mist. But too little light
sifted into the low, smoke-stained
room through its one narrow window;
the door was tight shut and the air
slightly 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 were hung and tackled
upon the logs. Jorkin sat in a rocker
made of Embarked pine saplings, a
cracker-box table beside him, where
he shuffed greasy cards and played
solitaire through the dreary hours.
A big, heavy man was Jorkin, with
the neck of bull and a gorilla chest
so deep it seemed almost deformity.
His broad hands were cracked and
brown, his face was blowsed to rusty
iron, and, framed in his blond beard
and tangled yellow hair, it glared out
with red menace. Blue eyes could
not dispel the mistrust his threaten
ing face usually created among his
fellows; wherefore Jor.iin for the
most part lived alone, prospecting
the hills far and wide in tGa sumner,
trapping and hunting in the winter,
and yearly sinking Dy slow stages 4
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 it, 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; if he won he
would Je 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
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
100 much for fate to ask of any man.
Despite his ruddy 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
were 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 fam
cied 1t to be; for Jorkin had little to
worry him, few hours of shame, or
sorrow or degradation to remember,
ana certainly after his long years of
lonely mountain life the solitude
could not have affected him. Paus-
ing IN his game, he sank into a rev.
erle' staring at the far wall with un-
seeing eyes; then interest flashed into
MS 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
laughed; and In a few moments
looked and laughed again.
Neither was 1t amusing, the moth
'hg that Jorkin saw; only, at the far
ena OF the cabin, seated In a rude
rocker by a rude table, was another
Jorkin playing solitaire, who made
races at him when Jorkin looked. The
haliucination vanished, and the pros
pector, little wondering, resumed his
game. The red and black dots of the
cards hypnotically flashed before his
eyes.
from somewhere down the hill
slope man hallooed, but the hermit
neither started nor moved. A knocl,
came upon the door, and Jorkin
looked up. Come" he called. not
rising. o'
The man who entered, dripping
ana chilled, was as big and brawnv
10 Jorkin was, but dark, with a
pleasant face. He nodded and hur-
ried to the fire.
Oniiied to the bone, pardner." he
said may l graft some OF your heat? |
Nasty storm. huh?"
From Alameda?" Jorkin asxsd
as ne picked up his cards and began
shuffling. san
No. Black Valley. Going over to
alameda. hear that Rounce has /
started the Gypsy Girl lode. l want |
W run one OF his drills. Used to he n !
snitt-poss over on his Frylngpan prom !
ery. went down and out last winter
All nt now. Names Mulvaney. Hav-
rug given an account Of himself he
waitec for reciprocal Information /
rome came. Jorkin resumed his in
terrupted game. the fire cracked and /
nickered, and the wind streamed nm
ceasinsiy through the pines. /
Mnlvaney took of his wet cont and
hung 1t over a chair-back. .OId
timer here, eh?" he venturad. as be I
studied the room from his nost on i
the hearth. Must have taken vou q |
long time to collect those deer heads. I
lor instance. KIN the grizzly your.
selfy' He pointed to an enormons
Dear rug that covered Jorkin,s hrrL /
sorkin nodded. "D--n the cardsis
ne sIid. and flung the pack aside
"Olu SoI'a oof n IN o. -. =. m =. @~'