Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-02-05
Illustrated By
Dsnman Fink
CONTINUATION OF CHAP *
The Awakening

Squaw men are pretty shiftless and peo-
pie don't pay much attention to them.
I guess II they weren't they wouldn't
be squaw men.
my father isn't shiftless." she chai-
leneed. at which he remained silent. re-
fusing to go on record. isn't haif-
breed just as good as whittier"
Look here" said he. What are you
driving at7''
.srm a blood, ." she declared, recklessiy,
Hand I want TO know what people think
Of me. The men around here have new
er made me feel conscious OF 1t, but
you're afraid of these new people who
are coming Ell? Well, don't worry about
that. Miss. II wouldn't make any dif-
ference TO me or TO any Of your friends
whether you were red, white, black or
yellow"
But Il would make a difference with
some peopleY'' insisted the girl.
''Oh 1 reckon it would with eastern peo-
ple. They-look at things kind of funny
but we're not In the east"
That's what / wanted to know. Nice
people back there wouldn't tolerate
girl like me for a moment would theyE
They wouldn't consider me good enough
10 associate with them?"
He shrugged his shoulders. guess
you'd have a hard time breaking IN
among the 'bon-tonners. But wnats the
use Of thinking about It. This Is your
country and these are your people.
A morbid desire was upon her TO track
down this Intangible racial distinction, but
abe saw Runnion. whom she could not
bear, coming towards them, so thanked
Stark hurriedly and went on her way.
Been making friends with that squaw'
eh7" remarked Runnion, casually.
Yes" replied Stark. She's a nice lit
tie girl, and 1 like her. I told her
didn't have any part in that miners
meeting affair"
''Huhl what's the matter with you?
II was all your doing"
II know II was, but I didn't aim II at
her. I wanted that ground next to Lees.
and I wanted TO throw a jolt into Old
Man Gale. 1 couldn't let the girl stand
in my way; but now that it's all over,
I'm willing to be friends with her"
Me. too" said Runnion. looking after
Necia as her figure diminished up the
street. by Heaven! She's as graceful
as a fawn; she's white, too. Nobody
would ever know she was breed"
She's a good girl" said Stark, mus
ingly, in a gentle tone that Runnion had
never heard before.
Getting kind of mushy, amt you?
thought you had passed that stage, old
man"
mo. don't like her in that way
well, do, and I'm dead sore on that
soldier.
She's not your kind" said Stark. "a
bad man can't hold a good woman; he
can win one easy enough. but he can't
keep her. I know!"
Nobody but a fool would want to
keep one" Runnion replied, specially
squaw."
she's just woke up to the fact that
she is squaw and isn't as good as white.
She's worried"
"rn lay you a little eight to FIVE that
Burrell has thrown her down." chuck
led Runnion.
7 never thought Of that. You may be
right"
'If it's true I'll shuttle up a hand for
that soldier"
IF I were you I wouldn't deal it to
him." said the gambler. dryly. He may
not cut TO your break"
Meanwhile. Necia had passed on out OF
the town and through the Indian village
at the mouth of the creek. until high up
on the slopes she saw Alluna and the lit
tie ones. She climbed up to them and
seated herself where she could look far
out over the westward valley, with the
great stream flowing half a mile beneath
her She stayed there all the morning,
and although the day was bright and the
bushes bending with their burden OF blue,
she picked no berries. bur fought reso-
lutely through a dozen varying moods
that mirrored themselves in her delicate
face. II was her first soul struggle. but
in time the buoyancy of youth. and the
almighty optimism Of early love prevail
ed; she comforted herself with the fond
illusion that this man was different from
all others, that his regard was equal to
her own, and that his love would rise
above such accidental things as blood or
breed or birth. And so she was in hap
pier frame of mind when the little COM
pany made their descent at midday.
AS they approached the town they
heard the familiar cry of steam
bo-o-o-at," and by the time they had
reached home the little camp was noisy
with the plant Of wolf-dogs. There were
few men to join in the welcome today,
every able-bodied inhabitant having dis
appeared into the hills, but the animals
came trooping lazily to the bank. and sat
down on their launches watching the APP
preaching steamer, IN their soft ewes the
sadness OF a canine race of slaves. BE-
hind them limped a sick man or two, a
soldier from the barracks, and in the rear
q fellow who had drifted in the week
before with scurvy. II was a pittiful re-
view that lined up to greet the tide OF
RADIO. and unusual also, for as yet the
sight OF new faces was strange In the
north.
The deserted aspect OF the town puzzled
the captain OF the steamer, and upon
landing he made his way at once to John
Gales store, where he learned from the
trader Of the strike and Of the stampede
that had resulted. Before the recital was
finished a man approached and spoke ex-
citedly.
Captain, my ticket reads to Dawson,
but I'm getting of here. Won't you have
my outfit put ashore2" He was followed
by a group of fellow-passengers who
made a similar request
This place is good enough for me-"
one of them said.
Me, too" another volunteered. This
strike is new, and we've hit her just In
time"
Outside a dozen men had crowded mo
Creek Lee against the wall OF the store
and were clamoring TO hear about his find.
Before the tardy ones had cleared the
gang-plank the news had flashed from
shore 70 ship, and a swarm came up the
bank and into the post, firing questions
and answers at each other eagerly, ell
bowling and fighting for a place within
ear-shot OF the trader or the ragged man
| outside.
The frenzy OF a gold stampede is like
/ the rush from a burning building, and