The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1909-11-14

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"Ba goshl You're fonny feller,"
laughed Poleon, who had lent the one
eyed man much money in the past and.
like others. regarded him not merely
as a bad risk, but as a total loss.
"Mebbe you t'ink you've been a spen'-
t'rif' all desc year"
Doret took the hero of the day by
the arm and led him to the rear of the
store, where he bedded him on a pile
Of flour sacks, but he had hardly re-
turned to the bar when Lee came veer-
ing out of the dimness, making for the
light like a ship lacking toward a bea-
con.
what kind of -four is that?" he
spluttered.
Oats just plain w'eat -four"
mot on your life,' said the miner,
with the firmness of a great conviction.
ITS full of yeast powders. Why, it's
FARM and risin' like a buckin' boss.
Pm plumb seasick." He laid a zigzag
course for the door.
Were you goin'?' asked Poleon.
I'm goin' to get somethin' for this
stomach trouble. It's fierce" He de-
seconded into the darkness boldly and
stepped off with CONFERENCE.-The time
too soon. Poleon heard him founder
ing about, his indignant voice raised
irascibly, albeit with a note of tri-
umph.
"Wha'd | tell you? You put that
step back while / was ashleep." Then.
whistiing blithely. if somewhat out of
tune, he steered for the new saloon to
get something for his stomach trou-
ble."
AT Stark's he found a large crowd
Of the new men, who welcomed him
heartily. plying him with countless
questions and barking to his maudlin
tales Of hia new country which to him
was old. He had folio wed the muddy
river from Crater lake to the delta.
searching the bars and creek beds In a
tireless quest till he knew each stream
and tributary, and, like Gale, he had
lived these many years ahead of the
law, where each man was his own
court of appeals and where crime was
unknown.
"Oh, there's lots Of countries worse'n
this" he declared. I'VE may not be
very handsome to the naked eye, and
we may not wear our handk'chiefs in
our shirt cuffs, but there amt nc wild
ders and orphans dom our washin',
and a man a walk away from his
house, stay a month and find it there
when he comes back"
"Those days are past" said Stark.
"There's o many new people coming
in for all to be honest"
They'd better be-" said Lee ag-
excessively. "We amt got no room for
stealers. Why, l had a hand in maxim
the bylaws of this camp myself, long
with John Gale, and they stip'lates
that any person caught robbin' a cache
Is to be publicly whipped In front Of
the tradin' post; then, il It's winter
time. he's to be turned loose on the ice
barefooted. or. If it's summer he's to
be set adrift on a log with his shirt
off,"
EITHER would meal certain DEATH"
said a stranger-"frost in winter, mos
quitoes in summer!"
"That's all right" another bystander
declared. "A mans life depends OF
his grub up here, and I'd be in favor Of
enforcing that punishment to the let
ter"
"All the same, / take no chances"
said Stark. There's too many stran-
gers here. Just to show you how l
stand, I've put Runnion on guard over
my pile Of stuff, and I'll be glad when
it's under cover. 1t isn't the severity
Of punishment that keeps a man from
going wrong; it's the certainty of it"
"Well, he'd sure get it, and get 1t
proper, in this camp" declared Lee,
and at that moment. as If his words
had been a challenge, the flaps of the
great tent were thrust aside, and Run
MON half led, half threw a man into
the open space before the bar.
Lets have a look at you" he pant
ed. "WeI If it amt IA nigger!"
whats up?' cried the men crowd
ing about the prisoner, who c%rouched.
terror stricken, in the trampled mud
and moss, while those playing roulette
and "bank" left the tables, followed
by the dealers.
Hes a thief" said Runnion, mop
ping the sweat from his brow. Il
caught him after your grub pile, Stark.
He dropped a crate Of hams when I
came upon him and tried to run, but l
dropped him." A trickle of blood
from the negro's head showed how he
had beer felled.
"Why didn't you shoot? growled
Stark angrily, at which the negro half
arose and broke into excited denials
Of his guilt. Runnion kicked him saw
| agely, while the crowd murmured APP
prevail.
lie me see him." said Lee, elbow
ing his way through the others. Fix
ing his n eye upon the wretch, he
spoke impressively.
you're the first downright thief ]
ever seen. Was you hungryT
mo. he's got plenty" answered ono