The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1910-02-18

worth about 10 cents. Aaron thought
that if this was the price what he bad
seen must be worth thousands ct dol
lars.
The next morning. after the tramp:
departure. Aaron talked over WIKI
Rosie what had been said about III.
bOraX deposits. He thought il Wa:
possible that what he had seen il
Death valley might be burax ia
even if he Went there he had lio mean
of discovering whether what Ia las
seen was boIax or ordinary sell
".Rosie, dear said Aaron. i woti
like you TO 30 TO Il town where 80,
can get these chemicals for .rst;n
borax. but it will require :. wreh
here alone Then when you GENIE hls...
we shall have to make u trip IA pt:,th
valley. and after all our trouble there
isn't one chance in a dozen that \wha'
l have seen there will turn out to lbs
borax.'
- really think, Aaron. replied ill.,
wife. that the chances don't warrpli
the trouble. but I'm Worn ont wi;,
this desolation and am ycarniIg To see
people I feel as if must have Uut
of my own sex to talk to. even if onI,
for day
well. sweetheart, go. but don't STAY
any longer than To have Il good chsu
for I'm very anxious to make the
test
$50 the next day Aaron took he,
where she could get some one to take
her on farther and left her IL 20 irick
to the cabin As she kissed him good
by she looked at him wiStfu!ly ana
said:
Aaron. | won't leave You again.
know how lonely you are without me.
how hard it is for you To have to .:et
your meals. and | worry for fear
something will happen to you. VIVA,
would YOU do while | am away if ynu
should become sick or meet with I'm
accident!'
"'Never mind about that. Rosie
Bring back the chemicals as soon us
you can
"'Oh, there's nothing in that. Aaron.
Don't think about it, You're sure to be
disappointed
They parted. Rosie going on and
Aaron going back to the cabin. 1t
seemed very quiet there without his
wife. and he wished it was the end in
stead of the beginning of their separa
ton. After he had cooked and eaten
his supper he sat smoking his pipe.
thinking about what the tramp had
told him He realized that there was
scarcely chance of what he had seen
being boraX. but the thought of what
would happen if it should be borax
sent thrill all through him. He
would be the only person to know it.
and no one was likely to come into
Death valley to learn of the secret be-
fore he had established his legal claim
to all the property he cared to possess.
"In ten days Rosie came back with
substance she had obtained from a
chemist. But neither she nor Aaron
thought much about this. they were so
glad to meet again. After day or two
Rosie spoke of it and asked her hus-
ley. He said he dreaded to so, for he
felt sure he would have his trouble for
nothing But Rosie said that since
they had the materials they might as
we'll make the trip and she would go
with him.
$50 the next day Rosie spent the
morning preparing a lunch of antelope
steak-this was all there was, since
they lived only OH game-and in the
afternoon they set out for the valley.
They reached their destination some
time before sunset. and, having pro-
cured some of the substance they had
gone for, they mixed it with the
chemicals. But they did not wish to
ignite it till night came. because they
might not be able by daylight to tell
whether or not the flame was green.
More than an hour must elapse before
it would be dark, and they spent the
interval In suspense, so much de-
pended on what they hoped for. Aaron
did not care SO much for himself di-
rectly. 1t was of Rosie he was think
nag For years he had kept her in a
wilderness, and now if this substance
were borax he could take her wher-
ever she cared to go. While he was
thinking OF this the wife'S mind was
full of dread lest her husband, who
had bnilt great hopes on this matter,
should be disappointed.
THE sun set, darkness came, and yet
Winters delayed to apply the match.
"'Why don't you light it, Aaron?'
asked Rosie.
aaron made no reply None. was
needed. His wife knew he dreaded
the disappointment that both felt was
almost sure to come. They had had
no careful description of the appear
ance of the substance the tramp had
seen, and even if they had there might
be resemblance without the substances
being at all alike What folly to ex
pect that they were the same!
''Then Aaron scratched a match and
held it to the combination. 1t blaZed
mn i'm q bright flame