Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-27


@SQ) ing with wondering eyes upon a
@DES newly discovered world Six months
S1IMl2XAN before, Foghorn Mclean had found
N n a big vein of silver in this wilderness
A)0SIW fifty miles from Cobalt and now
WAS>M the plentitude of rock and trees had
WMC(0R its primeval contours thrown out
GTSINU OF Joint by the aggressive squares
of logshacks and canvas tents.
Trouts Hotel distinctive in its individuality. 1t
was of progressive architectural design. Against
trail log building lighter board structures leaned with
conhding faith in the stability of the parent abode.
Red Meekins had Just eaten hearty. dinner in
Trouts after two weeks of toll and lean fare out on
his new claim the Big Pine and as he drew chair up
beside the host Peloo Trout in the front that
was office and almost everything else he felt like
who had returned to his own fireside.
How's tricks. Peloo?" he asked conventionally.
:" Business is hummin'," Trout answered.
Il knowed it would be when l heerd you had
staked this hotel Red declared
Helps the worst" Peloo growled There's
Swede come in with his family. an | got his girl to
sling hash. The chink cooks purity good too
Better than mimi, Red observed. =" Bunk
houses is sure winners in new camp
Bunkhouses p'raps is. Red" there both
asperity and reproach in Peloo's tones; but the
they been workin' out on claims for couple of
weeks, leastwise.
Red pulled at an ill conditioned cigar he had been
struggling with, looked meditatvely at the ceiling,
and not readily finding happy retort. asked at
tangent. "How's Billy Forbes doin' Holdin' down
his job purity good!"
DELOO turned his face allowing his eyes to rest in
a long, contemplatve gaze upon slender, dark
eyed man who stood behind rude counter in a cor
of the talking to who leaned with sug-
geston of insolence in his whole pose against the
plank that separated them. The slender mans face
the suggested weakness of the lower part somewhat
balanced by lines indicating development of char
acter out of experience.
Billy seems quite to home. Meekins spoke in
the way of recalling Peloos attention his question.
Billy's done flu rate since he took holt. Trout
answered How'd he come to leave Big Jake's
INT an haro with Pa1Ib
Peloos question was asked carelessly: but his eyes
looked into Meekins with shrewd interest quite at
variance with his assumed tone.
:" He boss hash singer in the dinin' room at
Big Jake's. an he was that perlite an oblgin took
shine to Billy !" Red answered wildly.
Oh, JUS come along cause you liked him. eh -
Not exactly. Peloo l knowed yo', was buldin'
this here bunkhouse-"
Its hotel, Red"
again." Red continued, Ignoring the interruption,
an fggered Billy was JUS the kind of kid to
manage 4 g this part Of BY! your enterp5ses"
Not at fust he jus laughed at it. But guess
somethin must have gone wrong the night before |
pulled out f for here was s kinder fr lit up that night
what it was; but early in the mornn Billy comes to
my room an says he'll go. He says he'll meet
the train goin' down to Latchford where I've got
outfit in canoe to come up the river"
. Kinder funny. wasn't it. Red? He didn't touch
Big Jake for nothin did he?"
Say, Peloo thought you'd enough of men
in your time to know bear from groundhog.'
Peloo shifted uneasily in his chair, feeling the
shame of Reds reproach, and added apologeticay
Billy don't look like crook. l guess he's the
le-rel, right 'nough.''
" He was JUS scared that mornin', scared of some
thin or somebody; but when anybody's got claim
that Billy's done him up he can have half the Big
Pine from me- an it's lookin purity promisin at
that" Meekins declared sturdily.
Il amt findin no fault with him. Red an all the
fellers is down to the las PUNK Billy When they
get bit fresh all he's got to do is 60 among EN- with
that little grin Of his an say Boys, don't be too
noisy, please DANCED if there amt somethin' in
that soft voice that kinder acts like poulticel'