The San Francisco call., 1910-07-24
ny ARTHUR l.. PRICE

the man and the boy, with their
light blackboard and team of quick
little mustangs. There was nothing
like road near them, only the soft
blue Of the sagebrush and the tremen-
dous expanse of sand, which seemed to
roll away. through mirages OF imagin-
ary lakes, on to the snowtopped Sierra
on the east and the rugged Tehachapi
range to the southeast. The mustangs
had jerked the bounding blackboard
through the low growth Of feathery
focked brush. Towering as daintily as
if the shrubs had caught the down Of
a generous bluebird.
Overhead there was a great white
sun, set in the blue heavens but from
the distant snow fields a cool breeze
tempered the spring air.
For miles the man and boy had tray-
eled. the boy driving, the man gazing
on the ground. occasionally sweeping
the desert with his glass but chiefly
looking downward.
ITO the right, Robbie" said the man,
when they had come nearer to the edge
Of the desert and the toe Of the foot
hills.
Suddenly, before Rob could check the
horses, the man had jumped over the
wheel and was running toward the
dark spot on the sand.
An outcropping. Rob, sure, an out
cropping of OIL"
The boy checked the horses and drove
them toward the place where the man
was now kneeling. scanning the ground.
smiling the dark substance that oozed
through the porous soil.
Satisfied that he had found oil. the
man busily traced his position on maps
which he carried in the wagon.
MY son. he cried. his search COM
pleted, my boy, we are all here. This
is still government land. Now for set
tlement'
The father and his son collected a
few rocks and piled them up near the
dark ooze on the sand, the father wrote
out notice of settlement and pre-
emption and Rob took a fine American
flag and stuck it in the pile of stones
OF monument"
Now" said Rob's father, eve own
this land"
Three months later there was an oil
derrick on the property and the drill
was biting its way into the earth,
through gravel and clay. Down. down
1t went, but for all the surface indi-
cations. as the oil men say, no oil was
found. The monotonous painting Of the
gasoline engine that worked the drill,
the deadly hot sun Of summer beating
down on the camp. the scanty supply
of water from nearby spring, all
contributed to make the situation In
tolerable.
Rob had to do the teaming. driving
to the railroad at McKittrick, 80 miles
away across the burning desert, for all
hot A1Al - MI
of IA was brave and willing, but the
heat was cruel torture to him and the
loneliness of the desert wore on his
heart till 1T lost that buoyancy 1t had
known Furthermore. he could see that
daily his father was growing more dis
couraged over the prospects.
The money in the Bakersfield bank
was running low and credit at the Nc
Kittrick stores was as difficult for Rob
to secure when he would go in with
orders from his father. 1t became known
in the oil fields that Aliens money was
giving out, and the well borers began
to ask for their pay in advance.
"You see, Mr.. Allen, the point is,
while we know you are good man. yet
this business is uncertain and we can't
think lot OF your prospect, now that
we're down 74S feet and no more oil
indications than a jackrabbit. You'll
pay us at the end. we know that. but
the boys are grumbling and want to
know If there is to be any end"
AT the time Mr.. Allen was working
on his reservoir, where he would store
the oil when the well produced.
Il have every confidence in this
project, jim" replied Mr.. Allen, "and I
intend to stick 1t out If Robbie and /
have to run the drills ourselves. And
you'll have your money. l don't be-
lieve much in paying in adyanee-in
fact, l Wont-but know how the boys
are, with jobs waiting for them near
the towns and they realizing the lone
illness of this place. / want TO feel
sure that they will get their money
Now. ii is isn't the safest thing in the
world to leave money around camp
like this, but l will draw out at the