Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1911-11-08
= = = Z =
F3URNlNG
aSlDAYLIGHT
By JACK LONDON
AatAor % Tie Cal of the W;ld"
"WARe Fang" Martin
Eden" etc.
Illustration. By Dearborn helvill
u, ssaa asa
CHAPTER XII.

Instead of returning to the city on
Monday, Daylight rented the putcner 5
horse for another day and crossed the
he'd Of the valley to its eastern hills.
Az on the previous day, just for the
Joy of 1t, he followed cattie-trails at
hanhazard and worked his way up to.
ward the SUBMITS. Coming out upon
a wagon road that led upward, he fol-
loved It for several miles, emerging
in small, mountain-encircled valley,
where half a dozen poor ranchers
farmed the wine-grapes on the steep
slopes. Beyond, the road pitched up.
ward. Dense chaparral covered the
exposed hillsides, but in the creases
of the canyons huge spruce trees
grew, and wild oats and flowers.
Late in the afternoon he broke
through, and followed a wefl-dehned
trail down a dry canyon. The dry
canyon gave place to one with slen-
der ribbon OF running water. The
trail ran into a wood-road, and the
wood.road emerged across a small fat
upon a slightly travelled country road.
There were no farms in this fmmedi-
ate section, and no houses. The soil
was meager, the bedrock either close
to the surface or constituting the sur
face itself. Manzanita and scrub-oak,
however, fiourished and walled the
road on either side with a jungle
growth And out a runway through
this growth a man suddenly scuttled
in a way that reminded Daylight of a
rabbit.
He was little man, in patched
overalls; bareheaded. with a cotton
shirt open at the throat and down the
chest. The sun was ruddy-brown in
his face, and by it his sandy hair was
bleached on the ends to peroxide
blonde. He signed to Daylight to
halt, and held up letter.
IF you're going to town. I'd be
obliged if you mail this" he said.
q sure will" Daylight put it into
his coat pocket. do you live here,
abouts, stranger?"
But the little man did not answer
He was gazing at Daylight in sur
prised and steadfast fashion.
Il know YOU" the little man an
nounced. you're Elan Harnish-
Burning Daylight, the papers call you
Am right?"
Daylight nodded.
swell, I'm glad I wrote that letter
this afternoon" the little man went
On, cor else I'd have missed seeing
you. I've seen your photo in the pa.
pers many a time, and I've good
memory for faces. recognized you
at once. Ny names Ferguson"
do you live hereabouts?" Daylight
repeated his query.
ooh, yes. I've got a little shack
back here in the bush q hundred yards
and a pretty spring, and few fruit
trees and berry bushes. Come In and
take o look. And that spring ia a
dandy. You never tasted water like
It. Come in and try It."
Walking and leading mis- horse, Day.
light followed the quick.stepping,
eager little man through the green
tunnel and emerged abruptly upon the
clearing, if clearing it might be called,
where wild nature and mans earth
scratching were inextricably blended
It was q tiny nook in the hills, pro-
tected by the steep walls Of a canyon
mouth. Here were several large oaks,
evidencing q richer sell. The erosion
of ages from the hillside had slowly
formed this deposit Of fat earth. IN
der the oaks, almost buried in them,