Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1911-11-09
PART l..
CHAPTER I.

IL was q NuiNN b'6h' III NhS 49,
At the bar, which ranged along one
side of the large chinked log room
leaned half q dozen men. two OF whom
were discussing the relative merits
OF spruce tea and lime juice as rene
dies for scurvy They argued with an
air OF depression and with intervals
OF mo, ose silence The other men
scarcely needed them In a row.
against the opposite wall. were the
gambling games. The crap table was
deserted One lone man was playing
at the taro table. The roulette was
not even spinning, and the gamekeep'
er stood by the roaring, red hot stove,
talking with a young. dark eyed WON
an. comely OF face and figure, who was
known from Juneau to Fort Yukon as
the Virgin. Three NE sat In at stud
poker. but they played with small
chips and without enthusiasm. while
there we're no o%nlookers. On the floor
OF the dancing room. which opened out
al the rear. three couples were waltz
ing drearily to the strains OF a violin
and a plano
Circle City was not deserted. nor
was money tight The miners were In
from Moosehead creek and the other
digglngs to the west, the summer
washing nae been good, and the mems
pouches were heavy with dust and mug
gets. The Klondike had not yet been
discovered. nor had the miners of the
Yukon learned the possibilities of deep
digging and wood firing No work was
done In the winter. and they made a
practice OF alternating in the large
camps like Circle City during the long
Arctic night Time was heavy OF their
hands, their pouches were well filed
and the only social diversion to be
found was In the saloons. Yet the II
volf was practically deserted. and the
Virgin, standing by the stove, yawned
with uncovered mouth and said TO
Charley Bates:
"If something don't happen soon. I'm
Roin: to bed What's the matter with
the camp, anyway? Everybody dead?'
Bates did not even trouble to reply.
but vent on moodily rolling a ciea
rette Dan Macdonald pioneer ga
loonman and gambler on the upper
Yukon, owner and proprietor of the
Tivoli and all its games, wandered tor.
lornly across the great vacant space OF
floor and Joined the two at the stove
anybody dead?" the Virgin asked
him.
Looks like IT," was the answer.
Then II must be the whole camp
she said with an air OF fnality and
with another yawn.
Macdonald grinned and nodded, and
opened his mouth to speak, when the
front door swung open and a man an
peared In the light lie would have
appeared a large man had not a huge
Professionalism stepped up to him
from the bar and gripped his hand
Hello. Daylight" was his greeting
"By Gar, you good for sore eyes!'
Hello. Louis. when did you all blow
in?" returned the newcomer. Come
up and have a drink and tell us all
about Rome creek Why. dog gone
yon.all shake again. Where's lha,
pardner OF yours? I'm looking TO,
him"
Another huge mar detached himself
from the bar TO shake hands Olat
Henderson and French Louis, partners
together on lone creek. were the two
largest men In the country. and though
they we're but half a head taller than
the newcomer between them he was
dwarfed completely
Hello Olaf said the one ca,led
Daylight Tomorrow NV birtha,v
And YOU TOO Louis Come up and
drink, and IN tell all about It
The arrival OF the newcomer seeuoo
10 send a food OF warmth through the
Iiace Its burning Daylight" thu
Virgin cried the first 10 r~ecogr,,.
him AS he came into the light. Charlie,
Bates tight features relaxed At IN,
eight. and Macdonald went over ane
Joined the three AT the tar With IN,
adven, OF Burning Daylight the whol,
place suddenly became brighter ant
cbeer'er The b%arkeepers were active
Voices we're raised Somehod
laughed And when the fiddler neer
Ing into the front room, remarked :,
the pianist ITS burning Da yliphf
the waltz time p%erceptib'y ~quickened
and the dancers, catching he conts
gion began 10 whirI about as n the
really enjoyed II II was known I,
them OF oid-time that nothing lar
guished when Burning Daylight va
around
Aa tnrped from tho b,, .,