Dewey County advocate. [volume] (Timber Lake, S.D.) 1910-1913, 1912-01-05
PART I.
CHAPTER L.

II was quiet night in the Tivoii
At tho bar, which ranged along one
side q the large chinked-log room
lsaned half dozen men, two OF whom
were discussing the relative merits
u spruce tea and lime Juice a. rene
diss for scurvy. They argued With ar
air Of depression and with intervals
Of morose 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 faro table. The roulette was
not even spinning. and the gamekeep-
q stood by the roaring. red-hot stove,
talking with young. dark-eyed WON
IN, comely of face and figure, who was
known from Juneau to Fort Yukon as
the Virgin. Three men sat in at stud
poker. but they played with small
chips and without enthusiasm, while
there were no onlookers. On the floor
Of tho dancing room, which opened out
1t the rear, three couples were waltz
ing drearily to the strains Of q violin
and plano.
Circle City was not deserted, nor
vas money tight The miners were in
from Moosehead creek and the other
diggings to the west, the summer
washing had 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-firiag. 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 on their
hands, their pouches were well filed
and the only social diversion to be
found was in the saloons. Yet the IT,
voli 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
gcfn' to bed What's the matter with
the camp, anyway! Everybody dead?"
Bates did not even trouble to reply.
but went on modify rolling ciga-
rette. Dan Macdonald. pioneer sa-
loonman and gambler on the upper
Yukon, owner sind proprietor of the
Tivon and all itn games, wandered for
iornly across thu great vacant space OF
Goor and joine3 the two at the stove.
Anybody dMd?" the Virgin asked
him.
- Looks like it," was the answer.
"Then 1t mus. be the whole camp"
she said with an air of finality and
with another yawn.
Macdonald grlnned and nodded, and
opened his mouth to speak. when the
front door swung open and a man ap-
peared In the light. He would have
appeared large man had not huge
French-Canadian stepped up to him
from the bar ami gripped his hand.
Hello, Daylight" was his greeting.
by Gar. you gr'od for sore eyes!"
Hello, Louis, when did you-all blow
IMP" returned the newcomer. Come
up and have a drink and tell us all
about Bone creek. Why. dog-gone
you-all. shake again. Where's that
pardner of yours? I'm looking for
him"
Another huge man detached himself
from the bar 10 shake hands. Olaf
Henderson and French Louis, partners
together on bone creek, were the two
largest men III Che country, and though
they were but half head taller than
the newcomer, between them he was
dwarfed completely.
Hello. Olaf" said the one called
Daylight. "TNrnorrow's my birthday
And you, too. Louis. Come up and
drink, and I'll tell you-all about it."
The arrival If the newcomer seemed
TO send fool Of warmth through the
place. TITS burning Daylight" the
Virgin cried. the first to recognize
him as he came into the light. Charley
Bates tight features relaxed at the
sight, and Macdonald went over and
Joined the thrse at the bar. With the
advent Of Burning Daylight the whole
place suddenly became brighter and
cheerier. Tho harkeepers were active
Voices were raised. Somebody
laughed. And when the fiddler, peer
ing into the Fl ont room, remarked to
the pianist: OTIS Burning Daylight"
the waltz TIM perceptibly quickened,
and the dancars, catching the conta-
gion, began to whirl about as If they
really enjoyed 1t. 1t was known to
them Of old-tiMe that nothing lam
guished when Burning Daylight was
around.
He turned fM,ln the bar and saw the
woman by the stove and the eager
look OF welcome she extended him.
Hello, Virgin, old GIRL" he called.
Hello, Charley. What's the matter
with you-ail? Why wear faces like
that when cofhns only cost three
ounces? Come zap, you-all, and drink.
Come up, you uAburied dead. an name
your poison. Come up, everybody.
This is my night. and I'm going to
ride 1t. Tomorrow I'm thirty, and
then I'll be an cid man. It's the last
ding of youth. Are you-all with nss!
Surge along. ther. Surge along"