The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-07-17
CHAPTER I.
The Bonanza kInu.

The cold Of foot-hill California in
the month Of January held the night.
The occupants Of the surrey were too
cramped and stiffened by 1t, and too
uncomfortably enwrapped against 1t.
to speak. Silence as complete as that
which lay like a spell on the land
scape brooded over them. At the
last stopping place, Chinese Gulch, a
scattering Of houses six miles behind
them on the mountain road. they had
halted at the main saloon. and whisky
and water had been passed to the
driver and to the burlier figure on
the back seat. The watchers that
thronged TO the saloon door had eyed
the third occupant Of the carriage with
the intent, sheepish curiosity Of the
isolated man in presence OF the stran-
ger female. Afterward, each one was
voluble in his impressions OF her face,
pale in the smoky lamplight, and the
hand that slid, small and white, out
Of It's loose glove when the warming
glass was offered her.
Since then both she and her COM
panion had leaned back In their sew
eral corners and preserved an un-
broken silence.
The surrey sped swiftly along the
road which wound In spectral pallor
over the shoulder Of the foot-hill, now
dipping into the blackness Of a ravine,
then creeping up bare slope, where
the horses hoofs dug in laboriously
amid loosened stones. The solemn
loneliness of the landscape, family
revealed by the light Of large, clear
!. stars, seemed to find appropriate ex-
preston In this frosty, smoke-breath-
Ing stiffness.
The larger figure on the back seat
moved. and turned face, all Of which
was hidden save the eyes, toward its
companion.
Hungry" queried a deep bass
voice; the inquiring polysyllable shot
out suddenly over an upturned bull
wark Of collars.
"Fearfully," came the answer'fa a.
I muffled feminine treble. that suited
the more diminutive bulk.
Get a move on, Jake" to the driv-
er. This girls most famished."
Hold your horses" growled the
other man; we're Just about there"
At these words the woman pricked
up her ears, and, leaning forward.
peered ahead. AS they rounded pro-
truding angle of the hill. huddle Of
roofs and walls spotted with lights
came into view, and the sight drew
her hand forward with an eagerly
pointing finger.
80 that's Rocky Bari" she cried.
Have we really got there at last?"
The driver chuckled.
That's Rocky Bar all right. Now
get your appetite good and ready"
mo need" she responded gaily;
'1t's been ready and waiting for hours.
was beginning to think that you'd
lost your way"
Mel" with an accent Of incred-
ulous scorn. "Ah, get out! How does
Il come, Governor, that Bill Cannon's
girl don't know no more about these
parts than q young lady from New
York;"
"She's never been up here before" I"
said the man on the back seat, begin
ming to untangle himself from his en-
folding rugs. I've brought her up
N with me this time to show her some
N Of the places where her pa used to
work round with the boys. long before
& she was ever thought Of"
A loud barking Of dogs broke out
as they approached the first detached
houses Of the settlement. Shapes ap-
n peared at the lighted doorways, and
az the surrey drew up at the hotel
balcony a crowding Of heads was seen
In the windows. The entire popula-
81 tion Of Rocky Bar spent its evenings
at this hospitable resort, in summer
on the balcony under the shade Of the