Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1913-07-26
The Bonanza King.

cramped and stiffened by 1t. and 100
uncomfortably enwrapped against ~
TO sneak. Silence as complete as ula'
which lay like a spell on the lanu-
scape brooded over them. AT 'N
last stopping place, Chinese "uiCn,
scattering of houses six miles penin
them on the mountain ROAD, lney H
halted at the main saloon, and Whlshs
and water had been passed 10 'no
driver and to the burlier inquire vi
the hack seat. The Watchers
,bronged to the saloon door had eye.
the third occupant of the carriage WIZ
the intent, sheepish CURIOSITY
isolated man in presence OF the
ger female. Afterward. each Que
voluble in his impressions OF her To-
,a,o In the smoky lamplight, ana 'ne
hord that slid. small and white ou'
Of its loose glove when the wal ii'Ne
glass was offered her
Since then both she and ner com
n.nion had leaned back In their seV'
sr.l corners and preserved an un-
broken silence. tho
The surrey sped swiftly along .ne
road which wound in spectral paiior
over the shoulder of the foot-hili' no"
d,nninp into the blackness OF a ravine'
then creeping up bare SLOPE "he,e
the horses hoofs dug In laooriousv
amid loosened stones. Inc soienn
loneliness of the landscape, faintiy
revealed by the light Of large, clear
stars. seemed to find appropriate
pression in this frosty. smoke-orea'n-
ing stiffness. an.
The larger figure on the back seat
moved and turned face, all OF wnicn
was hidden save the eyes, toward lts
companion. .o
"Hungry?" queried a deep bass
voice: the inquiring polysynable sho'
out suddenly over an upturneo oui
wark of collars.
"Fearfully," came the answer In
muffled feminine treble. that SUITED
the more diminutive bulk.
Get a move on, Jake" to the driv
or. This girls most famished.
"Hold your horses" growled tnt
other man; we're just about there'
At these words the woman pricKee
M her ears, and, leaning forward
peered ahead. AS they rounded pro
truding angle of the hill, huddle o
roofs and walls spotted with lights
came into view, and the sight drew
her hand forward with an eagerly
pointing finger.
$50 that's Rocky Bari" she crieo
"Have we really got there at last!
The driver chuckled.
THAT'S Rocky Bar all right. NOV
get your appetite good and ready.
mo need" she responded gaily
'it's been ready and waiting for hours
was beginning to think that you
lost your way"
Mel" with an accent OF incre'
ulous scorn. "Ah, get out! How doe
Il come. Governor, that Bill Cannon
girl don't know no more about tines
parts than a young lady from Ne
York;"
"She's never been up here before
said the man on the back seat, begii
ming to untangle himself from his e.
folding rugs. I've brought her U
with me this time to show her SON
of the places where her pa used
work round with the boys, long oefol
she was ever thought Of"
A loud barking Of dogs broke o.
as they approached the first detacht
houses of the settlement Shapes
4 reared at the lighted doorways, al
as the surrey drew up at the hot
balcony a crowding OF heads was SCI
~ I'm the windows. The entire popu
"a ton of Rocky Bar spent its evenin
at this hospitable resort, In SUNNI
on the balcony under the shade OF I
locust trees, in winter round the ON
stove. splitting and smoking in chez
sociability. But at this hour the gre
event of Rocky Bars day was ov
The eight stages, the passengers
which dined at the hotel, had 10
passed onward on their various rou'
I'M and down the mother lode" a
into the camps of the Sierra. That
\ nightly excitement of the "victuali
up" was to be supplemented by i
arrival In a surrey, driven by ia
Mcveigh, the proprietor Of the
Jacinto stables, and accompanied
n woman. was a sensational event
often awarded to Rocky Bar. even
the heyday of summertime.
The occupants Of the office crow
into the doorway and pressed tn
selves against the windows.
The hotel proprietor, an anci
man with a loosened vest, and Z
sers tucked into long boots. disper
them as he ushered the strangers
the office. That they were trave
of distinction was obvious, as m
from their own appearance as T
the fact that Jake Mcveigh was
ing them himself, in his best su
and with his finest team. But
how important they were no
- guessed till McVeigh followed t
in, and into ears stretched for th<
formation dropped the sentence.
heard, like a stage aside:
Its Bill Cannon and his daug
Rose"
Upon the proprietor 1t had an
trio effect He sped from the !
with the alertness of youth, proml
"a cold lunch" in a minute. TO
others it came as piece OF IN
gence that added awe to the he