Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-07-12

Aor his coin.cob pipe. His white,
servitude was ended. and he was mas
ter. the cargador before whom all
msu bow in the dread northlands.
Mother went OF content to carry her
own water. and Pete. with something
Of . flourish. lighted his pipe.
''Mother!" Pete lst out . sharp call.
aDc forgetting her business, mother
came quite humbly. - though to heel.
eyes, Pete?"
He pointed with his pipe ut . dis
tant horseman rounding the 1Ank Of
the hill.
"Brooke?' she whispered, both
gnarled rheumatic hands clutchsd at
her heart.
Il recken," said Pete cheerfully.
Thinks he's . circus procession.
sorrels gathering . loose nearhind
shoe, and her mouth just bleeding %
he saws with that spade bit. He's Q
sure polecat. Trots down.hill, too, and
suffers In his tail. Incompetent. moth
or. Look at his fest. He's bad rs .
stale salmon. rotten to the bones.
Eeen drinking, too"
Brooke drew up and dismounted,
leaving his rein On the horses neck.
instead Of dropping It to the ground.
When Brooke moved to sit on an
aparejo Pete ordered him to ono 81
the kitchen boxes. mot Bolt hisseh
may sit on my rggings." said the old
gray cargador.
II thought" said Brooke quite kind.
II, that this harness was NINE"
"A halt-interest." said mother.
surely"
II fear" said Brooke. you sort Of
misunderstood. Old Taylor did say
something about your usefulness a. .
working partner. and. Of course. II va
hadn't cancelled that preposterous con.
tract with the Hsdson's Bay Company
there's do doubt your knowledge Of
the country up north would have been
worth paying for. It was, - you say.
damned awkward about his being
blind ~ bat: in fact, I was put to
quite lot of trouble getting the agree
ment witnessed. However" he pro
duced q document which mother
snatched. ITS all there in black and
white, and there's the old FOOLS sig.
nature-holds good in any court Of
law-proves that I've bought and paid
for the whole stajo. You needn't
claim l haven't . clear title-so you
needn't stare at me ~ IL I'd forged the
signature. It's straight goods, tell
you"
Mother reeled backward. while she
grabbed Pete's shoulders 90 that the
agreement huttered to Brooke's feet.
She steadied herself. then with a
husky croak. You made Bolt sign
that-blind, dying, 20 he dunno what's
on tho paper"
Can you prove thatr asked
Brooke indulgently, - though he
spoke to children. IF you say things
like that. it's criminal libel, and you're
both liable to the skookum House.
However" he shrugged his shoulders.
and put the agreement away. II don't
want to be hard on you, Pete"
Mister Nathson," mother Kissed at
him.
Pete. with . whispered word to
mother. rose from his bench, and with.
out appearing to see Mr.. Brooke.
walked past him across the sunlit
yard. and on slowly up the great lift
ing curve Of the road to Hundred Mile
House.
The sun was setting behind him
when Pete rested at last upon the
snowclad summit, and dusk lay In
lakes Of shadow far below him. At
the Hundred he found the lamps
alight, and. as usual. Billy offered him
drink. II amt drinking" said Pete
huskily, rs he lurched past the bar
into the dining-hall, and on to the lit
tie room on the right where Captain
Taylor lay.
"Bolt!" he whispered.
THAT you. Pete? Sit down." said
the boss cheerily. "How's the claim.
Pete? Getting coarse gold, eh?".
Gold? Say. Bolt, what's the mat
ter. old fellow?'
Matter? Why, nothing. Pete" the
blind eyes shons keenly; 'of course I'm
not nearly to bedrock yet, and rs to
what ! owe you've jolly we'll got to
wait. How's old Calamity? I got
Lost Greek Jim to work at last"
Was the boss dreaming Of old times
on Lightning Greek?
'Watty's in the mail" said Bolt
Watty had been dead these thirty
years.
Then Pete sat down on the bedside.
and the two miners prattled about the
new fiume, and the price Of flour in a