Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-31
BY. ROY NORTON

in the ground
ayes; but it's just as we'll go slowly and surely
Jim said Besides couldn't do much without sluice
boxes anyway. III go over to Ritters tomorrow and
have talk with him. l think he had some heavy lum
Der left when he finished his building operations this
spring If he sell or lend enough of it for inn
mediate needs, start the boys into getting it
over"
@Pity we didn't have some burros," Hardpan la
mented. @That pore old Jack mule will have job
snitchin that lumber up over the divide with that
crooked trail reckon your idea would be to raft the
lumber, and tow it across the lake?'
Certainly, Jim answered. Then as soon as the
first of it is set of the boys to making rifles
and boxes.
STILL planning hopefully they passed back the
hill and down toward the cluster of cabins where the
three men were loafng for the first day. SUNDAYS
in many months. Frenchy laboriously putting a
patch pair of freshly washed overals, and of
the other displayed equal industry in fashioning
heel for boot. The roar of the water sweeping
into the tunnel below the cabins and sofened by dis
lance lent pleasing accompaniment to their labors.
The cook was singing IN high fasetto as he sat on his
bench outside the messhouse and familiar bird joined
in from the branch of pine tree above Everything
aBill Lidlev GOMEZ The cook stopped singing to
make the announcement, and the men looked up from
their work and the little valley bordering the lake
to the opening of the trail
Staggering down it. with his hat tilted at an acute
angle, the missing miner, and long before he
reached place where conversation possible it
apparent that, wherever he had been, he had found
liquor
Hardpan to lin.
aAll hope is that he's drunk enough to go to bed"
aAll hope is that he don't kick UP no FUSS" sagey
answered Hardpan. 3He might begin to pick
Frenchy.'
Frenchy looked up steadily at the advancing Ridley
and having overheard Hardpan, said. "There's
drunken get fuss out of me. Sober, yes. I'll
do my best then; but want nothing to do with
who is loaded If he gets ugly I'll get out of the
That's ALL"
But he sat placidy resuming his mendng when Rid
ley appeared and began shouting sautations. Bill
threw his hat off and dropped down to seat on the
doorstep of the clubhouse after saying he glad to
everyone there and alive, except Frenchy. This
mark he accompanied with wink to the man who
mending the boot but the latter paid no attention
"Oh, you fellers needn't go to lookin cussed viz
tuous at me-" Ridley declared Il amt no sucker to
stick around and beat drill when the's chance to
make wad somewhere else mighty sight easier
That's what made out OF my trip! Looky here all of
you'll
He showed his hand into his trousers pocket and
pulled out roll of bills, form of money quite unusual
in the mountains, where silver dollars and gold pieces
the customary mediums of exchange He scattered
the money into pile between his feet, exposing bills
of as high as twenty dollars denomination He piled
them into pyramid, struck match, and pretended to
light them.
@Plenty more where them come FRONT" he boosted.
"This is just half of what's comm to me- this isl"
"Where'd you get it?' asked the who mend
ing the boot. @Been Robin stage?"
Don't know as it any of your business Ridley
swered in his bullying way "but since you're polite
to ask II say won it playin poker with the boys at
the lumber MILL also that I'm likely to go over there
any time again and get the rest what's comm to me-
also that about that time reckon I'll get of this
cussed hole up here in the hills and what that town
of Los Angeles looks like. Anything else anybodyd
like to know
No one answered. and this appeared to aggravate
him. AS he picked the bills up by and rolled
each into long lighter he turned his attention to
Frenchy
ooh, l forgot somethn',' he said. "About that
leavin the camp. When get ready to go you and
nell have settlement, won't we, Frenchy? You an
NOT unite m tn fix
you plenty before l leave these diggins, you soft
mouthed, sneaky mucker, you'll