Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-09-07

fore the outskirts OF the town had been passed He
still able to sleep that night when they umbled
into their beds in the stage relay station he
downcast throughout the following day the horses
climbed upward into the top of the divide then ngled
YEARLY along the roads winding in and out, up and
down. among the high peaks So early their start,
and steady their progress that they had left their
horses at Rters rowed across the lake. and trudged
the trail to the camp by four o'clock in the after
noon.
TINS heart gave a beat he looked down
below and that Hardpan and the two miners
steadily trenchng the ground at the lakes edge
as if nothing of moment had happened and time was
limited Up in the door Of the open bunkhouse sat two
men, and as Jim approached he recognized them as
two of the claim jumpers He went into his own room
to wash his face and hands, and surprised to see
Holloway leaning the drawing board and indus
triouslv plating out the results of his field notes.
Il borrowed your quarters, Jlm the engineer SAID
coming forward and shaking hands if their separa
ton had been weeks instead of few short days How
does it looko"
well we recorded first, and that is settled. Next,
it appears very favorable for Frenchy; lnasnuch as,
without knowing it, we had been 7 employing man with
a pretty nasty reputation. Who those two there!
Why didn't they go when Hardpan let HarJes loose"
ASK Hardpan Here he is said Jack, motioning
with his pen and Jim greeted his partner.
"Why III tell you, Ji, the latter replied as if there
had been absence at ALL "Those two were the only
white in Hairless crowd. They came to me and
saws Saw we didn't know what kind of ruction
was buttn into! We was lust told we was to come up
and help locate ground and then go to work on It,
We amt the murdern kind Of bunch. you want
know about the shootin'.' So kept EN-.
at is just well to have of the enemy here to
testify Jim agreed. But what became Of Hairless
Turned him loose this mornin and him and his
croneS except these two, lost time h1ttln the
trail
"And Hares lost no time turning due north, added
the engineer. Il him start from the hotel Evl
IDENTIFY he didn't to be put record in the hearing
and will not be heard from again in this vicinity for
long time
AND Furthermore this the statement made by
= the engineer at the Coroner's investigation. 1t
brief affair the only questions not asked by the
Coroner being supplemented by those OF the assistant
District Attorney who had accompanied the party and
long before the conclusion of the investigation was
foregone conclusion that nothing but ustiiable homi
eide in self defense could be found.
The up again when they carried Bill Kid
eys body round the end of the lake and laid it in
the cemetery on the opposite hill created SO many
decads before And thus added the last contrlbu
ton that ground that held other reckless OF
life, perhaps, was he Jim and the engineer guided
the Coroner and his companions back across the divide
to the lake. and fered them with the assistance or
the boatman. The of tragedy was finished The
trials and apprehensons the claims dssipaed
Waters as she sat beside him on the porch.
She took him task for it. "See here, inn! she said
brskly. "There must be something wrong with you, 1t
that if ever in your life you had an occasion
to be happy and hopeful this IS the You certainly
have clear road 1t can't be possible that you lack
courage to face the outcome of your work!'
Her last words like lash to a horse. "Cour
age?" he retorted I'm not afraid of anything Only
you don't understand | respondent because
well-I-7 he was foundering hopelessy. And, like
reticent when foundering, he sought refuge
silence He could not tell her that sober thought had
taught him that the greatest prize in life for him, her
love, was impossible of attainment.
"Pshaw!' she declared. "You tired and
strung You go back home. Tomorrow I'm coming
over, that this nasty mess is all cleaned up, and
l shall hope to bring you luck
She suddenly turned toward him and rested her hands,
clasped and her forearms the of his chair She
disegarded the engineer, who sat goomly looking out