Evening journal., 1914-12-01

mered.
Get your horses. boys" ordered the
sheriff
II was not but a few minutes until
the posse. Gallon riding stolidly on an
extra horse. was scampering through
the streets toward the mountains, now
absolutely dark. as the moon had set
Sheriff Hawkins was not aware that
as they crossed a wash painting.
grOaning man was crawling on his
belly toward the solitary light which
marked Vale Vista. Nor did Gallon.
iumbiy riding toward the darkness
which hid the scene Of his crime. real
lie that Wilkerson was within ten
yards of him as they splashed through
the stream.
Then suddenly appeared in the sky
SPOT Of white. which spread until the
murk Of the night had turned to dusk
"Well. thank God it's daylight" said
the sheriff 70 Gallon. Il guess we can
get your partner all right now And
even as he spoke the dusk suddenly be
came enriched by the light Of the sun
rising in the east. The moment it
struck the brass on his pony's bride
Gallon involuntarily reined in Through
his blstered lips he muttered: Gold!
Ruth"
Inquiring eyes were turned on him.
The sheriff showed his horse over and
asked. What gold?"
At the same instant came the deputy
on the other side of him.
"Say. chief. he says there was no
gold"
A sinewy arm reached out and took
Gallons gun away from him. II think
| better keep this" said the sheriff, his
dark countenance growing stern.
SO this cavalcade made its way
/ through the fresh California dawn
until there was sudden break in the
mesa. The deputy threw out his hand
"There are a hundred gulches in these
mountains. Which one is it, pardnerT
At the word "pardner' Gallon pulled
himself together. The glitter Of tb'
brass on the horses headstall and thai
word Should he tell them the location
OF that gulch? The stroke Of ont
horses hoof might disclose the mothe
lode, and yet he had told them the out
laws had killed Wilkerson.
His horse stumbled and threw him
When he got up he gropingly pointc'
his hands toward the hills and NUT
tered, "That way. boys-that's wher'
they got him"
Half an hour later the posse wal
grouped about the dead fire, and tn
sheriff was staring at a blood STAINED
blanket.
There has been trouble" he SAL
abruptly. Then he turned on Gallon.
"Why is this coffee hot?" he said
lifting up the pot The brusque tone
of the sheriff cut the silence that fol
lowed.
Il don't see your man. / don't under
stand this. You are under arrest-fo
the murder Of He looked at Gallon
and the old man involuntarily saiC
"WilkersOn."
All day the sheriff. with Gallon, hi
arms pinioned behind him. searche
the gullies and gulches for the ma
whose blood stained blanket they ha
found. The old nan. taciturn as eve
merely said. as if repeating by rot,
/ ''The outlaws got him"
When the full moon had risen an
I the night life of the desert had begul
' grotesque life. built of heeting form
, and bizarre shadows, the sheriff calle
+ a halt up the canyon.
On one side Of the gulley on whic
2 they were camped the sherifrs me
had built fire. 1t was against roc
which rose whitley under the moo
I Gallon saw his chance. He worke
4 his way to the fire and in spite Of Il
pain held his hands out over the bIa,
until he felt the strands of the roI
= weaken and finally part.
a A moment later he was making h
way to where the horses were tie
y He eaped upon the nearest one an
: within a second was on his way dow
A the hill into the mist which filed Il
valley.
u But the noise OF his horses hoofs
A the rough shale of the hillside ava
ened the guard
II think | will have a cup Of coffee
he said to himself sleepily and slu
gishly stretched himself A nome
later he flung the empty coffeepot in
the darkness. Sheriff" he cried, "h,
goner'
The sheriff lifted his lanky form
IL by a single movement. "Wh,
gone?' he yelled.
THAT man. Gallon" replied t
guard.
I'VE must get him. boysr' the sher
said They rode to the edge Of the h
and looked down into an irldescent s
of mist. mere pool Of curdling moo
shine
He's got away from us. boys" So
the sheriff Wen never find h
there"
Gallon rode quickly on. no Ions
4 seeking for a light. but for darkne
and vet as he felt the pony quiver l
der him he himself felt a strange tire
Or-Wilkerson was still alive-son
where behind that veil was his enel
and the man who knew the location
the richest mine in all golden Calf
mia.
Mission Street pier marks the po
on the San Francisco water front VIII,
sooner or later every one in this wo
lis passes. and among the multitut
e. strange. subdued and unsubdued
nj the tremendous forces which make {
III civilization. Gallon found himself ab
lie lutely unobserved In this throng-
ht was as he hoped to be. Berthed
N. the pier was a steamship. quarterm