The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1914-11-04

generating influences of Poker Flat,
consequently seemed to offer some in
vitation to the emigrants-lay over u
steep mountain range. 1t was distant
a days severe travel. In that ad-
vanced season the party soon passed
out of the moist, temperate regions Of
the foothills into the dry. cold. bracing
air of the Sierras. The trail was mar.
| row and difficult. AT noon the Duchess.
rolling out of her saddle upon the
| ground. declared her intention of going
no farther. and the party halted.
The spot was singularly wild and i'm.
pressive. A wooded nmphitheater sur,
rounded on three sides by precipi.
tous cliffs of naked granite sloped gen.
fly toward the crest of another preci.
pice that overlooked the valley. 1t
was undoubtedly the most suita BILE
| spot for camp had camping been ad-
visable. But Mr.. Oakhurst knew that
scarcely half the journey to Sandy Bar
was accomplished and the party were
not equipped or provisioned for delay
This fact he pointed out to his com.
| panions CURLY. with philosOphic
commentary on the folly of throwing
up their hand before the game was
| played out" But they were furnished
with liquor. which in this emergency
stood them in place of food. fuel. rest
! and prescience. In spite of his remOn.
strances it was not long before they
were more or less under its influence
Uncle Billy passed rapidly from belli-
cose state into one of stupor. the
| Duchess became maudlin and Mother
Shipton snored. Mr.. Oakhurst alone
remained erect, leaning against rock
calmly surveying them.
/ Mr.. Oakhurst did not drink. 1t inter
| fered with profession which required
GOODNESS. impassiveness and presence
of mind and. in his own language, he
| couldn't afford it AS he gaZed at
| his recumbent fellow exiles the lone
illness begotten of his pariah trade. his
/ habits of life, his very vices for the
first time seriously oppressed him. He
bestirred himself in busting his black
clothes. washing his hands and face
and other acts characteristic of his
| studiously neat habits. and for the mo-
ment forgot his annoyance. The
thought of deserving his weaker and
more pitiable companions never per
haps occurred to him. Yet he could
not help feeling the want Of that ex
| element which, singularly enough. was
most conducive to that calm equanim
I ity for which he was notorious. He
| looked at the gloomy walls that rose
] 1000 feet sheer above the circling pines
around him. at the sky. Ominously
! clouded: Mt the valley below. already
! deepening in shadow. And. doing So
suddenly he heard his own name
| called.
A hOrseman slowly assembled the
trail In the fresh. open face of the
newcomer Mr.. Oakhurst recognized
| Tom Simson, otherwise known us 1.-THE
Innocent" of Sandy Bar. He had met
him some months before over little
game" and had. with perfect equa
nimity. won the entire fortune
! amounting to some $40--of that guile
/ less youth After the game was finish
! ell. Mr. Oakhurst drew the youthful
Spectator behind the door and thus
addressed him: Tommy. you're good
little man. but you can't gamble worth
a cent. Don't try 1t over again" He
then handed him his money back
pushed him gently from the room. ana
SO made a devoted slave Of Tom Sim
son.
There was a remembrance Of this IN
his boyish and enthusiastic greeting vi
| Mr.. Oakhurst He had started. he
said. to go to Poker Flat to seek his
fortune. "Alone?" No. not exactly
alone. In fact Ia giggleI. he had run
away with Piney Woods. Didn't MIR
oakhurst remember Piney: She thai
used TO wait on the table at the Ten
perance Housey They had been Ell
gagged long time. but old Jake Woods
had objected. and 50 they had run
away and were going to Poker Flat
TO be married. and here they were
| And they were tired out. aud how
lucky IL was they had found place t.
camp and company. All this the limo
cent delivered rapidly. while Piney.
stout. comely damsel of fifteen. emery
! ed from behind the pine tree. where
she bad been blushing unseen. and
rode 10 the side Of her lover. ..
Mr., Oakhurst seldom troubled him
self with sentiment. still less with pro
priety, but he had a vague idea that
the situation was not fortunate. He
retained. however, his presence OF
mind sufficiently TO kick Uncle Billy,
who was about 10 say something. ana
Uncle Billy was sober enough to recog'
nIse In Mr. Oakhurst's kick superior
rover that would not bear trtning
He then endeavored 10 dissnade Tom