The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1914-07-14

He imagined Overland Reds
surprise when enc William stan
ley winthrop. late OF New York.
should appear. equipped to the
chin and eager to participate In
the hunt for the lost gold. Then
again, the prospector might not
care TO be bardensd with the CON-
partnership OF a tenderfoot.
The uneertainty Of HIS welcome
lent zest 20 Winthrop's enterprise
he closed the door OF his drawing
room and wound through a ma
hoeany maze toward the dining
car.
Next morning. as the train
slowed down for the desert town.
Winthrop was I'm the vestfbuie,
peering out anxiously. IL did not
occur to him that Overland Red
knew nothing of his coming. or
that the other would be waiting
on the station platform II he did.
The tramp had not the faintest
desire TO make himself conspicu-
GUS. Some of Winthrop's enthusi-
asm had evaporatsd during the
hot night In the sleeper.
Winthrop got off behind the
porter with his "plunder." Then.
as the Pullman slid away. he
watched the train crawl down the
track.
"Prospeetfn'Y" queried a Iank
individual. slouching up to Win
throp.
"A IlttIe," said winthrop. "win
you kindly give me a hand with
this monstrosity," indicating the
pack. The agent seems to be
busy"
Sure, She Amt roped very
tightly"
Which proved to be true. The
bundle slowly sagged, opened, and
things began to trickle from Il In
it's journey across thep latform.
Among the things was a bottle of
brandy. The lank individual
picked this up tenderly and set
Il to one side. Winthrop noticed
his solieitude and smiled.
I'VE can rope 'em up again.,
said the lank one, suddenly be-
coming enthusiastic. MY names
Jim Hicks. I'm constable here"
Il see. Well, I'm William Win
throB, from Los Angeles. I'm a
naturalist. VIII you accept a eli
gar2"
sThanks. You want to pack this
here bottle. too?"
mot right away. Whewl It
Is getting hot. I'd like to get in
1.-THE shade somewhere"
| There's old Fernando's 'dobe
down the track under them pep
per trees. He's friend of mine.
| He amt to home today. Mebby
you d like to set down there and
walt for your friend"
my friend?"
"why, amt you waitin' for
anybody? You amt goin' to
tackle that bug-huntin' trip alone,
be you? Now, | have took folks
out and only charge four dollars
a day and grub"
II thought you said you were
constable?"
so 1 be. Takin' parties across
the desert is on the side. How far
you figurin' on goin'2"
Al haven't made up my mind
yet. Say we go down as far as
the adobe you spoke about, as a
beginning. Perhaps We can ar
range terms"
I'm ON. pard." said the con
stable.
Under the pepper trees shading
Fernando's adobe sat Winthrop
and the constable. The brandy
bottle was half empty and a box
of cigars was open beside 1t on
the bench.
IS this way" said the con-
stable, waving his cigar. "You'r re
fren' of mine-sure thing. = al
ernoon now, but I was plumb
fooled this mornin'. Thought you
was the boy I'm lookin' Tor.
H'overlan' Red - bum - tram
Wire from Loshangeles to upper
an him II he shows up here.
Thousand dollars rewr fr IN
appr'enshun of 'Verfsn' Red
Thought you wus him-hic-heel
heel"
Far down the line came the dis
tant blast of a locomotive. The
local freight from Los Angeles was
whistling for the block
what train 10 thatff asked
the fastener.
The constable's eyelids dropped,
then opened languidly. "Raiiro'
train. z course" And he slid for
ward TO his elbow and thence to
the bench Presently he snored-