The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1914-07-16
By BRET HARTE


not having as yet experienced the re
generating influences of Poker Flat
; consequently seemed to offer some in
vitation to the emigrants-iay over 8
steep mountain range. 1t was distant
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 amphitheater sur.
rounded on three sides by precipi
tous cliffs Of naked granite sloped gen,
tly toward the crest Of another prec.
pice that overlooked the valley. 1t
was undoubtedly the most suita Bile
spot for camp had camping been I'D
visable. But Mr.. Oakhurst knew tina,
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 phiosophit:
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 it's 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 a rock
calmly surveying them.
Mr.. Oakhurst did not drink. It 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-
ity for which be was notorious He
looked at the gloomy walls that rose
1000 feet sheer above the circling pines
around him, at the sky, ominously
clouded; at the valley below. already
deepening in shadow. And. doing so.
suddenly he heard his own name
called.
A 5horseman slowly assembled the
trail. In the fresh, open face Of the
newcomer Mr.. Oakhurst recognized
Tom ,Simson, otherwise known as 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 $4O-of that guile
less youth. After the game was finish.
ed, 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 it over again" He
then handed him his money back.
pushed him gently from the room. and
so made devoted slave Of Tom Sim
son.
There was remembrance of this in
his boyish and enthusiastic greeting Of
Mr.. Oakhurst He had started. he
said. to go to Poker Flat to seek his
fortune. "Alone?" No, not exactly
alone. In fact "a giggle). he had run
away with Piney Woods. Didn't Mr..
Oakhurst remember Piney? She that
used to wait on the table at the Tenn
perance House? They bad been en-
gagged long time, but old Jake Woods
had objected, and SO they had run
away and were going to Poker Flat
to be married. and here they were
And they were tired out. and how
lucky 1t was they had found a place to
camy and company. All this the limo
cent delivered rapidly. while Piney.
stout. comely damsei of fifteen. emery
ed from behind the pine tree. where
she bad been blushing unseen. and
rode to the side Of her lover.
Mr. OakhErst 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 70 kick Uncle Billy,
who was shout to say something. and
Uncle Billy va sober enough to recoR.
nlse q II oakh1gst'p kici ! sppessoss
ROVE ~ ~ as ain
4 IA