The Denison review., 1914-12-16

At tie same instant came the deputy
on the other side of him
Say, chief. he says there was nc
gold"
A sinewy arm reached out and took
Gallons gun away from him. u think
I better keep this" said the sheriff. his
dark countenance growing stern.
So this cavalcadc made Its way
through the fresh California dawn
until there was sudden break in the
mesa. The deputy threw out his hand
There are hundred gulches in these
mountains. Which one is It. pardner:'
At the word "pardner" Gallon pulled
himself together. The glitter Of the
brass on the horses headstall and that
word Should he tell them the location
OF that gulch? The stroke Of one
horses hoof might disclose the mother
! lode. and vet ne had told them the out
laws had killed Wilkerson.
His horse stumbled and threw him
When he got up lie gropingly pointed
his hands toward the hills and mnt
tered. THAT way. boys--that's where
they got him" 4t.
Half an hour later the posse was
grouped about the dead fire. and the
sheriff was staring Mt a blood stained
blanket.
There has been trouble" lie said
abruptly. Then he turned on Gallon.
'.Why is this coffee hot?" he said.
lifting up the pot The sbrlsunc tones
of the sheriff cut the silence that fol.
lowed.
II don't see your man. j don't under.
stand this. You are under ;frrest-f0t
the murder Of He looked at Gallon.
and the old man involuntarily said
"Wilkerson."
All day the sheriff. with Gallon. his
arms pinioned behind him. searcbed
the gullies and gulches for the man
whose blood stained blanket they had
found. The old man, taciturn as ever;
merely said. as IL, repeating by rote.
''Thc outlaws got him."
When the full moon had risen and
the night life OF the desert had begun.
grotesQue life. huiit OF fieeting forms
and bizarre shadows. the sheriff called
a halt UP the canyon. .a
On one side Of the gnlley on which
they We're camped the sheriff's men
had built fire. ltwas against q rock
which rose Whitley under; the moon
Gallon saw his chance. He worked
his way to the fire and An spite OF The
nain held his hands out over the blaze
until he felt the strands OF the rope
weaken and finally part.
A moment later he was making bis
way to where the horses were tied
He leaped upon the nearest one and
within Il second was on his way dowg
the hill into the mist which flied the
valley.
But the noise Of his horses hoofs on
the rough shale of the hillside awak.
ened the guard
II think will have cup OF Coffee
he said to himself sleepily and slug.
eishly stretched himself A moment
later he flung the empty coffeepot into
the darkness. ''SherifY," he cried, "he's
goner'
The sheriff lifted his lanky form as
II by single movement. who's
gomez" he yelled
THAT man. GalIsn." replied the
guard.
I'VE must get him. boysr the sheriff
said. They rode to the edge Of the hill
and looked down into an iridescent sea
Of mist. a mere pool of curdling moon
shine
Hes got away from us. boys" said
the >shcrifr "We'll never tind him
there"
Gallon rode quickly on. no longer
seeking for a light. but for darkness.
and yet as he felt the pony quiver un-
der him he himself felt strange trem.
or-Wilkerson was still alive-some
where behind that veil was his enemy
and the man who knew the location Of
the richest mine in all golden Ca!ifor-
mia.
Mission Street pier marks the point
OH the San Francisco water front where
sooner or later every one in this world
passes. and among the multitudes
strange. subdued and unsubdued by
the tremendous forces which mike our
civilization. Gallon found himself abso.
lutely unobserved in this throng--he
was as he hoped to be. Berthed at
the pier was a steamship quartermas'
tiers at the sangway. and a sign hung
on the rail saying. I'VE. sail at 9:45
p M"
When he reached his cabin Gallon
stealthily took out from his porkct a
folded paper and looked at it, He laid
1t on the white covering of the bnuk
and once more dipped into his Jacket.
This time it was the picture Of u girl
Il will save it for you." he inurmns
I'd to himself. The bare room hets
but one movable article Of fnrnttuHo-
chest OF strange Workmanship and
retlolent of alien lands Gallon stoop-
ed over and pulled at the lid. II came
open to his touch. and he saw then u
strange conglOmeratiOn Of articles. An
idol lay there. Illuminate, but impOr.
tant He picked it up. and as he did so
one of its coral eyes fell out.
To him it was sinister omen, and
he stared for moment, clutching ut
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