Morris tribune., 1914-08-07


generating influences Of Poker Flat,
consequently seemed to offer some in
vitation to the emigrants-lay over
steep mountain range. 1t was distant
a days severe travel. In that adj
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 singularIy wild and i'm
pressive. A wooded amphitheater sur
rounded on three sides by precipi-
| tous cliffs Of naked granite sloped gen.
thy toward the crest of another preci-
pice that overlooked the valley. 1t
was undoubtedly the most suitable
spot for a, camp had camping been adj
| 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 a 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 itssinAuence
/ Uncle Billy passed rapidly FROM a. beIli-
.cose state into one Of stupor the
i Duchess became maudlin laid Mother
Shipton snofed Mr. Oakhurst- alone
remained erect. leaning against a rock
calmly surveying them.
IS Mr. Oakhurst did not drink 1t inter
ITfered with profession which required
cootness, impassivenessa and presence
Of mind and, in his own language, he
couldn't afford it, AS, ne gazed at
his recumbent fellow exiIes the lone
illness begotten Of his pariah trade. his
habits OF life. his very vices, for the
first time seriously oppressedEiim. He
bestirred himself In busting his black
clothes, washing his hands and face
4 and other acts characteristic, Of his
studiously neat habits, and for the mo-
ment forgot his annoyauce.f The
thought Of deserving his weaker and
more pitiableI companions never per-
haps occurred to him. Yet he could
not help feeling the want of that eK-
:, element which. singularly enough, was
most conducive to that calm equanim-
ity for which he was notorioUs. He
looked at the gloomy walls that rose
1000 feet sheer above the ciFcifng pines
around him. at the sky ominousIy
clouded; at 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 as 1.-THE
Innocent Of Sandy Bar He had me-
him some months before over Little
! game" and had, with perfect equa
nimity, won the entire fortune
amounting to some $4,000 that guile
less youth. After the game was finish
, ed, Mr.. OakhurSt drew the youthful
SPECTATOR behind the door and thu
addressed him: Tommy. you're u goot
little man, but you can't gamble worH
a cent Don't try it over again." III
! then handed him his money back
| pushed him gently from the room. ami
! SO made a devoted slave OF Tom Sim
, son.
! There was remembrance of this il
/ his boyish and enthusiastic greeting 0
Mr.. OakhurSt He had started. b
said. to go to Poker Flat to seek BIZ
/ fortune. "Alone2" No, not exactI
alone. In fact Ga giggle,. he had rui
+ away with Pfney Woods Didn't Mi
. Oakhurst remember Piney? She tina
! used to wait on the table at the Ten
! perance House? They had been en-
gagged long time, but old Jake Wood
+ had objected. and so they had rU
/ away and We're going to Poker Fla
d to be married. and here they were
: And they were tired cut. and hoy
e camp and company. All this the limo
e cent delivered rapidly. Whit Piney.
e stout. comely damsel Of fifteen. emery
+ ed from behind the pine tree. WheT
d she had been blushing unseen. an
!, rode to the side of her lover
b Mr. Oakhurst seldom troubled aSR
t self with sentiment still less with or,
r priety. but he had vague idea ths
L the situation was not fortunate e
Z retained. however. his presence {
r mind sufficiently to kick Uncle Bill.
e who was about to say something. an
4 Uncle Billy was sober enough to recol
e nize in Mr. Oakhrst's kick superic
power that would not bear trffinl
t He then endeavored to dissuade T0