The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1914-08-20
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-lay over a
steep mountain range. It 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
| thy toward the crest Of another preci-
| pice that overlooked the valley. 1t
was undoubtedly the most suitable
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 CON-
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 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. 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-
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; 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 met
him some months before over il 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 a good
| little man, but you can't gamble worth
Il cent. Don't try it over again. He
then handed him his money back.
pushed him gently from the room, and
| SO made a devoted slave of Tom Sim
son.
There was remembrance Of this in
his boyish and enthusiastic greeting of
Mr.. Oakhurst. He had started, be
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 had 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 it was they had found place to
camp and company. All this the Inno-
cent delivered rapidly, while Piney. a
stout. comely damsel of fifteen. emery
ed from behind the pine tree. where
she had been blushing unseen. and
rode to the side of her lover
| Mr.. Oakhurst seldom troubled him
self with sentiment. still less with pro-
| Driotv hl1t no had 81 1,or,,o idoo that
the situation was not fortunate. He
retained. however, his presence Of
mind sufficiently to kick Uncle Billy.
who was about to say something. and
Uncle Billy was sober enough to recog-
nize in Mr.. Oakhurst's kick a superior
power that would not bear trifling.
He then endeavored to dissuade Tom