The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1916-04-07

| ouI WHIT the tTOuDle was.
So 1t was himself! He had never
guessed that he was in the way. De-
spite his years, he had done such
work as was in his power. He had
helped Bessie with the dishes-chat-
tering the while about the gold he
had talked Of pockets" and produced
samples of likely quartz while she
fumed inwardly and said nothing.
But he had never dreamed that he
was a nuisance.
The old mans pride was stung to
the quick. All night he lay upon his
bunk in the clubhouse. bordering over
the matter. At last he reached a de-
cision. He had spent hard and lone
ly life, and now, at eighty, he was
quite willing to take up the threads
again.
That morning Bessie and Edwin
found roughly scrawled note upon
the table.
I'm going, children" II ran. I'm
going to leave you for a while until
I've located that quartz. or maybe
bed of shining nuggets in that gulch
l was speaking Of Then I'll come
home. guess you won't grudge me
the little bag of -four and the matches
and blanket I'm a-taking with me-"
They stared at each other. The old
man must have been gone long since,
for when they searched the fiat of the
plains he was nowhere in sight.
ofk Z;
mo-" answered Bessie. Hell come
back at nightfall, when he's tired, and
maybe it'll be lesson to him."
But nightfall arrived, and there was
no sign Of the old man. Nor on the
following morning. Bessie was now
thoroughly alarmed.
Edwin, you must go and look for
him." she said "You know which way
he VENT"
Her husband nodded. Its twelve
Mines distant" he said. 81 guess I
can walk 1t and back by night"
Il do hope he has come to no harrn,"
said Bessie. HE must have heard
me when I said what l did. I'm
sorry, dear. When he comes back
I'll never lose my head again like
that"
Meanwhile old Jim Ross was indus
triously grubbing. among the boulders
Of the gulch. He spent the entire
day there. At night he slept in the
river bed. Next morning, awakening
late, he stood up and peered out across
the plain. Some sense, long latent in
him, told him that there was another
human being approaching him.
He looked out to see a man walking
across the sand and alkali. At once a
fear came over him. This man was
coming to rob him of his cherished
gold
Furtive as a fox, he crept along the
gulch, out Of sight Of his son, whom
he had not recognized. Over his
shoulder he carried the sack full of
his precious stones. He knew that,
once clear of the gulch bed, he could
make his way among the mountains
and be well on his way homeward be-
fore the newcomer had come upon the
place where he had been.
He chuckled as he strobe manfully
across the plain, Obvious of the burn
ing sun. He covered mile after mile,
borne up by the knowledge that for
tune, which he had evaded so long,
lay hidden in that bag. And thus he
staggered into the cabin late at night,
an hour before Edwin's return.
II found his tracks," cried Edwin, at
IN ntyt hnta hoe
gone"
mo, he's here" answered his wife
sourly. HE played a fine trick on
us, Edwin. He's in his bunk, asleep.
In the morning I'm going to send him
back by train"
The return of the old man, babbling
about gold, had awakened all her re-
sentiment. Her husband saw that it
would be useless to argue with her.
But in the morning Bessie's anger was
unchanged. They found old Jim seat
ed with his sack at the kitchen table.
He was taking stones out Of 1t and ar
ranging them along the edge.
We'll, children" he began, 81 reckon
the old man fooled the pair of We.
There1l be NO more drudging now, IL
know the value of what I've struck
in the hills. Look at them stones!"
He held one up to Ross and indi-
Gated the tiny yellow fecks among
the quartz.
1T amt much" he said, but wait
till we get our stamps up here. That'll
assay two ounces to the ton"
"This is too mucht' cried Bessie.
Now, listen, old man! I've had
enough of this talk of gold!"
Old Jim pulled another stone out of
the bag and looked at it with twin
king eyes. 1t was yellow stone,
pure yellow, dull, rich, and unmistak-
able, and at least as large as
pigeons egg.
Maybe this wouldn't make We
bracelet, honey" he said, holding 1t
up before her. Nor this" he added,
pulling out another He shook out a
dozen more from the bottom of the
bag.
"Why-it is gold!" shouted Edwin.
"If IL amt" said Jim, 81 never pros