The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-02-07

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 a roughly scrawled note upon
the table.
I'm going, children" it 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
was speaking of. Then I'll come
home. l 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.
'Tll go after him." said Edwin.
NO." answered Bessie. He'll 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
miles distant" he said. Il guess I
can walk it and back by night"
Il do hope he has come to no HARM"
said Bessie. "He must have heard
me when l said what I did. lin
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 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 we'll 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, oblivious 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.
Il found his tracks" cried Edwin, at
the door. But he's gone he's
gone"
mo, he's here answered his wife
sourly He played 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 it and ar
ranging them along the edge.
We'll, children" he began, Treckon
the old man fooled the pair of We.
Therell be no more drudging now, IL
Il know the value Of what I've struck
in the hills Look at them stonesi"
| He held one up to Ross and indi.
Gated the tiny yellow fiecks among
the quartz.
1T amt much" he. said, but wait
till we get our stamps up here. Thatll
assay two ounces to the ton
This is too much" cried Bessie.
Now. listen, old mani 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 a
pigeons egg.
Maybe this wouldn't make We a
bracelet, honey" he said, holding il
up before her. Nor this" he added
pulling out another. He shook out a
dozen more from the bottom of the
bag.
I Why-it is gold!" shouted Edwin
If it amt" said Jim, Il never pros
pected for it. The gulch is fall o.
nuggets, enough to buy our machinery
for stamping when the alluviafs end
ed. We're rich, children, and wen &c
back &c Kansas City"
Father" sobbed Bessie. kneelins
beside him. Its yours. Take it all
We deserve none of it after the wa,
we treated you"
Why. that's all right, honey" sait
the old man, looking at her in milo
surprise. Il amt had nothing to com
plain of. 1t was the work, l reckon
sort of put an edge on you. You see
children, d good woman's like gold
she's there, somewhere, only some
times she takes sort of-sort of look
ing for"