The Red Cloud chief., 1917-06-21
~.
Tho HIqh HIMa.

The Nevada through freight was two
hours late issuing from the western
portal of Timanyoni canon. Through
the early mountain -climbing hours Of
the night and the later flight across the
Red desert, the dusty. travel-grimed
young fellow In the empty box car mid
way Of the train had slept soundly,
with the hard car floor for a bed and
his folded coat for a pillow. But the
sudden cessation Of the crash and oar
Of the shut-ln mountain passage awoke
him and he got up to open the door and
look out.
1t was still no later than a lazy mans
breakfast time. and the May morning
was perfect. Over the top Of the east
ern range the sun was looking, level
rayed. into a parked valley bounded
on all sides by high spurs and distant
snow peaks. In Its nearer reaches the
valley was dotted with round hills,
some Of them bare. others dark with
mountain pine and f1r.
From the outer loopings Of the
curves, the young tramp at the a
door had momentary glimpses Of the
Timanyoni, q mountain torrent In its
canon, and the swiftest Of upland riv-
ers yer here where 1t had the valley
in which to expand. A Copah switch
mar had told him that the railroad d.
vision town Of Brewster lay at the end
Of the nights run, in a river valley be-
yond the eastern Timanyonis, and that
the situation Of the irrigation project
which was advertising for laborers In
tho Denver newspapers was q few
miles up the river from Brewster.
AS the train swept along on its way
down the grhdes the valley became
more open and the prospect broadened.
At n Of the promontory roundings
the box-car passenger had a glimpse
OF a s~hack-built construction camp on
the rivers margin some distance on
ahead. A concrete dam was rising in
sections out Of the river, and dominat-
ing the dam and the shacks two steel
towers, with a carrying cable stretched
between them. formed the piers Of the
aerlal spout conveyer for the placing
VI Nv biutCLiut III thG loLilS.
The train made no stop Mt the con-
structlon siding, but a mile farther
along the brakes began to grind and
the speed was slackened. Sliding the
car door another foot or two, the young
tramp with the week-Old stubble beard
on his face leaned out to look ahead.
His opportunity was at hand. A block
semaphore was turned against the
freight and the train was slowing In
obedience to the signal. Waiting until
the brakes shrilled again, the tramp
put his shoulder to the sliding door,
sat for a moment In the wider opening,
and then swung Off.
hts alighting was upon n Of the
~promontory entertainments. To the
westward, where the curving railroad
track was lost In the farther windings
of the river, lay the little intermoun.
tain city Of Brewster, q few of Its
higher buildings showing clear-cut In
the distance. Paralleling the railroad
on a lower level and nearer the river
q dusty wagon road pointed in one di
rection toward the town, and In the
other toward the construction camp.
The young nan who had crossed foul
states Snd the better part of a fifth a.
q fugitive and vagrant turned his bach
upon the distant town as a place to b,
avoided. Scrambling down the rail-
road embankment, he made his way (,
the wagon road, crossed 1t, and KEEP
on until he came to the fringe Of aspen!
on the rivers edge, where he broke al
the trampish traditions by stripping OF
the travel-worn clothes and plungin,
In to take a soapless bath. The water
being melted snow from the range, wa
Icy cold and 1t stabbed like knives
Nevertheless, 1t was wet. and som
part Of the travel dust, at least, wa
} soluble In It. He came out glowing
but a thorn from his well-groomed pas
!, came upland pricked him when he ha,
A. 80.