Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-02-12
CHAPTER VIII.
Start to Make Money.

Y W yE found the City hotel offered
. "a I exactly the same conditions
Wv as did the Parker House, ex-
cept that the proprietor was
curt and had no time. for us at all.
From that point, still dissatisfied, we
extended our investigations beyond the
Plaza. We found ourselves ankle deep
in sandhills OF which grew coarse
grass and n sort of sage. Crazy, ram
shacllle huts made of all sorts Of ma
terial were perched i'm all sorts of
places. Hundreds Of tents had been
pitched, beneath which and in front of
which an extremely simple housekeep-
ing was going In. Hunt as we might
we could find no place that looked as
though It would take dodgers. Most of
even the better looking houses were
simply tiny skeletons covered with pa.
per, cloth or paint. BY painstalling
persistence we kept at 1t until we had
inquired of every building Of any pre-
tensions. Then, somewhat discour-
aged, we picked our way back to the
shore after our heavier goods.
The proprietor of the Parker House
greeted us with unabated good nature.
81 know how You boys feel" said he
"There's lots in your fix. You'd better
stick here tonight and then get organ
ized to camp out If you're going to he
here long. / suppose, though, you're
going to the mines. Well. it'll take
you several days to make your plans
and get ready. When you get back
from the mines you won't have to
think about these things"
'There's plenty OF gold?" ventured
Johnny.
Bushels"
81 should think you'd be up there"
81 don't want any better gold mine
than the old Parker House." said he
comfortably
We paid him $24.
BY now it was late in the afternoon
The wind had dropped, but over the
hills to seaward rolled a soft beautiful
bank of fog. The sun was blotted ont
behind 1t, and a chill fell. The crowds
about the Plaza thnned.
We economical our best at supper,
but had to pay some SS for the four OF
us. The bill was a In carte and con
tanned such items as grizzly steak, an
telope, elk and wild duck and goose,
Grizzly steak, | remember, cost dol
lar and quarter. by the time we had
finished it had grown dark The lamps
were alight, and the crowds were be-
ginning to gather. All the buildings
and the bic tent next door were a
blaze of Illumination. The sounds of
music and singing came from every
side. A holiday spirit was in the air.
Johnny and I were crazy to be UP
and doing, but Talbot sternly repress.
cd us. and Yank agfeed with his deci
sion by an unusually emphatic nod
ut is all a lot of fun. III admit
said he. but this is business, and
we've got to face it. Sit down here
on the edge of this veranda, and let's
talk things over. How much money
have you got, Yank?"
1.-TWO hundred and twenty dollars"
replied Yank promptly.
you're partners with me, Frank, so
/ know our assets" said Talbot with
tact. "Johrny"
Hanged if | know" replied that
youth. 1--WE got quite a lot. keep
1t in my pack"
"Well, go find out" advised Talbot.
Johnny was gone for some ting We
smoked and listened TO the rather bla-
family mingled strains OF music and
wached the figures of men hurrying
by in the spanged darkness.
Johnny returned very much excited.
"Ive been robbedv' he cried
"Robbed? Is your money all goner
"No; there's a little left, but
Talbot laughed quietly.
"Sit down, Johnny, and cool of" he
advised. IF anybody had robbed you