Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1918-01-11
Read This Story
Every Day In
The Journal

ne the dollar? Besides. how are you
GOING to pursue it?'
"Go prospecting" he replied prompt.
y. Slit the trail for a place know
where there's oodles of coarse gold. IL
you can get to it at low water. How'd
you like to 90 into the Upper Mas
country this fall, trap all winter, work
the sandbars in the spring, and come
out next fall with sack Of gold IL
would take horse to pack ?"
Hazel clapped her hands.
ooh, Bill. wouldn't that be fine?" she
cried. "Td love to-
at won't be all smooth sailing" he
warned. ats long trip and a hard
one. and the winter will be longer and
harder than the trip. Still, there's u
chance for good big stake, right in
that one trip"
But why the necessity for making
stalker she inquired thoughtfully.
after Il lapse of five minutes.
{ Thought yon didn't care anything aboiit
money so long as you had enough TO
get along on? And we surely have
that. We've over two thousand dollars
IN real money--and no place to spend
sit--so we're compelled to save"
Bill blew a smoke ring over his head
and watched it vanish up toward tho
Gusky roof beams before he answered.
swell, little person" said he, THAT'S
very true, and we can't truthfully say
that stern necessity is treading on our
heels. The possession Of money has
never been a crying need with me-
But hadn't many wants when ! was
playing lone hand, and generally let
the future take care of itself. 1t was
always easy to dig up money enough to
buy books and grub or anything
wanted. Now that I've assumed GER
tain responsibility, 1t has begun TO
dawn on me that we'd enjoy life bet.
ter if we were assured of compe-
tence. We won't stay here always.
I'm pretty much contented just now.
So are YOU But know from past ex-
pcrience that the outside will grow
more alIuring as time passes. You'll
get lonesome for civilization. It's the
most natural thing in the world. And
when we go out to mix with our fellow
humans we want to meet them on
terms Of worldly equality. Which is
to say with good clothes on, and fat
bank roll in our pocket. And last, but
not least, old girl, while love to loaf,
/ can only loaf ABOUT SO long in con-
tentment. Sabe? I've got to be doing
something; whether 1t was profitable
or not has never mattered, just 30 1t
was action"
II sabe, as you call it." Hazel smiled
aof course do. Only lazy people like
TO loaf all the time. love this place,
and we might stay here for years and
be satisfied. But" s
sBut we'd be better satisfied to stay
if we knew that we could leave It
whenever we wanted to-" he inter
rupted. "That's the psychology Of the
human animal, all right. We don't like
to be coerced, even by circumstances"
eff you made lot of money mining,
we could stravel--one could do lots Of
things she reflected. Il don't think
I'd want to live in city again. But
Il would be nice to 60 there, some
tines
eyes, dear girl. it would, BIZ
agreed. "With chum toFhelp you en-
10Y things. We can do things together
that ] couldn't do alone. and yoai
couldn't do alone. Remains only to GET
the wherewithal. And since I know
how to manage that with minimum
amount of effort, I'd like to be about
It before somebody else gets ahead Of
me. Though there's small chance Of
that"
"We'll be partners" said she. How
viii we divide the profits, Billum"
.'Well split even," he declared.
aThat is, I'll make the money, and
you'll spend It."
They chuckled over this concetk and
as the dusk closed in slowly they tel
to planning the details. Hazel lit the
lamp, and In it's yellow glow p0red
over maps while Bill idly sketched
their route on sheet OF paper. ms