White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1924-12-12

L
Hugh smiled, then added soberly,
II do want to please you, Uncle
Bookie. If become very great in my
work, won't that satisfy you?"
NO." replied Bookie, because 1t
will demand only part of your pow
ers."
Hugh stared at the older man in a
puzzled, half pleading sort of way,
then, with an obviously determined
manner, he changed the subject.
Uncle Bookie, down in the cave
below us, this morning, l found skel-
eton wearing suit of clothes. In the
pocket of the overcoat was an envel-
ope addressed to Jimmie Duncan"
Bookie slowly reached into his hip
pocket, took a careful bite of tobacco,
and after reinserting the remainder Of
the plug turned on his back again.
Il left Jimmie down there twenty
three years ago this Christmas"
Did you put notch on your gun,
Uncle Booker"
"You bet l did. A deep one!"
"Why, Uncle Booker"
will you tell me about it,"
"Ill try. l loved your mother from
the time she came out here with your
poor one-lunged dad. He knew it, and
before he died he tried to get her to
promise she'd marry me. But she
didn't love anybody but him and new
err did, and though she stayed on for
five years after his death as my house
keeper, she never would be any more
to me than pale-God bless, her
Hughie! She was beautiful soul
beautiful! Jimmie Duncan was cat
tie runner in those days, and he and
his gang used the river section of this
tract for running their herds. In
those times he wasn't considered so
disrespectable and once in while he
took meal up at my ranch. He went
plumb, raving crazy over your mother
| warned him off. She sure did hate
him, but he got to coming back when
I'd be in Fort Sioux. On Christmas
Eve, twenty-three years ago, l came
back to find her standing him off with
a gun"
Bookie paused and Hugh observed
the old mans fingers were trembling
I'm not going into details. They
still upset me. But he got away from
; me and l tracked him here, to- this
, very spot. We took several pot shots
at each other. Then, during the
night, half-breed helped him down
into that cave, and afterWard double
crossed him and lowered me down. l
didn't trouble to bury the skunk. Nat.
urally l never told anything about it
for your mothers sake Curiously
enough, the half-breed was killed the
next day. They said he slipped ovel
, the canyon. took over the Old Siou1
, Tract and tried to give it to YOU
, mother. When she wouldn't have it
l swore no one should ever use it l.
she wouldn't. And so far I've KEEP
my word. You've never found dino
saur on it before, have you, Hughie 2
: mo, but have an idea it may prove
to be a great fossil field. You aren'
going to object to my prospecting it
are you, Uncle Booker"
The old man answered with unex
. pected obstinacy. Il don't aim tt
break my word during my lifetime
Hughie."
t But you aren't going to refuse tt
let me get that triceratops out!" criet
4 Hugh, in sudden alarm.
t Eyes, I think shall. 1t can't meal
q as much pleasure as it does pain t,
q me. You let Jimmie Duncan's grav
\ alone!"
20 but here, Uncle Booklet! II
take that skunk's bones and clothe
and burn them. I wish 1 could adj
insult and ignominy to them, too.
Hugh paused as the significance o
that generation-old killing sweep
over him. Then he said, after al.
he didn't actually harm mother, and
think she'd be glad to have me brin
something memorable out of tina
cave" He paused once more as pic
ture Of his mothers Christmas fac
beneath the winter stars rose befor
his eyes. And on Christmas Eve
too! What hell's spawn he was
Where was l, Uncle Booker"
i "In bed and asleep" replied the oil
man, watching his foster nephew, ir
! tently.
= II was only SEVEN" said Hugh, apo
| ogetically. II shall kick his bone
into the river, tomorrow" with sue
den passion showing in his voice tina
brought an answering CLEAN int
Rockies brown eyes. Again Hugh
jaw cleaned white beneath the ears
Let me clean the cave up, Uhcl
! Bookie. She'd want me to-"
, II can't, Hughie. l thought mayb,
could, but it won't work. Sh,
wouldn't take the Tract from me.
was the only cruel think she ever did
She shan't take it from you, by God!
Hugh poked the fire. Uncle Book
ie," he said, I'm sorry to go agains