The Bismarck tribune., 1925-11-24

|
high time he came to rest. Opor-
tunitics were on every side Of him,
but he knew not where or how to
lay hold OF them to his best advan-
tage. More than ever he felt HIM
self to be the tov OF circumstance
more than eyer he feared the falli-
bility Of his judgment and the consc-
Quences of mistake. lie was in a
mood both dissatisfied and irresolute
when he encountered his two trail
friends, Tom Linton and Jerry Quirk
Pierce had seen them last at Lin
derman. engaged in prosecuting a
stunpedcrs' divorce. lie was sur
priscd to find them reunited.
Il never dreamed you'd get
through he told them. when greet
insS had passed. Did you come
in one boat or in twn1'
Jerry Crinned. ''We sawed up that
outlaw four times. We'd have split
her end to end finally. only we run
out Of pitch to cork her up
That boat was about worn out
with our chickering's" Tom declared.
She amt over half the length she
was-all the rest is sawdust. II the
nail-holcs in her was laid end to
end they'd reach 10 Forty Mile. We
were the last outfit in, as it was, and
we'd of missed landing if fcllcr
hadn't run out or the shore ice and
ropcd us. First town / ever entered
on the end OF a lariat Hope l don't
leave 1t the same wav.'
Guess who drug us in,' Jerry
urged.
i've no idea" said Pierce.
Big Lars Anderson
Big Lars Of III Dorado?"'
Hes the party. He was just
drunk enough to risk breakin'
! through. When he found who we
| was-wcll, he gave us the town; he
made us a present of Dawson and all
points north, together with the lands,
premises. privileges. and heredita-
ments appurtenant thereto. l still
got kind of hangover headache
and have to take soda after my
meals"
Lars was sheepman when we
knew him." Tom explained. Jerry
and l purloincd him from some
prominent cow-gcntlemen who had
him all decorated up ready to hang,
and he hasn't forgotten it. He got
everybody full the night we landed,
and wound up by buying all the fresh
eggs in camp. Forty dozen. We
had 'em fried. He's a prince with
his money
He owns more property than any
/ body. Sald flerce.
Right! And he gave us lay
Phillips eyes opened. "A lay =:
On FL Dorado:' lie quericd, in frank
amazement
No. Hunker. He says it's a
good creek. We're lookin' for a
pardner."
What kind OF partncr?'
1t was Linton who answered.
| well, some nice. casy-going, hard
working young feller Jerry and
are pretty old to wind a windlass,
bat we can work underground where
its warm
Easy-goin',' that's the word"
| Jerry nodded Tom and me get
along with each other like an order
Of buckwheat cakes, but we're set in
our ways and we don't want any
body TO come between us"
How would l do7" Pierce in
Quircd, With I smile
Tom answered promptly. "Ii
your name was put to a vote l know
one of us that wouldn't blackball
YOU"
Sure cried his partner. The
ballot-boX would look like a ,scttin'
of pigeon eggs. Think it over and
let us la,ow. We're lcayin' to-
| morrow" ;a" ~
* lease on Hunkcr Creek sounded
| good to Phillips. Big Lars Ander-
son had been ono Of the first arriv-
ais fror, Circle City; already he was
rated millionaire. for luck had
smiled upon him; his name was one
to conjurc with. Pierce was about
TO accept tho offer made VIXEN Jerry
said:
who d'you s'posc got the lay be-
low ours? That fcller McCaskcy
and his brother
"McCaskeyr'
"He's an old pal Of Anderson's. ~
! Does Big Lars know he's a
theft
Jerry shrugged. Lars ain't the
kind that listens to scandal aad we
amt the kind that carries it,
Pierce mcditated briefly; then he
said, slowly. If your lay turns out
good so will McCaskey's." His frown
deepcned. "Wcll, ii there's law
OF compensation, If there's such. a
thing as retributivc justicc-you have
4 bad piece. Of ground"
But there amt any such thing"
| Tom quickly asserted. Anyhow, it
don't work in l.,illing-camps. If it
did the saloons would be reading
rooms and the gamblers would take
i'll washing. Look at the lucky men
il, this camp-bums. most of 'em.
George Carnack was squaw.man,
and he made the strike"
Pierce felt no fear Of Joe Nc
Caskcy. only dislike and desire to
avoid further contact with him. The
prospect of long winter in close
proximity to proven scoundrcl was
repugnant. Balanced against this
was the magic of Big Lars name.
1t was a problem; again indecision
rose to trouble him.
I'll think it over" he said, finally.
Farther down the street Phillips
attention was arrested by an an
nouncement of the opening of the
Rialto Saloon and Theatcr, Miller &
| Best nroDrietors. CHALLENGED Ly the
name of his former employer and
drawn by the sounds of ,nernment
from within. Pierce entered. He had
he had all but banislled her from
his thoughts in fact: but he deter
mined now to look her tip.
The Rialto was the newest and the
most pretentious of Dawson's amuse-