Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1926-07-01

gravel pit. dug into the side Of tn
ridge. used probably for roadmakin
purposes. The pit had been bite
out In the shape OF a horseshoe ant
standing where one OF the calks woui
come. he saw dllapldated shed froE
the roof OF which smoke was risin
through a rusty stove pipe. A man
leaning against the open door, sur
veyed him curiously.
Caleb nodded to him as he wake.
over to the shack, crunchlng through
the gravel. The man was lank ans
tall. stopped Of shoulder and construct
ed of chest. A hooked nose stuck out
boldly from the peaked and sunker
face between eyes that glittered
strangely. Long hair fell below his
shirt collar
AS he rested against the door jamb
at OF coughing attacked him and he
shook with Il like reed In the wind
He was so helpless In the grip OF the
attack that Caleb hurried to support
him. thinking him about to fall.
But the violent efforts ceased and
the man rallied. smiling wanly, with
a grimy handkerchief set to his lips
Caleb caught sight Of telltale fiecks
Of bright-red blood quickly folded into
the rag. The cough was from the
lungs. the man tubercular.
as all right. stranger" said the
man. ave bin a sight worse. I'm
gettin It baked out OF me here. Lungs
teched but they're healln'. Fishin'.
are yer Better work up to the canyon
yonder. No use wastln' yore time
down here. Folly the road below the
pit an then trail the crick. It's tough
goln'. SHE'S chokIn', what little they
Is OF IT,"
~AIostly gravel underneath. to judge
by the pit" Caleb answered. Thanks
for the tip. Have a cigarl"
The man took It wolfshly and bit
on the end.
Caleb gave him a match.
Il thought that perhaps you owned
the gravel pit"
"Aie. don't own nothin'. 'Cept
this cough. and I'm willin' to get shet
Of that. Mines a charity job. It's
good gravel an the hin makes 1t handy
to git at ! can't work at my trade
no longer. 1t takes II out OF me, you
see"
Caleb didn't see. The glitter In the
mans eyes was not so much that Of
fever as Of the spirit. he decided. He
fancied him a little demented, By way
OF being a crank or a fanatic
I'm glad the lands worth some
thing" he said TT doesn't look like
II" The man shot over a quick, burn
ing look.
That's to them as looks only on
the surface" he said.
''What do you meant"
The man led the way into the shack.
From the two-by-fours that supported
the corrugated iron roof hung some
switches Of freshly cut willow and
hazel Some were old and dried. And
all were f0rked.
"Know what those are7' asked the
man. ''Them's divinin' rods. I'm a
divlner. A Water-Finder That's my
trade. It's the power within me that
goes out an leaves me weak. Too
weak to work at IT, Each Job means
another nail In the lid Of my coffin.
Aebbe you're one OF them that laugh
at it7" he demanded 1ercely. "But
there's many In the upper valley as
has blessed me when ] showed 'em
where to bore. q A~- I
The thing seemed uncanny. Yet.
somehow. 1t fitted in. The bunch
stirred In his brain. To Caleb, under
the spell Of his vision. It seemed pre-
destined that he, the Water-B Bearer,
should meet this Water-Finder to con-
firm his hope, a living signpost that (
he was on the track.
He knew that within the year the
French Academy OF Sciences had ac- {
,epted the demonstration OF mum
,er OF scientifically controlled cases
where the swater-diyinIng rod" had {
,roved beyond a doubt that certain (
persons were gifted with the power TO 4
discover subterranean springs and I
reservoirs Scientists did not attempt d
o explain the mystery, but accepted
he phenomenon and were making II .
ne suDJect OF expert research 10 dls-
over the natural causes
Il have known many cases back in
he East. where come from, eafeb
aid, where water has been found v
y the use Of the rod Il
The man was instantly Modified.
"Ah," he said. @1f's all true. ]
int quite human. mebbe. It's a gift "
he power. Like a mediums. Super T.
atural. The spirits talk to me about Al
sometimes. I'd like to show ye. but Il
m too weak. But you can take my
ord for tine. David Evans, the
felsh water-Finder. what's discovered "
score OF wells north Of Coyote crick; fe
lat there's water all under here al
nder this gravel IA