The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1927-05-20
CHAPTER XII-Continued

one of the half-burned mesquite roots,
raked together PardalOe's scattered
embers, and after patient effort, got
a tiny blaze Pickering. Having done
this, he sat down on the blanket near
the hearth, put out the lantern, and
advised Tracy to 60 to sleep.
"What'll you be doin'?p asked the
drowsy Tracy.
''I'll sit here for a while. @Give me
your cards, Bill"
Pardaloe had brought In an extra
blanket for Selwood, who was cough
ing. AS he reached into his capacious
hip pocket for the cards, he framed
an apology. "They're gummed up
some, john"
"No matter" returned Selwood
CURLY. "Give me the cards."
Pardaloe handed the chilly gambler
the greasy cards and withdrew.
Tracy's talk gradually subsidized; he
was soon asleep. In the uneven play
of light from the hearth, Selwood, the
blanket spread before him. mechan-
ically shuffled Pardaloe's cards.
Absorbed and silent. he held the
pack in his left hand. impassively
slipped the cards one by one to his
right and faced them slowly on the
blanket-pausing at intervals to mark
their sequence and to read in it the
answer to the question he kept ask
ing.
Pardaloe came in with a handful of
wood ripped from window shutter
and fed it, silently and skillfully, to
Selwood's fire. When the blaze suit
ed him, he turned on his hinges to
read the story the cards were telling
He kept silence till Selwood had fin
ished. dead man in 'em tonight-eh,
John?" he said in an undertOne.
"A dead man." responded Selwood
composedly. and added: This last
time there's something new, Bill"
whats that?"
"A dead woman"
Pardaloe, cramping his grizzly neck
at the surprising words. bent his
beady eyes close down on the fate
bearing sequence. He stared for a
moment. Then without words he drew
back his head; the dead woman was
there.
Tracy slept only little while long
er. Pardaloe had gone to the wagon.
and Selwood felt presently that his
:, partner was awake-and that very
prebably he lay watching him; but
Selwood himself had no desire to
break the silence. Tracy did not lie
quiet long.
"What you doing there, John?" he
asked at length-with something Of
a growl. ut looks to me as If one
of us, anyway, ought to be in Sleepy
Cat a night like this. Everything
we've got up there in the world is at
stake"
Everything I've got up there,
Dave" amended Selwood. You're a
mine-owner now-I'm just plain gam
bier; remember that-will you?" He
spoke the last two words with touch
of acid sharpness that did not often
creep into his tone. Tracy recognized
in it an invitation to quit. "Ive been
back up there tonight, since brought
you down." volunteered Selwood, to
break the brusqueness of his earlier
tone. "The Vigilantes are holding
our part of the town, and they
changed their minds, somehow, about
burning us. Abe Cole told me we
were safe. OF course, the other fell
lows might try it-but just imagine
they'll have most of the bunch on
the telegraph poles by morning-if
they've got enough poles. DAVE
Selwood asked the question In his ac-
customed kindly fashion you've
played the cards good while,
haven't you?"
ever since j was big enough ia
set up m play euchre with my dad.
Coin nigh on forty year," grumblei
the old man, appeased in turn by the
friendlier tone of his protege.
do you believe In 'em, Dave?"
II believe in the cards." answered
Tracy meditatively, "all the time. !
believe in dogs most o. the time; not
many men I believe In airy time"
do you believe in dead men,
Dave?" asked Selwood.
"Don't talk foolishness," retorted
Tracy. sand" he added with deeper
pessimism, 81 don't believe. In no
women none o. the time"
Pardaloe stuck his head in through
, the shack door just in time to hear
rracy's words. Fright for once
partner" he half beloved. dead
right-every word right"
Selwood showed. impatience. awake
Bob," he said to Pardaloe shortly.
Hitch up the horses. Well be pull
ing out of here pretty quick" \
(which way you headin'?" askel
Tracy as Pardaloe disappeared. His
tone was irritating, and the question
found Selwood irritable. II don't know
and don't care much" he answered
indifferently.
swell, I'll tell you," remarked
Tracy; 'if you'll take me back to
Sleepy Cat you'll oblige me- Oughtn't