Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-04


terings Of old Jim Bledsoe within sight and
earshot. Thus, midway between checking sat-
1sfaction and a vague regret, he bore down
upon Jim Bledsoe tanning reluctant FIRE In
the early morning light.
THEY had greeted each other with clipped
masculine monoSyllables and lapSed speed
lily into the grateful silence Of long association.
AS Wheelock had guessed fish had been fash
ing IN the sunlight Of Heron Creek for above
the inevitable pungence OF coffee and warming
bacon grease there rose the sweetsh odor Of trout
browning to turn. The meal ended
two pipes sent out the villainous perfumes of
male contentment, and Jim Bledsoe turning
his faded blue eyes upon his partner, said:
81" How'd things turn out back of Antelope?"
Hank Wheeock pulled up to the bitter task
before him.
They didn't. got to thinking things
over on the way back. Jim Bledsoe, we amt
gettin nowhere"
The blue eyes continued to stare at Hank
Wheelock with bland tolerance
Yer mean yer want to break the partner
ship"
Il was thinking of it."
"Pshaw not now, Hank-not after nigh
onto 40 years" ..'
That's just ito years." Hank Wheelock's
voice rose with sort of desperate vehemence
We've just been dead weight to each other
somehow. You'll say, Wait for the next
housed" is.
look of bewilderment crept into Jim Bled-
soe's glance. You're wrong there Hank.
amt said nothin'. was just waitin' to sur
prise yer. but up Heron Falls way there's .
prospect that"
A low, cultural laugh two-edged with con-
tempt sent Jim Bledsoe's revelation scatter
ing. .s. 49, ~ ~. p.
.'ProSpects-up by Heron Falls! .. II
guess q mess of fish now and then's about all
yerll ever take out Of that country! I
heerd tell Of your prospects before!"
Jim Bledsoe fumbled for his tobacco pouch,
and his hand shook. Eyer right Hank Vince
lock- he said in a voice that was much too
high and clear and confident. TITS time you
and me was quittin'." e.-
the evening meal. He was ready for the trail
blanket roll, canteen and canvas bag snug with
essentials.
I'm going over to Heron Falls" he said
without rancor, land after that I'll drop down
to Potterville. .. Amt nuthin' can do for
yer down that way Is there?"
Hank came to his feet How about divid-
ing things up?" rs.
Jim Bledsoe swept the issue aside with q
gesture of indifference Amt much to divyy.
Is there? few camp contraptions and q pack
animal. fggered you'd need 'em more than
Aic. \ WOAl NC WHO muCn longer.
. HIS voice was untinged with patronage, yet
his words brought the blood to Hank Whee-
locks forehead. I'D rather we cleaned up
right" he threw back savagey.
Jim Bledsoe shrugged. "Tve got all the best
OF 1t now!" he answered.
Hank Wheelock twisted his lips into smile
''Well, II you're satisfied. :" he said.
The sound Of old Jim Bledsoe stunning into
the darkness wind drawing up the mesa
the piercing wall Of coyote. After
40 years! -.
He lay all night beside the campfire, gazing
up at the stars An extraordinary sense Of
freedom possessed him. He had no one to
answer to now except God and His outline
had grown too vague to throw any shadow.
Curious how irksome a human relationship
could become! Not that old Jim Bledsoe ever
meddled, but he was always there an unescap-
able fact to be reckoned with.
After all, the camp equipment and the pack
animal did mean something at this stage. He'd
have bit of travelling about to do. To begin
with, he'd have to go into Potterville to at
tend to thousand legal details after he had =
staked his claim properly. Yesterday, under
the spell Of his outstanding discovery. he had
thought in terms of quickly matured plans:
he saw now that weeks, months must elapse
before they would swing forward. And he'd
need handful of money for the preliminaries
too. If the country back of Antelope had only
yielded decent pocket Of ore! Perhaps if he
pushed on little farther. He knew huddle
of hills just beyond Mesquite Ridge that he
had always thought of promising.
He decided to start at daybreak. fever
of anxiety suddenly swept him. With the post
ponement Of his triumph came sickening fear
that he had overestimated the whole circum-
stance, What if the outcroppings he had come
upon were just that and nothing more? 1t
wasn't likely, leaStways he'd never heard Of it,
but 1t might! One always thought of borax
marshes as the dried beds of inland seas but
he supposed they could be as easily the wash