Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise., 1937-10-08
CHAPTER II


Kenzie Joe nodded.
"I've ordered new suit for it."
Jack stared. "Are you going over?"
The older man pretended casual
air. He reached for his shovel and
pick, preparatory to moving up the
trail toward the test shaft.
"Yeh, figured 1 might drop in and
slap a few drinks under my belt"
Jack Hammond's jaw fell.
you're not going to do that, Joe?"
His tone bore the portent of impend-
ing calimity. Mckenzie shouldered
his pick and shovel.
"What's wrong about that? You
went down to Seattle and got drunk,
didn't you?"
"But-"
81 figure if one partners got right
to get drunk, the other ones got the
same privilege"
eyes, guess you have, Joe." Ham,
mond's features were clouded. The ell
der man started away, then paused.
"Say, seen you on the upper flat
yesterday with couple of men. What
were you doing?"
It was the last question Jack de-
sired to answer.
"Oh, just looking around"
"In other words, figuring out a
place to test that wild-eyed theory of
yours, that the Big Moose swung ov-
er toward the B. C. hills. That it?"
"Well-since you put it that way"
"And you didn't take me into your
confidence"
"I've tried to talk to you about it
a dozen times" the younger man said
desperately.
"And I've tried to talk you out of
it. But there's somebody else, stron-
er'n I am"
Jack caught the meaning. His lips
became colorless.
"See here" he argued. "I'm not
trying to stop you from working the
way you see fit. Why shouldn't the
rule work both ways? Pm paying the
bills on this experiment of mine. No
matter whose idea is right we'll share
and share alike.
"Um humph," Mckenzie Joe rolled
his tongue and stared far up the val
ley. II knew another fellow like you
once, Jack. He got an idea that he
had to go after things on a grand
scale. First thing he knew all his
money was gone. And he had to sell
out"
That's idiotic."
"So's your idea," said Joe bluntly.
Hammond's eyes snapped.
You're only saying that because
you've got prejudice against any
thing that's modern or sensible. All
you want to do is waste everybody's
time, staggering around blindfolded!'
Heatedly he swung down the step
then and headed for the village. Nc
Kenzie Joe stared after him, a not
unklndly light in his troubled eyes.
Nov 1 know I'm goin' over to
Whoopee and get drunk" he unused
at last.
For that matter, Hammond knew it
too, and the knowledge helped consid-
erably to cool his anger as he pounded
along the trail toward his placer
claims. Getting drunk, with McKen-
zie Joe, was like a plague of locusts
or spring flood. Something disas-
trous always happened. At last, Jack
turned from the trail and went into
Jeanne's store for tin of tobacco.
You look worried" she said,
Il am. Joe has announced that he's
going to get drunk Thursday night"
WELL" she laughed, "hell have plen
ty OF company" Jeanne was much
more buoyant these days. Lew Slade
had not come again to Sapphire. In
fact, Kenning had told Jack that the
man had purchased one of several
newly imported canoes and gone down
the lake, prospecting. Enough that
he had departed. Jeanne went on. "You
won't have to call out the reserves
when Joe gets going?"
Jack remained serious.
"It's really pretty terrible, Jeanne.
Cracked heads and all that"
"But you's going to be with him
to see that he doesn't get hurt"
81 can't leave something al
ways happens when I do"
Jeanne smiled.
maybe he'll fool you this time and
be good"
Here's hoping" Jack felt better
now. Strangely, he always felt bet
ter after he had talked to jeanne