Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 September 1916 — GOLD [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

GOLD

By STEWART EDWARD WHITE

SYNOPSIS Ward's challenge to Frank Munroe to |l personal encounter to determine whether'* Munroe is fit to make a trip to Califorrib, in search of gold is accepted. a hammerlock on Ward and wins thijtr^out. They ciiopse the Panama route. Ward, it is an old campaigner. On board shijFtbey meet Johnny Fairfax and Tank Rogerji The four become partners. Arriving at Chagres, Talbot Ward’s knowledge of Spanish and his firm treatment of the native boatmen help wonderfully. The party enters a tropical forest. They reach Gatun, and, after passing through several villages where Ward always diplpmaticallv handles the natives, they arrive in Panama. Ward forces steamship agent to refund passage money because Ship isn't available. Yank has provided accommodations for all- on board a hailing ship. They arrive in San Francisco. * ' CHAPTER Vlll. Start to Make Money. WE found the City hotel offered exactly the same conditions as did-the Parker House, except that the proprietor was curt and had no time for us at all. Prom that point, still dissatisfied, we extended our investigations beyond the Plaza. We found ourselves ankle deep In sandhills on which grew coarse grass and a sort of sage. Crazy, ramshackle huts made of all sorts of material were perched in all sorts of places. Hundreds of tents had been pitched, beneath which and in front of which an extremely simple housekeeping was going in. Hunt as we might we could find no place that looked as though it would take lodgers. Most of even the better looking houses were simply tiny skeletons covered with paper, cloth or paint. By painstaking persistence we kept at it until we had inquired of every building of any pretensions. Then, somewhat discouraged, we picked our way hack to the shore after our heavier goods. The proprietor of the Parker House greeted us with unabated good nature. “I know how you boys feel,” said lie. "There’s lots in your fix. You’d better stick here tonight arid then get organized to camp out if you’re going to be here long. I suppose, though, you’re going to the mines. Well, it'll take you several days to make your plans and get ready. When you get back from the mines you won’t have to think about these things.” “There’s plenty of gold?” ventured Johnny. “Bushels.” “I should think you’d he up there.” “I don’t want any better gold mine than the old Parker House,” said he comfortably. We paid him $24. By now it was late in the afternoon. The wind had dropped, but over the hills to seaward rolled a soft beautiful bank of fog. The sun was blotted out behind it, and a chill fell. The crowds about the Plaza thinned. We economized our best at supper, but had to pay some $8 for the four of us. The bill was ala carte and contained such items as grizzly steak, antelope, elk and wild duck and goose. Grizzly steak, I remember, cost a dollar and a quarter. By the time we had finished it had grown dark. The lamps were alight, and the crowds were beginning to gather. All the buildings and the/ big tent next door were a blaze of illumination. The sounds of music and singing came from every side. A holiday spirit was in the air. Johnny and I were crazy to be up -and doing, hut Talbot sternly repressed us, and Yank agreed with his decision by an Unusually emphatic nod. “It is all a lot of fun, I’ll admit,” said he, “but this is business, and we’ve got to face il. Sit down here on the edge of this veranda, and let’s talk things over. Etow nguch money have you got, l T ank?” % “Two hundred and twenty dollars,” replied Yank promptly. “You’re partners with me, Frank, so I know our assets,” said Talbot with tact. “Johnny?” “Hanged if I know,” replied that youth. “I’ve got quite a lot. I keep Jt in my pack.” “Well, go find out,” advised Talbot." Johnny was gone for some time. We smoked and listened to the rather blatantly mingled strains of music and wached the figures of men hurrying by in the. spangled darkness. Johnny returned very much excited. “I’ve been robbed!” he cried. “Robbed? Is your money all gone?” “No; there’s a little left, but”— Talbot laughed quietly. “Sit down, Johnny, and cool off,” he advised. “If anybody had robbed yon they’d have taken the whole kit and kaboodle. Did you come out ahead on those monte games?” Johnny blushed and laughed a little. “I see what you’re at, but you’re away off there. I just played for small stakes.” “And lost a jlot of them. I sort of look out .tout l game. But that’s all

right. How much did the ‘robbers’ leave you?*’ “Twelve dollars besides what I have in my clothes, s2l in all,” said Johnny. “Well, that's pretty good. You beat

“ We’ve got to ruetle up $220 each.” Frank and me to death. There’s our total assets,” said Talbot and laid a ten dollar gold piece and a dime on his knee. “Well call that dime a curiosity," said he, “for I notice a quarter is .the smallest coin they use out here. Now you see that we’ve got to talk business. Frank and I haven’t got enough to live on for one more day.” “There’s enough among ns” — began Yank. “You mean you already have your share of the partnership finances,” corrected Talbot quickly. “If we’re going to be partners, and that’s desired and understood, I suppose”—we all nodded emphatic agreement—“we must all put in the same amount. I move that said amount be $220 apiece. Yank, you can loaf tomorrow. You’ve got your share all made up. You can put in the day finding out all about getting to the mines and how much it costs and what we will need.” “All right; I’ll do it,” said Yank. “As for the rest of us,” cried Talbot, “we’ve got to rustle up $220 each before tomorrow evening!” “How?*’ I asked blankly. “How should I know? Oqt there” — he waved his hand abroad at the flickering lights—“there is the Golden City, challenging every man as he enters her gates. She offers opportunity and forturie. All a man lias to do is go and take them! Accept the challenge!” “The only way I could take them would he to lift them off some other fellow at the point of a gun,” said Johnny gloomily. We talked the situation over thoroughly and then turned in, having lost our chance to see the sights. Beneath us and in the tent next door went on a tremendous row of talking, laughing and singing that for a little while prevented me from falling asleep. But the set month had done wonders for me ip that way, and shortly I dropped off. Hours later I awakened, shivering with cold, to find the moonlight pouring into the room and the bunks all occupied. My blanket had disappeared, which accounted for my dreams of icebergs. At first I felt inclined to raise a row, then thought better of it and by careful manipulation abstracted two good blankets from the most unprotected of my neighbors and soon slept soundly. We went downstairs and out into the sweetest of mornings. The sun was bright, the sky clear and blue. The wind had not yet risen; balmy warmth showered down through every particle of the ail. I had felt some May days like this back on our old farm. Somehow they were assoclateekln my mind with Sunday morning and the drawling, lazy clucking of hens. Only here there were no hens, and if it was Sunday morning—which it might have been —nobody knew it. We ate frugal breakfast and separated on the agreed business of the day. Yank started for the waterfront to make inquiries as to ways of getting to the mines, Talbot set off at a businesslike pace for the hotel as though he knew fully what he was about, Johnny wandered rather aimlessly to the east, and I as aimlessly to the west. It took me just one hour to discover that I could get all of any kind of work that any dozen men could do and at wages so high thgt at first I had to ask over and over again to make sure I had heard aright. Only none of them would bring me in $220 by evening. The further I looked into that proposition the more absurd, of course, I saw it to be. I could earn from S2O to SSO by plain day labor at some jobs, or I could get fabulous salaries by tlfe month or year, but that was different. After determining this to my satisfaction I came to tlje sensible contusion that I would make what I :ould. The first thing that caught my eye after I had come to this decision was a wagon drawn by four mules coming down the street at a slow walk. The sight did not impress me particularly, but every storekeeper came out from his shop and every passerby stopped to look with respect as the outfit wallowed along. It was driven by a very large, grave, blond man with a twinkle In his eye. “That’s John A. McGlynn,” said a man next my elbow. “Who’s he?” I asked. The man looked at me In astonishment “Don’t know who John McGlynn is?” he demanded. “When did you get here?" / “Last night” “Oh! Well. John haw the only Amer-

i\au wagon in town. Broiffclit it out *om xetv York i« pieces and put tt together himself. Broke fo>ur wild California mules to drag her. He’s a wonder!” I could not then see quite how this exploit made him such a wonder, but on a sudden inspiration I splashed out through the mud and climbed into the wagon. McGlynn looked back at me. “Freightin',” said he, *'is S2O a ton, and at that rate it’ll cost you about S3O, you dirty hippopotamus. These ain’t no safe movers, these mules!” Unmoved, I clambered up beside him. “I want a job,” said I, “for today ohly.” “Do ye now?” “Can you give me one?” “I can, mebbe. And do you understand the inner aspirations of mules, mebbe?” “I was brought up on a farm.” “And the principles of elementary navigation by dead reckoning?” I looked at him blankly. “I mean mudholes,” he explained. “Can you keep out of them?” “I can try.” He pulled up the team, handed me the reins and clambered over the wheel. “You’re hired. At 6 o’clock I’ll find you and pay you off. You get $25.” “What am I to do?” “You go to the shore, and you rustle about whenever you see anything that looks like freight, and you look at It, and when you see anything marked with a diamond and an II inside of it you pilo it on and take it up to Howard Mellin & Co. And If you can’t lift it, then leave it for another trip, and bullyrag those skinflints at H. M. & Co.’s to send a man down to help you.” “What’s that, John?” inquired a cool, amused voice. McGlynn and I looked around. A tall, perfectly dressed figure stood on the sidewalk surveying us quizzically. This was a smooth shaven man of i>erhaps thirty-five years of age, grave faced, clean cut, with an air of rather ponderous, slow dignity that nevertheless became his style very well. He was dressed In tall white hat, a white winged collar, a black stock, a long tailed blue coat with gilt buttons, an embroidered white waistcoat, dapper buff trousers and varnished bobts. He carried a polished cane arid wore several heavy pieces of gold jewelry—awatch fob, a scarf pin, and the like. His movements were leisurely, his voice low. It seemed to me then that somehow the perfection of his appointments anil the calm deliberation of his movement made him more incongruous anil remarkable than did the most bizarre whims of the miners. “Is it yourself, Judge Girvin?” re-

plied McGlynn. “I’m just telling this young man that he can’t have the job of driving my little California canaries for but one day because I’ve hired a fine lawyer from the east at $275 a month to drive my mules for me.” “You have done well,” said Judge Girvin in his grave, courteous tones. “For the whole business of a lawyer is to know how to manage mules and asses so as to make them pay.” I enjoyed my day hugely. My eminent position on the driver’s seat—eminent lloth actually and figuratively—gave me n fine opportunity to see the sights and to enjoy the homage men seemed inclined to accord the only wagon in town. The feel of the warm air was' most grateful. Such difficulties as offered served merely to add zest to the job. At noon I ate some pilot bread and a can of sardines bought from my employers. About 2 o’clock the wind came up from the sea and the air filled with the hurrying clouds of dust. At 5 o’clock a small boy boarded me. “You’re to drive the mules up to McGlynn’s and unhitch them and leave them,” said he. “I’m to show you the way.” “Where’s McGlynn?” I asked. “He’s getting his mail.” (To be continued.)

“lt'll cost you about $30, you dirty hippopotamus.’’