Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 84, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 January 1917 — GOLD [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

GOLD

By STEWART EDWARD WHITE

SYNOPSIS Talbot Ward’s challenge to Frank Munroe to a personal encounter to determine whether Munroe is fit to make a trip to California In search of gold Is accepted. Munroe gets a hammerlock on Ward and wins the bout. Arriving at Chagres, Talbot Ward’s knowledge of Spanish and his flrm treatment of tile native boatmen help wonderfully The party enters a tropical forest. They reach Gatun, and, after passing through several villages where Ward always diplomatically handles the natives, they arrive in Panama. Ward puts It up to each man to get 1220 in one day. Munroe makes $25 as a laborer. Johnny gambles and gets $220. Ward astounds the party ,by telling how, by shrewd business deals in one day in the Golden City, he' accumulated several thousand dollars. The party dig their first gold, are not much encouraged when told that’ the value of ’their first pan is 12 cents. Don Gaspar, a Spaniard, and his mann yant Vasquez join forces with the trio and the gold is divided into five parts. After working like beavers several days the miners decide to take a day off and attend a miners’ meeting in town. For sls a week in gold and a drink of whisky twice a day Bagsby promises to Head the party to a rich unexplored mining country. A band of Indians come into the camp to trade. They are thankful for blankets. Later the Indians attempt an ambuscade, but are routed- by rifle shots. Johnny and his express messenger friends arrest tWo of the Hounds who are tried for robbery. The lawless element controls the trial and the Hounds are freed. Robberies grow more frequent as the lawless element holds sway. McNally and Buck Barry are murdered after the fewless element gets control of the dty. Danny Randall organizes a vigilance committee. It Is decided to publicly hang the leaders of the lawless element. The camp buzzes with excitement. Outbursts of the friends of the doomed men are checked by the determined attitude of Danny Randall and his committee.

CHAPTER XXVIII. Johnny Buys a Drink. THE place was full of new buildings, some of them quite elaborate two story structures of brick, and elevated plank sidewalks had taken the place of the old makeshifts. Although the Plaza was still the center of town, the streets immediately off it had gained considerable dignity and importance. There were many clothing stores and a number of new saloons and gambling houses. As we were picking our way along we ran into an old acquaintance in the person of the captain of the Panama. He recognized us at once, and we drew up for a chat. After we had exchanged first news Johnny asked him if he knew of a place where a fair price could be raised on the diamond. “Why, the jewelry store is your ticketj of course,” replied the captain. “So there’s a jewelry store, too!” cried Johnny. “And a good one,” supplemented the -captain. “Come along. I’M take you to it.” It was a good one and carried a large stock of rings, chains, pins, clocks, watches and speaking trumpets. The latter two items were the most prominent, for there were hundreds of watches and apparently thousands of speaking trumpets. They stood in rows on the shelves and depended in ranks from hooks and nails. Most of them were of Silver or of silver gilt, and they were plain,(.chased, engraved, hammered or repoussed, with always an ample space for inscription. After Johnny had concluded a satisfactory arrangement for his diamond I remarked on the preponderance of speaking trumpets. The man grinned rather maliciously at our captain. “They are a very favorite article for presentation by grateful passengers after a successful sea trip,” he said smoothly. . At this our captain exploded. “Are they?” he boomed. “I should think they were! I’ve got a dozen of the confounded things, and as I’ve just got in from a trip I’m expecting another any minute. Good Lord,” he cried as a group of men turned in at the door, “here come some of my passengers now! Come along! Let’s get out of this!” He dragged us out a back door into a very muddy back alley, whence we floundered to dry land with some difficulty. “That was a narrow escape!” he cried, wiping his brow. “Let’s go get a drink. I know the best place.” He led us to a very ornate saloon whose chief attraction was the fact that its ceiling was supported on glass pillars. We duly admired this marvel tend then wandered over to the polished mahogany bar, where we were Joined by the half dozen loafers who had. been lounging around the place. These men did not exactly join us, but they stood expectantly near. Nor were they disappointed. .... i “Come, let’s all take a drink, boys!” Cried the captain heartily. ’ ■ • "They named and tossed off their liquor and then without a word of fare-

Well or thanks shambled back to their roosting places. - —■ “Wkht’s the matter, Billy?” demanded the captain, looking about curiously. “Where’s your usuhl crowd?’ “They’re all down at the Verandah,” replied the barkeeper, passing a cloth over the satiny wood of the bar* “Dorgad’s got a girl tending bar. Pays her sojffe ungodly wages, and he’s getting all the crowd. He’d better make the most of it while it lasts. She won’t stay a week.” - “Why not?” I asked curiously, “Married, sure,” replied the barkeeper briefly. •

■ "And tEe glass" pi77ars _ wffr STWays be here, eh, Billy?” suggested the captain. “Nevertheless I believe well just wander down and look her over.” “Sure,” said Billy indifferently. “That’s where all the rest are.” The Verandah, situated on the Plaza, was crowded to the doors. Behind the bar slaved a half dozen busy drink* mixers. The girl, and a very pretty girl she was, passed the drinks over the counter and took in the dust. We did not try to get near the bar, but after a few moments regained the street. The captain said farewell, and we hunted up by his direction the New York Tonsorial Emporiudn There we had $5 worth of various things done to us, after which we bought new clothes. The old ones we threw out into the street along with a vast collection of others contributed by our predecessors. “Now,” said Johnny. “I feel like a new man. And before, we go any farther I have a little duty to perform.” “Which is?” -

“Afiother drink at the sign of the Glass Pillars, or whatever they cal] the place.” “We don’t want anything more to drink just now,” I protested. “Oblige me in-this one treat.” said Johnny in his best manner. We entered the Arcade, as the bar was called. At once the loafers moved forward. Johnny turned to them witn an engaging air of friendliness. “Come on, boys, let’s all take a drink!” he cried. The glasses were poured. Johnny

raised his. The others followed puit. Then all drained them simultaneously and set down the empty glasses. “And now,” went on Johnny in the same cheerful, friendly tone, “let's all pay for them!” The loafers stared at him a moment. One growled menacingly, but fell silent under his clear glance. One or two others forced a laugh. I’nder Johnny’s compelling eye they all paid. Billy, behind the bar, watched with sardonic amusement. When Johnny proffered his dust the barkeeper thrust it back. . . ■ ' “My treat here,’* said he briefly. b “But” — objected Johnny. ' “It’s a privilege.” “If you put it that way, I thank you, sir,” said Johnny in his grandest manner, and we walked out. “Those bums i made me tired,” was his only comment |to us. “Now* let’s go Hunt up Talbot. I’ll bet my extinct toothbrush .that he’s a well known citizen around here.” Johnny’s extinct toothbrush was perfectly safe. The first man of-whom ! we inquired told us where our friend i lived and added the gratuitous information that the Ward block was near-, ing completion. We looked up the hotel, a new one on Montgomery street. The clerk spoke with respect of Talbot and told us we would probably find him at one of the several places of business he mentioned or at the Ward block. We thanked him and went direct to the Ward block first., AU; ft

us confessed to a great desire see that building. It was to beA three story brick structure, and was situated at one cornel* of the Plaza. We gazed upon it with appropriate awe, for we were accustomed to logs and canvas, find to some extent we were able to realize what Imported bricks and the laying of them meant. The foreman told us that Talbot had gone 'but ‘'Mission way" with Sam Brannan and some others to look at some property and would not be back until late. Johnny and I spent the rest of the afternoon wandering about. Yank retired to the soft chairs of one of the numerous gambling places. His broken leg would not stand so much tramp? ing. . r In the evening, as Talbot had not yet returned, we wandered from one place of amusement to another. The gambling places were more numerous, more elaborate, more important than (fever. Beside the usual rough looking rniners and laborers, who were in tbe great majority, there were small groups of substantial, grave, important looking men conferring. I noticed again the contrast with the mlnij l !? camp gambling halls in the matter of Here was heard but the clink of coin or the dull thud of gold dust, a low murmur of- conversation or an occasional full voiced exclamation.

Johnny, who could never resist the tables, was soon laying very small stakes on monte. After a time I tired of the close, air and heavy smoke and slipped away. The lower part of the town was impossible on account of the mud, so I made my way out along the edge of the hills. The moon was sailing overhead. The shadows of the hin<s hnne doen in the hollows ond abruutr a wide landscape slept mine unearthly radiance. A thousand thousand cheerful frogs piped up a chorus against the brooding moon stillness they could not quite break. After the glare of the Arcade and the feverish hum and bustle of the busy new city this still peace was almost overpowering. I felt somehow' that I dared not give way to it all at once, but must admit its influence trickle by trickle until my spirit had become a little accustomed. Thus gradually I dropped into a reverie. The toil, excitement, strain, striving of the past eigfot or nine months fell swiftly into the background. I relaxed, and in the calm of the relaxation for the first time old memories found room. How long I had tramped, lost in this dreaming, I did not know, but at some point I must have turned back, for I came to somewhere near the .end of Sacramento street, if it could be said to have-an end, to find the moon far up toward the zenith. A man overtook me, walking rapidly. I caught the gleam of a watch chain, and on 'ft sudden impulse I turned toward him. “Can you tell me what time it Is?” I asked. The man extended his watch in the moonlight and silently pointed to its face with the muzzle of a revolver! “Half past 12,” said he. “Good Lord!’ I cried, with a shout of laughter. “Do you take me for a robber, Talbot?’

(T 6 be continued.)

There We Had $5 Worth of Various Things Done to Us.

The Man Silently Pointed to Its Face With the Muzzle of a Revolver.