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A BucReye Hollow Inheritance
j» CONTINUED FROM FIRST PACE *
have been tlte onlj" thing that still pros
pered in that ^ettl« ment of man.
The cabin itself, built of unpointed
beards, consisted of a sitting room, dining
room, kitchen and two bedrooms, all
plainly furnished, although one of the
bedrooms was bel ter ordered, and dis
played certain sigMS of feminine decora
tion which madle -Jackson believe it had
been his cousin’s ire«m. Luckily the slight
temporary structnire bore no deep traces
of its previous octsupancy to disturb him
with its memorie a. and for the same rea
son it gained in c (tianllness and freshness:
the dry dessicat tag summer wind that
blew through it l.!»ud carried away both
the odors and thte sense of domesticity;
even the adobe hearth had no fireside
tales to tell; its v ery ashes had been scat
tered 'by the wind s. and the gravestone of
its dead owner o n the hill was no more
flavorless of his personality than was this
plain house in which he had lived and
died. The excess tve vegetation produced
by the stlrred-up soil had covered anil
hidden the empty tin cans, broken boxes
and fragments of clothing which usually
heaped and litter; ;d the tent pegs of the
pioneer. Nature's own profusion had
thrust them into c<bscurity. Jackson Wells
smiled as he recalled his sanguine part
ner’s idea of a treasure trove concealed
and stuffed in the crevices of this tene
ment—already so palpably picked clean
by those wholesome scavengers of Cali
fornia—the dry air and burning sun. Vet
be was not displeased at this obliteration
of a previous tenancy; there was the bet
ter chance- for him to originate something.
He whistled hopefully as he lounged with
his hands in his pockets toward the only
fence and gate that gave upon the road.
Something stuck up on the gatepost at
tracted his attention. Tt was a sheet of
paper bearing the inscription in a large
hand: “Notice to Trespassers. Look out
for the Orphan Robber!” A plain sign
board in fade* black letters on the gale
which had borne the legend; "Quincy
Wells, dealer in Frtilt and Vegetables,”
had been rudely altered in chullt to read.
“Jackson Wells. Double Dealer in Wilis
and Codicils:’’ and the Intimation "Bou
quets sold here" had been changed to
"Bequests stole here.” For an instant
the simple minded Jackson failed 'to dis
cover any significance of this outrage—
which seemed to him to be merely the
wanton mischief of a schoolboy. But a
sudden recollection of the lawyer's cau
tion sent the blood to his cheeks and kin
dled his indignation, lie tore down the
paper and rubbed out the chalk interpola
tion—and then laughed at his own anger.
Nevertheless he would not have liked his
belligerent partners to see it.
A little curious to know the extent of
this feeling, he entered one of the shops
and by one or two questions, which judi
ciously betrayed his ownership of the
property, he elicited only a tradesman’s
interest in a possible future customer,
and the ordinary curiosity in a stranger.
The barkeeper of the hotel was civil, but
brief and gloomy. He had heard the
property was “willed away" on account
of some family quarrel which "warn’t
none of Ills.” Mr. Wells would find Buck
eye Hollow a mighty dull place after the
mines. Ii was played out—sucked dry
by two or three big mine owners, who
were trying to “freeze out” the other set
tlers so as they might get file place to
themselves and “boom it." Brown, who
had the big house over the hill, was the
head devil of file gang. Wells felt lits in
dignation kindle anew. And this girl that
he had ousted was Brown’s friend. Was
it possible that she was a party to
Brown's designs to get his three acres
with the other lands? If so. his long-
suffering uncle was only just in his re
venge.
He put all this diffidently before his
partners on his return, and was a 1 it tie
startled at their adopting it witli san
guine ferocity. They hoped that he would
put an end to his thoughts of backing
out of it. Such a course now would be
dishonorable to his uncle’s memory. It
was clearly his duty to resist these blast
ed satraps of capitalists; he was provi
dentially selected for the purpose—a vil
lage Hampden to withstand the tyrant.
“And I reckon that shark of a lawyer
knew all about it when he was gett'in’
off that ’purp stuff’ about people’s sympa
thies with the girl," said Rice belligerent
ly. "Contest the will, would he? Why,
if wo caught that Brown with a finger
in the pie we'd just whip up the boys
on this ledge and lynch him. You hang
onto that three acres and the garden
patch of your forefathers, sonny, and
wo’U see you through.”
Nevertheless, it was with some mis
givings that Wells consented that his
three partners should actually accompany
him and see him put in peaceable pos
session of his inheritance. His instinct
told him that there would be no contest
of the will, and still less any opposition
on the part of the obectionable relative.
Brown. When the wagon which contain
er} his personal effects and the few arti
cles of furniture necessary for his occu
pancy of the cabin arrived, the exag
gerated swagger which his companions
nad put on in their passage through the
settlement gave way to a pastoral indo
lence equally half-real, half-affected. Ly
ing on their backs under a buckeye they
permitted Rice to voice the general sen
timent. “There’s a suthin’ soothin’ and
dreamy in this kind o’ life, Jacksy, and
we’ll make a point of cornin’ here for a
couple of days every two weeks to lend
you a band; it will bo a mighty good
change from our nigger work on the
claim.” In spite of this assurance and
the fact that they had voluntarily come
to help hint put the place in order, they
did very little beyond lending a cheering
expression of unqualified praise and un
stinted advice. At the end of four hours’
weeding and trimming the boundaries of
the garden, they unanimously gave their
opinion that it would 'be more systematic
for him to employ Chinese labor at once.
"You sec,’’ said Ned Wyngate, "the Chi
nese naturally take to this kind o' busi
ness. Why, you can’t take up a china
piatc or saucer but you see 'em pictured
1htre working at jobs like this, and then
they kin live on green things and rice
that cost nothin', and chickens—you’ll
keep chickens, of course ”
Jackson thought that Ills hands would
he full enough with the garden, but he
meekly assented. “I'll get a pair—you
only want two to begin with, - ’ continued
Wyngate cheerfully, “and in a month or
two you’ve got all you want and eggs
enough for market. On second thoughts
1 don’t know whether you hadn't better
begin with eggs first. That is, you borry
some eggs from one man and a ben from
another. Then you set 'em. and when the
chickens are hatched out you just return
the hen to the second man, and the eggs,
when your chickens begin to lay, to the
first man. and you’ve got your chickens
for nothing—and there you are."
This ingenious proposition, which was
delivered on the last slope of the domain
where the partners were lying exhausted
from their work was broken In upon by
the appearance of a small boy barefoot
ed, sunburnt and tow-headed, who. after
a moment’s hurried scrutiny of the group,
threw a letter with unerring precision
into the lap of Jackson Wells and then
fled precipitately. Jackson instinctively
suspected he was connected with the out
rage on his fence and gatepost, hut as he
had avoided tei'llng his partners of the
incident, fearing to increase their bellig
erent attitude, he felt now an awkward
consciousness mingled with his indigna
tion as he broke the seal and read as
follows:
“&lr—This is to Inform you that al
though you have got hold of the property
by underhand and sneaking ways, you
ain’t no right to touch or lay your vile
hands on the Cherokee Rose alongside
the house, nor on the Giant of Battles,
nor on the Maiden’s Pride by the gate—
the same being the property of M'iss Jose-
linda Wells, and planted by her, tinder
penalty of the law. And If you or any of
your gang of ruffians touches it or them,
or any thereof, or don’t deliver it up
when called for in good order, you will
be persecuted by them. Avenger.”
It is to be feared that Jackson would
have suppressed this also, but the keen
eyes of his partners, excited by the ab
ruptness of the messenger, were upon
him. He smiled feebly and laid the let
ter before them. But he was unpre
pared for their exaggerated Indignation,
and with difficulty restrained them from
dashing off in the direction of tho van
ished herald. "And what could you do?”
he said. “Tho boy’s only a messenger.”
"I'll got at that skunk. Brown, who’s
back of him," said Dexter Rice.
"And what then?" persisted Jackson,
with a certain rfhow of independence. “If
this stuff belongs to tho girl. I’m not
certain I shan’t give them up without
any fuss. Lord! I want nothing but what
tho old man left me—and certainly noth
ing of hers.’’
Here Ned Wyngate was heard to mur
mur that Jackson was one of those men
who would lie down and let coyotes crawl
over him If they first presented a girl's
visiting card, but he was stopped by Rice
demanding paper and pencil. The former,
being torn from a memorandum book,
and a stub of (he latter produced from
another pocket, lie wrote as follows:
••Sir—in reply to the hog-wash you have
kindly exuded in your letter of today, I
have to Inform you that you can have
what you ask for Miss I\ : ells, and per
haps a t rifle on your own account, by
caljing this afternoon on. Yours truly."
"Now sign it,” continued Rice, hand
ing him the pencil.
“But this will look as if we were angry
and wanted to keep the plants, pro
tested Wells.
“Never you mind, sonny, but sign.
Leave the rest to your partners and
when you lay your bead on your pillow
tonight return thanks to an overruling
Providence for providing you with the
right gang of ruffians to look after you!’’
"Wells signed reluctantly and Wyngate
offered to find a Chinaman In the gulch
who would take the missive. “And be
ing a Chinaman. Brown can do any cus-
sin’ or buck talk through him!” he add
ed.
The afternoon wore on; the tall Doug
las pines near the water pools wheeled
their long snadows round and half way
up the slope, and the sun began to peer
into the faces of the reclining men. Sub
tle odors of mint and southernwood,
stragglers from tne garden, bruised by
their limbs, replaced the fumes of their
smoked-out pipes, and the hammers of
the woodpeckers were busy in the grove
as they lay lazily nibbling the fragrant
leaves like peaceful ruminants. Then
came the sound of approaching wheels
along the Invisible highway beyond the
buckeyes, and then a halt and silence.
Rice rose slowly; bright pin points in
tne pupils of his gray eyes.
"Bringin’ a wagon with him to toto
tho hull shanty away,” suggested Wyn
gate.
“Or fetched his own ambulance.” said
Briggs. Nevertheless after a pause the
wheels presently rolled away again.
"We’d better go and meet him at the
gate,” said Rice, hitching his revolver
holster nearer liis hip. "That wagon
stopped long enough to put down three
or four men.”
They walked leisurely, but silently, to
the gate. It is probable that none of
them believed in a serious collision, but
now the prospect had enough possibility
in it to quicken their pulses. They
reached the gate. But it was still closed;
the road beyond it empty.
“Mebbe they’ve sneaked 'round to the
cabin,” said Briggs, “and are holdin’ it
tion cat. e an instinct of .mbit. He looked
inside.” They were turning quickly In
that direction when Wyngate said,
"Hush! someone's there in the brush
under the buckeyes.” They listened;
there was a faint rustling in the shad
ows.
"Come out o’ that. Brown—into the
open. Don’t be shy,” called out Rice, in
cheerful irony. “We’re waitin’ for ve.”
But Briggs, who was nearest the wood,
here suddenly uttered an exclamation,
“B'gosh!” and fell back, open-mouthed,
upon his companions. They, too, in an
other moment, broke into a feeble laugh,
and lapsed against each other in sheep
ish silence. For a very pretty girl, hand
somely dressed, swept out of the wood,
and advanced toward them.
Even at any time she would have been
an enchanting vision to these men, but
in the glow of exercise and sparkle of
anger she was bewildering, tier won
derful hair, the color of freshly hewn
redwood, had escaped from her hat in
her passage through the underbrush, and
even as she swept down upon them in
her majesty she was jabbing a hairpin
into it with a dexterous feminine ban I.
The three partners turned quite the
color of her hair—Jackson Wells alone
remained white and rigid. She came on,
her very short upper lip showing her
white teeth with i er panting breath.
Rice was first to speak. “I peg—your
pardon, miss—I thought it war Brown—
you know,” he stammered.
But she only turned a blighting brown
eye on the culprit" curled her short lip
till it almost vanished in her scornful
nostrils, drew her skirt aside with a
jerk, and continued her way straight to
Jackson Wells, where she halted.
”\\ e did not know you were—here
alone,” lie said apologetically.
Thought 1 was afraid to come alone,
— didn t you? A\ ell, you see. I’m not.
There!” She made another dive at her
hat and liair and brought the hat down
wickedly over lie’- straight eyebrows.
“Gimme my plants.”
Jackson had been astonished. He
would have scarce'-- recognized in this
willful beauty the red-naireu gir, whom
lie had boyishly hated and wi-n whom
lie had often quarreled. But -here was
a recollection—and with that recollec-
her squarely in the face and io the hor
ror of his partners said: "bay please!”
They had expected to see nim fall-
smitten with the hairpin! But she only
-'-oped and then in bitter irony said:
“Please, Mr. Jackson Wells.”
"I haven't dug them up yet—and it
would serve you just right if I made
y ou get t for yourself. But perhaps my
friends here might ”ou—if you were
civil.” The three partners seized spades
and hoes and rushed forward eagir.y.
"Only show us what you wan .” they said
in one voice. The young girl stared at
them and at Jackson. Then with swift
determination she turned her back scorn
fully upon him and with a dazzling smile
which reduced the three men to absolute
idiocy said to the others: "I’ll show
you,” and marched away to the cabin.
"Ye mustn't mind, Jacksy,” said K.ce,
sycophantic-ally edging to her side, “he’s
so cut up with losing your father that
he loved like a son, he Isn’t h.mself, and
don t seem Know whether to ante up
or pass out. And as for yourself. Miss—
why—what was it he was saytn’ only
just as the young lady came?” he added,
turning abruptly to Wyngate.
“Everything that Cousin Josey planted
with her own hands must be took up
carefully and sent back—even though it’s
killin’ me to part with it." quoted Wyn
gate unblushlngly, as he slouched along
cn tile other side.
Miss Wells’s eyes glared at them—
though her mouth still smiled ravlshlng-
ly. "I’m sura I’m troubling you."
In a few- moments the plants were dug
up and carefully laid together; indeed,
the servile Briggs had added & few that
she had not indicated,
"Would you mind bringing them as far
ns the buggy that’s coming down the
hill?” she said, pointing to a buggy driv
en by a small bo„v, which was slowly ap
proaching the gate. The men tenderly
lifted the uprooted plants, each carry
ing one, and proceeded solemnly. Miss
Wells bringing up the rear, toward the
gate where Jackson Wells was still sur
lily lounging.
They passed out first. Miss Wells lin
gering for an Instant, and then, advanc
ing her beautiful but audacious face with
in an inch of. Jackspn’s, hissed out, "Make
believe! and hypocrite!”
"Crosspatch and sauce box!” returned
Jackson, readily, still under the malign
influence of his boyish past, as she
flounced away. Presently ho hoard the
huggy rattle aw-ay with his persecutor.
But his partners still lingered on the
road in earnest conversation, and when
they did return it was with a singular
awkwardness and embarrassment which
ho naturally put down to a guilty con
sciousness of their fqolish weakness tu
succumbing to the girl’s demands. But
ho was quite a little, surprised when Dex
ter Rice approached him gloomily. "Of
course,” he began, "it ain’t no call of
ours to interfere ip family affairs, a.nd
you’ve a right to keep ’em to yourself,
but if you’d been fair and square and
above board in what you got off on us
about this per—”
“What do you mean?” derpanded the
astonished AVells.
“Well—callin’ her a ‘red-haired gal.’
“Well—she is a red-haired girl!" said
Wells impatiently.
“A man,” continued Rice, pityingly,
"that is so prejudiced as to apply such
language to a. beautiful orphan—torn
with gq-ief at the loss of a beloved but
misconstruing parent—merely because
she bogs a few vegetables out of Ills po
tato patch—ain’t to be reasoned with.
But when you come to look at this
thing by and large, and as a. far-minded
man. sonny, you’ll agree with us that
the sooner von make terms with her the
better. Considerin’ your Interest. Jacksv
—let alone tlie claims of humanity—we've
concluded to withdraw from here until
tilts thing is settled. She’s sort o’ mixed
us up with your feelings agin her, and
naturally supposed we object to the color
of her hair, god bein’ ji penniless orphan,
rejected by her relations—”
"What stuff are you talkius?” burst in
Jackson, “why you saw she treated you
better than she did me.”
"Steady! There you go with that tem
per of yours that frightened the girl!
Of course she could see that we were
far-minded men, accustomed to the ways
of society, and not upset by the visit of a
lady or the givin’ up of a few green
sticks! But let that slide! We’re goin’
back home tonight, sonny, and when
you’ve thought tills thing over and are
straightened up and get your right bear-
in’s. we’ll stand by you as before. We'll
put a man on to do your work on the
Ledge—so you needn't worry about that.”
They were quite firm in this decision—
however absurd or obscure their conclu
sions—and Jacksan. after his first flash
of indignation, felt a certain relief in their
departure. But stnngely enough whi'j
lie had hesitated about keeping the prop
erty when they were violently in favor
of it, he flow felt he was right In retain
ing it against their advice to compromise.
The sentimefltal idea had vanished with
the recognition o£ his hateful cousin i&
the role of the injured orphan. And for
the same odd reason lier prettlness only
increased his resentment. He was not de
ceived—it was the same capricious, will-
lul, red-liaired girl.
The next day he set himself to work
with that dogged steadiness that belonged
to his simple nature and which had en
deared him to liis partners. He set ha’/
a dozen Chinamen tq work—and followed—
although apparently directing their meth
ods. The great difficulty was to restruly
and control the excessive vegetation, and
he matched the small economies of the
Chinese against the opulence of the Cali
fornian soil. The "garden patch” pros
pered; the neighbors spoke well of it and
Of him. But Jackson knew that this fierce
harvest of early spring was to be fol
lowed by the sterility of the dry season—
and that irrigation could alone make his
work profitable in the end. He brought
a pump to force the water from the little
stream at the foot of the slope to the top
—and allowed it to flow back through par
allel trenches. Again Buckeye applauded!
Only the gloomy barkeeper shook his
bead. “Ti e moment you get that thing
to pay. Mr. Wells, you'll find the hand of
Brown., somewhere, getting ready to
squeeze it dry!”.
But Jackson Wells did not trouble him
self about Brown, whom be scarcely
knew. Once, indeed, while trenching the
slope, he was conscious that he was
watched by two men from the opposite
bank, but they were apparently satisfied
by their scrutiny and turued away. StiU
less did he concern himself with the move
ments of his cousin, who once or twice
passed him superciliously in her buggy
on the road. Again, she piet him as on?
of a cavalcade of riders mounted on a
handsome, but ill-tempered mustang—
which she was managing with an ill-tem
per and grace equal to the brute’s—to the
alternate delight and terror of lier cava
lier. He couhl see that she had been
petted and spoiled by her new guardian
and his friends far beyond his conception.
But why £he should grudge him the
little garden and the pastoral life for
which she was so pnsuited puzzled liira
greatly.
One afternoon be was working near
the road when he was startled by an
outcry from his Chinese laborers, their
rapid dispersal from the strawberry beds
where they were working, the splinter
ing crash of his fence rails and a com
motion among the buckeyes. Furious at
what seemed to him one of the usual
wanton attacks upon coolie labor, he
seized his pick and ran to their assist
ance. But he was surprised to find Joce-
linda's mustang caught by the saddle
and struggling between two trees, and
its unfortunate mistress lying upon the
strawberry bed.
Shocked but cool-headed, Jackson re
leased the horse first, who was lashing
out and destroying everything within his
reach, and then turned to his cousin. But
she had already lifted herself to her el
bow. and with a trickle of blood and
mud on one fair cheek, was surveying
him scornfully under her tumbled hair
and hanging hat.
"You don’t suppose I was trespassing
on your wretched patch again, do you?"
she said in a voice she was trying to
keep from breaking. “It was that brute
—who bolted.”
"I don't suppose you were bullying me
this time,” he said, "but you were thrown
from your horse—or it wouldn't have hap
pened. Are you hurt?!*’
She tried to move; he offered her his
hand, but she shied from It, and strug
gled to her feet. She took a step for
ward—but limped.
“If you don’t want my arm, let me call
a Chinaman.” he suggested.
She glared at him. "If you do I’ll
scream!” she said In a low voice, and he
knew she would. But at the same mo
ment her face whitened, at which he
slipped his arm under hers in a dexter
ous, businesslike way, so as to support
her weight. Then her hat got askew,
and down came a long braid over his
shoulder: he remembered it of old—only
it was two or three feet longer and
darker thaji then. “If you could man
age to limp as far as the gate and sit
down on the bank I’d get your horse for
you," he said. "I hitched it to a sap
ling.”
”1 saw you did—before you even offered
to help me." she said scornfully.
"The horse would have got awjgy—you
couldn’t.”
"If you only knew how I hated yon.”
she said with a white face—but a trem
bling lip.
"I don’t see how that would make
things any better." he said. "Better
wipe your face: It's scratched and mud
dy, and you’ve been rubbing your nose in
my strawberry bed.”
She snatched his proffered handkerchief
suddenly, applied it to her face, and
said. "I sunpose it looks dreadful."
"Like a pig's." he returned cheerfully.
She walked a little more firmly after
this until they reached the gate. He
seated her on the bank and went back
for the mustang. That beautiful brute,
astounded and sore, from its contact
with the top rail and brambles, was
cowed and subdued as he led it back.
She had finished wiping her face and
was hurriedly disentangling two stinging
tears from her long lashes before she
threw back his handkerchief. Hec
sprained ankle obliged him to lift »» r
into the saddle and adjust her little shoe
In the stirrup. He remembered when it
was still smaller. "You used to ride
astride,” he said, a flood of recollection
coming over him. "and it’s much safer
with your temper and that brute."
“And you.” she. said in a lower voice,
"used to be—” But the rest of her sen
tence was lost In the switch of the whip,
and the jump of her horse, but he
thought the word was "kinder.”
Perhaps this was why, after he watched
her canter away, he went back to the
garden, and from the bruised and tram
pled strawberry bed gathered a small
basket of the finest fruit, covered them
with leaves, .added a paper with Jhe
highly ingenious witticism. "Picked up
with you.” and sent them to her by
one of the Chinamen. Her forcible entrv
moved Li Sing, his foreman, also chief
laundryman to the settlement, to reminis
cences:
"Me heap knew Missy Wells and ole
man, who go dead. Ole man alle time
make chin music to missy. Allee time
jaw jaw—allee rime make lows—allee time
euttv up missy! Plenty time lockee up
missy top side house; no can walkee—
no can talkee—no liab got—how can get?
—must washee. washee allee timee Chi
naman. Ole man go dead—missy all
lightee now. Plenty fun. Plenty stay in
Blown’s big house, top side hill: Blown
first chop man.” Had he inquired he
might have found this pagan testimony,
for once, corroborated by the Christian
neighbors.
But another incident drove all this from
his mind. The little stream—the life
blood of his garden—ran dry. Inquiry
showed that it had bpen diverted two
miles away into Brown's ditch. Wells's
Indignant protest elicited a formal reply
from Brown, stating that he owned the
adjacent minir- claims, and reminding
him that mining rights to water took
precedence of the agricultural claim—but
offering, by way of compensation, to pur
chase the land thus made useless and
sterile. Jackson suddenly recalled th?
prophecy of the gloomy barkeeper. The
end had come! But what could the
scheming capitalist want with the land
—equally useless, as his uncle had proved,
for mining purposes? Could it be sheer
malignity, incited by his vengeful cous
in? But here he paused, rejecting the
Idea as quickly as it came. No. his
partners were right. He was a trespasser
on liis cousin’s heritage—there was no
luck in it—he was wrong, and this was
his punishment! Instead of yielding
gracefully as ho might, ho must back
down now. and she would never know
his first real feelings. Even now he
would make over the proserty to her
as a free gift, but his partners had ad
vanced him money from their scanty
means to plant and work it.. He believed
that an appeal to their feelings would
persuade them to forego even that: but
be shrank even more from confessing his
defeat to them than to her.
He had little heart In his labors that
day and dismissed tho Chinaman early.
He again examined his uncle’s old min
ing claim on the top of the slope, but was
satisfied that It had been a hopeless en
terprise and wisely abandoned. It was
sunset when he stood under the buckeyes,
gloomily looking at the glow fade out of
the west as it had out of his boyish hopes.
He had grown to like the place. It was
the hour, too, when the few flowers he
had cultivated gave back their pleasant
odors as if grateful for his care. And
then he heard his name called.
It was his cousin standing a few yards
from him in evident hesitation. She was
quite pale and for a moment he thought
she was still suffering from her fall, un
til he saw- in her nervous, half-embar
rassed manner that it had no physical
cause. Her old audacity and anger seem
ed gone, yet there was a queer determina
tion in her pretty brows.
"Good evening.” he said.
She did not return his greeting, but
pulling uneasily at her glove said hesi
tatingly, “Uncle has asked you to sell
him this land?”
"Yes.”
“Well, don’t!” she burst out abruptly.
He stared at her.
“Oh. I’m not trying to keep you here.”
slio went on, flashing back into her old
temper, "so you needn’t stare like that.
I say ‘don’t’ because it ain’t right—it ain’t
fair.”
"Why—he’s loft me no alternative,” he
said.
“That’s jnst it—that’s why it’s mean
and low. I don’t care if he is our uncle.”
Jackson was bewildered and shocked.
"I know it’s horrid to say it,” she said,
with a white face, "but it’s horrider to
keep it in! Oh. Jack! when we were little
—and used to fight an.l quarrel—I never
was mean—was I? I never was under
handed—was I? I never lied—did I? And
I can’t lie now. Jack,” she looked hur
riedly around her. "ho wants to get hold
of the land—he thinks there's gold in the
slope ami bank by the stream. He says
dad was a fool to have located his claim
so high up. Jack, did you ever prospect
the bank?”
A dawning of intelligence came upon
Jackson. “No.” he said, "but.” he added,
bitterly, "what’s the use? He owns the.
water now—I couldn’t work it.”
"But. Jack—if you found the color this
would be a mining claim! You could
claim the water right—and as it’s your
land your claim would be first!’’
Jackson was startled. “Yes, if I found
the color.”
"You would find It.”
“Would?”
“Yes! I did. On the sly! Yesterday
morning on your slope by the stream—
when no one was up! I washed a pan full
and got that—” She took a piece of tis
sue paper from her pocket, opened it and
shook into her little palm three tiny pin
points of gold.
“And that was your own idea, Jossv?”
“Yes!"
"Your very own?”
"Honest Injun!”
“Wish you may die?"
"True, O King.”
He opened his arms' and they mutually
embraced. Then they separated, taking
hold of each other’s hands solemnly, and
falling back until they were at arm’s
length. Then they slowly brought their
faces and lips together. They did this
with the utmost gravity three times, and
then embraced again, rocking on pivoted
feet like metronome. Alas! it was no
momentary insifiration. The most casual
and indifferent observer could see that it
was the result of long previous practice
and shameless experience. And as such
—it was a revelation and an explanation.
* #
"I always suspected that Jackson was
playin’ us about that red-haired cousin.”
said Rice two weeks later, “but I can’t
swallow' that purr> stuff about her puttin'
him up to that dodge about a new gold
discovery on a fresh claim 1usl to knock
out Brown. No. sir. He. found that gold
In openin’ these irrigatin' trenches—the
usual nigger luck—findin' what you’re not
lookin’ nrter.’’
"Well, we can’t comolain. for he's of
fered to work it on shares with us,” said
Briggs.
“Yes—until he's ready to take in an
other partner.”
"Not—Brown?” said his horrified com
panions.
"No. but Brown’s adopted daughter—
that red-haired cousin!"
BRET HARTE.
The Southern Yacht Club of J^few Orleans
CONTINUED FROM FIRST PAGE
spring regatta of 13(10 with appropriate
ceremonies and a magnificent reception.
Aside from the social element which
the yacht club is to the life of New Or
leans, it has seemed to give a great im
petus to yachting in southern waters.
There are a score or more of yacht clubs
between New Orleans and Pensacola,
among which may be mentioned the
Mandeville, Waveland, Pass Christian,
Biloxi, Scranton, Pascaguola and Point
Clear clubs. They naturally look up to
the Southern Yacht Club, which is much
the strongest, and it devolves upon the
latter to arrange the regattas, prepare
the rules, etc. It is the headquarters,
too, of New York and English yachts
arriving in southern waters; and occa
sionally a launch will venture down the
Mississippi from Chicago, Louisville or
St. Louis for a cruise on the gulf. Thus
it is the meeting place of north, west and
south.
The club Is now limited to 500 members
and Its membership is full. Its fleet in
cludes some seventy-five boats of various
kinds, steam yachts, motor launches and
sailing vessels. Among its fleets have
been in the past and are today some of
the finest pleasure vessels hi the country.
The Nepenthe, for instance, a forty-
foot sloop, won a signal victory over one
of the crack yachts of the New York
Yacht Club fleet, the AVasp, over a forty
mile cruising race in New Y'ork harbor.
The “Mephisto” has been in service for
years and entered thirty contests, and
lias not lost one of them. The “Semper
Idem,” owned by Commodore Baldwin, is
the largest boat of the kind ever built in
the south. The “Oneida” another crack
vessel of the Southern Yacht Club fleet,
was purchased only the other day by tlie
Mexican government for a swift harbor
defense vessel. The “Lady Emma” is re
membered as having been the southern
champion, pitted in 1S8S against the "Si
lence,” afterwards the “Brown,” of New
York, for $2,500, the northern vessel be
ing badly beaten In the race.
With such a history and record, tlie
success sof tho Southern Yacht Club can
be understood. It is an institution which
will grow in Importance from year to
year as New' Orleans grows in wealth
and population.
ITEMS OF INTERESTING INFORMATION
JTT is said that the highest priced rail
^road president in tlie United States i3
Charles M. Hays, of the Southern Pacific,
whose salary is $55,000 a year. Mr. Cas
satt. of the Pennsylvania; Mr. Callaway,
of the New York Central; Mr. Spencer,
of the Southern railway; Mr. Mellen, of
the Northern Pacific, and Mr. Hill, of the
Great Northern, receive each $50,(100. This
stipend is regarded as the standard for
railroad presidents. Mr. Truesdale, of the
Delaware, Lackawanna and Western,
falls slightly under it. liis annual wages
being $35,000. Samuel Sloan, former pres
ident of tills road, is now chairman of
the board at a salary of $20,000. The old
man is by no means retired. He maintains
an office at No. 26 Exchange place, and
still fondly imagines himself Lackawan
na’s tyrant, as of ancient days. In reality,
he is a figurehead.
The old North state
N orth Carolina is one of
the thirteen original states. By
the first national census, taken
in 1190. it stood third in popu
lation, being exceeded only by Virginia
and Pennsylvania, and New York occu
pying the ’fifth place, says The New
York Sun. In 1830 North Carolina was
fifth among the twenty-seven states in
population, and in 1850, when the number
of states had risen to thirty-three. North
Carolina had tenth place. But notwith
standing its early settlement and the
steady increase of population which there
has been since, by a peculiarity which
makes the Tar Heel exceptional among
American states. North Carolina has no
cities and appears unable to develop any
city of the first class, regardless of tlie
great improvement in its railroad connec
tions and recent development of Its fac
tory interests.
By the census of ten years ago the total
population of Wilmington, one of the old
est cities in the country, was 20,000; of
Raleigh, the capital, 12.000, and of Ashe
ville, a popular resort for northern tour
ists, 30,000.
National zoological park
'1'HE purpose of the national zoologi-
cal park it Washington is to preserve
examples of North American animals,
especially those threatened with extinc
tion. To this end efforts have been made
to secure,a good colony of beavers, anl-
n als once so plentiful and characteristic
of this continent. A paddock was assign
ed to them in Rock creek, which runs
through the grounds. Here they have de
veloped wonderfully. They have built sev
eral dams, at least four feet high, as well
as a number of houses. After working
up a’.l available wood, they proceeded to
destroy the wire fence with their powerful
teeth, and then to cut down trees in the
vicinity. In order to prevent these depre
dations a, strong steel fence had to be
constructed.
Sawmills in the .South
T HERE were more sawmills, large and
small, built, sold and shipped >nto the
southern states during last year, probably,
than during any one of’he six or seven
preceding ones. Some of -these mills sent,
or to be sent, into the yellow pine regions,
have n daily capacity of 300,«K)0 feet, but
most of those being put up for this sea
son's operations in the hardwood section,
especially in the rough, hilly and moun
tainous localities, are of the small porta
ble sizes. It is more economical in many
localities in a rough country to move a
small 4,000 to 10,000 foot capacity “vest
pocket” sawmill to the timber than to
transport logs to the mill.
Mail is Heavy
CJENATORS and members of the house
kJflave left- at the agricultural depart
ment in Washington thousands and tens
of thousands of addresses of persons
whom packets of vegetable and flow
seeds are to be sent. One day last wo
not less than 1,200 mail sacks, each ee
taining 200 packages of seed, were d
patched from the Washington postofffi
It is estimated that the total number
seed packages this year will amount
11,000,000, or 2,000,000 more than last ye;
Each year the volume swells like a ro
ing snowball.
The money was paid
NEW YORK lawyer, speaking of t
* ^recent death of Wm. M. Evans, te
liow In order to insure success it a;
thought best to secure the services
the distinguished lawyer as assoeia
counsel. On securing the consent of M
Evarts, the question of a retainer \v;
mentioned. “Oh,” said Mr. Evarts,
guess $1,000 will suffice,” and the amou
was paid over. The suit was settled sa
iifactorlly in a short time and tho lawv
called on Mr. Evarts to make the fin
payment for the latter’s services in t]
cate. “How much do we owe you?” w;
asked. Call it $u.000,” he respunde
without a moment's he'sitation. Th
caused a mild protest. “You know. M
E\ arts, that you’ve had $1,003.” “Yes
he said, with a dry smile, "but I’ve spe
that.” The $5,000 was paid.
Washington’s autograph
AN autograph letter of George AY as
■*^ington. dated 1766, has just been feu:
among waste paper stock at the Bry:
paper mill in Kalamazoo, Mich It w-
written to Captain James L. Jamieson
New York merchant, asking for bo;
r ^ te rS^. on £ quantity of flour. Two eopi.
of The Federal Gazette and Baltimoi
Advertiser over 100 years old, and an at
tograph letter of Robert Morris, of Phil;
delphia, dated 1793, were also found. T1
waste paper came from Philadelphia.