Show I OLD MISERY MISERY B By Hugh S Continued from yesterday Pretty Soon groaned and complained complained com corn 1 much as they d the mountain trail but refused Old Misery's offer to carry the bag Its mine he panted I risked my life for It Most lost scared to toI I death In getting It I can still feel teel that flour In my Old Misery's MI bearing became more buoyant as they entered the path to Now he felt he was almost home his business finished A A days day's delay and he would have I I Pretty Soon Jim of off his hands and andI I would be free free to return return- to Grass I Hollow When they came to the three cabins he led the way to the one where he had met Tom TobIn The j 1 round shouldered Pike Pike- Pike county county man appeared appeared In the doorway On recI recognizing rec- rec I I the mountain man his bearing became hostile yet tempered tempered tem tern I by a recollection of the old i mans man's ferocity In combat i You back agIn he querulously querulous querulous- ly greeted I was hoping hoping hoping- No Ko use My medicine wont won't let me git Id killed led yet et awhile completed the mountain man But I aint blaming you This his Is a tree Iree country for wishing Its It's them ste d squirrels that fetched mo me Y back ack They was so prime I must have more Ive I've talked a heap bout em folks Will vilt be coming from all over th the world to eat em I be a pretty howdy do for tor forme me bitterly complained the man I And you two fellOrs fellers busted a prime stool with your tooling fooling Always leave eave a friend as good as asI asI asI I found him declared Old Misery a id he fished a nugget t from his pocket and tossed It into the ready hand i The The- Theman man examined It suspiciously th then n thawed out and admitted II Ive got some squirrels some squirrels in the I Kettle All AU y two will want And AndI theres there's a damper 0 of bread inside I somewhere Think Ill I'll go over and eat with the so you ou two can have the place to yourselves After you git done fighting Just see what youve you've busted and leave what you ou think the damages damage's worth In one of my old His departure was Immediate and suggested a fear that Old Misery Mis Mis- cry ery and his companion would fall to to- toon on the spot and enjoy themselves In savage strife The rhe cabin was In filthy condition Old clothes clothe soggy boots and empty bottles were scattered over the floor But In the fireplace opening into a stick sUck and f mud fd d chimney bubbled a kettle that gave off a pleasing aroma Fa Faugh ugh exclaimed Misery wrinkling his nose id like Id like the squirrels more if wed we'd kept ou- ou Ide Tom Tobin must a been awful drunk to sleep In here Pretty So Soon n was less fastidious and lost no time In examining the bottles All were empty Misery l' l found some sonic deerskin hanging from froma a peg and promptly set to work worl fashioning a belt He worked rapidly rapIdly rap rap- rap rap- idly and with his moccasin awl and threads of sinew sewed two thick nesses together and divided them into pockets Mighty 1 clever praised Pretty S Soon on Most done Ill have it finished In a minute if m my holds out This place is worsen the wind from a summer camp growled Old Misery A step sounded outside the door and he brushed his work under the bunk an and came to his feet at home asked a man standing in th the doorway and trying to wink the sun gl glare glar r. r from his eyes Two of ot em Come Comein in and squat if you can stand the smell The stranger entered and tested the air with his hooked no note e and decided Smells a bit stronger than my cabin but not much I must have come in Just ahead of you Hoss Ross went lame lamo Had to stop As he spoke Ms dark eyes darted about the room and rested for a second on the bag at Pretty S Boons Boon's ons on's feet But you xou do do have something cooking that tickles the appetite he added He walked toward to t the bubbling kettle and stubbed his toe against I the bag Damn dark In here he grum grum- bled 5 Old Misery's e eyes es narrowed He recognized the stranger as the darIng daring dar dar- ing horseman at Kellys Kelly's Bar His voice was hearty heady as he cried Stewed squirrels lots of ot em Bring what fodder youve you've got out front and well we'll have a feast If It you aint got any come Just the same Mer ler leans oughter share shale with each other and youre you're Merican 1 all allright 11 right Yes sir George York born In the state of New York Ill I'll be glad to share some cold meat and bread from my saddle bags Mr l Not any mister nister Jut Just Old Misery 1 the feller Old Man Ian Trouble has lias been chasing for years My friend here is Pretty Soon Jim Were We're bound for the Yuba I If It I was afoot and not in a hurry Id I'd t like to travel along you said York Trails getting unsafe for honest folks tell teU me theres there's been three thre murders within ten miles mUes of here within the last twenty four hours Good lord gasped Pretty Soon What V lat be we coming to A man with property property- property property- Never can cover the trail tran broke in Old MIser Misery one thing to be bo thankful for Where When you aint got nothing you cant can't lose nothing And he pressed his foot heavily on Pretty Soon's Toes roes oes The squirrels oughter be done I in twenty minutes Then Ill I'll look at my boa hoss and be back oy bs' that time said York The moment he he passed through the do door r Old Misery was watching from h. h tr T stranger mak 1 by d make for 0 a corral ra beyond I the third cabin Turning about he commanded Off with that shirt so I Cd c in an ru fb fI this this' belt beit round you O Ill I'll have to sew It on Pretty Soon removed his coat and ragged shirt and the mountain man quickly made the belt fast and proceeded to fill the little pockets with coins Finishing g. g he commanded Dont let on to to nobody youre you're wearing It or your Jour harJ haril be inthe the smoke Ill I'll keep the bag Seems to be a 0 lot of secrecy Mighty good chance for yo to git your OUr long throat cut if you pu dont don't do as I say My medicine tells telis me theres there's going to be trouble While I give the word tonight for you to light out for Grass Valley you start without a yip Reaching the valley youre you're to make believe youre you're busted and almost read ready togo to togo go to work Youre You're Just Pretty S Soon on Tim Jim Jim down on his luck Toward Toward To To- Toward I ward night you hoof it to Nevada Xe City and go to Kellys Kelly's lodging lodging- place If I dont don't come along In Inside Inside Inside In- In side of two days das you hunt up Mr Peters honest gambler and tell ten the whole thing When hen he I Is s sent nt you you- ou hell he'll git the coins changed into dust That'lL creak the money trail Then the office will I see its it's waiting for tor you back nomE home iome No matter when hen I eay Go you scoot If Im I'm man enough to to find a bag of gold Im I'm man mane e enough t gh to turn It in to the e. e Seems as if It too many foj fores loMA was mixing up in my business affairs retorted Pretty Soon All the four bags hel held the same kind of stuff Misery Already Alread ieta's pi spies I along Der Deer crIk have been tom tola to watch ou for to any one carr carrying Ing a bag of fifty dollar slugs s. That flour trail back in the valley has been Its It's known Coloma same day as J I did Its It's known I was in Most likely Ill I'll b be e suspected of knowing something bout the bag Youve You've got to promise not to take a single snort t of liquor till I show up and give the word If I dont don't show up not till youre you're on the boat sailing for home e c Pretty Soon frowned and scratched his chin It was was was-fio o way for a capitalist to behave POssessIon Possession Possession Posses POsses- sion of gold called for a Jollification The role of a a j penniless vagabond was abhorrent If he gave his promise he must keep It H for somewhere somewhere somewhere some some- where alive among all his weaknesses weaknesses weaknesses weak weak- nesses was that one great virtue As he ha hesitated visualizing the tedious stage trip to Sacramento and the beautiful places drinking places along the way the mountain man mandrew mandrew drew the edge of his hand across acroSS' his throat and whispered Within forty-eight forty hours if you git drunk Knowing that on one drink would mean a drunk Pretty Soon groaned and surrendered Good lord I aint as stubborn as that I promise Say the word and Im I'm- off oft Old Misery the in bag bag in Inside In- In side his shirt and went outside He saw nothing of York He lie wandered wandered wan wan- dered dared aimlessly up the slope and after alter making sure he was slot riot be beIng being being be- be ing watched he ha cast about for something to put in the bag The I first piece of rock he picked up had one side covered with abores- abores cent coats of manganese His manganese e eyes es filled tilled with awe as he gazed on It He saw the outlines of pine-covered pine hills and it resembled d the north of Grass w. w Continued tomorrow |