' " . ' "yJQAg.1 ;
THE CXMAIIA DAILY BEE : SATURDAY , DECEMBEH 11 , 181)7. )
Uncle Jim and Uncle Billy
Hy HKET HAUTE.
A A A A , < Jb
sap
tCot-yrUht , 1W. by Hr l Hart * . ) .
I'AUT II. I
It was neirly A month before Cedar camp
was convinced that Uncle Billy and Undo Jim ,
had dissolved partnership. 1'rldo had prcf f
vented Uncle Billy from revealing his su - (
plclons of the truth or of relating the events
that preceded Uncle Jim's clandestine night , '
and Dick Bullen had gone to Sacramento by (
sttsRo coach the same morning. He briefly t
gave out that his txirtncr hid been called Io.
San Franelp'o on Important buslnrsa of their ]
own , that Indeed might necessitate his own
removal there later. In this he was singu
larly assisted by a letter from the absent
Jim. dated at San Francisco , begging him not
r to bo anxious about his success , as he hal
toped of presently entering Into a profitable
bus'ncfls , but wllh no further allusions to his
precipitate departure , nor any sugesllon of a
reason tor It. For two or three clays Uncle
Bljly * o.s staggered end bewildered ; In hU
pro(0'Jnd ( sin-pllclty ho wondered If his ox-
, traordlnary good fortune that night had made
V. him fleaf to some explanation of his partner's ,
* * dr. radro terrible. If he had shown some
V'low" and Incredible Intimation of taking hla
partner's extravagant bet as real and bind
ing" , la this distress he wrote to Uncle Jim
nn art > eatlng and apologetic letter , albeit
somewhat Incoherent and Inaccurate and
bristling wllh misspelling , camp slang and
old partnership Jibes. But to this elaborate
epistle ho received only Uncle Jim's repeated
assurances of his own bright prospects and
his hopes that hla old partner would be more
fortunate , single-handed , on the old claim.
For ft week or two Undo Billy sulked , but his
Invincible optimism and good humor got the
better of him and he thought onlyof his
old partner's good fortune. Ho wrote him
rcgu'arly , but always to one address ft box
at the San Francisco nostomce , which to the
simple-minded Uncle Billy sugested a certain
official Importance. To these letters Uncle
Jim responded regularly , out briefly.
From a certain Intuitive pride In his part
ner and his affection Undo Billy did not
show these letters openly to the pimp , al
though he- spoke freely of his former oart-
ner's riroralslng future and even reid them
short extracts. It Is needless tc fay that tha
camp did not accept Uncle Billy's story with
unsuspeatlog confidence. On the contrary , a
hundred surmises , humorous or serious , but
always extravagant , were afloat In Cedar
cairn. The partners had quarreled over their
clothes Uncle Jim , who was taller than
UncW Billy , had refused to wear his partner's
trousers. They had quarreled over cards
UnMo Jim had discovered that Uncle Bills-
was In possession cf a "cold deck. " or marked
pack. They had quarreled over Uncle Billy's
carelessness In grinding up a halt box
of "bilious pills" In the morning's
coffee , A gloomily Imaginative mule driver
had darkly suggested that , as no one had
really seen Uncle Jim leave the carcp , he
was still theie , and his bones would yet be
found In one of the ditches , while a still more
credulous miner averred ; at what ho lud
thought wan the cry ot a screech owl the
night previous to Uncle Jim's disappearance
might hve been the- agonized utterance of
that murdered man. It was highly character
istic of that camp and , Indeed , of others In
Callforn'a that nobody , not oven the in
genious theorists themselves , believed their
HE "SAW THE SJGHT3" OF SAN FRAN
CISCO.
story , and that no one took the slightest
pains to verify or disprove It. Hcnplly , Uncle
Billy never knew It , and moved all uncon
sciously In this atmosphere of burlesque sus
picion. And then a singular change took
place In the attitude of the camp toward him
and the disrupted partnership. Hitherto , tor
no reason whatever , all had agreed to cut the
blame vi'on llllly possibly because he was
present to receive It. As days mssed that
slight reticence and dejection In his manner ,
whlh they had at first attributed to remorse
and a guilty conscience , now began to tell as
absurdly In his favor. Hero was poor Uncle
Billy tolling In the ditches , while his selfish
partner nas lolling In the lap of luxury in
San Francisco. Undo Dllly's glowing ac
counts of Uncle Jim's success only contributes
to the sympathy now fully given In his bchali
and their execration of the absconding part
ner. It was proposed at Brlgga' store that a
letter expressing the Indignation of the -camp
over his heartless conduct to his late rart-
ner , William Fall , should be forwarded to
him. Condolences were offered to Uncle Billy
and uncouth attempts were made to cheer his
loneliness. A procession of half a dozen men
twice a week to his cabin , carrying their
own whisky and winding i' ( > with a "stag
dance" before the premises , was sufflclent t (
lighten his eclipsed palely and remind him o
a happ'er past. "Surprise" working parties
visited his claim with spasmodic essays to
' ward helping him aad great good burner am
Mlarlty prevailed. It wes not an unusua
I thing for an honest mine ) to arise from an
< Idle gathering In some cabin and excuse him
I eolf with the remark that he'd "reckon he'i
put In an hour's work in Uncle Billy's tall
Ings ! " And yet , as hefcre , it was very 1m
probable If any of these reckless benefactors
really believed In their own earnestness o
In the gravity of the situation. Indeed a klm
of hopeful cynicism ran through their per
formanccs. "Like as not. Uncle Billy In stll
In 'cahoots' ( I. e. , shares ) with his old pard
and Is Just laugbln' at us as he's sendln' him
accounts of our tomfoolln' , "
And so the winter passed , and the rains
and the days of cloudless skies and chill star
light nights began. There wore still freshet
fccm the Kiuw reservoirs piled high In th
filer ran passea. and the "bar" was floodci
but that passed , tco , and only the aunshln
retrained. Monotonous as the seasons were
there was a Taint stirring In the camp wit
tha stirring of the sap In the pines and cedars
And then coo day thcro was a strange nxdto-
nient on the bar. Men wtro seen runnln
hither and thither , but mainly gathering in
crowd on Uncle BlllyVt claim that still re
talned tha old oartner * ' names In "Tho Fa
nad Fcatcr , " To add to the excitement ther
wis the quickly repeated report of a le-
volrcr , to all r.t > penranco almlcwly exploded
in the a'r ' by xomo one on the outskirts of
the assemblage. As the crowd opened Uncle
Billy appeared , pale , hysterical , brcathle ) *
and stagcrlng a little under the back-slapping
and handshaking of the whole camp. For
Uncle Billy had "struck It rich" had Just
discovered a "pocket , " roughly estimated to
be worth W.OOO !
Although In that supreme moment ho
rntnsed the face of his old partner , ho could
not help seeing the uaafltcted delight and
happiness shining In the eyes of all who sur
rounded him. It was characteristic of that
sanguine but uncertain life that success and
good fortune brought no Jealousy nor envy to
the unfortunate , but was rather a promise
and -prophecy of the fulflllmuit of their own
hopes * The gold was there nature but
yielded up her secret. There was no pre
scribed limit to her bounty. 80 strong was
th | < convection that a long-sufferlug but xtlll
hopeful miner. In the enthusiasm of the mo
ment , stooped down and pitted a large
boulder wllh the npastrophlc , "Qcod old
gall"
Then followed a night of Jubilee , a ner.t
morning of hurried consultation with a min
ing expert and speculator In rod to the camp
by tha good tidings , nnd then the very next
nlgtilto .the utter astonishment of Cedar
Camp Undo Billy , with a draft for 120,000
in his pocket , stArted for San Francisco , and
took ler.ve of his claim and the c mp for-
vcrfWherv
( Wherv Uncle 'Billy landed * l tbe Tvharvw
\
of San Francisco ho was a HUlo bewildered.
The Golden Gate beyond was obliterated by
the Incoming sea fog , which had also roofol
In the whole < clty , and lights already glit
tered along the gay streets that climbed
the gayer sandhills. As a western man ,
brought and thrilled up t > y Inland rivers , ho
was fascinated by the tall-masted sea-going
ships , ard he felt a strange scrso of the-
rontotor mysterious ocean which ho had
never seen , l 'But ho was Impressed and
stertled by BipirtljJ-drcs-scd men and women ,
the passing at c r"rUgc-s and a sudden con
viction that ho was strange and foreign to
what he saw. It had bc-en his cherished In
tention to call upon his oM partner In his
working clothed ; and then clap down on the
table before him a draft for $10,000 as hla
share of their old claim. But In the fnco
of these brilliant strangers a sucXlen and
unexpected timidity came upon him. Ho
had hoard < oT a cheap popular hotel , much
frcquoatenS by the returning gold miners , who
entered Its hospitable doors that had an
easy access to shops , and -emerged In a few
hews a gorgcfouB buttorily of fashion , leaving
his eld chr.yS3.lls behind him. Thence ho
Inquired his way. hence he afterward Issued
In garments glaringly now- and Ill-fitting.
But ho bid Tiot saprlflccd his bearJ , and
there was still sonicthlrg fine and original
In his hatlnsome , weak face that , overcame
the cheap convcwtlon uf hU clothes. Making
hi * way to the -postofflci ? he was again dis
comfited by the great size of the .building
and bewildered by the array of llttlo square
letter boxes behind glass which occupied one
whole wall , and an "equal number of opaque
and lockci wooden ones , le-slbly numbered.
His heart leaped ; he remembered the num
ber , and before him was a window with a
clerk behind It. Uncle Billy leaned for
ward. .
"Kin you tell me If the man that tjo'-c
690 b'loBgs > to Is Ini ? "
The clerk started , made him repeat the
question , and then turned away. But ho
returned almost Instantly , with two cr thtco
grinning heads besides his own , apparenly
sot behind his shoulders. Uncle Billy was
again asked to repeat his question. He- did
so.
"Why don't you go nnd see If 690 Is In
his box ? " said the first clerk , turning with
affected asperity Vo one of the others.
The clerk went away , returned , and said
with singular gravity : "He was there n
nioment ago , but he's gone out to stretch hla
legs. It's rather crnmpln' at first ; and he
cnu't stand it more than ten hours at a time ,
you know. "
But simplicity has Its limits. Uncle Billy
had already guessed his real error In be
lieving hln partner was officially ccnnected
with the building ; his cheek had flushed and
then paled again. The pupils of his blue
cyca had contracted Into suggestive blnck
points. "Et you'll let me In at that winder ,
young fellers " he said with equal gravity ,
"I'll show ycr how I kin make yer small
enough to go In a box without crimpia' !
But I only wanted to know where Jim Fos
ter lived. "
At which the first clerk became perfunc
tory again , but civil. A letter left In his
box would get you that Information , " he
said , "and here's paper and pencil to write
It now. "
Uncle Billy took the paper and began to
write : "Just got here. Come and see me at
" Ho paused. A brilliant Idea had struck
him ; he could1-impress both his old partner
and the , upsfirts at the window ; he would
ut In tlto name of the latest "swell hotel
f San Francisco said to be a tairy dream
f opulence. He added "The Oriental , " and
vlthout folding the paper shoved It lu the
vlndow. "Don't you want an envelope ? "
eked the clerk. "Put a stamp on the corer -
er of It , " responded Uncle .Billy , laying
own a coin , "and she'll go through. " The
clerk smiled , but affixed the 'stamp , and
Uncle Billy turned away.
But It was a short-lived triumph. The dis
appointment at finding Uncle Jim's address
onveycd no Idea of his habitation , seemed to
omove him farther away , and lose his Iflen-
tlty In fhe great city. Besides , he must
now make good his own address , and eeek
oems at the Oriental. He went thither.
The furniture and decorations even In these
arly dajs of hotel building In San Francisco
were extravagant and overstrained , and
Uncle Billy felt lost and lonely In his strange
urroundings. But he took a handsome suite
of rooms , paid for them In advance on the
pot , ami then , half frightened , walked out
of them to ramble vaguely through the city
ii the feverish hope of meeting his old
lartner. At'night ' hla Inquietude increased ;
10 could not face the long row of
ables In the pillared dining room , filled
vlth smartly dressed men and women ;
10 evaded his bedroom , with Its brocaded -
cadod satin chairs and Its gilt bed
stead , and fled to his modest lodgings
at tl.e Good Cheer house , and appeased his
lunger at Us cheap restaurant , in the cam-
iany of retired miners and freshly anlvud
; astern emigrants. Two or thvee days passed
thus In this quaint double existence. Thice
or four times a day ho would enter the
; orgeDus Oriental with affected ease and care
lessness , demand his key from the hotel
clerk , nek for the letter that did not come ,
go to his room , gaze vaguely i'rom his win
dow on tbo passing crowd below for the
partner ha could not find and then return to
.ho Good Cheer house for rest anJ sustenance.
Dn the fourth day ho received a short note
from Uncle Jim ; It was couched In his usual
cangulne but. brief and business-like style.
Ho was very sorry , but Important and profit
able business took him out of town , but he
trusted ta return soon and welcome his old
partner. Ho was also , for the first time ,
jocose , and hcned that Uncle Billy would not
'see all the sights" before he ( Uncle Jim ) re-
.urned. Disappointing as this procrastination
was to Uncle Billy , a gleam of hope Irradiated
It. The letter had bridged over that gulf
which seemed to yawn between them at the
pstofflcc. His old partner bad accepted his
visit to San Francisco without question and
Iiad alluded to a renewal of their old In
timacy. For Undo Billy , with all his trust
ful simplicity , had been tortured by two
harrowing doubts , one whether Uncle Jim In
his new-fledged smartness at a "city" man
such as ha saw In the streets would care for
his rough companionship ; the other , whether
ho ( Uncle Billy ) ought not to tell him at
once of his changed fortune. But , like all
weak , unreasoning men , he clung desperately
to a detail he could not forego his old Idea
of astounding Undo Jim Dy giving him hla
shcre of the "strike" as his first Intimation
of It , and ho doubted , with more reason , per
haps , If Jim would see him after ho had
heard of his good fortune. For Uncle Billy
had still a frightened recollection of Uncle
Jam's auddcn stroke for independence , and
that rigid punctiliousness which had made
him doggedly accept the responsibility of his
oxtrava unt stake at euchre.
With a view of educating himself for
Uncle Jim's company , ho "saw the sights"
of San Francisco as an overgrown and
somewhat qtupld child might have seen
them witlf great , curiosity , but llttlo con
tamination or corruption , I fear ho could
hardly be called a pure man , for he rome-
tlmcs rewarded vice as better people never
rewarded Virtue , and there are legends still
extant In San Francisco of hla targets to
certain women , who need not bo otherwise
mentioned , which startled them Into a
t'U ixt , grateful confusion , But I
think he v M , c-hcfly | pleased with watching
the arrival of ibci .Sacramento and Stockton
steamers a ' thq wharves , In the hope of
discovering hlq .bid partner among the pas-
scor oiv jhe > bingpfcnk. Here , with hU >
old suporetlflous tendency and gambler's
Instinct , bet would augur great success In his
search that day | f any one of the passengers
bore the least res3niblttnce to Uncle Jim , If
a man or a S\oman stepped off first , or If
ho had' ' met n , single person's cjUMtlon'mg
eye. IndeeJ , ( his .got to be the real occupa
tion of the day. which he- would on no
account have omitted , and to a certain extent
revived each day , lq. his mind the morning's
work of their old partnership. He would
say to lilnutolf , "If * tlmo to go and look up
Jim" sod put cff what ho W B pleased to
think were his pleasures , until this act of
duty was ( .ccoinnllihccl
In thU flli'gleneid ' of purpose lip made very
few and no"V > Ungllng acquaintances , nor
did he Impart t < ) any one the eccrcl of his
fortune , loyally reserving It for hie partner's
Hrit knowledge * . To a man of hla natural
frtnkneii and simplicity this \ \ i a great
trial , and \vt , perhaps , a crucial test of hU
devotion When ho gave up hU room * at
the Oriental is not necoestry after hla
partner' * b9pce ho cent a letter , with big
Christmas Toys for s and Girls. . : . . . : . . .
c/
By far the largest display in Omaha Toys and Games galore Useful and Ornamental Presents
of all kinds now on sale at specially low prices All the First Floor covered with Christinas Presents -
ents and other floors too.
Gravel Train 48c
Funny Brownie Ten Pins 98c
fit
Speaking Dog Bank $1,00
Ring Toss 4Sc
Passenger Train 25c Woodbine Farm 59c
Torpedo Boat 48c
Delivery Wagon 28c
. . . .
rvirviO'.wvwHTOrgra ' Si&i S.5jgEs
Dollyville a fine toy 9Sc Brownie Marble Game 23c Very A m u sing 4 5 c
1 Douglas Street
humbler address , to the mysterious lock box
of his partner without fear or false shame.
He would explain It all who : they met. But
he sometimes treated unlucky and returning
miners to a dinner and a visit to the gallery
of some theater. Vet while he had an active !
sympathy with and understanding of the i '
humblest Uncle. Billy , who for many years I
had done hla owmacd his partner's washing , !
scrubbing , mending and cooking , and saw | I
no degradation In It , was somewhat 'ncon-
slstently Irritated by menial functions in
man , and although he gave extravagantly to
waiters , tnd throw a dollar to the crossing
sweeper , there was always a certain shy
avoidance of them In his. maracr. Coming
from the theater one night Urce : Billy was ,
however , seriously concerned by one of these
crossing sweepers turning hastly before
them and being knocked down'by a passing
carriage. The man rose and limped hurriedly
away , but Uncle Billy was amazed and btlll
more Irritated to hear from be ! companion
that this kind of menial occupation was
often profitable , and that at some of the
principal crossings the sweepers were already
rich men
But a low days later brought a more nota-
< the streets with such an expression of beamIng -
Ing gratltuclo on his good-humored face that |
the .passersby smiled at the equipage and |
Its extravagant occupant. To them it seemed I
the not unusual sight of the successful miner
"en. a spree. " To the unsophisticated Uncle
BJHy their smiling seemed only ,1 natural
I and kindly recognition of his happiness , ana
ho nodded and smllod back -to them with un-
suspecting candor..and . Innocent playfulness.
"These yer 'Frisco tellers ain't alt slouches ,
you bet , " he added to himself , half aloud , at
the back of the grinning coachman. i
Their way led 'through well-built streets
to the outskirts ? or rather to that portion of
the city which seemed to have ibeen over
whelmed by shifting sand-dunes , from which
half-submerged 'fences aril even low houses
barely marked , the > llno of highway. The re
sistless trade winds witch had marked this
change blewkebnly In his face and slightly
chilled his ardor. At a < turn in the road
the .sea . came , ln sight , and eloping toward
it- the great cemeiery of Oaue 'Mountain ' , with
white shafts .ind .acarbles that glittered In
the sunlight UUo * he sails of ships waiting
to be launched dawn that slope Into the
eternal ocean. lUrfcle Billy shuddered. What
"I SAY IT AIN 'T A HER , IS IT7"
bio event to Uncle Blly. | One afternoon In
Montgomery street he recognized In one cf
Its smartly dressed frequenters a man who I
had a few years before been a member of
Cedar Camp. Undo Billy's chlldlsj delight j
at this meeting , which eeemed to bridge over
his old partner's absence , was , however , only
halt responded to by thrf ex-mlr 2r , and then
Eomcndat eitlrlcally. In the fullness of
his emotion , Uncle llllly confided to him that
ho was seeking his old partner. Jim Foster ,
and reticent of his owni good fortune , spoke
glowingly of his partner's brilliant expecta-1
tlons , hut deplored his Inability to find ihlm ,
Anl Just now ho was away on Important bus
iness. "I reckon he's got back , " said the
man dryly , "I didn't know be had a lock
box -it the postolllce , but I can give you his
other address. He lives at the Presidio , at
Washerwoman's bay , " He stopped and looked ]
with a satirical smile -at Undo Billy , Hut
the latter , familiar with California mining
camp nomenclature , saw nothing strange In
It , an ] merely repeated his companion's
words. '
"You'll find him there ! Good by ! So long !
Sorry I'm In a hurry , " said the cx-tnlnor , and
hurried away ,
Undo Billy wao too delighted with the
prospect of a speedy meotlng with Uncle Jim
to ment his former associate's supercilious
haste , or even to wonder why Uncle Jim
iiad not Informed him that ho hail returned.
It w a rot the first time that be had felt how
wldo was the gulf between himself and these
others , and the thought not only drew him
clcser to his old partner , as well aa his old
Idea as It was now possible to surprise him
with the draft. But as ho was now going to
ourprUo him In his own boarding house
probably a handsome one Uncle Dllly re
flected that ho would do so In a certain etylo.
Ho accordingly went to a livery stable and
ordered a landau and pair , with a negro
coachman. Sealed In It , in hie beat and
most Ill-fitting clothes , ho asked the coach
man to take him to the Presidio , and leaned
t.k Intho cushions as < hpy drove through
If It had been bis Tate 'to seek Undo Jim
there !
"Dar's yar PrcaUHo ! " gala the negro coach
man a few minute * later , pointing with his
whip , "and dar'a yar Wash'woman's toy ! "
Uncle 'Ullly stared. A huge quadrangular
fort of store with a flag llylng atovo Its lat-
tlcmr-nts stood at a little distance , pressed
against the jocks , as If beating back the
encroaching surges ; between him and the
fort , but further Inland was a. lagoon , wlth
a number of dllsipldaitcd , ruduly patched cabIns -
Ins or cottages , like stranded driftwood
around Its shore. Hut there was no man
sion , no block houses , no street , not another
habitation ord tilling to tie seen.
Undo 'Billy's ' flrnti shock of astonishment
> was succeeded by a feeling of relief , lie had
secretly dreaded ja meeting > wlth his old
partner Inthe "liaunts of fashion ; " what-1
over was the CJUBU that made Uncle Jim
'
eeek this obscure , Totlreincrit affected him
but ellgrtly ; ho oven was thrilled with a I
vague-nnomory of the old shiftless camp they
had both abandoned. A certain Instinct ho
knew not why.i or Jess still that It might
bo one of 3cll4Crr-niado him allgJit before
they reached tlioijlrnt house. 'Bidding the
carriage wait , JJn'qlo iflllly entered , and waa
Informed by a b > } U3y Irish laundress at a
tub that Jim jFoater , or "Arkanwvr Jim , "
Jived at the fourth shanty 'ibejaat. ' lie was
at homt , for liufs "sphralned hlr fut. "
Undo Billy hurried on , etopped bcforo the
door of R shaptyiscarcely lcs ruda than
their old cabins apd half timidly pushed It
open. A BrowllIiK voice from within , a
figure that rose Jliurrlcdly , leaning on o
stick , with an aHfinpt < fj fly , but In the
ttamo moment fuo4c back In a chalf'with a
hysterical laugh-tand Uncle illllly otooi In
the presence qf his old "partner ! But an
Uncle Billy dai-tod forward , Undo Jim roj
again , and this i tlino with outstretched
hands. Uncle Ullly caught them , and in one
supreme prcssuro- seemed to pour out and
transfuse his whole olmple ioul In/to / iiU
partner' * . There they swayed each other
backwards end forwards and sideways by
tholr still clasped bands , until Uncle Billy ,
with a glaace at Uncle Jim's bandiagcd ankle , i
sl'Oved him 1 > y sheer force down Into his
chair.
Undo Jim was first to spoik. "Causht ,
b'goih ! I mlghter known you'd bo as big
a fool as me ! Look1 you , Billy Fall , do you
know wliat you'v ? done ? You've druv me
outer the streets -whar I was makln' an hon
est llvin' , by day , on three crossln's ! Yes , "
ho laughed , forgivingly , "you druv me outer
It , by day , just because I reckoned that
sorao time I might run onto your darned
fool face" another laugh and a graap of the
hand "and then , b'gwh ! not content wl'.h
ruiuln' my .business 'by ' day , when I took
to It at night , you took to gotn' out at
nights , too , and so put a stopper on mo
thorp ! Shall I tell you what else you did ?
Well , 'by tbo holy ! I owe this sprained
foot to your darned foolishness and ray own ,
for it was getting away fromi jou one night
after the theater that I got run Into and
run over !
"Yo see , " he went on , unconscious of
Uncle Billy's paling face , and with a nal-
vcite , though perhaps not a delicacy , equal
to Uncle Billy's own , "I had to play roots
on you with that lock box business and thes ?
letters , because I did not want you to know
what I was up to , for you mightn't like It ,
and mlpht think It was lowerln' to the old
firm , < don''t ycr see ? I wouldn't have gone
Into It , but I was played out , and I don't
mind tcllln' you now , old man , that when
I wrote you that first chipper letter from
the lockbox I hedn't cat anythln' for two
days. But It's all right now , " with a laugh.
"Then I got Into this business thlnkln' It
nuthln' Jest the very last 'thing ' and do
you know , old | pard , I couldn't tell anybody
but you and in fact I kept It Just to tell
you I've made $9BG ! Yes , elr , $950 ! solid
money , In Adams & Co.'s bank , Jlst outer
my trado. "
"Wot trade ? " asked Undo Dllly.
Unclb Jim pointed to the corner , where
stood a largo , heavy crossing sweeper's
broom. "That 'trade. "
"Ceitlngly , " said Undo Billy , with a
quick laugh.
"It's an outdoor trade , " said Undo Jim ,
gravely , but with no suggestion of awk
wardness or apology In hlo manner , "and
thar ain't much difference between sweepln'
a crosslnwith a broom and raking over
tailings with a rake , only wet yo get with
a .broom you have handed 'to ye , and ye
don't have to pick It up and fish It outer
the wet rocks and sluice gushln' , and lt'
a heap losa 1Irln' to the .back. "
"Ccrtlngly , you bet ! " said Undo Billy , en
thusiastically , yet with a certain nervous
abstraction.
"I'm glad ye say BO for yer see I didn't
know , at first how you'ld tumble to my
doing It until I'd made my pllo. And of I
hadn't made It , I wouldn't ' hev set eyca on yo
again , old pard never ! "
"Do iou mind mv runnln' out n mlnlt ? "
cp.ld UndB Billy , rising. "You etc. I've got
a friend waltln' foa mo oulsWe mid I
reckon" ho stammered "I'll Jlst run out
and send him off , BO I kin talk comf'blo to
ye. "
"Yo r.ln't got anybody you're owln' money
to , " said Undo Jim , earnestly ; "anybody fol-
lerlti' you to got paid , eh ? For I kin Jest set
down right hero and write ye off a check
on the bank ! "
"No , " said Undo Rllly. Ho slipped out of
the door and ran llko a deer to the waiting
carriage. Thrusting a $20 gold piece Into
the coachman's hand ho said hoarsely , "I
ain't wantlu' that kerrldgo Just now ; yo kin
drive around and hev a private Jambooso , all
by 'yourself , tbo rest of the afternoon , and
then come and wait for mo at the top o' the
hill yonder. "
Thus quit of his gorgeous equipage , lie
hurried back to Uncle Jim , grasping his
J10,000 dfaft In IIH ! podtot. Ho waa nervous ,
ho was frightened , but he must get rid of the
| draft and his story anil have It over. But
before ho could speak that ho was unex
pectedly stopped by Undo Jim.
"Now. look yer , llllly boy ! " mid Uncle
Jim : "I got BUthln' to say to yo and I
might as well clear It off my mind at onto
and then wo can start fair ngalu. Now , " ho
| went on with a half laugh , "wasn't It enough
, for me to go on pretendln' I was rldi and
doing a big builnesa and gettln' up that lock-
Ibex dodge eo is ye couldn't find out wliar I
hung out and what I was iloln' wasn't It
enough for mo to go on with all this play-
'actln' , but } ou , you long-lcggrd orang cuss !
must get up an go to lyln' end pUy.actln' ,
too ! "
"Mo play-actln'7 Ma lyln1 ? " gasped Undo
Billy.
Undo Jim leaned back lu his chair and
laughed , "Do you Ihlnk you fould fool me ?
Do you ihlnk f didn't co through your little
game o' going to that swell Oriental , jest as
If yo'd made a big strike and ull the while
yo wasn't slcepln' or catln' there , but Jest
wrastlln' yer hash and having a roll down at
tbo Good Cheer ! Do you think I didn't spy
on yo and find that out ? O , you long-eared
jackata rabbit ! "
Ho laughed until the tears came Into his
eyes , and Undo Billy laughed , too , albeit
until the laugh on his ( ace became quite
fixed , and ho was fain to bury hla head on
the table.
"And yet , ' ' said Undo Jim , with a deep
breath , "Gosh ! I was frighted Jest for a
minlt ! I thought mebbo jou had made a big
strike when I go your first letter and I
made up my mind what I'd do ! And then I
remembered you was Jest that kind of an
open slulco that couldn't keep aaythln' to
yourself , and you'd have b en sure to have
yelled It out to me the firnt thing. So I
j waited. And I found you out , you old sinner -
! nor ! " Ho reached forward and dug Undo
Billy In the ribs.
"What would you liev done ? " asked Uncle
Billy , after an hysterical collapse.
Uncle Jim's face glow grave again. "I'd
hev I'd hev cl'ared out ! Out er 'Frisco !
out er Callforny ! out cr Amurky ! I couldn't
hev stud It ! Don't think I would hev be
grudged yo yer luck ! No man would have
been gladder than me. " Ho leaned forward
again and laid his arm caressingly upon his
partner's arm "Don't think I'd wanted to
take a penny of It but 1 thar' ' I couldn't
hev stood Lp under It ! To hev had jou , you
that I left behind , comln' down hero rollln'
, In wealth and now partners and friends , and
, arrlvo upon mo and this shanty and " he
threw toward the corner of the room a terrible
.gesture . , none the leffi terrlblo that It was I
Illogical and Inccnsequent to all that had
gone before "and < iml that broom ! "
There \\as a dead silence In the ro in. With
It Undo Billy seemed to feel himself again
transported to the homely cabin at Cedar
Camp and that futeful nignt , with hl.i part
ner's strange , determined face before him as
then. Ho even fancied that he heard the
roaring of the pines without and did not
know that It was the distant sea.
But after a minute Uncle Jim resumed
"Of course you've made a llttlo raise some
how , or you wouldn't bo here ? "
"Yes , " tald Undo Dllly eagerly. "Yes !
I've got " Ho stopped and stammered.
"I've got a few hundreds. "
"O , ho ! " said Undo Jim , cheerfully. Ho
paused , and then added earnestly , "I say !
You ain't got left over and above your d d
foolishness at the Oriental , aa much as J500 ?
"I've got , " fald Undo Billy , blushing a
llttlo over ills first deliberate and affected
lie. "I'va .got ; at least $572. Yes , " he added
tentatively , gazing anxiously at his partner ,
"I've got ait least that. "
"Jeo whllllkliiBl" said Undo Jim , with a
laugh. Then eagerly , "Ixrok heio , pard !
Then wo'ro In velvet ! I've got $ 00 ; put
your $ GOO with that , and I know u little
ranch 'that wo can get for $1,200. That's
what I've boon savin' up for that's my little
game ! No more mlnln' for me , I't's got a
Bhanty twice as big aw our old cabin , nigh
on 100 acres , and tw0 mudtangs. Wo can
run It with two uninamcn ami jusi maun it
howl ! Wet ytr tay ih ? " Ho extended his
hand. '
"I'm Ih , " said Undo Billy , radlan'tl >
grasping Undo Jlm'u hand , llut his mlle
faded and his clear , elmplo brow wrinkled
In two lines.
Happily Undo Jim did not notice It.
"Now , then , old pJ-d , " ho said brightly ,
"we'll have a gay old lime tonight one of
and Jamborees ! I've got some whisky here
icd herons and crackers , cad a dpck' o'
cards , and we'll have ft' llttlo Kami * , you un-
dcmtand , but not for 'hccpx' tisw ! No , slrco !
we'll play for beans. "
A midden light Illuminated Undo Illlly'H
face again , but ho said with a grim di-.ipera-
lion . "Not tonight ! , . J'vo got to BO Into
town. That frcft7 oVnllnb' expects ma to go
to 'the ' thcayter , d,6i\t \ yo see ? But I'll be
out tomorrow at suntii ) , and we'll fix up
this thing o' the r'aticlt. ' " .
"Seems to mo you'rfl kinder stuck on this
frcn1 , " grunted Unclt Jim ,
Uncle Billy's heart hounded at his part
ner's Jcrlo.sy. "No but I must , you know , "
ho relumed , wllh a falut laugh , ,
"I say It alnU a , lw | | la It ? " eald Undo
Undo Billy achJeVpd a diabolical wink
and a cmlliablo Mush nt his lie.
" " l
"llllly !
"Jim ! "
And under cover of this fc.itlve gallantry
Undo llllly escaped. JIu ran through tlin
gathering darkncsu and tolled up ( he shifting
sands to the 'top of the hill , where ho found
iho c rrl go waiting ,
"Wot , " said Duett ; llllly In a low , conn-
dcntlal tone io .thocoachman , , "wot do > ou
'Frisco f filers allow to bo the iiest. biggest
and rlaklcst gawblln' taloon hero ? Suthln'
high toned , you know1 ,
The negro grliinei' , f ( w u the usual case
of the extravagant , spendthrift miner ,
though porhaiw he Imd ex-pecied a different
question nd order.
"Day U do 'Polka , ' flu 'El Dorado' and do
'Arcaaa1 saloon , botn , " U * t > M , Ulckloe 111 *
whip meditatively. "Most gents from da
mines prefer dc Polka , for dcy Io danclne
wld do gals frown In. But de real prlma
facie place for gents who go for buckln'
agin do tiger and stralghtout gamblin' Is da-
Arcade. "
"Drive there like thunder ! " said Uncl
Billy , leaping Into the carriage.
* * * * * *
True to his word , Uncle Billy was at ha !
partner's shanty early the next morning. He
looked a llttlo tired , but happy , and had
brought a draft with him for $576 , which hct-
explained was the total of his capital. Undo
Jim was overjojed. They would start for
Napa. that very day , and conclude the pur
chase of the ranch ; Uncle Jim's sprained foot
was a sulficlcut reason for his giving up bla
present vocation , which he could also sell at
a small profit. His domestic arrangements ,
were very simple ; there was nothing to take-
with him there was everything to leave be
hind. And that afternoon , at sunset , tha
two reunited partners wcro seated oo the
deck of the Napa boat .is she swung Into the
stream.
Undo Billy was gazing over the ralllns
with a look of abstracted relief toward the
Golden Gate , where the s'nklng sun seemed ,
to bo drawing toward him In the ocean a
golden stream that was forever pouring :
from the bay and the three-hilled city be-
Bldo It. What Uncle Billy was thinking of.
or what the picture suggested to him , dUl
not transpire , for Undo Jim , who , cmbold-
cncd by his holiday , was luxuriating In an
evening paper , suddenly uttered a long-
drawn whistle , and moved closer to his ab
stracted partner. "Look yer , " ho said , pointIng -
Ing to a paragraph ho had evidently Just
read , "Just you listen to this , and see If w
ain't lucky , you and me , to bo Jest wet wo
air trustln' to our own hard work and not
thlnkln' o' 'strikes' and 'fortlns. ' Jest un
button yer ears , Bill ) , while I reel off this
yer thing I've Jlst struck In the papers , ami
see what d d fools some men kin make o'
themselves. And that thccr reporter wet
wrote It must liav ( > ecd It reely ! "
Undo Jim cleared his throat , and , holding
the paper clueo to his eyes , read aloud
slowly :
"A fccno of excitement that recalled tlio
palmy days of ' 19 waa witnessed last night
at tiio 'Arcade saloon , 'A stranger who inlKlit
Jiavo belonged to that rccklera epoch , and
who bore every evidence of being ( biicceRS-
ful Plko county minor out on a 'spree , ap
peared at one of the tables with n negro
coachman bearing two heavy bags of gold.
Selecting a faro bank 'is his IHUO of opera/
lions , ho began to bet heavily and with ap
parent rccklewncus , un'.ll Ms play excited
the breathless attention of every one. In a
few moments he Ind won a sum variously
estimated nt from $30,000 to $100,000. A
rumor went round the room that It wan
a concerted attempt "to 'break the hank'
rather than the drunken freak of a western-
miner , dazzled by oino sticcefwfiil strlku To
this theory the man's careless end Indifferent
bearing toward his extraordinary galtw lent
great credence. The attempt , If such It
was , however , was unsuccessful. After win
ning ten tlmi'8 In succession < liu luck turned ,
and the unfcrtunaio 'buckor' won cleaned out
not only ofills gains , but of his original In
vestment , which may bo placed rouRhly at
$20,000. This extraordinary play was wit
nessed by a croivil of ozclted players , who
went less Impressed by even Iho magnitude-
of the stakes than the purfect sang frold and
rocklcfiineis of the player , who , It Is said , at
th close of the game , with liberality tossed
a $20 gold piece to the banker and bmlllngly
wlthdrow. TJO niiin was not recognised by
any of the habitues of thu plncu , "
"Thurol" said Undo Jim , an ho hurriedly-
blurred over the French sulntaiitlvo at the-
close , "did ju over tee such god-forsakon
foolishness ? "
Undo Hilly lifted hit alwlroctcd eyes from
the ctiirent still pouring Us unrcturnlUK gold
Into Iho sinking sun , and raid with a depre
catory smlltt , "Never ! "
Nor even In the rtaje of prosperity tint
visited the Orcat Wheel r nch of "Fall anil
Foster" did ho ever tell hU lecrct < o hi *
partner ,
( The End. )
C ASTORIA
For Infant * and Children.
WOODBUBY'S C ;