Part 25 (1/2)
The trail along the Fla hureat packs of provisions and tools and other baggage, winding like an endless streah the hills to ”No Creek” Lee Creek, where they re-enacted the scenes that were occurring in the town Tents and cabins were scattered throughout the length of the valley, luinal breezes that had sucked through this seam in the mountains since days primeval came to smell of spruce fires and echo with the sounds of life
A dozen tents were pitched on Lee's discovery claied byfinally, he had allotted to each of the their portions, for the ground was shallow, and the gold so near the surface that winter would interfere with its extraction; wherefore, they made haste The owner oversaw them all, co fro of his alloterated reports of new strikes in other spots, of strong indications and of rich prospects elsewhere
Stories grew out of nothing, until the ca itself and deceiving every stranger who came from north or south, for the wine of discovery was in thee upon every ruold-fields They knew they were lying, and that all otheralso, and yet they hearkened to each tale and alht Necia at an early day and, in presence of her father, told her that he had been approached by men ished to lease the claims he held for her It would prove an inexpensive way to develop her holdings, he said, and she would run no risk; moreover, it would be rapid, and insure a quick return, for a lease so near to proven territory was in great deed, and Meade, as trustee, allotted her ground in tracts, as Lee had done
Poleon followed suit; but the trader chose to prospect his own claims, and to that end called in a train of stiff-backed Indian packers, moved a substantial outfit to the creek, and thereafter spentthe store to Doret He seeet away from the camp and hide himself in the woods Stark was almost constantly occupied at his saloon, for it was a ht Runnion was busy with the erection of a substantial structure of squared logs, larger than the trading-post, destined as a dance-hall, theatre, and ga-house Flambeau, the slumbrous, had indeed aroused itself, stretched its li, and the wise prophets were predicting another Dawson for it, notwithstanding thatbared its bedrock to the miners These but enhanced the value of the rich finds, however, for a single stroke of good-fortune will more than offset a dozen disappointments The truth is, the stream was very spotted, and Leo had by chance hit upon one of the bars where the ed, while others above and below uncovered a bed-rock as barren as a clean-swept floor In places they cross-cut from rim to rim, drove tunnels and drains and drifts, sunk shafts and opened trenches without finding a color that would ring when dropped in the pan; but that was an old, old story, and they were used to it
During these stirring weeks of unsleeping activity Burrell saw little of Necia, for he had s to occupy him, and she was detained much in the store, now that her father ay When they met for a moment they were sure to be interrupted, while in and around the house Alluna seemed to be always near her Even so, she was very happy; for she was sustained by the constant hectic excitement that was in the air and by her brief ladden her and , delicious, hopeful procession of undisturbed dreams and fancies He was the same fond lover as on that adventurous journey up Black Bear Creek, and wooed her with a reckless fire that set her aglow And so she huhed and drealadness of the season
With Burrell, on the contrary, it was a season of penance and flagellations of spirit, lightened only by the et all else This daoaded him to self-contempt; he despised hi, his sense of duty, and the aed steadily, untiringly at his reason, while the little i wickedly, ready to pop out and upset all his high resolutions It raised such a tumult in his ears that he could not hear the other voices; it stirred his blood till it leaped and pounded, and then ran off with hi witch as at the bottom of it all
No months in any clime can compare with an Arctic summer when Nature is kind, for she crowds into this short epoch all the warer periods in other lands, and every growing thing rejoices riotously in scent and color and profusion It was on one of these heavenly days, spiced with the faintest hint of autuood-fortune One of her leasers ca of dust He and his partner had found the pay-streak finally, and he had co very rich, and now that its location was demonstrated, no doubt the other ”layht As all of theround could be stripped, undoubtedly they would be able to take out a substantial stake before winter settled and the first frost closed the eyes, though her pleasure was no greater or rasped both her hands in his and shouted, gleefully:
”Bien! I'al for sure now, an' wear plaintee fine dress lak' I fetch you Jus' t'ink, you fin' gol' on your place ood miner, too Ha! Dat's bully!”
”Oh, Poleon! I'll be a fine lady, after all,” she cried--”just as I've drearains and nuggets? Dear, dear! And part of it is mine! You know I've never had oin' tell you dat?”
”Oh, well, they will find it on your claims very soon”
He shook his head ”You better knock 'en you say dat Mebbe I draw de blank again; nobody can't tell I've do de saroun' dey're gettin' purty blue”
”It's impossible You're sure to strike it, or if you don't, you can have half of what I ht as well”
He laughed again, at which she suddenly rehed very much of late, or else she had been too deeply absorbed in her own happiness to s and ,” she continued, ”ill you do with yourself? Surely you won't continue that search for your far country It could never be so beautiful as this” She pointed to the river that never changed, and yet was never the sans of the co season ”Just look at the mountains,” she s over them--the veil that God uses to cover up his treasures” She drew a deep breath ”The breeze fairly tastes with clean things, doesn't it? Do you know, I've often wanted to be an anis with a funny, sharp, cold nose I'd like to live in the trees and run along the branches like a squirrel, and drink in the perfus The sun is bright enough and the world is good enough, but I can't feel enough I'reed the Canadian ”I don' see w'y anybody would care for livin' on dem cities w'en dere's so much nice place outside”
”Oh, but the cities h, of course, they can't be as lovely as this Won't I be glad to see theoin' away?” he inquired, quickly
”Of course” Then gli his downcast face, she hastened to add, ”That is, when h to afford it”
”Oh,” he said, with relief ”Dat's different I s'pose it o, not'in' to see 'cept lot of houses”
”Yes,” said Necia, ”I've no doubt one would get tired of it soon, and long for so really worth while, but I should like to try it once, and I shall as soon as I'?”
”I don' know,” he said, thoughtfully; ”o away For long tam' I t'ink dis Flambeau she's de promis' lan' I hear callin' to me, but I don' know yet for w'ile”