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i 

_j 

_ 

_J 

J 

1 

1 

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28  X 

32  X 

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to  tha  ganarotity  of; 

National  Library  of  Canada 

Tha  imagas  ippaaring  hara  ara  tha  bast  quality 
pouibla  contidaring  tha  condition  and  iagibility 
of  tha  original  copy  and  in  kaaping  with  tha 
filming  contract  apacificationa. 


Original  copiaa  in  printad  papar  eovara  ara  fllmad 
baginning  with  tha  front  eovar  and  anding  on 
tha  last  paga  with  a  printad  or  illuatratad  impraa- 
(ion.  or  tha  back  covar  whan  appropriata.  All 
othor  original  copiaa  ara  filmad  baginning  on  tha 
firat  paga  with  a  printad  or  illuatratad  impraa- 
aion,  and  anding  on  tha  last  paga  with  a  printad 
or  illuatratad  impraaaion. 


Tha  laat  racordad  frama  on  aach  microflcha 
ahall  contain  tha  symbol  — » I  moaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  tha  symbol  V  (moaning  "END"), 
whichavar  applias. 

Mapa.  platas,  charu,  ate.  may  ba  filmad  at 
diffarant  raduction  ratios.  Thosa  too  larga  to  ba 
antiraly  includad  in  ona  axposura  ara  fllmad 
baginning  in  tha  uppar  laft  hand  cornar.  laft  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  framas  as 
raquirad.  Tha  following  diagrams  illustrata  tha 
mathod: 


L'axamplaira  film*  fut  raproduit  grlca  t  la 
g*nirosit<  da: 

Bibliotheque  nationale  du  Canada 


Las  imagas  suivantas  ont  *t*  raproduitas  avac  la 
plus  grand  soin,  eompta  tanu  da  la  condition  at 
da  la  nattat*  da  l'axamplaira  film*,  at  an 
conformit4  avac  laa  conditions  du  contrat  da 
filmaga. 

Las  axamplairaa  originaux  dont  la  couvartura  an 
papiar  aat  Imprimte  sont  film*s  an  cnmmancant 
par  la  pramiar  plat  at  an  tarn-inant  soit  par  la 
darni*ra  paga  qui  comporta  una  amprainta 
d  imprassion  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  la  sacond 
plat,  salon  la  cas.  Tous  las  autras  axampleiras 
originaux  sont  film*s  an  commandant  par  la 
pramiira  paga  qui  compona  una  amprainta 
d  Imprassion  ou  d'illustration  at  an  tarminant  par 
la  darniara  paga  qui  comporta  una  lalla 
amprainta. 

Un  daa  symbolas  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
darniira  imaga  da  chaqua  microfichs.  salon  la 
cas:  la  symbols  — »  signifia  "A  SUIVRE"  la 
symbola  ▼  signifia  "FIN". 

Las  cartaa.  planchas.  tablaaux.  ate.  pauvent  atre 
filmts  i  daa  taux  da  raduction  diffarsnts. 
Lorsqua  la  documant  ast  trop  grand  pour  itra 
raproduit  an  un  saul  ciichi,  il  ast  film*  i  partir 
da  I'angia  supiriaur  gaucha.  da  gaucha  i  droita. 
«  <!•  •'•ut  tn  baa.  tn  pranant  la  nombra 
d'imagaa  nteassaira.  Las  diagrammas  suivants 
illuatrant  la  mathoda. 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

MfCROCOTY   MSOIUriON   TEST   CHART 

(ANSI  and  ISO  TEST  CHART  No,  2) 


1.0    Ifte  Ilia 

II        ^  k&    i  2.0 


_^  :JgR-IED_IIVt/lGE     In 

^Sr,i  ^G53   EasI   Main   Street 

S^=  Roctiester,   Nc   rark         U609       ii-^ 

^S  ("  6)    <82  -  0300  -  Phon,  ^ 

^S  (716)   2as  -  5989  -  Fa, 


w 


'Jx 


'^rxk^i-js^t 


'A^ 


'"Vvv     ;wv\^  Jl^J(^Ux^.,   'w| 


A^  /V.lw-^ 


Burning  Dayli^vht 


/ 


Burning  Daylight 


By 

Jack    London 


Author  of 

•Th.  ClI  of  th.  Wild."  "Whiw  F.ng."  "M^lin  Kd«  • 

•te. 


Toronto 
Henry  Frowde 


1911 


OMfe 


Printed  in  England 


Oiis 


obi 


(iu 


M  ij 


U  V  t;  -li 


»ZTa:Z^""""''-^"'^'-^'^^'ooU., 


PART  I 

CHAPTER  I 

It  wm  a  quiet  night  in  the  Tivoli.     At  the  bar   which 

ITJ^Hn    "^  ""^  f '  °{'^t  '^'Se  chinked-log  room  feaned 
half  a  dozen  n^.n,  two  of  whom  were  discussing  the  relative 
ments  of  spruce-tea  and  lime-juice  as  remedies  for  sc^w 
They  argued  with  an  air  of  depression  and  with  intervals  of 
morose  sJence.    The  other  men  scarcely  heeded  th^m     li 
a  row,  against  the  opposite  wall,  were  the  gambling  games 
The  crap-table  was  deserted.     One  lone  man  was^pE 
at  the  faro-table.  The  roulette-ball  was  not  even  spiniUn^ 
and  the  gamekeeper  stood  by  the  roaring,  red-hot  stovf 
In^fif,  ""'^  'y^'  ^°r^'  ^^'^-^y^'^  ^°^^^  comely  of  fa 'e 
tne  Virgin     Three  men  sat  m  at  sti  d-poker    but  thev 
played  with  small  chips  and  without  en^thu^  asm   wSe 
ril  TT  °'^°°^^''-     On  the  floor  of  the  d;nc^fi! 
room,  wboh  opened  out  at  the  rear,  three  couples  we-e 

Cu-cle  City  was  not  deserted,  nor  was  money  tight  The 
miners  were  in  from  Moosehide  Creek  and  the  other 
diggings  to  the  west  the  summer  washing  had  been  good 
The  K^rZ  r!^''^''.^''''  ^"""^y  ^"h  dust  and  nuS' 
Se^  of  tt  V  t"°*  r*  ^T  di««°vered,  nor  haf  the 
miners  of  the  Yukon  learned  the  possibUities  of  deen 
digging  and  wood-firing.  No  work  was  done  in  the  winte? 
and  they  made  a  practice  of  liib-nating  in  the  lar/e 
camps  hke  Circle  City  during  the  long  Ai-ctI  Sght  Se 
Tnd  £  Li"  *^''•.^h*°ds,  their  pouches  were  well  ffl led 

sins^  S  tr  Tiirr  *°  "^^  'r*?  ^^^r  '^^^ 

i-i  luR   11,011  wa=,  piin;uoaiiy  aeserted,  and 


2  BURNING  DAYLIGHT 

the  Virgin,  standing  by  the  stove,  yawned  with  un- 
covered mouth  and  said  to  Charley  Bates  — 

If  something  don't  happen  soon,  I'm  goin'  to  bed. 
What^s  the  matter  with  the  camp,  anyway  ?   E.  .rybody 


™o«^i  t  *''?'*  ^""""^'^  *°  ""eply'  but  went  on 
moodily  rolhng  a  cigarette.  Dan  MacDonald,  pioneer 
saloonman  and  gambler  on  the  upper  Yukon,  owner  and 
proprietor  of  the  Tivoli  and  all  its  games,  wandered 
forlornly  across  the  great  vacant  space  of  floor  and  joined 
tne  two  at  the  stove. 

'»  Anybody  dead  ?"  the  Virgin  asked  him. 
Looks  like  it,"  was  the  answer. 

„,v"Jfl*",l*  °"^i  ^f,^^^  '^*'°'^  <'^™P'"  slie  said  with  an 
air  ot  bnahtjr  and  with  another  yawn. 

MacDonald  grinned  and  nodded,  and  opened  his  mouth 
to  speak,  when  the  front  door  swung  wide  and  a  man  ap- 
peared m  the  light.  A  rush  of  frost,  turned  to  vapour  by 
the  heat  of  the  room,  swirled  about  him  to  his  knees  and 
poured  on  across  the  floor,  growing  thinner  and  thinner, 
and  perishing  a  dozen  feet  from  the  stove.  Taking  the 
wisp  broom  from  its  nail  inside  the  door,  the  new-comer 
brushed  the  snow  from  his  moccasins  and  high  German 
socks  He  would  have  appeared  a  large  man  had  not  a 
huge  French-Canadian  stepped  up  to  him  from  the  bar 
and  gripped  his  hand. 

"Hello,  Daylight !"  was  his  greeting.  "  By  Gar,  vou 
good  for  sore  eyes !"  o  j         ,  juu 

Hello,  Louis,  when  did  you-all  blow  in  ?"  returned  the 
new-comer.  Come  up  and  have  a  drink  and  tell  us  all 
about  Bone  Creek.  Why,  dog-gone  you-all,  shake  again. 
Where  s    that    pardner    of    yours?      I'm    looking    for 

Another  huge  man  detached  himself  from  the  bar  to 
shake  hands  Olaf  Henderson  and  French  Louis,  partners 
together  on  Bor-  Creek,  were  the  two  largest  men  in  the 
country  and  though  they  were  but  half  a  head  taller 
than  the  new-comer,  between  them  he  was  dwarfed 
completely. 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  ^ 

Vm  going  to  pVyou-au'^:r;oTbLkI.'a:^e'r'  X^h" 
teUyou^all  about  it  "  "^  ^"^  '^"'^'  ^laf.  and  I'll 

Virgin  cried,  tL  fet?;   eoognize  WmT^  ^'^"«^*'"  ^^^^ 
light.    Charley  Bate,',  t;  Jhf  ^    !  ^^  ''^  *"*"*«  "»to  the 

became  suddenly  brighter  Ind  SSfer  *The\  't  P'"*"^ 
were  active.  Voices  wb™  t=;«  !i  o  ,  barkeepers 
And  when  the  6^1:.  "er  rSto  th"f '°^^  '""S^^" 
marked  to  the  pianist,  ''  I'^tTSfng  Daylilht''  Z""'  u" 
time  perceptibly  quickened  nr^/ti.  J^^  '  t'le  waltz- 
contagion,  beganrwhirlaCt  I^-fT^'"'  ",^**^"g  th« 
it.  It  was  known  to  them  of  old  t  '^  ''u"^  '"J^y^-i 
""Tttfr  «r nXtfwaSr^ut**  "^^^^'"^ 

Whartr^^^X^i^ufth  "  ^'^^y- 

sari^£gHl^»i^ 

and  then   T'll  k     ^     , ;  To-morrow  I'm  thirty 

^  Fifty,"  he  said. 
The  faro-dealer  s 


r  slipped  two  cards.     The  liigh  card 


won. 


#  BURNING  DAYLIGHT 

He  Boribbled  the  amount  on  a  pad,  and  the  weigher  at  the 
bar  balanced  fifty  dollars'  worth  of  dust  in  the  gold-scales 
and  poured  it  into  Burning  Daylight's  sack.  The  waltz  in 
the  back  room  being  finished,  the  three  couples,  followed 
by  the  fiddler  and  the  pianist  and  heading  for  the  bar, 
caught  Daylight's  eye. 

"  Surge  along,  you-all !"  he  cried.  "  Surge  along  and 
name  it.  This  is  my  night,  and  it  ain't  a  night  that  comes 
frequent.  Surge  up,  you  Siwashes  and  Salmon-eaters. 
It's  my  night,  I  tell  you-all " 

"  A  blame  mangy  night,"  Charley  Bates  interpolated. 

"You're  right,  my  son,"  Burning  Daylight  went  on 
gaily.  "  A  mangy  night,  but  it's  my  night,  you  see.  I'm 
the  mangy  old  he-wolf.     Listen  to  me  howl." 

And  howl  he  did,  like  a  lone  grey  timber  wolf,  till  the 
Virgin  thrust  her  pretty  fingers  in  her  ears  and  shivered. 
A  minute  later  she  was  whirled  away  in  i '  arms  to  the 
dancing-floor,  where,  along  with  the  other  three  women 
and  their  partners,  a  rollicking  Virginia  reel  was  soon  in 
progress.  Men  and  women  danced  in  moccasins,  and  the 
place  was  soon  a-roar.  Burning  Daylight  the  centre  of  it 
and  the  animating  spark,  with  quip  and  jest  and  rough 
merriment  rousing  them  out  of  the  slough  of  despond  in 
which  he  had  found  them. 

The  atmosphere  of  the  place  ohanped  with  his  coming. 
He  seemed  to  fiU  it  with  liis  tremendo^  vitality.  Men 
who  entered  from  the  street  felt  it  immediately,  and  in 
response  to  their  queries  the  barkeepers  nodded  at  the 
back  room,  and  said  comprehensively,  "  Burning  Day- 
light's on  the  tear."  And  the  men  who  entered  remained, 
and  kept  the  barkeepers  busy.  The  gamblers  took  heart 
of  life,  and  soon  the  tables  were  filled,  the  click  of  chips 
and  whirl  of  the  roulette-ball  rising  monotonously  and 
imperiously  above  the  hoarse  rumble  of  men's  voices  and 
their  oaths  and  heavy  laughs. 

Few  men  knew  Elam  Harnish  by  any  other  name  than 
Burning  Daylight,  the  name  which  had  been  given  him  in 
the  early  days  in  the  land  because  of  his  habit  of  routing 
his  comrades  out  of  their  blankets  with  the  complair  o  that 


r 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


east.    He.howeTr'  ha7be«n^h      "  ^"^^  """"^--y  ^^  tl'^ 
coot  and  Chilcat  passes      Infh     P"?'^^^'- °^«"-  *he  CM- 

year,  before,  a  Iffg  of '^^te JXad  '''''  'r'"* 
the  ChiJconf  wJti,   fl  eignieen,  Jie  had  crossed  over 

o,liCkw"fo„,     sift-     ■»  'li''  '•«  !.•  W 

■t  wa^,  he  had  helped  to  makTir  He  h!!i  '  :?'''u?'^  *' 
and  geography,  a^nd  tho^  that  ied  Zte  "f  V^ 
traverses  and  charted  the  traUs  his  1 1 Tad  ZoL      ^ 

tho^:Ttha:  7^&Voi^T:r?'  f  ~« 

man,  a  square  man^  antaTt^^;  IT  """""^^'^  "*  "^^^^ 
an;Vg"ht^';tnl'^:^f,f  J^«„-^^^^^^^  %My  played  with 
to  gam'b  Jg  frdi;tL":nVX:S^  Tn  ^  vt' ^■ 

'  was  Elam  Hnrni  f         ^'^  ^""^  "  '"^^^  ""^^  another.     Nor 

was  stong     E^vrnr^^^^^ 
^  ttatgame^shouldTake      w.'^'^^  determined  what  form 
!  and  4  father  had  e^.aS  tTL  °™  °S  '"  '''"^  't™.' 

-nmg  country   EWs   boyS;™  ^f' Hetal 


-**.«-.-,t_^_.. 


11 


»■  BURNING  DAYLIGHT 

known  nothing  but  hard  knocks  for  big  stakes.  Pluck 
and  endurance  counted  in  the  game,  but  the  great  god 
Chance  deal!  the  cards.  Honest  work  for  sure  but  meagre 
returns  did  not  count.  A  man  played  big.  He  risked 
everything  for  everything,  and  anything  less  than  every- 
tlfing  meant  that  he  was  a  loser.  So,  for  twelve  Yukon 
years,  Elam  Hamish  had  been  a  loser.  True,  on  Moose- 
hide  Creek  the  past  summer  he  had  taken  out  twenty 
thousand  doUars,  and  what  was  left  in  the  ground  wm 
twenty  thousand  more.  But,  as  he  himself  proclaimed, 
that  was  no  more  than  getting  his  ante  back.  He  had 
ante  d  his  life  for  a  dozen  years,  and  forty  thousand  was 
a  small  pot  for  such  a  stake— the  price  of  a  drink  and  a 
dance  at  the  Tivoli,  of  a  winter's  flutter  at  Circle  City 
and  a  grubstake  for  the  year  to  come. 

The  men  of  the  Yukon  reversed  the  old  maxim  till  it 
read  :  hard  came,  easy  go.  At  the  ond  of  the  reel,  Elam 
Harmsh  caUed  the  house  up  to  drink  again.  Drinks  were 
a  dollar  apiece,  gold  rated  at  sixteen  dollars  an  onnce  • 
there  were  thirty  in  the  house  that  accepted  his  invita- 
tion, and  between  every  dance  the  nouse  was  Elam's 
guest.  This  was  his  night,  and  nobody  was  to  be  allowed 
to  pay  for  anything.  Not  that  Elam  Hamish  was  a 
drinking  man.  Whisky  meant  little  to  him.  He  was 
too  vital  and  robust,  too  untroubled  in  mind  and  body 
to  inchne  to  the  slavery  of  alcohol.  He  spent  months 
at  a  time  on  trail  and  river  when  he  drank  nothing  stronger 
than  cofiee,  while  he  had  gone  a  year  at  a  time  without 
even  coffee.  But  he  was  gregarious,  and  since  the  sole 
social  expression  of  the  Yukon  was  the  saloon,  he  ex- 
pressed himself  ;hat  way.  When  he  was  a  lad  in  the 
mmmg  camps  of  the  West,  men  had  always  done  that, 
lo  him  it  was  the  proper  way  for  a  man  to  express  him- 
self socially.     He  knew  no  other  way. 

He  ^  as  a  striking  figure  of  a  man,  despite  his  garb  being 
similar  to  that  of  all  the  men  in  the  Tivoli.  Soft-tanned 
moccasins  of  moose-hide,  beaded  in  Indian  designs, 
covered  his  feet.  His  trousers  were  ordinary  overalls,  his 
coat  was  made  from  a  blanket.     Long-gauntleted  leather 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  7 

mittens  lined  with  wool,  hung  by  his  side.    They  were  ' 
oonnected.  in  the  Yukon  fashion,  by  a  leatKw 
pas^d  around  the  neck  and  across  the  shoulders     On  wf 

o^rlT  '^•^"  "??••  *,^^  ""'-^P*  ™««d  and  the  tyi,^! 
cords  danghng.    His  face,  lean  and  slightly  lon<?.  Nrtl 

I?mnr.Ti'°°  °*^^u°"r^  ^^'^^^^  *»>«  cheek-bonesrwS 
tiZf  i^    f^-    ?'  '"V™*  «'^"  ""d  keen  dark  eyes  3- 

the  eyes  themselves  were  essentially  those  of  a  whita 
man.  He  looked  older  than  thirty:  and  yet,  smooth- 
shaven  and  without  wrinkles,  he  was  almost  S 
Tins  impression  of  age  was  based  on  no  tangible  .vSe" 
It  came  from  the  abstractor  fa<it8  of  the  man,  from  what 
he  had  endured  and  survived,  which  was  far  beyondTE 
of  ordinary  men.  He  had  lived  life  naked  and  tenily 
and  something  of  aU  this  smouldered  in  in^Tyl' 
vibrated  m  his  voice,  and  seemed  for  ever  a-whis^rTn 

.I^^il'^  themselves  were  thin,  and  prone  to  close  tightlm. 
"rieved  hvT'  ""^'"^  ^^^\  ^"*  '^^"  ^'^^hness  w^  1% 
TW  J^.!  yT"^  ""''  ^*  ^^^  ""^^^  °f  his  mouth. 
Ihis  curl  gave  to  him  sweetness,  as  the  minute  puckers 
at  the  corners  of  the  eyes  gave  him  laughter.  These 
necessary  graces  saved  him  from  a  nature  that  was 
essentially  savage  and  that  otherwise  would  have  bin 

dXate  'h**',  '^'^^  •^'^^^^  '«*'»'  M-nostriuId,  a^S 
dehcate    and  of  a  size  to  fit  the  face;  while  the  high 

dolni'  f"^*^  **.°'*  !"'  "*  narrowness,  was  splendTduJ 
domed  and  symmetrical.  In  line  with  the  Indian  effect 
was  ^8  hair  very  straight  and  very  bla^k,  with  a  Xs 
to  It  that  only  health  could  give  ^ 

dI^M^u^  Daylight's   burning   candlelight,"   laughed 

Sefr,-^  .  "^^"^i  ^'  ^"  °"*'"^^*  °f  exclamations  and 
merriment  came  from  the  dancers. 

Hend^rlon^  '''  ^^'  ^°^  *°  ^°  '*'  ^^'  ^"^  '"  ""'^  ^^"^ 

"  Tilf^t  ^^  ^,f  ■'  1^°"  •'?,*  ""^  •***'"  ^^•id  French  Louis. 
JJat  boy  IS  aU  gold " 

'•  And  when  God  Almighty  washes  Daylight's  soul  out 


..■dMl 


^  BURNING  DAYLIGHT 

''wh;''£A'l!S,vt'"m  k'*"^'"  MaoDonald  interrupted, 

th«'^°*M'  *°°u'"  ^^'"^  Honderaon  muttered,  recardlna 
the  gambler  with  profound  admiration.  ^K^'^^'ng 

Ver    good,"  affirmed  French  Louis.     "I  t'ink  we 
ta,u.  a  drin]£  on  dat  one  time,  eh  ?"  ^  hhk  we 


CHAPTER  II 

guards  with  supphes     ^         ^      '  "'''''  ^"^'^^'^  *°  t^^^ 

there  rr^nSSrenouI'..  ''"''  "ot  dancing  because 
suggestion.     Thfy  ^rXk  n^g"  ^0^:%^!^  *°^ 

,„,i^r*  you  to  sit  in,"  said  Campbell.     "  How's  your 

wUh'eiTaU*  i°„rat'^h^"™"«.^^^"«^*  ''— ^ 
pr«,s  h-  "rA  T'  *  •  ""f  ^^""^  *'°»«  felt  the  Vir<rin 
P  .S.S  h„  .rm  warnuigiy.     she  wanted  him  for  the  danc': 


^ 


10 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


ing.  ^  I  Rure  got  my  luok  with  me,  but  I'd  sooner  d»nce. 
I  ain  t  hankerin  to  take  the  money  away  from  you-all  " 
Nobody  urged.  Thoy  took  his  refusal  a«  final,  and 
tno  Virgin  was  pressing  his  arm  to  turn  him  away  in  pur- 
suit of  the  supper-seekers,  when  he  experienced  a  change 
of  heart.  It  was  not  that  he  did  not  want  to  dance,  nor 
that  he  wanted  to  hurt  her  ;  but  that  insistent  pressure 
on  hjs  arm  put  his  free  maw-nature  in  revolt.  The 
thought  in  his  mind  was  that  he  did  not  want  any  woman 
runmng  him.  Himself  a  favourite  with  women,  never- 
tiioless  they  did  not  bulk  big  with  him.  They  were  toys, 
playthings,  part  of  the  relaxation  from  the  bigger  game 
of  life.  He  mpt  women  along  with  the  whisky  and 
gambling,  and  from  observation  he  had  found  that  it 
was  far  easier  to  break  away  from  the  drink  and  the  cards 
than  from  a  woman  once  the  man  was  properlv  en- 
tangled. I-    r     J 

He  was  a  slave  to  himself,  which  was  natural  in  one 
with  a  healthy  ego,  but  he  rebelled  in  ways  either  mur- 
derous or  pamoky  at  being  o  slave  to  anybody  else.  Love's 
sweet  servitude  was  a  tiling  of  which  he  had  no  com- 
prehension. Men  he  had  seen  in  love  impressed  him  as 
lunatics,  and  lunacy  was  a  thing  he  had  never  considered 
worth  analyzing.  But  comradeship  with  men  was 
different  from  love  with  women.  There  was  no  servitude 
in  comradeship.  It  was  a  business  proposition,  a  squai. 
deal  between  men  who  did  not  pursae  each  other,  but 
who  shared  the  risks  of  trail  and  river,  and  mountain, 
in  the  pvirsuit  of  life  and  treasure.  Men  and  women 
puraued  each  other,  and  one  must  needs  bend  the  other 
to  his  will  or  hers.  Comradeship  was  different.  There 
was  no  slavery  about  it ;  and  though  he,  a  strong  man 
beyond  strength's  seeming,  gave  far  more  than  he  re- 
ceived, he  gave  not  something  due  but  in  royal  largess, 
his  gifts  of  toil  or  hei-oic  efEort  falling  generously  from 
his  hands.  To  pack  for  days  over  the  gale-swept  passes 
or  across  the  mosquito-ridden  marshes,  and  to  pack  double 
the  weight  his  comrade  packed,  did  not  involve  unfairness 
or  compulsion.     Each  did  his  best.     That  was  the  busi- 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  n 

new  erwenoo  of  it.  Some  men  were  stronger  than  other, 
—true ,  but  80  long  as  each  m»n  did  hi^  best  it  wan  fair 
deaUbtained       '"*"  "P""''  ***  observed,  and  the  square 

.ii^"tir"''  ^°°'on-no.  Women  gave  little  and  wanted 
ri,„„  k"*!"  *"'^  apron-Btrings  and  were  prone  to  tie 
them  about  any  man  who  looked  twice  in  their  direction. 
Ihere  was  the  Virgin,  yawning  her  head  off  when  he 
came  m  and  mightily  pleased  that  he  asked  her  to  dance 
One  dance  was  all  very  well,  but  because  he  danced  twice 
and  thrice  with  her  and  several  times  more,  she  squeezed 
his  arm  when  they  askod  him  to  sit  in  at  poker.  It  wa« 
the  obnoxious  apron-string,  the  first  of  the  many  com- 
pulsions she  would  exert  upon  him  if  he  gave  in.  Not 
that  she  was  not  n  nice  bit  of  a  woman,  healthy  and 

dancer  but  that  she  was  a  woman  with  all  a  woman's 
desire  to  rope  him  with  her  apron-strings  and  tie  him 
hand  and  foot  for  the  branding.  Better  poker.  Besides, 
he  liked  poker  as  well  as  he  did  dancing 

He  resisted  the  pull  on  his  arm  by  the  mere  negative 
mass  of  him,  and  said  :—  ° 

"  I  sort  of  feel  a  hankering  to  give  you-all  a  flutter  " 
Again  came  the  pull  on  his  arm.     She  was  trying  to 
pass  the  apron-string  around  him.    For  the  fraction  of 
an  instant  he  was  a  savage,  dominated  by  the  wave  of 
fear  and  murder  that  rose  up  in  him.     For  that  infini- 

t^aTmT^^■^  "'"*'  ^^7"'  *°  ""  Pw^poses  a  frightened 
tiger  filled  witl   rage  and  terror  ut  the  apprehe^ion  of 

hnl  1  ^'  .  H*^,''^  ^een  no  more  than  a  savage,  ho  would 
have  leapt  wildly  from  the  place  or  else  sprung  upon  her 
and  destroyed  her.  But  in  that  same  instant  there  stirred 
in  him  the  generations  of  discipline  by  which  man  had 
become  an  inadequate  social  animal.  Tact  and  sym- 
pathy strove  with  him,  and  he  smUed  with  his  eyes  into 
the  Virgin's  eyes  as  he  said  :— 

AJi^'°"m"j^°  *"''  set  some  grub.  I  ain't  hungry. 
And  well  dance  some  more  bj-and-by.  The  night's 
young  yet.    Go  to  it,  old  girl  "  ^  ^ 


12 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


He  released  his  arm  and  thrust  her  playfuUv  on  the 
shoulder  at  the  same  time  turning  to  th^pC^ers 
.^^^  Take  off  the  bmit  and  I'll  go  you-aU  " 
Limit's  the  roof,"  Paid  Jack  Kearns 
Take  off  the  roof." 
The   players   glanced   at   one    another,    and   Reams 
announced,  "  The  roof's  off."  -n-earns 

Elapi  Harnish  dropped  into  the  waiting  chair,  started 
to  pull  out  his  gold-sack,  and  changed  his  mind      The 

..^^""ffu^^-     ^'^^^'''s  smiling  her  forgiveness.     He  had 

trsCety.'""""'™^'  ^""^  ""'^°'^'  '^"«»«  »•-  f-»S 

"Let's  play  markers,"  he  suggested.     " Chips  do ever- 
lastmgly  dutter  up  the  table.  ...     If  it's  ajeeable  to 

"  I'm  willing  "  answered  Hal  Campbell.     "  Let  mine 
run  at  five  hundred." 

"  Mine,  too,"  an-wered  Harnish,  while  the  others  stated 
he  values  they  put  on  their  own  markers,  French  Louis 
the  most  modest,  issuing  his  at  a  hundred  dollars  «aoh 

In  Alaska,  at  that  time,  there  were  no  rascals  and  no 
tan-horn  gamblers.     Games  were  conducted  honestly,  and 

ZVnU^  ?r  T'^''-     ^  '"'^"'^  ^°^d  was  as  go^d  as 
h^s  gold  in  the  blower.     A  marker  was  a  flat,  oblong 

Zlh^H^A  "''''''  r''""'  P^^^^P^'  ^  ««»*•     But  when  f 
man  beted  a  marker  in  a  game  and  said  it  was  worth 

dred  dollars.     Whoever  won  it  knew  that  the  man  who 
issued  It  «.ouId  redeem  it  with  five  hundred  dollars' worth 

°  fftrfnf Tf ''"^  °1°"  '^'  ''''^''-  '^'^'^  ""^^kers  being  of 
fhfierent  colours  there  was  no  difficliy  i„  identifying 
the  owners.  Also,  in  that  early  Yukon  day,  no^one 
dreamed  o  playing  table-stakes.  A  man  was  good  in  a 
game  for  all  that  he  possessed,  no  matter  wherf  his  pos 
sessions  were  or  what  was  their  nature  ^ 


BUENING  DAYLIGHT  13 

Harnish  out  and  got  the  deal.     At  this  good  augurv 
and  while  shuffling  the  deck,  he  caUed  to  the  barkefpS 

card  IT  ^'^'m"?!^  *?^  '^'  ''°'^-     ^  h«  dealt  the  H 
card  to  Dan  MacDonald,  on  his  left,  he  caUed  out  •- 

and  sfl<r"  *°  *^^  ?;°"°/'  y°"-*"'  Malemutes,  huskies, 
and  Siwash  purps  !  Get  down  and  dig  in  !  Tighten  un 
hem  traces  !  Put  your  weight  into  thf  harness  Ind  bust 
the  breast-bands!  Whoop-la!  Yow !  We're  off  and 
bound  for  Helen  Breakfast!    And  I  tell  you-all  clear 

fo  ni^iT'J.  ^'■''  ^°'"  *°  ^'  ^*'fi  g^'^des  and  fast  goin' 
to-night  before  we  win  to  that  same  lady.  And  some- 
body's goin'  to  bump  .  .  .  hard." 

Once  started  it  was  a  quiet  game,  with  little  or  no 
conversation,  though  all  about  the  players  the  place  was 
a-roar.  Elam  Harnish  had  ignited  the  spark.  More  Td 
more  miners  dropped  in  to  the  Tivoli  and  remained 
When  Burning  Daylight  went  on  the  tear,  no  man  cared 
to  miss  It.     The  dancing-floor  was  full.     Owing  to  the 

handkerchiefs  around  their  arms  in  token  of  feminin--^ 
and  danced  with  other  men.  AU  the  games  were  crowded! 
and  the  voices  of  the  men  talking  at  the  long  bar  and 
grouped  about  the  stove  were  accompanied  by  the  steady 
chck  of  chips  and  the  sharp  whir,  rising  and  falling,  of  the 
rouletfe-baU^  M  the  materials  of  a  proper  Yukfn  night 
were  at  hand  and  mixing.  ^ 

The  luck  at  the  table  varied  monotonously,  no  bie  hands 

^n  °t-  ^  ^  '"'"'*'  ^S'^  P^^y  ^««t  °n  with  small 
hands,  though  no  play  lasted  long.  A  filled  straight 
belonging  to  French  Louis  gave  him  a  pot  of  five  thousand 
against  two  sets  of  threes  held  by  Campbell  and  Reams 
Une  pot  of  eight  hundred  dollars  was  won  by  a  pair  of 
foTi  °\l  show-down.  And  once  Harnish  called  Reams 
or  two  thousand  dollars  on  a  cold  steal.  When  Reams 
laid  down  his  hand  it  showed  a  bobta4  flush,  whUe 
Harnish  s  hand  proved  that  he  had  had  the  nerve  to  call 
on  a  pair  of  tens. 

h«nr  ''*.*^''^  i"  the  morning  the  big  combination  of 
hands  arrived.     It  was  the  moment  of  moments  that  men 


14 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


r„!  fT^  f- '"  -S  P^'^^y  «•"»«•  The  news  of  it  tingled 
over  the  Tivob.  The  onlookers  became  quiet.  The  men 
^rther  away  ceased  talking  and  moved  over  to  the  table 
The  players  deserted  the  other  games,  and  the  dancinc- 
floor  was  forsaken,  so  that  aU  stood  at  last,  fivescore  and 
^K?'  "*mu  """^P""*  and  silent  group,  around  the  poker- 
„n^  V-iw^^  high  betting  had  begun  befors  the  draw, 
and  still  the  high  betting  went  on,  with  the  draw  not  in 
sight.     Reams  had  dealt,  and  French  Louis  had  onened 

r» nf".,  T^  T  "'^^^^^ V''  ^  ■  ''^^^  °^^  hundred  aoUars. 
Campbell  had  merely  "seen"  it,  but  Elam  Harnish 
coming  next,  had  tossed  in  five  hundred  dollars,  with 
the  remark  to  MacDonald  that  he  was  letting  him  in 

Macdonald  glancing  again  at  his  hand,  put  in  a  thou- 
sand m  markers  Kearns,  debating  a  long  time  over 
his  hand,  finaUy  ';  saw."  It  then  cost  French  Louis  Ze 
hundred  to  remain  in  the  game,  which  he  contributed 
WH  "/T'^^"  '^^^^^  "  cost  Campbell  likewise  nine 
hundred  to  remain  and  draw  cards,  but  to  the  surprise 
sand  ^^"^  ^''^  """^  hundred  and  raised  another  thou- 
"  Fou-aU  are  (. .;  the  grade  at  last,"  Harnish  remarked 
f' ^  'f:^*?"  fifteen  hundred  and  raised  a  thousand  in 
I.  u  J  l^"  Breakfast's  sure  on  top  this  divide,  and 
you-all  had  best  look  out  for  bustin'  harness  " 

Me  for  that  same  lady,"  accompanied  MacDonald's 
markers  for  two  thousand  and  for  an  additional  thousand- 
dollar  raise. 

It  was  at  this  stage  that  the  players  sat  up  and  knew 
beyond  peradventure  that  big  hands  were  out.  Thoush 
their  features  showed  nothing,  each  man  was  beginning 
unconsciously  to  tense.  Each  man  strove  to  appear  his 
natural  self  and  each  natural  self  was  different.  Hal 
Campbell  affected  his  customary  cautiousness  French 
Louis  betrayed  interest.  xMaoDonald  retained  his  whole- 
souled  benevolence,  ^  hough  it  seemed  to  take  on  a  slightly 

:i:^r:!:iT:;,^,fg!^'r '"-"'''  ^'^p-^-t^  a4 

-ii  __.!.....„,^.i,  y,tuie  L.iu,ni  Harmsn  appeared  as  quizzical 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  15 

'     t?r«J°'"'''*'*u^''   ^^^'■-     ^^^^""^   thousand   doUars    were 

respo^^e  ^""''^  ^°'"^  *°  '*''^'"  '^^^  MaoDonald's  correal 
Ho'vstlndToVf"-  ''^^  ^"^  *  ^''''"-''^  -  -'-dy. 
wiii  S;t  r.*tl2^/.r- '-  « 'oo'^  in,  but  nobody 

s J.'- Xar  looSd  aTLVtnV  ^"'buWIT- 

He  wrote  a  sum  on  a  slip  of  paper,  signed  hU  »»„,,. 
and  consigned  it  to  the  centre  of  the  table  ^^' 

Jj^enoh  Louis  became  the  focus  of  aU  eyes.  He  fineered 
ha  cards  nervously  for  a  space.  Then,  with  a  ^?Rv 
Gar  !  Ah  got  not  one  leetle  beet  hunch"  hi  rearetfu^^ 
tossed  lus  hand  into  the  discards  ne  regretfully 

BhJtedrCamSlf  ''^  '""'^^•^  ^•'•^  ''"^  P-«  of  eyes 
wi^te5i^;t:«i«on.nting  himself 

pajj;:nTsS:sf  irfo^wS-  -'^^  ^^^^^^•^'^  -  ^  p^-  ^^ 
^eiij^f^l^^S.-r^s-ii'^r^^S 

I  raise  you  a  thousand.     Here's  what  vo,.  .11  „  f  \^ 
on  your  pat,  Mao."  ^     ^^"  ^et  action 

"Action's  what  I  fatten  on,  and  I  lift  anoth„r  fi, 

S,  7:1  ^-""-^''^  -i°^«^-    " stmtot  ta"t 

hoJ  I  stand  Thl  ^  ^  '*:  ^"*  ^^^  ^«  ««*  *°  ^now 
Mile  with  five  thousand  In's^^  ^^^e  sS^!'  "j^J 


^ 


)  If 


16 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


you  know  I  got  a  sawmill  coming  in.     It's  at  Linderman 
now,  and  the  scow  is  building.     Am  I  good  I" 

"  Dig  in  ;  you're  sure  good,"  was  Daylight's  answer. 
"  And  while  we're  about  it,  I  may  mention  casual  that 
I  got  twenty  thousand  in  Mac's  safe,  there,  and  there's 
twenty  thousand  more  in  the  ground  on  Moosehide. 
You  know  the  ground,  Campbell.  Is  they  that-all  in 
the  dirt  ?" 

"  There  sure  is.  Daylight." 
"  How  much  does  it  cost  now  ?"  Reams  asked. 
"  Two  thousand  to  see." 

"  We'U  sure  hump  you  if  you-all  come  in,"  Daylight 
warned  him. 

"  It's  an  almighty  good  hunch,"  Kearns  said,  adding 
his  slip  for  two  thousand  to  the  growing  heap.  "  I  can 
feel  her  crawlin'  up  and  down  my  back." 

"  I  ain't  got  a  hunch,  but  I  got  a  tolerable  likable 
hand,"  Campbell  announced,  as  he  slid  in  his  slip  ;  "  but 
it's  not  a  raising  hand." 

"  Mine  is,"  Daylight  paused  and  wrote.  "  I  see  that 
thousand  and  raise  her  the  same  old  thousand." 

The  Virgin,  standing  behind  him,  then  did  what  a 
man's  best  friend  was  not  privileged  to  do.  Reaching 
over  Daylight's  shoulder,  .slie  picked  up  his  hand  and  read 
it,  at  the  same  time  shielding  the  faces  of  the  five  cards 
close  to  his  chest.  What  -she  saw  were  three  queens  and 
a  pair  of  eights,  but  nobody  guessed  what  she  saw. 
Every  player's  eyes  were  on  her  face  as  she  scanned  the 
cards,  but  no  sign  did  she  give.  Her  features  might  have 
beci  carved  from  ice,  for  her  expression  was  precisely 
th  same  before,  during,  and  after.  Not  a  muscle 
quivered  ;  nor  was  there  the  slightest  dilation  of  a  nostril, 
nor  the  slightest  increase  of  light  in  the  eyes.  She  laid 
the  hand  face  down  again  on  the  table,  and  slowly  the 
lingering  eyes  withdrew  from  her,  having  learned  nothing. 
MacDonald  smiled  benevolently.  "  I  see  you,  Day- 
light, and  I  hump  this  time  for  two  thousand.  How's 
that  hunch,  Jack  ?" 

"  StUl  a-crawling,  Mao.     You  got  me  now,  but  that 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


17 


^^iylllX^-^'riZir/S'^  1.«  -**«^.  and 

And  I  got  another  hunch    n«,  .•  ut"  ^°'.  ^^^^  thousand. 

"  He  sure  Vs"  DaSht  „  W  '  f'°«  *°  """'  too-" 

thrown  up  his  hand      "H«  t^"^'  ^J*^""  ^ampbeU  had 

then  I'll  see  the  draw."  *  ^'^  thousand,  and 

In  a  dead  silence,  save  for  thn  l«,.,  „  • 
players,  the  draw  was  made  ThZT  °^  *t  *^«« 
doUars  were  abeady  in  the  nof  «  n/i^  ^;^°"''  thousand 
half  over.  To  the  Virion '^L  *^^  P'^^  P°^»'%  not 
up  his  three  que  s  dsc  L.T""\">  daylight  held 
two  cards.  And  this  th'^  3  ^'S\*"  ^"^  "ailing  for 
what  he  had  ^awn  She  knlwT  '^'  ^'"'^'^  ^""^  at 
Nor  did  he  look     The  tvw   n  ^f  ,'™'*  "^  control. 

"Nope  ;  this'U  do  me." 
^^Kearns  himself  drew  two  cards,  but  did  not  look  at 
Still  Harnish  let  his  cards  lie 

rolhng,  Mac  "  i^eeper.         Tou-all  start  her 

-n  „i«  draw  vAia  counted  his  five  cards.     "  " 


i 


18   . 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


'  li' 


lii 


"  I  see  that  six  thousand,  and  I  raise  her  five  thousand 
.  .  .  just  to  try  and  keep  you  out,  Jack." 

"  And  I  raise  you  five  thousand  just  to  lend  a  hand  at 
keeping  Jack  out,"  MacDonald  said,  in  turn. 

His  voice  was  slightly  husky  and  strained,  and  a 
nervous  twitch  in  the  corner  ■<(  his  mouth  followed 
speech. 

Kearns  was  pale,  and  those  who  looked  on  noted  that 
his  hand  trembled  as  he  wrote  his  slip.  But  his  voice 
was  unchanged. 

"  I  lift  her  along  tor  five  thousand,"  he  said. 

Daylight  was  now  the  centre.  The  kerosene  lamps 
above  flung  high  lights  from  the  rash  of  sweat  on  his  fore- 
head. The  bronze  of  his  cheeks  was  darkened  by  the 
accession  of  blood.  His  black  eyes  glittered,  and  his 
nostrils  were  distended  and  eager.  They  were  large 
nostrils,  tokening  his  descent  from  savage  ancestors  who 
had  survived  by  virtue  of  deep  lungs  and  generous  air- 
paj;sages. 

Yet,  unlike  MacDonald,  his  voice  was  firm  and  custo- 
mary, and,  unlike  Kearns,  his  hand  did  not  tremble 
when  he  wrote. 

"  I  call,  for  ten  thousand,"  he  said.  "  Not  that  I'm 
afraid  of  you-all,  Mac.     It's  that  hunch  of  Jack's." 

"I  hump  his  hunch  for  five  thousand  just  the  same," 
said  MacDonald.  "I  had  the  best  hand  before  the 
draw,  and  I  still  guess  I  got  it." 

"  Mebbe  this  is  a  case  where  a  hunch  after  the  draw  is 
better'n  the  hunch  before,"  Kearns  remarked  ;  "  where- 
fore, duty  says,  '  Lift  her,  Jack,  lift  her,'  and  so  I  lift 
another  five  thousand." 

Daylight  leaned  back  in  his  chair  and  gazed  up  at  the 
kerosene  lamps  while  he  computed  aloud. 

"  I  was  in  nine  thousand  before  the  draw,  and  I  saw 
and  raised  eleven  thousand — that  makes  thirty.  I'm 
only  good  for  ten  more."  He  leaned  forward  and  looked 
at  Kearns.     "  So  I  call  that  ten  thousand." 

"You  can  raise  if  you  want,"  Kearns  answered. 
"  Your  dogs  are  good  for  five  thousand  in  this  game." 


^. 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


I 

i 


MacDonald  considered  for  a  lone  time  ivr„ 
or  whispered.  Not  a  inusolA\v»=  \  \  ^'^  °°®  ™o^ed 
the  onlookers.  Xt  tKUTnf  T**.  °">  P»^*  °f 
one  leg  to  the  other  ItZ*  *  ^^f^  ^^^'^  from 
could  §e  heard  tWoariJg  draft  of'Th'l.  '"'"''^-  ^nly 
from  without,  muffled  bTth«lL  n  ''T  ^^°^^-  "nd 
dogs.  It  wa;  noTevery  M^Zt^u'  *^  ^""^'^g  "f 
playedontheYukon  Zlfofthl  *  ^^^^  ^^^^^  ^ere 
highest  in  the  tot^ry  W  thetuntt'"  t^'  ^^  ^''^  ^^e 
finally  spoke.  •>'"' ^ne  country.     The  saloon-keeper 

lu^  anybody  else  wins,  they'll  have  tn  t»I. 
on  the  Tivoli."  •^  "  "^^^  to  take  a  mortgage 

The  two  other  players  nodded, 
ho  I  call,  too." 

silence  the:- faced  thek  cards  on  thlTn^"*r'^  "'«*  '« 
tiptoeing  and  craninfof  neofato^k  ^,'''"'  ^J^'le  a  general 
lookers.     Daylisht  show^  f^T  P'*"®  ^'"''ng  the  on- 

Donald  fourS  anTfn  t"  .^rnTC  ^"A  ^  ^- 
and  a  trey.  Kearns  reached  fo^Zd  SX'  ^°"''-  ^"^^^ 
movement  of  his  arm  andH;^t  *^  "*"  encircling 
arm  shaking  as  he  did  so  ^  ^^'  P°*  ^»  ^  him-  wf 

Daylight  picked  the  ace  from  !,;«  ^     j 
over  alongside  MacDonaldUrsa^,'/.!!  ^""^  *°"^d  " 

Thf-.t  s  what  cheered  me  a  onf  Mac      T  i.         . 
was  only  kings  that  could  bpatn,„       ^?    ,.  ^  ^°wed  it 

.    "What  did  you-all  have    "CsS  ^r"f  '''"^■ 
mg  to  Campbell  '^^'''  ^"  interest,  turn- 

draltg'fand '' ^'  °'  '°"'''  °P-  -*  "cth  ends-a  good 

fluS"a1usho^rofT'?  ''  "^'^^  ^  ^^-'^J^*'  -  «t-ight 

co;;p£S:lLSS^iJS^^ell  said  sadly,     -i, 

I  w=-sht  you-all'd  d.awn,"  flight  laughed.    "  Then 


20 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


I  wouldn't  a'  caught  that  fourth  queen.  Now  I've  got 
to  take  Billy  Rawlins'  mail  contract  and  mush  for  Dyea. 
— What's  the  size  of  the  killing,  Jack  ?" 

Kearns  attempted  to  count  the  pot,  but  was  too  ex- 
cited. Daylight  drew  it  across  to  him,  with  flim  fingers 
separating  and  stacking  the  markers  and  I.O.U.'s  and 
with  clear  brain  adding  the  sum. 

"  One  hundred  and  twenty-seven  thousand,"  he  an- 
nounced. "  You-ali  can  sell  out  now,  Jack,  and  head 
for  home." 

The  winner  smiled  and  nodded,  but  seemed  incapable 
of  speech. 

"  I'd  shout  the  drinks,"  MacDonald  said,  "  only  the 
house  don't  belong  to  me  any  more." 

"  Yes,  it  does,"  Kearns  replied,  first  wetting  his  lips 
with  his  tongue.  "  Your  note's  good  for  any  length  of 
time.     But  the  drinks  are  on  me." 

"  Name  your  snake-juice.  you-aU — the  winner  pays  !" 
Daylight  called  out  loudly  to  all  about  him,  at  the  same 
time  rising  from  his  chair  and  catching  the  Virgin  by  the 
arm.  "  Come  on  for  a  reel,  you-all  dancers.  The  night's 
young  yet,  and  it's  Helen  Breakfast  and  the  mail  contract 
for  me  in  the  morning.  Here,  you-all  Rawlins,  you — I 
hereby  do  take  over  tjiat  same  contract,  and  I  start  for 
salt  water  at  nine  a.m. — savvee  ?  Come  on,  you-all ! 
Where's  that  fiddler  ?" 


WWWBWBBBBSi 


CHAPTER  III 

£  cs^,  Sa-stJ: jcvi  K? 

dared  not  auarrfil      t„  fT  ""^''"*™"-     On  his  mghts  men 

finee?''""'r!^f  ^^?t  ^^'''^S  his  instructions  on  his 

stop  Selkirk  ?"  -^        ^  ^  ^  ""^  P'^"'y  dog-grub 

"  Plenty  dog-grub,  Kama." 
21 


S2 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


„"  ^"''    ?""8  *'*''  *•"»  place  nine  um  clock     Brinu 

'  -      fly,"  Daylight  answered  decisively. 
Um  much  cold."  ^ 

cold,  plenty  travel,  all  right  "  ^  ^^ 

"Mucronf/"'*^*'"  Kama  muttered,  with  resignation, 
clock  "         '''  "°   ""'^   "^  '^'""»'     Um   ready   4e   um 

perTurb^f  Tw'  ^^^''^'''nfd Jieel  and  walked  out,  im- 

light  away  into  a  corner  *  ^ 

buS"!"  '"''*'  ^^y"«'>t'"  «!>«  «''«1.  in  a  low  voice.  "  you're 

'I  Higher'n  a  kite." 

"I've  eight  thousand  in  Mac's  safe »  she  beuan 

"  Tf'!?r  }  n*\"'^-     Come  on  ;  let's  waltz."  ' 

IcouldlSr;   ^''^"^eed.     ''My  money's  doing  nothing. 

atSt'Sirarm-^Tst:*^^^ 

thank  you,  old  girl.     Much  obliged.     I'll  get  ^sta^« 
by  runmng  the  mail  out  and  in."  ^      ^  '*"^*' 

Daylight,"  she  murmured,  in  tender  protest. 
h.Zl     I     f  '"'^?''?  well-assumed  ebullition  of  spirite 

antrt£  '"^'^  ^■''°  ^^''^  ^-  ^"  S^^'aZ  tisZ 

,  .  ...J.^.^         a,  ,,,^  yy^j.        pm^j„g        g^gj.y        JJjg^jj.g         ^^^ 


I 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  23 

down.  The  way  of  it  was  that  two  men  faced  each  oth«P 
across  a  corner  their  right  elbows  resti^  on'The  bt 
n™«*!?^^"'^l«'y?"'*  ^^g^^her,  while  Lh  strove^ 
pi«88  the  other's  hand  down.  Man  after  man  came  aaains^ 

?h«v^.t  V^"-f  ^*'''"«  '•"'P''^  *'«'■'•  hugeness.  When 
they  contended  It  was  a  trick,  a  trained  muscular  knaT 
he  challenged  them  to  another  te.st  ^ 

Look  here,  you-all !"  he  cried.  "  I'm  goine  to  do 
two  thangs  :  first,  weigh  my  sack  ;  and,  seo^oiS  b^t  it 
that  after  you-all  have  lifted  clean  from  thrfloor  aU  the 

a^H  1  ff  .^"^r"*'l'*^"  '*^'«'  I'"  P"t  on  two  mo^  sacks 
and  lift  the  whole  caboodle  clean  " 

^^'tuTlL.'"'  '""  "•""  '^~'  I^ui.  -umbW 
then-  strength  first.     They  straddled  on  two  XirTlb^ 

take^^renih  P^'^^'eht'^^s  tam  you  mek  one  beeg  mees- 

do  dat.     One  hundred  pou'l^Vn^^my™  To't  tl 
pouir  more.='  "  --     -"J  f r,en  ,  not  tun 


" 


24 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


but  when  two  sacks  were 


The   sacks  were  unlashed, 
added,  Reams  interfered. 
"  Only  one  sack  more." 

"  ?r.1' "i!!?°?r,"f  "i*"*-     "  '^*°  *»»  the  bet." 

iney  oniy  Wted  seven  hundred  and  fifty  " 

"  WW  W  «^''"?ly  brushed  aside  the  confusion. 

wavT^L  V  r*"*  "'  y°"-?"  »"'*'>''""'  »'0"nd  that 

way  (     What  s  one  more  sack  ?     If  I  can't  lift  th^ 

more,  1  sure  can't  lift  two.     Put  'em  in  "  ^ 

He  stood   upon   the  chairs,   squatted,   and  bent  his 

^ool  lit"*!";/ n^'1?  ?"  sceptically,  cried  out  :- 

Pool  lak  hell,  Daylight !     Pool  lak  hell  !" 
iJaylights  muscles  tautened  a  second  time    and  this 

boTyrs^riieTir'';^^"*''^^'^^^^^""'^^ 

or  sLTn  thWl  •^"1'*  '^perceptibly,  without  jerk 
or  strain,  the  bulky  mne  hundred  pounds  rose  from  th« 
flooj.  and  swung  back  and  forth,  pTdulum  Z,  twS 

Vir^n^   Henderson   sighed    a   vast    audible   sigh      The 

Yo;^;ronete?mlf^'"''    ^^  '''"  "^   '^^^  ^'^^y- 

hea'Hfftte'  ""^  ""'^"'  '''^^  *"  '^^  «»-'  -d 
"  Weigli  in  !"  he  cried,  tossing  his  sack  to  the  weigher 

^'f  SiZi'" ''  ^°"^  '^""'^'"^ '"'"-  ^-«  ^^  'i 

"  Surge  up,  everybody  !"  Daylight  went  on      "  Nam„ 
your  snake-juice  !     The  winner  pays  -"  ""^ 

later      "i'^'^rhrfn* '".''''  T  ^^°"""8,  ten  minutes 

winters     Thi,  k  J    K-  .^^'"7°"'    '*"'*   ^'^^   ^''^n   thirty 
winters.     Th«  is  my  birthday,  my  one  day  in  the  year 


f 


^ 


J 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 

snd  I  can  put  auy  man  on  hta  back.    Come  on  vou-aU  ! 

IZZ"^*^"  5"'  y^"-""  '«  *•>«  »"'»-•    Come  on    i 

ifc  .r'*  *°"!;-''°"8'"'t  ""'1  8«"  yo"  baptism  r 

f^t  atrflun^  ^hirf '  ^'  'r^  '^^  Baloon-keoper  off  hta 
aeLfskeC  out  nf  r'"*-'""",  ^'"'  "««'«^«-     They  flew 

SminL  fh  ^    »  ^''"u«  *'*^'"'  '"'"'^^  »°d  shoulders. 

th?mTwXed::5thit;  '^  ^'^^^^^^  -  -*  •>«  ^--^ 

hereltdotfKSrha„'ir^^^''*^P^''  '»"-"°'^-  ^ 
manJoth  '"T  'f/-'^''^"  *"  **»«  ™°^  in  »  long  row,  while 

men  of  blooH  «^  !   of   rough-and-tumble    battles, 

Ckked  o„rfhiTthaT'^^^^^^^  '""'^  °^^«^*^- 

degree-namplv    i^  ^i       .  ^^yhght  possessed  in  high 
gite    namely,  an  almost  perfect  brain  and  musnuk- 
*  Tenderfeet.  ^  Old-timors. 


i 


26 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


coordination.  It  was  simple,  in  its  way,  and  no  virtue 
or  ms.  He  had  been  born  with  this  endowment.  His 
nerves  carried  messages  more  quickly  than  theirs  ;  Ws 
mental  processes,  culminating  in  acts  of  will,  were  quicker 
than  theu's  ;  hjs  muscles  themselves,  by  some  immediacy 

tLftT^^'-^^^^^^  *^^  ^^^^S^^  of  his  will  quicker 
than  them.  He  was  so  made.  Eis  muscles  were  high- 
power  explosives.  The  levers  of  his  body  snapped  into 
play  l^e  f,he  jaws  of  steel  traps.  And  in  addition  to  aU 
w'  \"'""'  *'^**  super-strength  that  is  the  dower  of 
but  one  human  in  miUions-a  strength  depending  not  on 

,-n  tbp"»f °S  ffu*'  "  '"F™'"^  "'■g™'"  excellence  residing 
m  the  stufi  of  the  muscles  themselves.  Thus,  so  swiftly 
couJd  he  apply  a  stress,  that,  before  an  opponent  could 

^onTJr'/  ^T^  r''^'  *^"  ^™  °f  ^^'  «tr^««  had  been 
accomplished.  In  turn,  so  swiftly  did  he  become  aware 
of  a  stress  app bed  to  him,  that  he  saved  himself  by  resist- 
ance or  by  delivering  a  lightning  counter-stress. 

,^.-  Ti"°  "^®  y°"-^''  standing  there,"  Daylight 
adoressed  the  waiting  group.  "  You-all  might  as  well 
get  right  down  and  take  your  baptizing.  You-all  might 
down  me  any  other  day  in  the  year,  but  on  my  birthday 
I  want  you-all  to  know  I'm  the  best  man.  Is  that  Pat 
Hanrahans  mug  looking  hungry  and  willing?     Come 

Pat  Hanrahan,  ex-bare-knuckle-prizefighter  and  rough- 
house-expert,  stepped  forth.  The  two  men  came  against 
bt^ Jf^^""  f.^'V^'  f"^  ^Jmost  before  he  had  elerted 

o  Tb^I  M  f™^?w  ^r""^  ^^'^-^^'^  '»  '^^  "^er^ile^^  vise 
tL  «n  ^".i^^*  ''""ed  him  head  and  shoulders  in 

the  snow  Joe  Hines,  ex-lumber-jack,  came  down  with 
an  impact  equal  to  a  fall  from  a  two-story  building-Ws 
overthrow  accomplished  by  a  cross-buttock,,  delivered, 
he  claimed,  before  he  was  ready 

TrJr^rr  ^f' not'iing/xhausting  in  all  this  to  Daylight. 
He  did  not  heave  and  strain  through  long  minutes  No 
time,  practically,  was  occupied.  His  body  exploded 
abruptly  and  terrifically  in  one  instant,  and  on  the  next 
instant   was   relaxed.      Thus,    Doc    Watson,    the   grey-      ' 


■ISl 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


27 


bearded,  iron-bodied  man  without  a  past  a '^■i- ,„ -. 

Frp?.w"""*V*"'''^^*e"P  like  that." 

Root,"    -uid  titubTted'n    ""'^'"  ^^  "^  '^'  "Sassafras 


28 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


friend     We  VeSh«^  P:,T  ^T^  *«  "all  Daylight  my 
eighteen  oaraTfrom  ,S^^    '°^''^''  ^^°'^  "°^' a«d  he'« 
old  hide,  ™iv      w'  '"°'=''a«'n«  "P.  damn  his  mangy 
this  country^^hen  ™u Tn'  «^^^«l.^he„  he  first  U^ 
dry  behind^he  ears  yef    H^^  ^''^  ^  ^S^'  ^"'^  ^'*'«'* 
born  a  full-grown  ma^     A^'  I  fll,"'  ""^^  "°  '^•^-     ^e  was 
a  man  in  them  davs     ti^        Ml^""  *  "^an  had  to  be 
•       like  it's  come  to  bY'now  ^'  £  *  "°  ««^,*«,  «'-"--«°n 
to  put  his  arir  in  I  ^I'      u       ,     P^"^^^  long  enough 
neck.     "When  Zu   w^"'  '"^'"^"8  ^^""''d  Daylighf's 
in  the  good  oe  days  ft  did'^n'f  ""^'^''*  '"*°  the  Vfkon 
no  free^lunch  jolnte'    ot  cam::'^""^  '^"'?  ^^^^  ^^'"'t 
killed  our  sa'ue  and  mn^f^/fK  ?:^''®*  "^^^  '"'  ^^ere  we 
tr^ks  ^nar^^^:SZ:^^^}r^  on  salmon- 

BeSfes'rewTth^M^^  '^^*  ^'''^''  ^  --™on, 
crowd.  bear-hug  and  turned  fiercely  on  the 

yo;Sfan^°Ll,l%:t*^r'  ''^"8'^ '  B^  I  *«" 
to  tie  DaylightlXcast  str  °^  ^^"•''i"'*  '^"^'''"'''gh  6* 
bell  ?  Ain't  I  riX  S  f  TV  tl"  *  ^  "S*'*'  ^amp- 
guard,  one  of  the  real  sonJ^  ^"l^'Sht^  one  of  the  old 
they  wa'n't  ary  a  steambo«;  ^^^'^  ^""^  '"  ^^'"^  ^^y^ 
we  cusses  had^to  l^e  oC  /'^  ^  trading-post,  and 
tracks."  ™  °^'"'  salmon-bellies  and  rabbit- 

thatfoC/:retSrr"',,r  ^^  *^«  ^pp^-- 

signified  his  consent  A  chrP''"V''°°'?^y"8l'*  He 
helped  to  stand  upon  it  h!  '"''  '""""^ht,  and  he  was 
crowd  above  S  he  now  f^'  ""^  "'"'"  '°^''^  ^^^"^  ^^e 
couthly  garmented  IvT  *r^«r«d-a  wild  crowd,  un- 
fec«,tw1?hm,tSsdan.?     °,°*    moccasined    or    «»„c- 

^vinged  helmets  of  the  NorZmen      n     y  Z'''^^  °*  **>" 
were  flashing,  and  the  AusroTZngStod'e'^X^ 

Urove  dogs ;  travelled. 
tioTwUh  fur™'"  "^'"'  ^»"-  -  "^t,  made  from  walrus  hide  and 


BUBNING  DAYLIGHT  29 

*  under  the  bronze  of  Ws  cheeks.     He  was  creet^H  wth 
round  on  rou.d  of  affectionate  chetl  wtch  btugS* S 

i      ^-f  P'«o««  moi.,ure  to  his  eyes,  albeit  many  of  the  voices 
'      bXveTsSth:"' T;'^*^-    A-d  yet^nxen  Wr. 

I      caro^^iThether  ilTh^  ^T'  ^''^^'^^'  ^«^'^«'  ^^^ 
usmg,  wnetner  m  the  dark  cave-mouth  or  bv  the  firn 

,       of  the  squattmg-place.  in  the  palaces  of  imperial  Rome 

*  aSr  S  hotlfo^'"!''^  °'-^°'^^'''-  barons  "rTtLsky- 
of  saUor  to^  «f  """dern  times  and  in  the  boozing-kens 
m  thpT  ?  u^"".*  '°  ^^'■^  tl^e^e  men,  empire-b^ders 

ESS'"  ■"•--"— 

iKSn  ^' ?  rt^}M,*"T«  ^*'"  *°  """t-l  1^«  ^hir- 
ing Dram.        I  think  I'll  tell  you-all  a  story      I  had  n 

pardner  wunst,  down  in  Juneau,     He  come  from  North 

i7t7n  iT?^  ""'  *°  '^"  ^'^'^  -me  Zy Tmf  t 
wedc^nr  Thtr^  r""*^'-^  f  ^^  country,  Ld  it  was  a 
Thfl  n^^'     ^^"'^^t'^ey  was,  the  family  and  all  the  friends 

sav^'ThPv'"'^  ir*  ?""'"'  °"  *1^«  '^«'  touches,  and  he 
asunder^^'^  *'  *''''  '^"'"'^  ^^^'  ""-"l  '«*  n°  ->-n  put 

yoiir'SrmmarT  *i}f  ^^^8'-°°'-^.  '  I  rises  to  question 
wedirfdr  right '*''"*  ''''''  "''*^'^'=«-  I  --*  thi« 
"Wien  the  smoke  clears  away,  the  bride  she  look, 
around  and  sees  a  dead  parson,  a  dead  brideSoom  a  dead 
brother  two  dead  uncles,  and  five  dead  wedtog  guet 
r,.Jf  «^« jieaves  a  mighty  strong  sigh  and  say!  '  Them 
rhtTpro'sS.' ^'^"^  ^^^°^^-  «-  ^-  li^-yed^S 

of  Whtlr  HipJ  i°  y°"t"'''  ^^yl'glit  added,  as  the  roar 
ot  laughter  died  down,  "  that  them  four  kings  of  Jack 
Kearns  sure  has  played  hell  with  my  prospecfa  I'm 
Wted_higher'n  a  kite,   and  I'm  hitU  trtrail  to 

"  Goin'  out  ?"  some  one  called. 


30 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


''S,?e  wm°^'?fi«r'  ^^y««J^*-"  the  same  voice  cried. 

more,  t^  it:'i^i:.tra^:Veiv^:!rzi 

spring  I  went  in  again,  and  I  swore  tC  That  I'H  ^. 
come  out  till  I  mp,de  mv  stake      W«II  t   "  >*       I    ■  ^^^^^ 
here  I  am      A,.a  t    .  •^/"^^'^e-     Well,  I  ain't  made  it,  and 

^  J  Yes,  how  much  ?     What  do  you  caU  a  pile  V  others 
Daylight  steadied  himself  for  a  moment  and  debated 

han/z°£:jtts".tirti- ''''  ^'P'^^ 

derisive  veils      "  T^  h      ^'^f'^'^ent  was  received  with 

botCnSatamii,r''Cfn^r  ^'^'^  P"*  ^'^^ 
that  will  I  go  out  of  thTcount^"     '  """'  ^"^  """"^  '«««  » 

You-all  listsn  to  me.     You  sppn  TanU  k-„„ 
hunch  to-night.     We  had  W^Tearbefo'^r  f aV 
His  ornery  three  lungs  was  no  good.     But  hej^t  £w 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  31 

there  was  another  king  coming— that  was  his  hunch— 
and  he  got  It.  And  I  tell  you-aU  I  got  a  hunch.  There's 
a  big  strike  coming  on  the  Yukon,  and  it's  just  about  due 
i  don  t  mean  no  ornery  Moosehide,  Birch-Creek  kind  of  a 
strike.  I  mean  a  real  rip-.snorter  hair-raiser.  I  tell  vou- 
all  she  s  m  the  air  and  hell-bent  for  election.  Nothing  can 
stop  her,  and  she'll  come  up  river.  There's  where  you- 
au  il  track  my  moccasins  in  the  near  future  if  you-all 
want  to  find  me-somewhere  in  the  country  around 
btewart  River,  Indian  River,  and  Klondike  River.  When 
1  get  back  with  the  mail,  I'll  head  that  way  so  fast  vou-all 
won  t  see  my  trail  for  smoke.  She's  a-coming,  fellows, 
gold  trom  the  grass-roots  down,  a  hundred  doUars  to  the 
pan,  and  a  stampede  in  from  the  Outside  fifty  thousand 

strong.     You-all  '11  think  all  hell's  busted  loose  when  that 

strike  IS  made." 
He  raised  his  glass  to  his  lips. 

"Here's  kindness,  and  hoping  you-all  '11  be  in  on  it  " 
He  drank  and  stepped  down  from  the  chair,  faUinc  into 

another  one  of  Settles'  bear-hugs. 

"  If  I  was  you.  Daylight,  I  wouldn't  mush  to-day,"  Joe 

Hmes  counselled,  coming  in  from  consulting  the  spirit 

thermometer  outside  the  door.     "  We're  in  for  a  good  cold 

snap.      It  s  sixty-two  below  now,  and  still  goin'  down 

Better  wait  till  she  breaks." 

Daylight  laughed,  and  the  old  sour-doughs  around  him 
laughed. 

"  Just  like  you  short-horns,"  Settles  cried,  "  afeard  of  a 
little  frost.  And  blamed  little  you  know  Daylight,  if  vou 
think  frost  km  stop 'm."  ' 

"  Freeze  his  lungs  if  he  travels  in  it,"  was  the  rr  - 
Freeze  pap  and  lollypop  !  Look  here,  Hines,  you  only 
ben  m  this  here  country  three  years.  You  ain't  seasoned 
yet.  I  ve  seen  Daylight  do  fifty  miles  up  on  the 
ii.oyokuk  on  a  day  when  the  thermometer  bust«d  at 
seventy-two." 

Hines  shook  his  head  dolefully. 

"  Them's  the  kind  that  does  freeze  their  lungs  "  he 
lamented.     "If    Daylight    pulls    out    before    this 'snap 


32 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


brew  J,  he'll  nerer  get  through-an'  him  travellin'  without 
tcnTi  or  Hy. 

Mil?'*  °  thousand  miles  to  Dyea,"  Settles  amiounoed. 
Climbing  on  a  chair  ana  supporting  his  swaying  body  by 
an  arm  passed  around  Daylight's  neck.  "  It's  a  thousand 
mues,  I  m  saym  ,  an'  most  of  the  trail  unbroke,  but  I  bet 
any  chechaquo-anything  he  wants-that  Daylight  makes 
Dyea  m  thirty  days."  ^  i- maB.cs 

"  Tiiat's  an  average  of  over  thirty-three  miles  a  day," 
Doc  Watson  warned,  "and  I've  travelled  some  myself. 

o'^^ard  on  Chilcoot  would  tie  him  up  for  a  week  ' 
<»,..  ^^',  K  ,"'''"  ■:®*°''t«d,  "  an'  Daylight  '11  do  the  second 
thousand  back  again  on  end  in  thirty  days  more,  and  I  got 
five  hundred  do'lars  that  .ays  so,  and  damn  the  blizzards  " 
lo  emphasize  his  remarks,  he  puUed  out  a  gold-sack  the 
size  of  a  bologna  sausage  and  thumped  it  down  on  the  bar. 
Uoc  Watson  thumped  his  own  sack  alongside 

Hold  on!"  Daylight  cried.  "  Bettles's  right,  and  I 
want  m  on  this.  "  I  bet  five  hundred  that  sixty  days  from 
now  I  piJl  up  at  the  Tivoli  door  with  the  Dyea  maU  " 

A  sceptical  roar  went  up,  and  a  Oozen  men  pidled  out 
their  sacks.  Jack  Kearns  crowded  in  close  and  caught 
Daylight's  attention.  ^ 

"I  take  you,  Daylight,"  he  cried.  "  Two  to  one  you 
don  t — not  m  seventy-five  days." 

"No  charity,  Jack,''  was  the  reply.     "The  bettin's 

even,  and  the  time  is  sixty  days."  oettms 

"  Seventy-five  days,  and  two  to  one  vou  don't  "  Kearns 

iotten.'^     "^'"y  Mile  '11  be  wide  opin  and  the  5m  ice 

"  A^Y  fr  T*°  ^T*"?  ""^  "  y°""'"  daylight  went  on. 
T  \l  thunder,  Jack,  you  can't  give  it  ba<jk  that  way 
I  won  t  bet  with  you.  You're  trying  to  give  me  monej. 
But  I  tell  you-aU  one  thing.  Jack,  I  got  another  hunch. 
1  m  goin  to  win  it  back  some  one  of  these  days  You-all 
just  wait  till  the  big  strike  up  river.  Then  you  and  me'li 
take  the  roof  ofi  and  sit  in  a  game  that'll  be  full  man's 
size.  Is  it  a  go  ? 
They  shook  hands. 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


33 


"  Of  course  he'll  make  it,"  Reams  whispered  in  Bettles' 
ear.  "  And  there's  five  hundred  Daylight's  back  in  sixty 
days,"  he  added  aloud, 

Billy  Rawlins  closed  with  the  wager,  and  Battles  hugged 
Kearns  ecstatically.  „,  ,  „     , 

"  By  Yupiter,  I  ban  take  that  bet,"  Olaf  Henderson 
said,  dragging  Daylight  away  from  Bettles  and  Kearns. 

"  Winner  pays  !"  Daylight  shouted,  closing  the  wager. 
"  And  I'm  sure  going  to  win,  and  sixty  days  is  a  long  time 
between  drinks,  so  I  pay  now.  Name  your  brand,  you 
hoochinoos  !    Name  your  brand  !" 

Bettles,  a  glass  of  whisky  in  hand,  climbed  back  on  his 
chair,  and  swaying  back  and  forth,  sang  the  one  song  he 

knew  : — 

"  O,  it's  Henry  Ward  Beecher 
And  Sunday-school  teachers 

All  sine  of  the  sassafras-root ; 
But  you  bet  all  the  same, 
If  it  had  its  right  name, 

It's  the  juice  of  the  forbidden  iruit." 

The  crowd  roared  out  the  chorus  : — 

"  But  you  bet  all  the  same. 
If  it  had  its  right  name, 

It's  the  juice  of  the  forbidden  fruit." 

Somebody  opened  the  outer  door.  A  vague  gray  light 
filtered  in. 

"  Burning  daylight,  burning  daylight,    some  one  called 

warningly. 

Daylight  paused  for  nothing,  heading  for  the  door  and 
pulling  down  his  ear-flaps.  Kama  stood  outside  by  the 
sled,  a  long,  narrow  affair,  sixteen  inches  wide  and  seven 
and'  a  half  feet  in  length,  its  slatted  bottom  raised  six 
inches  above  the  steel-shod  runners.  On  it,  lashed  with 
throngs  of  moose-hide,  were  the  light  canvas  bags  thct 
contained  the  mail,  and  the  food  and  gear  for  dogs  and 
men.  In  front  of  it,  in  a  single  line,  lay  curled  five  frost- 
rimed  dogs.     They  were  huskies,*  matched  in  size  and 

*  Husky  :  a  wolf-dog  of  tremendous  strength,  endurance,  Ticiousness, 
and  sagacity.  _ 


34 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


colour,  all  unusually  large  and  all  urav      Pm.^  n,  ■ 

That  8  his  bed "  Hr  smVl      "  §•  ,       . 

skins.     Warmest   thina   I,!  ?""  P"""'^^  °'  ■•»bbit 

"  its  km  •.  h^n  Jn'';""'''  ^°«  W''*«°'> remarked 
tantly     "  I  kno^     T      U    ""  Z^  ^''^''  ''Wanted  exul- 

ma"Sn-tnevnenu7ed1n"afe''«r*™^ 
WMWV.-  T  ,r  ^'"  *  ^""^^^^  «n'in  living  can  do  that^ ' 

JlfiwA,  you  beauties  !"  he  cried 


CHAPTER  IV 

hour.     To  keep  up  with  thlm  ^u^l  »^eraged  six-  miles  an 

at  the  gee-pole,  for  here  was  the  h»  T  °^^^"**«'^a'-ly 
the  flying  sled  and  of  keenZ  in  ,  ,  **  ""<**  of  steering 
relieved  dropped  beSt&.ui^^'''^"^'*-  ^he  nj^f 
upon  ,t  and  resting.  ^  ''^•*'  ""casionaUy  leaping 

exMarZg"""    "°'^>    ''"*    "^    the    sort    that    was 

^^\  rpfS  rr^ --  the  ground,  making  the 
the  unbroken  trail  wWe  tl-!        ,"  ^^^^  ^°"ld  come  to 

r  sS  ^°°.'  ^°'"«'    TheVS  r^ir  '""'  "?' "^  '-" 
restmg,  and  no  running     TjTn  ti,  '  "°  ""^'ng  and 

easier  task,  and  a  man  would  co^^f'TP"^"  ^""^d  be  the 

having  completed  his  spT S  th^f    ""^  *°  '*  *°  '««'  after 

the  snow-shoes  for  the  dol  '%'T  ^^^8  trail  with 

exhilarating.     Also,  they  must  exn   T^  ^^^  f^''  ^om 

miles  at  a  time  they  musft^l^tf*  places  where  for 

fe,7«ld  be  forfunate*if1he7^S°««  ""?*'"«•  -he^e 

And  there  would  be  the  inevil}T'f^^°  "*"««  ^°  hour. 

J™";.    Oo.„l„..„  ™^i,17^.  «»«i„g  U„^u  ^' 


36 


BURNING  DAYUGHT 


jarring  grate  of  the  steel  runners  over  the  hard  surface 
and  the  creak  of  the  straining  sled.  """ace 

anf  roaf oTft^T-'^r^*^"*^*  *"^''  ?'"*«'*  ^""^  ^^e  hum 
and  roar  of  the  Tivoh  into  another  world— a  world  of 
sJence  and  immobility.  Nothing  stirred.  The  Yiion 
slept  under  a  coat  of  ice  three  fe^t  thick.  No  breath  o? 
wind  blew.  Nor  did  the  sap  move  in  the  hearts  othl 
spnice  trees  that  forested  the  river  banks  in  either  hand 
Ihe  trees,  burdened  with  the  last  infinitesimal  peC: 

petrifaction.     The  slightest  tremor  would  have  dislodged 

Se  S  n? tr  "T  ^^  ^'^°^'^-  The  sled  was  the 
one  point  of  hfe  and  motion  in  the  midst  of  the  solemn 
qu^tude.  and  the  harsh  churn  of  its  runners  but  e-pZ- 
sized  the  silence  through  which  it  moved 

It  was  a  dead  world,  and  furthermore,  a  gray  world 
The  weather  wa^  sharp  and  clear  ;  there  was  no  mo™e 
m  the  atmosphere,  no  fog  nor  haze  ; ,,,.'  the  sky  was  a  gr"y 
paU.     The  reason  for  this  was  that,  though  there  waf  no 
cloud  m  the  sky  to  dim  the  brightness  of  day,  there  w^  no 
sun  to  give  brightness.     Far  to  the  south  the  sun  cKmbed 
steadily  to  meridian,  but  between  it  and  the  frozen  Sn 
mtervened  the  bulge  of  the  earth.     The  Yukon  lay^a 
n^ht  shadow,  and  the  day  itself  was  in  reality  a  long  twi 
ight.     At  a  quarter  before  twelve,  where  a  wide  bend  of 
the  river  gave  a  ong  vista  south,  the  sun  showed  its  upDer 
run  above  the  sky-line.     But  it  did  not  rise  ^ZZZ 
larly     Instead,  it  rose  on  a  slant,  so  that  by  Wgh  noon"t 
had  barely  hfted  its  lower  rim  clear  of  the^  horizon     It 
was  a  dim  wan  sun.     There  was  no  heat  to  its  rays  and" 
man  could  gaze  squarely  into  the  full  orb  of  it^ithou? 
hurt  to  his  eyes.     No  sooner  had  it  reached  meridiln  than 
it  began  its  slant  back  beneath  the  horizon,  and  at  quarter 
p^t  twelve  the  earth  threw  its  shadow  again  over  the 

hnlt^.?^''  ^""^  ^T  '^^^,  °"-  Daylight  and  Kama  were 
both  savages  as  far  as  their  stomachs  were  concerned 
They  could  eat  rregularly  in  time  and  quantity,  gorgW 
hugely  on  occasion,  and  on  occasion  going  long  s4tchef 


BURNING  DAYUGHT  37 

without  eating  at  aU.    As  for  the  dogs,  they  ate  but  once  a 
day  and  then  rarely  did  they  reoeife  more  than  a  Znd 

ZJ'.l^r'^  ^^\    ^?!,7  '^•"«  ravenously  hungry  aK 
the  same  time  splendidly  in  condition.    Like  the  wolves 
the.r  forebears,    their  nutritive  processTs  Ver^  Sv 

least  particle  of  what  they  consumed  was  transformed  into 
ceSf/"*^  ^^T  ''"d  Daylight  were  like  ther^s- 
thev  In  "^^  *'  ^.'^Zt^^  generations  that  had  endured, 
they,  too,  endured.  Theirs  was  the  simnle  elemenfa 
economy.  A  little  food  equipped  thorn  S'proZ.ous 
SL^^^fl^  ^'^,JT'-  ^  ""*»  °f  Boft  civiuS 
on  thf  ft  \u"f^:  T^*^  ^""^  8^°^"  '<""'  ^"d  woe-begon^ 
on  the  fare  that  kept  Kama  and  Daylight  at  the  top-notch 
of  physical  efficiency.  They  knew,  as  the  man  a  the  dest 
never  knows,  what  it  is  to  be  normally  hungry  all  the 
time,  so  that  they  could  eat  any  time.^  Theif  Lttit^s 
were  always  with  them  and  on%dge,  so  thlt  th^^t 
voraciously  mto  whatever  ofiered  and  with  an  entire 
innocence  of  indigestion. 

niir^f  *^r  '"/^^  "f*^™''"  tl»e  long  twilight  faded  into 

traU     Th«    ^      Z  i'^""*  ^fS"  ^-"^  '"^'^  «tiU  kept  the 
trail.     They  were  indefatigable.     And  this  was  no  record 

Thoulh*  r^r  tt^i  Y  '^''  ^'^  ^"^y  °*  ««ty  «"«!>  days 
liZ^nt  f^-^^  ^f  P^"'"*^  "  "'eht  without  sleep,^a 
effect  P^^r  :u^  "^'°"'''  '*  '^^""'^  '°  ^^^^  l«ft  no 
™r  I  Ir  *.^t*''^''^  "'^''^  *^°  explanations  :  first,  his 
remarkable  vitahty  ;  and  next,  the  fact  that  such  4ms 

lesk  ww"  \'  «^P«,"T"-  ^8ain  enters  the  man  at  the 
P„n  nf  r  ^^r^"^  efficiency  would  be  more  hurt  by  a 
cup  of  coffee  at  bedtime  than  could  Daylight's  by  a  whole 
mght  long  of  strong  drink  and  excitement 

of  t&n,?T^"T'^  ''l*>°"*  ^  watch, /ee/ini7  the  passage 
cesser  Bv  wS  .^  estimating  it  by  subconscious  pro- 
bet\n  I«./  )  ^^  considered  must  be  six  o'clock"  he 
diCh  nnt"^        a  camping-place.     The  trail,  at  a  b;nd, 

fi^fttv  I  iT'  f^  'IZ"'-  ^^*  ^^^'""S  found  a  likely 
spot,  they  held  on  for  the  opposite  bank  a  mile  away 


3S 


BURNINO  DAYLIGHT 


what  he  was  looking  for  a  d««^»'  V^^'l*''**  «"'"?««'«» 
The  ,led  was  run  Kd  ud  K^r*  °'°'"'  ¥  *''•'  ''»"''. 
faction  and  the  ^^^otr^^in^ZlT^ti:^'"'  ^''"*- 

heitrd::^^!rorrDf,"r7'^^^^^^^^^ 

dead  pine.  Kama  wUh  a  m^  ^  J?'*'  "'"fPP"''  '^°'"'  the 
cleared  away  the  two  feet  nf"'"^/"''  '''^  "'»«''  »«■ 
and  chopped  a  8un„"v  of  fjT""  "^^'^^  *''"  ^ukon  ice 
piece  of  d^hirch^A\t1rMttr°"^'''?,^"'P°^-  ^ 
ahead  with  the  cooking  SeLTn."'' ""''^''^I"' ^^''"* 
8ledandfedtk5fInt,rVv,  ■       !•  ">•',  ^"'J'an  unloaded  the 

Back.  he%llg]ZnZ't^^^^^^  ''''•' ''^'^ 

the  huskies.  Next  ho  ch^^nnnL  ^""'^  leaping-reach  of 
and  trimn^ed  off  U,o  bough?'^  Close  to  1^"^,*'^/"*'*' ''"« 
down  the  soft  .snow  and  r-ovprl .  !.^  ""  P'*-  ''^  trampled 
'  the  boughs.  On  tWsfloor^n?.  ''»^P?«ked  ^Pa^e  with 
light's  gear-baes    cLtT^^  L"  '"'""^  ''''^  °^n  "nd  Day- 

andthefrsTeepT„g-ZelTama\ '"''''  ''"j'  ""''«'--«^^ 
of  rabbit  skin  to  l/ayligiif  s  on?'  ^°''''^'"'  ^""^  '^°  '"^es 

Je%SJ-,rSas1^^^  ^"«  - 

leaving  to  the  other  the  tealt  f^t  f t  'Z'''*'"'"'  ^^''"ght  of 
hand.  Thus,  Kama  saw  wh„n  ""'•'  P^^^^nted  itself  to 
went  and  got  it   whil  I!"""*  "'^  ^^''^  needed  and 

lunge  of  a  dog  vks  stuck  „n"T''°'-  Pu^'^"^  ''^^^  ^y  the 
coffee  was  boning  bacon  drvTn^^^:,"^  ^''^''«''*-  ^hile 

™ixed,  Dayligh^fi tiS  "o'puro':^^^^^ 

Kama  came  back,  sat  down  on 7j,»    a     ^  ?°\°^  ^eans. 

boughs,  and  in  the  intervafof  w„  >      ^'^^'^  "/  "'«  «P'''«'° 

"  I  t'ink  dat  Skookum  and  bZ!'"^','"""^"'*  *'"™««^- 
-ybe,-  Kama  remark^as  fhe?  aTdtn'ot^  '«'"* 

An'^nCwr  the?*"",'"  ^^''^  ^"^"ghtTarer. 
meal.     On  e  w  th  a  mutL"?""''"''"*'°»  throughout  the 

away,  a  stick  ^f&eZodLh^'an'd  °t  ."^K^r 
tangle  of  fighting  dogs      Davlith?  L,  '^  "'^"^''^'^  "P^'*  » 
chunks  of  ice  int^o  tht  tin^^f  ,^tSftTCTd  S^tai^,^ 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  sg 

w^T'^i"'"*""''.^""'  roplonished  the  ftre,  out  more 
hXiTu*    u""™'"*'  ^""^  "'turned  to  the  spruce  bough 

h„;„      "f  °'«'on  and  dropped  them  in  the  pot  of  bubbling 

f n^t  „«  ♦u        *"  '''*''°  *'"'  °'"'''*  "f  ^Prn-^o  bough«,  they 

t^m«  ^  wl..^'° ."'■'''  '""""K  **»«™  "'«"''  from  time  to 
n^t  ;  f  iy*'*'"."l°  ^«»"'  ''■'"■''  '''"'"3'  "ookod,  Daylight  rati 
fonl  and  fT  '"*°  t '"'?  "(.«"»■-«'»«•'!„«  a  foot  and  a  half 
ong  ond  three  inches  in  diameter.     This  he  then  laid  on 

in^f hTJ.  ?  T^"-,  ,  '^''"^  '•'""'binder  of  the  beans  were  left 
m  the  pot  for  breakfast. 

Ti.i*  '"'^  f^  *  "'""  ?Y°''^'  ""'^  *'^^y  "'ere  ready  for  bed. 
The  squabbling  and  bickering  among  the  dogs  had  lona 
«nce  died  down  and  the  weary  animals  were  c^t^leSln  the 
snow,  ea^h  with  his  feet  and  nose  bunched  together  and 
covered  by  his  wolf's  brush  of  a  tail.     Kama  spread  his 

broTn"*''"'  '^^  ''«'***^  '^'^  P'P"-  Daylight '^roUed  a 
brown-paper  cigarette,  and  the  second  conversation  of 
the  eveiung  took  place. 

"  Jt*^'J''..'*'1  "^T  ""'*'■  ^'""^y  «"^eS'"  said  Daylight. 
Urn,  It'ink80,"8aidKama 

woollen  m'^-  '"*°.*''f''^  '°^''  all-standing,  each  with  a 
had  tnrn     iVT"'  ^^l^"*  °"  '"  P''"'^  °^  t^o  parko^  they 
clnir^  •    "  "^"^i    ^^'**'y'  '''°>°^*  °"  the  instant  they 
tZt    Zt^^!'  ^^"^  ^^'^  *"'«"?•     The  stars  leaped  and 
of  ?h!i'"  the  frosty  air,  and  overhead  the  coloured  bars 
Tn  f  h   T  ^°r«''''l«'ere  shooting  like  great  searchlights. 
Thn^.„w..        °®''  Daylight  awoke  and  roused  Kama. 
Wnrmo ,        ""i"'.  I'''  ^'""'''*'  ''""t^^or  day  had  begun. 
Warmed-over  flapjacks,  warmed-over  beans' fried  bacon 
andcofleecomposedthe  breakfast.     The  dogs  got  nothing 

itSuSx"*"''"*^ ::"?"  "'^*f'^  ^'^  ^^""^  *  distZcf ; 

orn^  .  '.''u  T.y-  *^^''"  ^''"^  ""^'ed  around  their  paws 
res«Tr^  *^«y ''*t^.d  one  forepaw  or  the  other,  with  a 
restless  movement,  as  if  the  frost  tingled  in  their  feet.     It 
Farkcr,:  a  light,  hooded,  smook-likfi  garment  mad.  „f  coSt-on  dnll 


40 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


was  bitter  cold,  at  least  sixty-five  below  zero   an^     i. 
Kama  harnessed  the  dogs  with  naked  hL^t'    ^  ^^^"^ 
pelled  several  times  to  |o  over  to  the  C      a  ""^  '°'"- 

the  darkness  before  dawn,  never  Lvwwf  "^"^ 

spicuons  than  nn  tl,o  411  •   ''"y^^re  more  con- 

noticed  the  vague  loom  oTtjl  f  ^  ^?"'^  **''''  ^^^y 
■••n,  withoJtoCit  l„J       .  '5""  ""'  """■J  l" 


I 


I 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  41 

hnfI*^i^^°''''°'!?•  '^h'^  ^^^  «"°  P««P«d  over  the  earth- 

nL»fT;  A^:^'  *^^:^''^  ^"^  ^^'■med  in  the  frying-pan 
hZt  i^'^r'^"^'-  Theyhadnocofiee.  H^dCt 
beheve  m  the  burning  of  daylight  for  such  a  luxury     The 

Stf„H?'"n  7*1«""l  ^i**^  °"«  ^'"^'^'''  «nd  looked  on 

rr^anS  tL7iorS*'^^  «^*  '''''  P""""^  °^  «^'^- 

tra?at"™^hTP  r°''''"'5-  ^^'^  '"^'^  "^  '™«  keP*  the 
wl»  •  1  J  ^  temperatures,  and  Kama  and  Daylight 
were  picked  men  of  their  races.  But  Kama  knew  the 
ylZ^T  *^'  ^'**f'  '"^"'  ^"^d  thus,  at  the  starthl  wa^ 
eif  o  "wir"'"''^  '°.^''^'^'-  ^°*  *^hat  he  slackLaedZ 
l^TlhZr  ^r  ^^^  '^'Shtesfc  conscious  degree, 
out  that  he  was  beaten  by  the  burden  he  carried  if  his 
mmd.     His  attitude  towards  Daylight  was  worshipful 

flf  thL'"*^'  ^'"■°"''  °*  "^^  P^y^'^'^l  prowess  he  found 
all  these  quaUties  incarnated  in  his  white  companion 
Here  was  one  that  excelled  in  the  things  worth  eSns 

Z^C'Zillf'  *°  '^^"'^'■^'^'^  "^'^^  could  not  te 
^e  „f^w)^  ^^""^  "°  ^'Sns  of  it.     No  wonder  the 

race  of  wh^te  men  conquered,  was  his  thought,  when  it 
bred  men  lie  this  man.  What  chance  had  the  Indkn 
agamst  such  a  dogged,  enduring  breed  {  Even  he 
Indians  did  not  travel  at  such  low  temperaturl!  and 
theirs  was  the  wisdom  of  thousands  of  generation^  •  v"t 

fZ7r  *^  ^K^y"«^*'  ^^°'"  the  soft  SouthlanHarder 
than  they,  laughing  at  their  fears,  and  swinging  a  ong  the 
trail  ten  and  twelve  hours  a  day.  An,^  thi?  Davli^ht 
thought  that  he  could  keep  up  a  da^y's  pace  ot  thir'^jjfie 
miles  for  sixty  days  !     Wait  till  a  fresh  fall  of  snow  ca^e 

liTharfSro^^ntr-'^--'"-^-"--^^ 

Since  water  freezes  at  thirty-two  above,  sixty-five Te?^ 
meant  ninety-seven  degrees  below  freezing-point  SomI 
Idea  of  the  significance  of  this  may  be  gaifed  bv  concefv! 


42 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


ing  of  an  equal  difEerence  of  temperature  in  the  opposite 
Erection.  One  hundred  and  twenty-ninron  thf ther^ 
mometer  constitutes  a  very  hot  day.  yet  such  a  tempera- 
ture is  but  ninety-seven  degrees  above  freeW     Double 

SLlSdT:hr',ir''''^rr  ^"e^t  conception  "ay 
^JTAi  ""Id  through  which  Kama  and  Daylight 
traveUed  between  dark  and  dark  and  through  the  dJrk 

Kama  froze  the  skin  on  his  cheek-bones,  despite  fre- 
quent rubbngs,  and  the  flesh  turned  black  and  sZiTo 
thinSnd  %°V^'  '^^''  °*  ^^  lung-tissues-a  dTnge^^^ 

exert 'm^  U^-  T  ''*'°"  ""^y  *  "'*«  '^°^d  'lot  unduly 
exert  himself  in  the  open  at  sixty-five  below.  But  Kama 
never  complained,  and  Daylight  was  a  furnace  of  he^t 

t£Sr.7™i^  ?^T  ^'^  ^^  P-'^'^ds  of  raT^it  IL  as 
tne  other  did  under  twelve  pounds 

On  the  second  night,  fifty  more  miles  to  the  good  thev 

camped  m  the  vicinity  of  the  boundary  bet3n  Alaskl 

sat  tb'  ,^°f^«f*  Territory.     The  rest  of  the^o™ 

sa-e  the  last  short  stretch  to  Dyea,  would  be  travelled  on 

s?ncf  rf  ^r*°'y-  ^^'^^  '^'  ^^'^  *^^"'  «nd  in  the  ab" 
of  Fortv  Mif  '"°^;^»7''«\*  planned  to  make  the  camp 
01  J<orty  Mile  on  the  fourth  night     He  tnlH  Kor^o  „ 

rrindthe°\*'^  ^^^'^  '''  thftemS.aS  feg^  t" 
iTm2  „  .  ^  knew  snow  was  not  far  off  ;  for  on  the  Yukon 
It  must  get  warm  in  order  to  snow.  Also,  on  this  dav 
they  encountered  ten  miles  of  chaotic  ice-^kms,  where  ^a 
tho..sand  times,  they  lifted  the  loaded  sled  over  tChuge 

agaS  C:  TT "'  '""^'^  ^yr  ^^^  1°-,:^  it7o^: 

thev  and  Z,^  dogs  were  well-nigh  useless,  and  both 
they  and  the  men  were  tried  excessively  by  the  roughness 
of  the  way.  An  hour's  extra  running  that  nigKught 
up  only  part  of  the  lost  time.  ^         ^  * 

In  the  mormng  they  awoke  to  find  ten  inches  of  snow  on 
theirrobes      The  dogs  were  buried  under  it  and  werekath 

nard  going.     The  sled  runners  would  not  slide  over  it  20 

Tnd  JY'.T  °'  '^'r""  "^"^^ «°  '" ^"^'^noe  oiZ  dogs 
and  pack  it  down  with  snowshoes  so  that  they  should  not 
wallow.     Quite  different  was  it  from  the  ordin^?y    now 


n 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  43 

known  to  those  of  the  Southland.  It  was  hard,  and  fine 
*°l^u-  ^  ^"^.'"op  like  sugar.  Kick  it,  and  it  flew 
with  a  hissing  noise  Uke  sand.  There  was  no  cohesion 
among  the  particles,  and  it  could  not  be  moulded  into 
snowballs.  It  was  not  composed  of  flakes,  but  of  crystals 
—tiny  geometrical  frost-crystals.  In  truth,  it  wm  not 
snow,  but  frost. 

The  weather  was  warm,  as  well,  barely  twenty  below 
zero  and  the  two  men  with  raised  ear-flaps  and  dangling 
Fnr^  m;i„T^/  a«  they  toiled.  They  failed  to  makf 
Forty  Mile  that  night,  and  when  they  passed  that  camp 

mail  and  additional  grub.  On  the  afternoon  of  the  follow- 
ing day  they  camped  at  the  mouth  of  the  Klondike  River 
fr    Vi        .    ^^'^y  encountered  since  Forty  Mile,  and 

«„?>,";. °""^n  ^M'  ""^^  *'^"-  ^  y«t,  that  winter,  no 
one  had  traveUed  the  river  south  of  Forty  Mile,  and  for 
that  matter,  the  whole  winter  through  they  might  be  the 
only  ones  to  travel  it.  In  that  day  the  Yukon  wa«  a 
lonely  land.  Between  the  Klondike  River  and  Salt 
Water  at  Dyea  intervened  six  hundred  miles  of  snow- 
covered  wilderness,  and  in  all  that  distance  there  were  but 
two  places  where  Daylight  might  look  forward  to  meeting 
T^'v  n°  ,  "^T  T^^^^^  trading-posts.  Sixty  Mile  and 
°^u  J^  ^"^  ^^^  «™  wer-time  Indians  might  be  met 
with  at  the  mouths  of  the  Stewart  and  White  rivers,  at 
the  Big  and  Little  Salmons,  and  on  Lake  Le  Barge  •  but 
in  the  winter,  as  he  well  knew,  they  would  be  on  the  trail 
taiM    ^°°^'^^''^'  f°Uo^ng  them  back  into  the  moun- 

That  night,  camped  at  the  mouth  of  the  Klondike,  I  ..v- 
light  did  not  turn  in  when  the  evening's  work  was  done, 
^o  t^'!^^u'"T,''f "  P'"^"®'^*'  Daylight  would  have  re- 

tTJ  o'n  V  ^*  ^'  *f  ^',  'I  ^T"^  "  ^°^^'"«-  A8  it  was,  he 
tied  on  his  snowshoes,  left  the  dogs  curled  in  the  snow  Ind 
Kama  breathing  heavily  under  his  rabbit  skins,  and 
cLmbed  up  to  the  big  flat  above  the  high  earth-bank. 
But  the  spruce  trees  were  too  thick  for  an  outlook,  and 
he  threaded  h>..  way  a«c=s  the  flat  and  up  the  r      '.teep 


44 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


slopes  of  the  mountain  at  the  back.     Here    flowine  in 

InTber"'*  "*  right  angle,,  he  could  seethe  Ske 

leU  and  r  ^^^"^  *™"  '^^  «°"*»'>  '^^  Yukon.  To  th^ 
lett,  and  down-stream,  toward  Moosehide  Mountain   the 

cZ.?-'^.V^  white  from  which  it  took  its  rame  sho;^^ 
StCL^  K  "^^'^^^- .  I-'^-tenant  Schwatka  had  g^^ 
It  It  8  name  but  he,  Daylight,  had  first  seen  it  long  before 

dt^tWukor ^^^  ""''  "'°^^«^  '^  «'^-''*  -'  ™td 

r.o'^r*!.*.^*.  °'°"'»tai'»  received  only  passing  notice 
Daylight's  interest  was  centred  in  the   big  flat  TtleU 

fnr'lf  "^^  7?"^^  ''?^^y  *°^  «'*«'"  he  muttered.  "  Room 

go  d3e  ••  T  '""T^fj-r  ^1  ^l'''*'^  -ededfs  th^ 
gold  strike.       He  meditated  for  a  space.     "  Ten  dollars 

Salka^ve  "  ^^  '*■/",•'  i''""  ''^  thelu-firedst  stamS 
somewhZ  I.  \  ^""^  ^  *  *^°"'*  <=»"'«  here,  it'U  come 
somewhere  hereabouts.  It's  a  sure  good  idea  to  keen  an 
eye  out  for  town  sites  all  the  way  up  "  ^ 

and^v^^nnW^'^.f  '°°^*'''  ^''"'"S  out  over  the  lonely  flat 
and  visioning  with  constructive  imagination  the  scene  if 

SrbtTatf«r""..^"*ry' ^'Pl-«dt^^^^^^^ 

ine  Dig  tradmg  stores,  the  saloons,  and  dance-halls   and 
the    ong  streets  of  miners'  cabiAs.     And  Ing  tho^e 
streets  he  saw  thousands  of  men  passing  up  and  down 
whUe  before  the  stores  were  the  heavy  freighting-S' 
^th  long  strings  of  dogs  attached.     Also  he  s!w  th^ 

S  KSn  Z" H-^"  'r'^  '}'  "^'"  «*-«*  and  helding 
up  tne  trozen  Klondike  toward  the  imagined  somewhere 
where  the  diggings  must  be  located.  somewhere 

..Z^  A^^^t^  ^^""^  ^^""^  the  vision  from  his  eves    des- 

Zs  andl^'  ^'  ''^  '°^J'^  "P  '"^  ^^  ^°be,  he  Of^ned  Ws 
He  gtanced  at^VhTr.'^  *^"*, ""'  ^^^  «''*  already  asleep 
embfrs  of  Ifd  ^  «*^*''  ''*^P'"g  ''««'de  him,  at  the 
th^  u,  u  ^?'°«  ^'''''  **  the  five  dogs  beyond  with 
their  wolf's  brushes  curled  over  their  noses    Ind  at  the 

four  snowshoes  standing  uprieht  in  the  .-now 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  48 

"  It's  sure  hell  the  way  that  hunch  works  on  me," 
he  murmured.  His  mind  reverted  to  the  poker  game. 
"  Four  kings  !"  He  grinned  reminiscently.  "  That  waa 
a  hunch  1" 

He  lay  down  again,  pulled  the  edge  of  the  robe  around 
his  neck  and  over  his  ear-flaps,  closed  his  eyes,  and  this 
time  fell  asleep. 


I 


1 


CHAPTER  V 

At  Sixty  Mile  they  restocked  provisions,  adaed  a  few 
pounds  of  letters  to  their  load,  and  held  steadily  on 
From  Forty  Mile  they  had  had  unbroken  trail,  and  they 
could  look  forward  only  to  unbroken  trail  clear  to  Dyea 
DayUght  stood  it  magnificently,  but  the  kUling  pace  was 
beginning  to  teU  on  Kama.  His  pride  kept  his  mouth 
shut,  but  the  result  of  the  chilling  of  his  lungs  in  the  cold 
snap  could  not  be  concealed.  MicroscopicaUy  small  had 
been  the  edges  of  the  lung-tissue  touched  by  the  frost, 
but  they  now  began  to  slough  off,  giving  rise  to  a  dry! 
hacking  cough.  Any  unusually  Revere  exertion  precipi- 
tated speUs  of  coughing,  during  which  he  was  almost  like 
a  man  m  a  fit.  The  blood  congested  in  his  eyes  tiU  they 
bulged,  while  the  tears  ran  down  his  cheeks.  A  whiff  of 
the  smoke  from  frying  bacon  would  start  him  off  for 
a  half-hour's  paroxysm,  and  he  kept  carefully  to  wind- 
ward when  Daylight  was  cooking. 

They  plodded  days  upon  days,  and  without  end  over 
the  soft,  unpacked  snow.  It  was  hard,  monotonous  work 
with  none  of  the  joy  and  blood-stir  that  went  with  flying 
over  hard  surface .  Now  one  man  to  the  fore  in  the  snow- 
shoes,  and  now  the  other,  it  was  a  case  of  stubborn,  un- 
mitigated plod.  A  yard  of  powdery  snow  had  to  be 
pressed  down,  and  the  wide-webbed  shoe,  under  a  man's 
weight,  sank  a  full  dozen  inches  into  the  soft  surface. 
Snowshoe  work,  under  such  conditions,  called  for  the  use 
of  muscles  other  than  those  used  in  ordinary  walking. 
From  step  to  step  the  rising  foot  could  not  come  up  and 
forward  on  a  slant.  It  had  to  be  raised  perpendicularly 
When  the  snowshoe  was  pressed  into  the  snow,  its  nose 
was  confronted  by  «  vertical  wall  of  snow  twelve  inches 
46 


BURNING  DAYUGHT 


47 


bit,  the  nose  of  the  »^oe  Penewaxe^  ^^^^^^ 

accidents,  hit  the  trail  t°'  ''I'""';  .  •  m„  at  night 

and  breaking  camp,  ^""^^'y  *X«^^^^  and 

sik^-r",  d:;  its  ■r.-r™^..  ^  ..» 

■"Tselklrk,  th.  t,rfi«  port  ""rell,  Kver  D.,Ugt 


RIIIV 


^■JUMWI 


48 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


ZZlZtt'  ''''''''  ^°'  ^«  '">-  *he-  we.  difficult 

ran  wide  open,  with  pr^atomrimL  f  °  "^^^^  ?''«'«*  " 
side.    In  numerous  places  wh«~^K     ^""^"'K  '*  °n  either 

thesteep-sidedbluflKm^i?;^  ^b.    ,'''^'''''*«*''^* 
turned  and  twisted,  kow  croslln^    h      ?  ^  ^""^^     ^hey 

b'wk  again,  somethnes  mS  u-'^  "^-'■'  ''"'^  """^"^ 
before  they  found  a  wL         ^  ^*'^  *  d°=»n  attempte 
It  was  slopwork      Tr^e^bridrf  ^J^^'^^  ^"^  BtretcT 
ritlier  Daylight  or  Kama  wSf  L  '''^  *°  ^"  *««*«d'  *«d 
then-    feet,  and    long   noZ  t^    *^  *°''®' """'^^J^oes  on 
hands.     Thus,  if  the?  Ske  tC^.^^'T^^  '«   tl'^*- 
to  the  pole  that  bridged  the  ho^m^    t^  ^"^^  "^S 
Several  such  accident  were  tSe  Zrt  ^f ^^  their  bodies* 
below  zero,  a  man  wet  to  th..  w  .        °^  ^^^-    At  fifty 
freezing  ;   so  each  ducWnJ  J«T*/r?°*  ''^^'^  'without 
rescued,  the  wet  man  ran^n  and  Z"'*^-     ^   ^""'i   «« 

precious,  and  they  strove  neC^fn  i "       "^^'^  moment  was 

the&sthi„tofth'^coZgor.ravdar°''  ^l'''^' before 
sled  loaded,  dogs  harnesSd  anTl^;"'""^  "^^^  *'^°'^en, 
waiting  over  the  fire  Nor  dWth  ''°,  ""^^  "^"''hed 
halt  to  eat.  As  it  was  tL,  ^^  ""^^^  ^^^  '"Wday 
their  schedule,  each  day'ea£  Tto'tr'^^.*''^  "^^^ 
run  up.  There  were  dLs  whf 'fu,  '^'"'f  "  ^^^^  ^^^ 
and  days  when  they  made  a  Z^  T^^  ^*««°  «>iles, 
bad  stretch  wherefnTwo  davs  th«'  *^'''  ^"^  ™^ 

being  compelled  to  turn  theThl  7  T^^^^  "^"e  "aUe^. 
river  and  t^  portage  S  aSd  outfitvt^f.'  ''"^'^  °»  *1^« 

At  last  they  cleared  the  dread  KftvM?  ^^  "'"'"Stains. 
?ut  on  Lake  Le  Barge     Here  w*f^''^'^"''*'"^''«'°« 
,ammed  ice.     Por  thirty  mC^r^-hrow  ,tC 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


49 


Ma  table  ;  withal  it  lay  three  feet  deep  and  was  soft  an 

*.     ?  .  ~*  °'  "»"  an  hour  was  made  while  rhnnt/^i  * 
!     even  .^,,.  „„  K^  hri  p.XoSl^S:S?;  « 

toU  sapped  him     D«v  KvT;  .,   ^  ^  "'*?  *^  *«^rifi" 
"x™  of  Sn«h     £  S™      ooMuned  more  o(  ki, 

» .i» .™,  p„.i„  .nSis-^:?  *4:-':?.scs 

4 


00 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


.nl^K  ""V"?®  '^'l*"  ^*°»»  *»»  ""able  to  go  in  the  lead 

and  break  trail,  and  it  was  a  proof  that  he  wal  f ar  Jon« 

^When  he  permitted  Daylight  to  toil  alldav  Tt^he  hfavv 

llh  l-^  "^  "f  "^  °''^'  """^  down  to  Sheep  Camp  ^Me 
£m  Set^-ffhoXr-^*"''"  *'^''*  -""^'^  ^-  '«W^d 
t  J^'  ''^*  excessive  strain  broke  Kama  completely  In 
the  mormng  he  could  not  travel.     At  five,  when  caUed  he 

DavU^hfdld  ri,'*"'^*'''  ^r"^-^'  ^"'l  «*«k  back  again 
Dayhght  did  the  camp  work  of  both,  harnessed  the  does' 

an  ;ji*V"'!^^'°''u*^"  '""''■  '°''«d  the  helple^  Mant 
all  three  sleeping  robes  and  lashed  him  on  top  of  the  sfed 

r^tiftf^/^  f°^  •  *>y  ^«^«  °«  *»>«  I««t  lap  fand  he 
w/  Ia^^  '^?T  *^''"«''  Dy*"*  Cai5on  and  aC  the 
hard-packed  trai  that  led  to  Dyea  Post.  And  running 
stil ,  Kama  groamng  on  top  the  load,  and  Daylight  leZnf 
at  the  gee-pole  to  avoid  going  under  the  rubers  of  hf 
flying  sled  they  arrived  at  D^ea  by  the  sea 
H- J^"^  .^  f  ^'?'^^'  Daylight  did  not  stop.  An  hour's 
time  saw  the  sled  loaded  with  the  ingoing  mail  and  grTb 
fresh  dogs  harnessed,  and  a  fresh  Indian  engaged  ICam' 
never  spoke  from  the  time  of  his  arrival  tOl  the  mome^? 

?y«Lr£orhSr'  '''"'  '-''^  ^-  *"  -Tg'^od! 

D;£htfSk!u'r-^"'^^'^''^^'"^-^^''«--, 

side,  turning  his  back  in  token  of  forewell  °  ^ 

Daylight  won  across  Chilcoot  that  same  day  droDoin.^ 
down  five  hundred  feet  in  the  darkness  andTli»  „,°PP]°S 
snow  to  Crater  Lake,  where  he  camper  It  w^'a^^^^^ 
camp,  far  above  the  timber-line,  an^d  he  had  not  burdened 


1 


BURNING  DAYUGHT 


01 

i  hu  Bled  with  firewood.  That  night  three  feet  of  snow 
covered  them,  and  in  the  black  morning,  when  they  dua 
themselves  out,  the  Indian  tried  to  desert.  He  had  had 
enough  of  traveUing  with  what  he  considered  a  madman 
iJut  Daylight  persuaded  him  in  grim  ways  to  stay  by  the 
outfit,  and  they  pulled  on  across  Deep  Lake  and  Lona 
Lake  and  dropped  down  to  the  level-going  of  Lake 
Linderman. 

It  was  the  same  killing  pace  going  in  as  coming  out. 
and  the  Indian  did  not  stand  it  as  well  as  Kama  He  too 
never  complained.  Nor  did  he  try  again  to  desert  '  He 
toiieJ  on  and  did  his  best,  while  he  renewed  his  resolve  to 
steer  clear  of  Daylight  in  the  future.  The  days  slipDod 
into  days,  nights  and  twilights  alternating,  cold  snaps  eave 
way  to  snow-falls,  and  cold  snaps  came  on  again,  and  aU 

btL?;h;m'"°"«'  *''  '°"«  '°"'''  *^^  '""-  P"^'^  "P 

But  on  the  Fifty  Mile  accident  befell  them.     Crossincan 
ice-bridge,  the  dogs  broke  through  and  were  swept  under 
the  down-stream  ice.     The  traces  that  connected  the  team 
with  the  wheel-dog  parted,  and  the  team  was  never  seen 
again.     Only  the  one  wheel-dog  remained,  and  Daylight 
harnessed  the  Indian  and  himself  to  the  sled.    But  a  man 
cannot  take  the  place  of  a  dog  at  such  work,  and  the  two 
men  were  attempting  to  do  the  work  of  five  dogs.     At  the 
end  of  the  first  hour.  Daylight  lightened  up.    Doc-food 
extra  gear,  and  the  spare  axe  were  thrown  away     Under 
the  extraordimiry  exertion  the  dog  snapped  a  tendon  the 
tollowing  day,  and  was  hopelessly  disabled.     DayUeht 
shot  ,t,  and  abandoned  the  sled.     On  his  back  he  took  one 
hundred  and  sixty  pounds  of  maU  and  grub,  and  on  the 
Indian  s  put  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  pounds      The 
stripping   of   gear    was   remorseless.     The    Indian   was 
appalled  when  he  saw  every  pound  of  worthless  mail 
matter  retained,  while  beans,  cups,   pails,   plates,  and 
extra  clothing  were  thrown  by  the  board.     One  robe  each 
was  kept,  one  axe    one  tin  pail,  and  a  scant  supply  of 
bacon  and  flour.     Bacon  could  be  eaten  raw  on  a  pinch 
and  flour,  stirred  in  hot  wat^r,  could  keep  men  gZg 


02 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


fetr  •"'  *'«'  •"°«»  <•'  «'-<J-  o'  -mulntion  were 

formerly  «aergt«m!rS?nd"H  '"r'^!,.*'"'  '*°'^ 
now  devoted  to  the  t^^l  M^iXf*^°^'*^''^'^«  ^^ 
a  small  fire,  wrapned  in  Vh«-  'V**'*  t^oy  crouched  over 
and  thawing  ^0^00  the  ^^nVf'^:'  ,'^''^"«  «""  broth 

Packs,  adjusted  head-8tran«  «nTi.?/?u*'  "''PP*^  "^  th«ir 
miles  into  Selkirk  Dftvir^h^  '-4     '^  *".*  *''«  *™"-    The  laat 
a  hollow-cheZd '  fSS'aTJ^  Y'"''  "*'•"«  ^"^ 
would  have  lain  down  anZllr     k  "^^  """»  "^^^  ''^ 
of  mail.  *°"  *'*P*  "J"  abandoned  his  burden 

wet\^!SS;ran?the7ame'dT'  '"^^n'^"^ '"  "-^^-n, 
on,  alternating  plaJe8  at  th«^!  V"""  ^^^^Kht  plodding 
with  the  I*  sCe  ISJn*^h?°^^''^'"^'"****^°^°°""« 
way  out.  Daylight  wL  tin  I  k^u-  ^f'^nteered  on  the 
falling  snow  affipIckXS  ^.^"**  ^'  *<'^'"^'^'''  ""d 
aU  the  way  to  Forty  MHe  A^^  ^«Pt  bim  two  days  behind 
It  was  time  for  a  Wg  cold  sni"'" '^J'"**''''' ^«^°"«d. 

demanded  to  Uw^tt^*^^^,^-  ^-1^  -d 

m^aXThTJr*'  «°*  *^  •"""«'"  ^  '-gl'^d,  and 

traU  was  well  Sd  2d  h/''?/'"''*'  ^'^y'  """^  *!»« 
mained,  and  Circle  Citv  «^n  */'^'=°'d  snap  came  and  re- 
The  Le  Barge  IndWZ  °'''^  *^° ''""di^d  miles  away, 
in  his  own  iL^ZZ  Ind  I^J"^  .r"'  "'^^^'''^d  yJt 
Daylight's  pace  wiSv  ^^H  T"*^  P"de.    He  took 

he  wo^d  ^la/  tCih^ mtTu t'^' tTA^^^*'  .*'»'** 
Srh^sa^tV^ot^^"^^^^^^^^^^^ 
-es  he  observe'S  ^ns  JtZtl;^? ^^ ^tS 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


S3 


and  kept  up.  And  ever  Daylight  flew  on  and  on,  running 
at  the  gee-pole  or  reHting  his  spell  on  top  the  flying 
sled.  The  last  day,  clearer  and  colder  than  ever,  gave 
perfect  going,  and  they  covered  seventy  miles.  It  was 
h  ten  at  night  when  they  pulled  up  the  earth-bank  and  flew 
along  the  main  street  of  Circle  City ;  and  the  young  Indian, 
though  it  was  his  spell  to  ride,  leaped  off  and  ran  behind 
the  sled .  It  was  honourable  braggadocio,  and  despite  the 
fact  that  he  had  found  his  limitations  and  was  pressing 
desperately  against  them,  he  ran  gamely  on. 


CHAPTER  VI 

ten  o'clock  bets  wereSui  hpT^  ^^  acWement.  At 
rose,  bet  by  bet  Is^mt  L  ^  made  though  the  odds 
the  Virgin  behevefhrL^f^T-  ^°^°  '"  ^^'  heart 
twenty  onnceswS  Ch^ll  R  '/'  ^'^  '^'^  '"^'*«  »  ^et  of 

"  Lil^'^-.''^  ^'■'''.^  *^«  fl^«*  y«lP«  of  the  dogs 
Listen!    sheened.     " It's  Daylight '"      ^ 

the'5rbi:irriss±  '^^  ^^^-^ = •'-*  -^- 

fell  back.     They  heard  Z  ./„       T'?^^  °P*°'  ^^^  '"'"^d 
Bnap  of  a  dog^Cand  tte  S  oS^vK  '°?^'  '''' 

^n^^rggi4^^7/'^-'- 

They  ca^me"^:^^^!  "and  ^7*^  --/^T  V- 
frost,  a  visible  varv,r  7./'  *°?.^»*h  them  rushed  in  the 

their' heal  andTacksshrrdf^T^*"'  ^°"Sh  which 
harness,  till  they  had  all  tlT'  *^*W  strained  in  the 
river     BeWnd  Tl,™      .  .u®  seeming  of  swimming  in  a 

hidden  fo the  kneesbv  the  '  ^T^f'  '='''"«  ^^y^^^^' 
he  appeared  to  w^de    "^         '^""''"^  ^'•°^*  ^^^^"gl'  ^^oh 

covered  his  face  ;  Jnd'th^;  fid,  fn  S^w^^.S 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


55 


with  the  ice  of  his  breathing  through  the  long  seventy- 
mile  run. 

His  entry  was  spectacular,  melodramatic  ;  and  he  knew 
it.  It  was  his  life,  and  he  was  living  it  at  the  top  of  his 
bent.  Among  his  fellows  he  was  a  great  man,  an  Arctic 
hero.  He  was  proud  of  the  fact,  and  it  was  a  high 
moment  for  him,  fresh  from  two  thousand  miles  of  trail,  to 
come  surging  into  that  bar-room,  dogs,  sled,  mail,  Indian, 
paraphernalia,  and  all.  He  had  performed  one  more 
exploit  that  would  make  the  Yukon  ring  with  his  name — 
he.  Burning  Daylight,  the  king  of  travellers  and  dog- 
m  ushers. 

He  experienced  a  thrill  of  surprise  as  the  roar  of  wel- 
come went  up  and  as  every  familiar  detail  of  the  Tivoli 
greeted  his  vision— the  long  bar  ant  he  array  of  bottles, 
the  gambling  games,  the  big  stove,  the  weigher  at  the 
gold-scales,  the  musicians,  the  men  and  women,  he  Virgin, 
CeUa,  and  Nellie,  Dan  MacDonald,  Settles,  Billy  Rawlins, 
Olaf  Henderson,  Doc  Watson, — all  of  tham.  It  was  just 
as  he  had  left  it,  and  in  all  seeming  it  might  weU  be  the 
very  day  he  had  felt.  The  sixty  days  of  incessant  travel 
through  the  white  wilderness  suddenly  telescoped,  and 
had  no  existence  in  time.  They  were  a  moment,  an 
incident.  He  had  plunged  out  and  into  them  through 
the  wall  of  silence,  and  back  through  the  wall  of  siience 
he  had  plunged,  apparently  the  next  instant,  and  into  the 
roar  and  turmoil  of  the  Tivoli. 

A  glance  down  at  the  sled  with  its  canvas  mail-bags  was 
necessary  to  reassure  him  of  the  reality  of  those  sixty  days 
and  the  two  thousand  miles  over  the  ice.  As  in  a  dream, 
he  shook  the  hands  that  were  thrust  out  to  him.  He  felt 
a  vast  exaltation.  Life  was  magnificent.  He  loved  it  all. 
A. great  sense  of  humanness  and  comradeship  swept  over 
him.  These  were  all  his,  his  own  kind.  It  was  immense, 
tremendous.  He  felt  melting  in  the  heart  of  him,  and  he 
would  have  liked  to  shake  hands  with  them  all  at  once,  to 
gather  them  to  his  breast  in  one  mighty  embrace. 

He  drew  a  deep  breath  and  cried  :  "  The  winner  pays, 
and  I'm  the  winner,  ain't  I  ?     Surge  up,  you-all  Maiemutes 


56 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


^p  ct  the  i'^^^^'i^ryZ.i:zr&: 

suddenly  and  limpl^sSSenedl;"*  %*  *??  «*««  ^^k- 
great  surprise.  Hesta^H  ^fT  !t.- P'  ^^  l^Js  eyes  was  a 
he  was  „Lergoi„gTar:e:^t°ot^-  l''"^'  ^°' V  ^W 
struck  by  an  unguessed  limitatbr'   w^  T^^s  Profoundly 

drmk  and  talk  and  ooLtttirUl^'"'*  '^'  '°"8  ^^^  *° 

da^cSirrCn?;.?^^^^^^^  around  the 

iM  ?>ar*a  with  his  fur  ^„  and  I^  Tl  F^  ^"^  'Maoed 
off  his  frozen  moccasLs  Ld  1»  '';f '^T''^"*^  <'°^^'  kicked 
feet.  After  wetting  WmB.HtoTh«r'"«/°  ^  ^^-^king 
noon,  he  had  run  on  Sut  nhl  •  -  '*'*«  *^^*  »fter- 
to  the  knees  his  long  Geman  sock/w  ^  ^  ^°°^8^^''  ^'^d 
In  the  warmth  of  the  roomit  Z^  TZ""^^^  ^^^  •««■ 
apart  in  clinging  chunks  Th«!!  u*°,*^*^  »»<*  *«  break 
as  his  legs  flew  around  „n^  '"?"''"  '■^*««d  together 

cIatt.rin|to  the  ZTL^iri^^'''  "V«  ^^'^  S 
dancers.  But  everybody  fZalfn^f  '?i°°  ^^  *^«  "ther 
one  of  the  few  that  made  thfiri^^^u''*-  ^^-  ^^°  was 
set  the  ethical  pace  and  by  conl'^  '^^'  ^T  ^^''^-  who  , 

of  nght  and  w^ong    was  neverth  ?    ^^?  *^^  "*""dard 
He  was  one  of  those  rm-« ^^^f  ^'®^^  *''°^e  the  Law  I 

do  no  wrong.    WhltT:  S  h'adT'l"''^*?'^  ^^^  -" 
others  were  permitted  orno^  -   f  ^  ^  "S*^*'  ^^^ether  li 

"°-  •-"  do  the  same  things.    Of  ii 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  67 

course,  such  mortals  are  so  favoured  by  virtue  of  the 
fact  that  they  ahnost  always  unswervingly  do  the  right 
and  do  It  in  finer  and  higher  ways  than  other  men.  So 
Daybght,  an  elder  hero  in  that  young  land  and  at  the 
same  ume  younger  than  most  of  them,  moved  as  a 
creature  apart,  as  a  man  above  men,  as  a  man  who  was 
greatly  man  and  all  man.  And  small  wonder  it  was  that 
the  Vugm  yielded  herself  to  his  arms,  as  they  danced  dance 
aivOT  dance,  and  was  sick  at  heart  at  the  knowledge  that 
he  iound  nothing  in  her  more  than  a  good  friend  and  an 
exceUent  dancer.  SmaU  consolation  it  was  to  know  that 
he  had  never  loved  any  woman.  She  was  sick  with  love 
of  hmi,  and  L-,  danced  with  her  as  he  would  dance  with 
any  woman,  as  1:  e  would  dance  with  a  man  who  was  a 
good  dancer  and  upon  whose  arm  was  tied  a  handkerchief 
to  conventionalize  him  into  a  woman. 

One  such  man  Daylight  danced  with  that  night.  Among 
frontiersmen  it  has  always  been  a  test  of  erdurance  for  one 
man  to  whirl  another  down  ;  and  when  Ben  Davis,  the 
faro-dealer,  a  gaudy  bandanna  on  his  arm,  got  Daylight 
'  n  %  X'^^™^  ''®«1>  *'i«  'fin  began.  The  reel  broke  up  and 
all  feU  back  to  watch.  Around  and  around  tne  two  men 
whirled,  always  in  the  one  direction.  Word  was  passed 
on  into  the  big  bar-room,  and  bar  and  gambling  tables 
were  deserted,  jilverybody  wanted  to  see,  and  they 
packed  and  jammed  the  dance-room.  The  musicians 
played  on  and  on,  and  on  and  on  the  two  men  whirled 
Davis  was  skilled  at  the  trick,  and  on  the  Yukon  he  had 
put  many  a  strong  man  on  his  back.  But  after  a  few 
minutes  it  was  clear  that  he,  and  not  Daylight,  was 
going.  •'  ^    ' 

For  a  while  longer  they  spun  around,  and  then  Daylight 
suddenly  stood  still,  released  his  partner,  and  stepped 
back,  reeling  himself,  and  fluttering  his  hands  aimlessly, 
as  if  to  support  himself  against  the  air.  But  Davis,  a 
giddy  smile  of  consternation  on  his  face,  gave  sideways, 
turned  in  an  attempt  to  recover  balance,  and  pitched 
headlong  to  the  floor.  Still  reeling  and  staggering  and 
clutching  at  the  air  with  his  hands.  Daylight  caught  the 


fi8 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


'ce  and  a  run  that  day  oHetrf    °T"**  '^^^  "^er  the 

great  world  had  never  hSi^  ^^  ^^^"^  glimpsed.    The 
far  and  wide  in  the  vlt  1>  "t^'  ''"' ^^  ^as  known 
Indians  and  Eskimos,  from  b'I-^^**'-  ^^  ^^ites  alS 
from  the  head-reachfi,  <,*        ^""8  ^ea  to  the  PaJfia 
«hore  of  Point  bI^ow'    'dZ:^''  "-«-  ^  the  S 
l"m.  and  it  was  all  one  w  Wk  "^  ™'*'*«^y  ^as  strore  n 
menfa  themselves,  S^  t''  T,ff ""«  ^*h  the  efe" 
game.    It  was  aU  a  gaCl'if^   "^i^-  '""^  '°  »  gambC 
^as  a  gambler  to  the^^oTe      R   T'*  ^  **f»i^«-     And  hf 
and  drink.     True    if    °         ^'^'^  ^■nd  chance  were  m^.! 

applied  Wit  andTki.fanTstrr.trf  ^K^''"  "^^^^^^^^^^ 

fools-Lucl,re    h^JInten"-  T'^eTbtd'th: 
ponquer.    And  so  hp     n       °  '""^ht  and  dreamed  7n 

And"  °P*™'«°»-  enchanted  by  its  own 

oalCamTthe  me!sSSr""«^  "'"^  °'«arest  trumpet 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  59 

fooling  itself,  believing  itself  immortal  and  indestructi- 
ble, bound  to  achieve  over  other  lives  and  win  to  its 
heart  8  desire. 

And  80,  reversing  at  times.  Daylight  waltzed  o£E  his 
dizziness  and  led  the  way  to  the  bar.  But  a  united  pro- 
test went  up.  His  theory  that  the  winner  paid  was  no 
longer  to  be  tolerated.  It  was  contrary  to  custom  and 
common  sense,  and  while  it  emphasized  good-fellowship, 
nevertheless,  in  the  name  of  good-fellowship  it  must 
cease  The  drinks  were  rightfully  on  Ben  Davis,  and 
iien  Davis  must  buy  them.  Furthermore,  all  drinks  and 
general  treats  that  Daylight  was  guilty  of  ought  to  be 
paid  by  the  house,  for  Daylight  brought  much  custom 
to  It  whenever  he  made  a  night.  Settles  was  the  spokes- 
man, and  his  argument,  tersely  and  offensively  ver- 
nacular, was  unanimously  applauded. 

Daylight  grinned,  stepped  aside  to  the  roulett»-table, 
and  bought  a  stack  of  yellow  chips.  At  the  end  of  ten 
minutes  he  weighed  in  at  the  scales,  and  two  thousand 
dollars  m  gold-dust  was  poured  into  his  own  and  an  extra 
sack.  Luck,  a  mere  flutter  of  luck,  but  it  was  his 
Elation  was  added  to  elation.  He  was  living,  and  the 
night  was  his.  He  turned  upon  his  well-wishing  critics. 
JNow  the  winner  sure  does  pay,"  he  said. 
And  they  surrendTered.  There  was  no  withstanding 
Daylight  when  he  vaulted  on  the  back  of  life,  and  rode  it 
bitced  and  spurred. 

At  one  in  the  morning  he  saw  Elijah  Davis  herding 
Henry  Finn  and  Joe  Hines,  the  lumber-jack,  toward  the 
door.     Daybght  interfered. 

"Where  are  you-all  going  ?"  he  demanded,  att«mptine 
to  draw  them  to  the  bar. 

"  Bed,"  Elijah  Davis  answered. 

He  was  a  lean,  tobacco-chewing  New  Englander  the 
one  daring  spirit  in  his  family  that  had  heard  and  an- 
swered the  caU  of  the  West  shouting  through  the  Mount 
Desert  back  pastures  and  wood-lots. 

"Got  to,"  Joe  Hines  added  apologetically.  "We're 
mushing  out  in  the  mornin'." 


60 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


?^!!«^*f^  detained  them 
Where  to  ?     Whnt'^  ti. 

S?'  *°  pV  your  hunSan'  S^'' n  "  ^^'^   i"«t 
Don  t  you  want  to  come  along  ?"     '  *^^  ^PP''  Country. 

^~^:Z.i''  ''-  P-  in  fun.  and  Kl,ah 
told  «:  heStme  hk*^T*;''  ^«  -«"*  on.     "  Al  Ma 

At  tw  !"  «--°«nd-waS'  "     "  ^^"S''  **  ""^  summer 

■  7*^°^  i^S^-osf^^^^^^  "^^  """^--d  of  on  the 
to  bed-rock,  and  froCZvelhrr  *^"  ^'^'^^  was  ?ro.en 
and  shovel.    In  the  summir  tt"*  "^^  «"''''*«'  defiled  Ife 

tney  did  their  mining.  Durinrth!'  -^^^  '^^^  the  time 
their  provisions,  went  mo^e  L^?  ''"'^'  they  freighted 
the  summer's  work  aS  ft  .*T'  S^t  all  ready  for 
months  through  in  tV  ^-  *^'"'  '°afed  the  bleak  "^  T 
City  and  ForTm^""'  ""'  "-*-'  ^'^'nps  sucKcSe 

Winter    diumn'o 
"Wait  till  that^g  sU^T,    «7j«'."  .  Daylight    agreed 
11  see  a  new  kind  of  m^L     t^lr^'-    Then  you^" 

won  t  need  to  timber  TJ,„t  r  "ruwng  along  bed-rock  2 
stand'till  heU  is  froze  and  ft/'T"  """^  ^"d  gravel  'U 
cream.     Why,  they^l  b'  tortinf  *^"'  '«  ^"^'^ed  tolce 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  ei 

"G'wan,  you're  fooUn',"  said  Finn,  the  other  lumber- 
jack, a  quiet,  steady,  Wisconsin  man. 
"TWMr'^  my  da^gs  and  sled,"  Daylight  answered, 
n  mT  J"^^  *^°  ***™*  *"<^  ^»l^e  the  loads ;  though 
we-aU  U  have  to  travel  easy  for  a  speU,  for  them  dawes  is 
sure  tu«d.  ° 

The  three  men  were  overjoyed,  but  still  a  trifle  in- 
credulous. 

"Now  look  here,"  Joe  Hines  blurted  out,  "none  of 

come  ?"  Daylight.    We  mean  business.    WiU  you 

Daylight  extended  his  hand  and  shook. 

Then  you'd  best  be  gettin'  to  bed,"  Elijah  advised. 
We  re  mushan  out  at  six,  and  four  hours'  sleep  is  none 
so  long."  ^ 

"  Jfobbe  we  ought  to  lay  over  a  day  and  let  him  rest 
up,"  Fmn  suggested. 
DayUght's  pride  was  touched. 

"No  you  don't,"  he  cried.  "We  aU  start  at  six. 
wnat  time  do  you-all  want  to  be  called  ?  Five  ?  All 
nght,  I'll  rouse  you-all  out." 

"You  oughter  have  some  sleep,"  EUjah  oounseUed 
gravely.        You  can't  go  on  for  ever  " 

Daylight  was  tired,  profoundly  tired.  Even  his  iron 
body  acknowledged  weariness.  Every  muscle  was  clam- 
ouring for  bed  and  rest,  was  appaUed  at  continuance  of 
exertion  and  at  thought  of  the  trail  again.  All  his 
physical  protest  weUed  up  into  his  brain  in  a  wave  of 
revolt.  But  deeper  down,  scornful  and  defiant,  was  Life 
Itself,  the  essential  fire  of  it,  whispering  that  all  Davlieht's 
fellows  were  looking  on,  that  now  was  the  time  to  pile 
deed  upon  deed,  to  flaunt  his  strength  in  the  face  of 
strength.  It  was  merely  Life,  whispering  its  ancient 
lies.  And  in  league  with  it  was  whisky,  with  all  its 
consummate  effrontery  and  vainglory. 

"  Mebbe  you-all  think  I  ain't  weaned  yet  ?"  Daylieht 
demanded.  "  Why,  I  ain't  had  a  drink,  or  a  dance  or 
seen  a  soul  in  two  months.  You-aU  get  to  bed.  I'll  call 
you-all  at  five." 


irrl^Si*»*^»"'tf^S»^**«= 


62 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


on  the  doors  Tbi^J^    T""°«  "^PP'"*  thunderously 


L 


CHAPTER  VII 

This  time  the  traU  was  easier.  It  was  better  packed,  and 
they  were  not  carrying  mail  against  time.  The  day's  run 
was  shorter,  and  likewise  the  hours  on  trail.  On  his  mail 
run  Daylight  had  played  out  three  Indians  ;  but  his  present 
partners  knew  that  they  must  not  be  played  out  when  they 
arrived  at  the  Stewart  bars,  so  they  set  the  pace  slower. 
And  under  this  milder  toil,  where  his  companions  never- 
theless grew  weary,  Daylight  recuperated  and  rested  up. 
At  Forty  Mile  they  laid  over  two  days  for  the  sake  of  the 
dogs,  and  at  Sixty  Mile  Daylight's  team  was  left  with  the 
trader.  Unlike  Daylight,  after  the  terrible  run  from 
Selkirk  to  Circle  City,  they  had  been  unable  to  recuperate 
on  the  back  trail.  So  the  four  men  pulled  on  from  Sixty 
Mile  with  a  fresh  t«am  of  dogs  on  Daylight's  sled. 

The  foUowing  night  they  camped  in  the  cluster  of 
island  sat  the  mouth  of  the  Stewart.  Daylight  talked 
town  sites,  and,  though  the  other  laughed  at  him,  he 
staked  the  whole  maze  of  high,  wooded  islands. 

"Just  supposing   the   big  strike   does  come   on   the 
Stewart,    he  argued.     "  Mebbe  you-aJl '11  be  in  on  it,  and 
then  again  mebbe  you-all  won't.     But  I  sure  will.     You- 
all  d  better  reconsider  and  go  in  with  me  on  it." 
But  they  were  stubborn. 

"  You're  as  bad  as  Harper  and  Joe  Ladue,"  said  Joe 
Hines.  They're  always  at  that  game.  You  know  that 
big  flat  jest  below  the  Klondike  and  under  Moosehide 
Mountain  ?  WeU,  the  recorder  at  Forty  Mile  was  teUin' 
me  they  staked  that  not  a  month  ago— The  Harper  and 
Ladue  Town  Site.     Ha  !  Ha  !  Ha  !" 

Elijah  and  Finn  joined  him  in  his  laughter  ;  but  Day- 
light was  gravely  in  earnest. 


64 


BUBNING  DAYLIGHT 


t 


of  Sihr* '"  '^^  ^°''"' '"'  P™^"''*"^^  °f  «  Becond  bun,t 

fr.  ™.i;  1  ,  "'>■*"  tJunk  gold-hunting  is  the  only  wav 
to  make  a  stake     But  let  me  tell  you-aU  that  when^he 

t/lfw'^,  """'''■'■*'''»«-  ''"t  danged  little  vou-all  'U 
Ss^nd  tWn"k  fl-  """"^f '  ''*"8'>  "»*  q-oksUrrin  the 
AwVtv  f„    .^  ^"^  «°''*  '*''»  manufactured  by  God 

the  t^lV^!  ""*"  ^^''.^  '^""^  *"'«  ^^  be  them  that  stake 
the^wn  sites,  organize  the  tradin'  companies,  start  the 

inS^k?"  "tK"  °*.  '^^^^  '^°^«**  ^'^  »»*•    Banks 
.rif  ^*  '    /^«  >'Jea  of  It  was  excruciatinjr 
Vep,  and  start  the  stock  exchanges -" 

!,,•»  «ff "  *  ^^  r'v  ^""^""^ed.     Joe  Hines  roUed  over  on 
his  sleeping-robe,  holding  his  sides 

And  after  them  will  come  the  big  minimt  sharks  th^t 
buy  whole  creeks  where  you-aU  have  been^raSng^ke 
a  lot  of  picayune  hens,  and  they-all  will  go  to  hvS^k 
mg  m  smnmer  and  steam-thawiag  in  winter—-" 
..^^■T  "^^^K"^^*  "^^^  the  limit.  Dayhght  was 
St^a?!L'^"'"^\''™'*" '"  ^'  consummate  frmakiC 
bteam-thawing-when  even  wood-burning  was  an  unS 
experiment,  a  dream  in  the  air  '  untried 

"  Laugh,  dang  you,  laugh  !  Why  your  eyes  ain't  open 
yet.  You-aU  are  a  bunch  of  little  mewing  kitten!  I  teU 
you-aU  If  that  strike  comes  on  Klondike  Hamper  and 
Ladue  will  be  millionaires.  And  if  it  comes  on  It,  * 
you-aJl  watch  the  ElamHarnish  tewnsiteToom  iSm 
days,  when  you-aJl  come  around  makin'  poor  mou2      " 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  w 

He  heaved  a  pigh  of  resignation.     "WeU,  I  suppow  ru 
orolhOT  """^  ^°"'*"  "  «'"''■'"''«'  °'  «°"P'°'  "oSething 
Daylight   had   vision.    His   scope   had   been   ricidlv 
limited,  yot  whatever  he  saw,  he  saw  big.    His  mind  wm 
°ii    ^  ^,'Tr^u"  "?»8>nation  practical,  and  he  never  dreamed 
Idly.     When  he  superimposed  a  feverish  metropolis  on  a 
waste  of  timbered,  snow-covered  flat,  ho  predicated  first 
the  gold-strike  that  made  the  city  possible,  and  next  he 
bad  an  eye  for  steamboat  landings,  sawmill  and  ware- 
house l«>at.ons,  and  all  the  needs  of  a  ^-r-northern  mining 
city.     But  this,  m  turn,  wa.s  the  mere  setting  for  some- 
thing bigger,  namely,  the  play  of  temperament.     Oppor- 
tunities swarmed  m  the  streets  and  buildings  and  human 
and  economic  relations  of  the  city  of  his  dretm.     It  was  a 
Tc^^f^"  ?'  8*"'''""8.     The  limit  was  the  sky,  v^th 

Se?  tK°"  ""M'l'  T.'^  ^^'  *"°^*  borealLs  on  the 
other.     The  play  would  be  big,  bigger  than  any  Yukoner 

^thZ:,?^^''"'^''^^^''  ^'""'"S  Daylight,  would  see 
tnat  lie  got  m  on  that  play. 

the  hunch.  But  it  was  coming.  As  he  would  stake  his 
last  omice  on  a  good  poker  hand,  so  he  staked  his  Ufe  and 
efiort  on  the  hunch  that  the  future  held  in  store  a  big 
strike  on  the  Upper  River.  So  he  and  his  three  com- 
pamons.  with  dogs  and  sleds,  and  snowshoes,  toiled  up 
the  frozen  brei^t  of  the  Stewart,  toiled  on  and  on  through 

n«ir^  t'^^'^ff'  ^^^^"^  *^«  un,  nding  .tUlness  wis 
never  broken  by  the  voices  of  men,  the  stroke  of  an  axe 
or  the  distant  crack  of  a  rifle.  They  alone  moved  tWgh 
the  vast  and  frozen  quiet,   little   mites  of  earth-men, 

Zv^K^if  "'°'''  °^  '"^"^  ^  ^^y-  «'«'«'^g  the  ice  that 
r^2f^f^  have  water  to  drink,  camping  in  the  snow  at 
t^l '  ^f  ^°^^-i°g^  ''•^fed  in  frost-rimed,  hairy  bmiches. 
lleds  ™°^«hoes  stuck  on  end  in  the  snow  beside  the 

r.^f^'^  A  °^^r''  T°  ^^  ^^y  '"'''  though  once  they 
passed  a  rude  pobng-boat,  cached  on  a  platform  bvthe 
river  bank.     Whoever  had  cp-^od  it  i^^Tlf^-,^ 

5 


66 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


■    S^  .tat  mS'j^  ";'*1 "' '"°.""  ^"'"'  u»y  '^ 

Tm.™     a  »L      '^  "•"  "•  '""  "Mlomd  by 

odd     Thek  f  *if  "*"''  '""P*""  »nd  ^^oed  in  the  great 
Wn„  K  "^  "^^^  monotonous :  gour-dou«h  bread 

^tain  TW  °*  P™""'-  ^^^  '"«**  they  failed  to 
At™«i  J  ^,  ZT  *°  unwonted  absence  of  animal  life 
rabhT  ^'^'*''  .^"y  "'^''"''^'l  "P°n  the  trail  of  aTowshS 
We  hldVH.T'^^'J  ''"x*  '"  *''^'»««  't  seemed  thaf^ 
to  them  for .«  fi/f^*^-    ^'  ^"^  "  ''°»«li«°n  not  unknot 

tr^'ad'rvetfoLTJri^^^^^^^^^  ^'""^  °'  ''-*^" 
tie?*' eS  ^^k"?  °°  *^t  '"'^^'  ''"*  ""t  in  paying  qnanti- 

alter  clM„»g  ,w.j  U,«  mou  .nd  gr"  .  J^ ',  Si 


BURNING  DAYUGHT  «7 

the  experiment.  Six  feet  of  frozen  muck  brought  them 
to  gr»vel,  likewise  frozen.  Here  progress  was  slower 
But  they  learned  to  handle  their  tires  better,  and  were 
soon  able  tj  thaw  five  and  six  inches  at  a  burning.  Flour 
gold  was  in  this  gravel,  and  after  two  feet  it  gave  away 
again  to  muck.  At  seventeen  feet  they  struck  <i  thin 
streak  of  gravel,  and  in  it  coarse  gold,  test-par,  ir..n« 
as  high  as  six  and  eight  dollars.  Unfortuin',  iv? 
streak  of  gravel  was  not  more  than  an  inch  i  M  u  r,< 
neath  it  was  more  mnok,  tangled  with  t,  n  \     jf 

ancient  trees  and  containing  fossil  bon^  .  .  '  fcrL()t(,  ,i 
monsters.  But  gold  they  had  found— ooirse  -  i.)  •  ,ui.) 
what  more  likely  than  that  the  big  d',o..it'.i  vi  b 
found  on  bed-rock  ?  Down  to  bed-rook  Uh  y  v.  i ,,  .  ,' 
if  it  were  forty  feet  away.  They  divided  into  twu  s^iifti ' 
working  day  and  night,  on  two  shafts,  and  the  er-  \o  oi 
their  burning  rose  continually. 

It  was  at  this  time  that  they  ran  short  of  beans  and  that 
Eujah  was  despatched  to  the  main  camp  to  bring  up  more 
grub.  EUjah  was  one  of  the  hard-bitten  old-time  trav- 
eUers  himself.  The  round  trip  was  a  hundred  miles,  but 
he  promised  to  be  back  on  the  third  day,  one  day  goina 
hght,  two  days  returning  heavy.  Instead,  he  wived  on 
the  night  of  the  second  day.  They  had  just  gone  to  bed 
when  they  heard  him  coming. 

"  What  in  hell's  the  matter  now  ?"  Henry  Finn  de- 
manded, as  the  empty  sled  came  into  the  circle  of  firelight 
and  as  he  noted  that  Elijah's  long,  serious  faco  was  loncer 
and  even  more  serious. 

Joe  Hines  threw  wood  on  the  fire,  and  the  three 
men,  wrapped  in  their  robes,  huddled  up  close  to  the 
warmth.  Elijah's  whUkered  face  was  matted  with  ice 
as  were  his  eyebrows,  so  that,  what  of  his  fur  garb' 
he  looked  like  a  New  England  caricature  of  Father 
Christmas. 

"You  recoUect  that  big  spruce  that  held  up  the  corner 
of  the  cache  next  to  the  river  I"  Elijah  begun. 

The  disaster  was  quickly  told.  The  big  tree,  with  all 
the  seeming  of  hardihood,  promising  to  stand  for  centuries 


68 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


burden  of  th!  o^healTfh^-  r'*«n«d-  The  added 
much  for  it ;  thH^Jance  it  tdTnl'  ''^"^  ^  "«««  *" » 
the  forces  of  its  en4onme,rr Lh  ^^  '^'^^*^^d  with 
had  toppled  and  crwheT^  *^  ''««°  "^erthrown ;  it 
cache.  aSd,  in  tru^^^ettLSm^^:f\  ^^''^  *^« 
vironment  that  the  four  n.Tnrnl«^«  balance  jvith  en- 
maintaining.  Their  s^ppt^Ttib  t>'  ^"^  "^^^ 
wolverines  had  eot  intn  tL        ^   ,    ^'^   Soae.    The 

they  had  not  earthThaJde^^^d'  °'"'^-  ""'^  -»-* 

dog-a^^E^^l^o^j^:^^^^^ 

if  they  didn't  gnaw  open  the  t"i^°'V*™  ""^  ''""ons, 
and  beans  and  riJe  from  Dan  ^  ^  '^.T'  *^«  ^^"^ 
empty  sacks  where  they^  db-al^  feersheba.  I  found 
mile  away."  ^     dragged  them  a  quarter  of  a 

robody  spoke  for  a  lone  moment      Tf 
than  a  catastrophe,  in  the  de^Zf  °n  A  V"*"  ?°*J^ngIess 

agame-abandon^ed land  tote  thergrlTb'TTr'  '""^ '" 
pamc-stricken,  but  they  were  bulvfo^t-     ^^^^  were  not 

Bquarely  in  the  face  ^nd  7ZidetiV°°^^J^'  ^""''*'°° 
first  to  speak.  "^Jwnng.     joe  Hmes  was  the 

1 11  go,"  said  Finn, 
■^^^y  considered  a  while  longer 

threi^^iShpbSrt^^^^^^^^  --  -d 

"  YouAaT  totlelhf'l^n  ^^M^tntributioa. 
the  Stewart  tiU  "yo^^l?  bl'T.^^'  '^  -<^  P"^'  «P 
back  with  a  load  of  meat  Vn,.^  :  u^*"®"  y°"  °^-^^ 
Hem-y  can  make  it  f"  m  Si5"lSi]f  aSd"  '^^  ''^'"^^ 
gone  there'll  only  be  BavUshtLT^'  f"^  "^^^  you're 
feed  good  and  smau"   ^^     ^""^  "'^  ^  ^^^'  ""d  r/e'U 


li. 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


69 


"  And  in  the  morning  we-aii  11  pull  for  the  cache  and 
pan  snow  to  find  what  grub  we've  got."  Daylight  lay 
back,  as  he  spoke,  and  rolled  in  his  robe  to  sleep,  then 
added  :  "  Better  turn  in  for  an  early  start.  Two  of  you 
can  take  the  dogs  down.  Elijah  and  mell  skin  out  on 
both  sides  and  see  if  we-all  can  scare  up  a  moose  on  the 
way  down." 


CHAPTER  VIII 

of  the  third  <S  eS  Sh'"  P'^..^  •^°'^°-  At  noon 
That  mght  Daffl  cameTn  t;'.f  °'*-°S  °°  '^""^  ««n- 
fast  as  they  arrivfd  th«^«^\^^*^^  '™^^^  ^«Port-  As 
of  the  snoJaSd  tri;''  I^^^^  o-efuTpamung 
they  found  stray  b^ans  fX  a  J..  7  ^  *  ^"'^^  **«'^'  f"-" 
cache.  One  moL  day  aU  th  Jm  ^°^^/  ^^'''^^  fr""*  t^e 
pitiful,  and  the  f^ur  showed ISr"  ^h"'^-  ?^  '^^^l*  ^»« 
the  few  pounds  of  foodXt  had  h       ^^  '°  "''  ^^'°°  °f 

Little  M  it  was   th«  lin^'     t   ''^^°  recovered, 
and  Elijah^    The  men  wC    ^^^  ^*^  '^^^  '^t'^  daylight 

the  SteU  aid  oTd^^PSdlm*'  *'^  ''°^^'  °"«  "P 
grid.  The  two  who  rem^;«T^  ^aT  ™'"'®  l'^''^  to 
the  others  returned    T?.?)?  '*^  ^*^«  *°  ''^st  out  tiU 

several  ounces  rch  of  b^anJ^dT'  ^"^^  *^*'  *^°««'  "n 
nevertheless,  the  men  who Travellt^^Tw.'*  *'*^^'  ^'^^^y- 
would  have  the  dogs  tCm^WelZ^eT  «  T;.""  "  P^"*'' 
i-emained,  when  the  pinch  camP  J,t  u  "*  *^^  ™«"  ^^° 
ja.  for  this  reason  that  DaSt  aTd  Eli^aW  \t^'-  " 
desperate  chance.  Thev  coufd  n.t /V  '^  *°°^  *•*«  '""'e 
care  to  do  less.     The  days  naln       VT'  ''°'  ^'^  ^^^^ 

merging  'imperceptfbly Tto'^X  Norl.  h"'"*?'  '''^"^ 
comes  like  a  thunderbolt  nfLi^^'*'^  '?""«  that 
spring  of  1896  thTwL  preparfnt  T''.  I'  ^^'  *^« 
rose  farther  east  of  south  remS^l  ^^  ^*^  ^^^  «"" 
set  farther  to  the  west  ' 'Crch  e„d°.r' '."l''^?^^'  ^""^ 
and  Daylight  and  Elijah    lean  and   I,*""^  "^P"'  ''^«^'^- 

ss.t^tro^L^Vni*— ^^^^^ 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


71 


turned.  Without  doubt  they  had  met  with  disaster.  The 
party  had  considered  the  possibility  of  disaster  for  one 
man,  and  that  had  been  the  principal  reason  for  despatch- 
ing the  two  in  different  directions.  But  that  disaster 
should  have  come  to  both  of  them  T^as  the  final  blow. 

In  the  meantime,  hoping  against  hope.  Daylight  and 
Elijah  eked  out  a  meagre  existence.  The  thaw  had  not 
yet  begun,  sc  they  were  able  to  gather  the  snow  about  the 
ruined  cache  and  melt  it  in  pots  and  pails  and  gold  pans. 
Allowed  to  stand  for  a  while,  when  poured  oS,  a  thin 
deposit  of  sUme  was  found  on  the  bottoms  of  the  vessels. 
This  was  the  flour,  the  infinitesimal  trace  of  it  scattered  ' 
through  thousands  of  cubic  yards  of  snow.  Also,  in  this 
slime  occtured  at  intervals  a  water-soaked  tea-leaf  or 
cofiee-ground,  and  there  were  in  it  fragments  of  earth  and 
litter.  But  the  farther  they  worked  away  from  the  site 
of  the  cache  the  thinner  became  the  trace  of  fiour,  the 
smaller  the  deposit  of  slime. 

Elijah  was  the  older  man,  and  he  weakened  first,  so  that 
he  came  to  lie  up  most  of  the  time  in  his  furs.  An  occa- 
sional tree-squirrel  kept  them  alive.  This  hunting  fell 
upon  Daylight,  and  it  was  hard  work.  With  but  thirty 
rounds  of  ammunition  he  dared  not  risk  a  miss  ;  and, 
since  his  rifle  was  a  45-90,  he  was  compelled  to  shoot  the 
small  creatures  through  the  head.  There  were  very  few 
of  them,  and  days  went  by  without  seeing  one.  When 
he  did  see  one,  he  took  infinite  precautions.  He  would 
stalk  it  for  hours.  A  score  of  times,  with  arms  that 
shook  from  weakness,  he  would  draw  a  sight  on  the 
animal  and  refrain  from  pulling  the  trigger.  His  in- 
hibition was  a  thing  of  iron.  He  was  the  master.  Not 
till  absolute  certitude  was  his  did  he  shoot.  No  matter 
how  sharp  the  pangs  of  hunger  and  desire  for  that  palpi- 
tating morsel  of  chattering  life,  he  refused  to  take  the 
slightest  risk  of  a  miss.  He,  born  gambler  that  he  was, 
was  gambling  in  the  bigger  way.  His  life  was  the  stake, 
his  cards  were  the  cartridges,  and  he  played  as  only  a 
big  gambler  could  play,  with  infi.  te  nare,  with  infinite 
precaution,  with  infinite  consideration.    As  a  result,  he 


72 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


I 


iicver  missed      Wo  i,    u 

^^if  't'*"'  "  "•  wSiSnS'  "Tl^"'  they 

the  snow  arose  the  tricj^^g  7t^!^'  *'°'"  '^°^«  "''der 
tour  hours  the  Chinook  wind  bl«^^  f-"™"-  ^°^  twenty- 
hours  the  snow  was  dished  T' ""'^ ""  *^**  twenty-fo^ 
the  late  afternoons  the  mdtinf  '^  *.  ^°°*  '«  depth  I^ 
ilf '^^.  ^--""^  ^e"aSe7- J°-  again^o'that 

Once,  high  in^he  air  TooSS""  '""""^  ^«*°  ^^e  S' 

The  sap  was  rising  in  thfilr^P  °^  "^'""^s.  "^ 

Winter  had'been?ongt,X:  "^^'^  ^"  '*«  S  o^^;-- 
a  day  ,ere  they  to  bf  b'oket  ^"  "-""S  *\««'.  and  not  in 
of  spring.     May  came  and  It        .^° ''^  *^»e  thunderbolt 

P'  ''■"o  more  geese  and 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  73 

ducks  flew  overhead.  And  still  the  river  held.  By  May 
tenth,  the  ice  of  the  Stewart,  with  a  great  rending  and 
snappmg  tore  loose  from  the  banks  and  rose  three  feet. 
u  ^  o°*  8°  down-stream.  The  lower  Yukon,  up  to 
where  the  Stewart  flowed  into  it,  must  first  break  and 
move  on.  Until  then  the  ice  of  the  Stewart  could  only 
nse  higher  and  higher  on  the  increasing  flood  beneath. 
When  the  Yukon  would  break  was  problematical.  Two 
thousand  miles  away  it  flowed  into  Bering  sea,  and  it  was 
the  ice  conditions  of  Bering  Sea  that  would  determine 
when  the  Yukon  could  rid  itself  of  the  millions  of  tons 
of  ice  that  cluttered  its  breast. 

On  the  twelfth  of  May,  carrying  their  sleeping-robes,  a 
paU,  an  axe,  and  the  precious  rifle,  the  two  men  started 
down  the  river  on  the  ice.  Their  plan  was  to  gain  to  the 
cached  pohng-boat  they  had  seen,  so  that  at  the  first  open 
water  they  could  launch  it  and  drift  with  the  stream  to 
Mxty  MUe.  In  their  weak  condition,  without  food,  the 
going  was  slow  and  difiicult.  Elijah  developed  a  habit 
of  falhng  down  and  being  unable  to  rise.  Daylight  gave 
of  his  own  strength  to  hft  him  to  his  feet,  whereupon  the 
older  man  would  stagger  automatically  on  until  he 
stumbled  and  fell  again. 

On  the  day  they  should  have  reached  the  boat,  Elijah 
collapsed  utterly.  When  Daylight  raised  iiim,  he  feU 
again  Daylight  essayed  to  walk  with  him,  supporting 
turn,  but  such  was  Daylight's  own  weakness  that  they 
fell  together.  Dragging  Elijah  to  the  bank,  a  rude  camp 
was  made,  and  Daylight  started  out  in  search  of  squirrels 
It  was  at  this  time  that  he  likewise  developed  the  falling 
nabit.  In  the  evening  he  found  his  first  squirrel,  but 
darkness  came  on  without  his  getting  a  certain  shot. 
With  primitive  patience  he  waited  till  next  day,  and  then, 
within  the  hour,  the  squirrel  was  his. 

The  major  portion  he  fed  to  Elijah,  reserving  for  himself 
the  tougher  parts  and  the  bones.  But  such  is  the 
chemistry  of  life,  that  this  small  creature,  this  trifle  of 
meat  that  moved,  by  being  eaf«n,  transmuted  to  the 
meat  ot  the  men  the  same  power  to  move.     No  longer  did 


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the  same  energy  tC  h^^rfn^.^K'^^  ^'T'^'^'  I"***""!, 
the  wasted  mZ^nTL^'^Jf^  «°-d -to 
them  move— nav  mn^^lZr  '^  °'  *''^  men,  makinjj 
several  interventag  ma^to  ^7"^ .^^^  *°*t«™d  tSf 
which  they  feU  together  an^  lav  Z-*"^,  ^^\  ""derneath 

Light  aa"^  the  task  would  have  T^'°^^  »  '"""g  time, 
lower  the  small  boat  to  th;  ^      ^^°  *°''  *  strong  man  to 
And  many  hoZtoVlTC^fT^F'^''^^'  ^°'^«- 
around  it,  lying  on  to  side  to  ranit  ?i  ^^  '^"^^^^  ^'^^f 
moss.     Yet:  when  thL  was  don^^^^-^^^^^  ^"""^  ^th 
ice  had  risen  many C  h^it    iJ"^^  "^^"  'till  held.     It« 
And  one  more  task  SLd  fhTl   '^  "u   '**■■*  ^own-stream, 
the  river  ran  wat^r^oSe  Je  \T''t'^,°^ l^'  ^°^'  ^^'^'^ 
gered  and  stumbled  and   eTand  cJ*;'^^  ^"I^S^**  «tag- 
that  was  wet  with  thaw   or  f„     ^^  *'^^'"^^  the  snow 
frost  still  crusted  tbevonk?L°'t.'*7^«"  *^«  "igl't's 
for  one  more  sq  Jrrei  ^trivit %?'*  v  °^  *  '"*»'  ^'^^"Wng 
mutation  of  fuL^a^ and  «^oM      ^^^  °"«  """'^  trans- 
and  tugs  of  mS  bodv  ?hr^?/^***""  ''»*°  the  lifts 
the  rim  of  shore-ice  and, wSf-.J'"''^  ''°'^'t  the  boat  over 

Not  till  the  twentieth  oM.    ^71^^  '^^  stream, 
down-stream  mCm 2  beg'^K  fiv  Yn  t"  ''"^'^-     ^^^^ 
ah-eady  were  the  days  so  W  that  n    f^T"^"^'  ''''^ 
watehed  the  ice-run.     EUjahwIrnn^^''*^*  '**  "P  »nd 
ested  in  the  spectacle      Thou^t       ^^  ^'"'^  *"  •'^  ^^ter- 
without  movemerwhile  th«  f^^r^^t^y  conscious,  he  lay 
caroming  against  thi  bant  „"'  T  ^^'  ^**  <"*''««  °f  >* 
out  earth  b|  huni-eds  of  ton?     a^  V'^'  ^'^d  gouging 
shook  and  ree^d  Sn  t£    ;  o.f'  fT  '^'"^  *^«  ^^^ 
collisions.    At  the  eTd  o^  itt  °^  i^"'^  tremendous 
Somewhere  below  it  wi  WoekedT  1^"  >•""  stopped, 
river  began  to  rise  lift.C  "i"""*^  ^y  »  Jam.     Then  the 
higher  fhan  thrb^^^tomZH^'''--^*  *"'  "  -- 
bore  down,  and  ever  more  m^i;^„    ^.®'^®''  "'"'^  ^^ter 
their  weight  to  the  congestion      T^  °*  '""^^  "*  '"«  »dded 
became  terrific.     Huge  cake^  „f        P'"««'^«s  and  stresses 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


76 


between  the  thumb  and  forefinger  of  a  child,  while  all 
along  the  banks  a  wall  of  ice  was  forced  up.  When  the 
jam  broke,  the  noise  of  grinding  and  smashing  redoubled. 
For  another  hour  the  run  continued.  The  river  fell 
rapidly.  But  the  wall  of  ice  on  top  the  bank,  and  extend- 
ing down  into  the  falling  water,  remained. 

The  tail  of  the  ice-run  passed,  and  for  the  first  time  in 
six  months  Daylight  saw  open  water.  He  knew  that  the 
ice  had  not  yet  passed  out  from  the  upper  reaches  of  the 
Stewart,  that  it  lay  in  packs  and  jams  ii.  those  upper 
reaches,  and  that  it  might  break  loose  and  come  down  in 
a  second  run  an}-  time  ;  but  the  need  was  too  desperate 
for  him  to  linger.  Elijah  was  so  far  gone  that  he  might 
pass  at  any  moment.  As  for  himself,  he  was  not  sure  that 
enough  strength  remained  in  his  wasted  muscles  to  launch 
the  boat.  It  was  all  a  gamble.  If  he  waited  for  the 
second  ice-run,  Elijah  would  surely  die,  and  most  pro- 
bably himself.  If  he  succeeded  in  launching  the  boat, 
if  he  kept  ahead  of  the  second  ice-run,  if  he  did  not  get 
caught  by  some  of  the  runs  from  the  upper  Yukon  ;  if 
luck  favoured  in  all  these  essential  particulars,  as  well 
as  in  a  score  of  minor  ones,  they  wovdd  reach  Sixty  Mile 
and  be  saved,  if — and  again  the  if— he  had  strength  enough 
to  land  the  boat  at  Sixty  Mile  and  not  go  by. 

He  set  to  work.  The  wall  of  ice  was  five  feet  above  the 
ground  on  which  the  boat  rested.  First  prospecting  for 
the  best  launching-place,  he  found  where  a  huge  cake  of 
ice  shelved  upward  from  the  river  that  ran  fifteen  feet 
below  to  the  top  of  the  wall.  This  was  a  score  of  feet 
away,  and  at  the  end  of  an  hour  he  had  managed  to  get 
the  boat  that  far.  He  was  sick  with  nausea  from  his 
exertions,  and  at  times  it  seemed  that  blindness  smote 
him,  for  he  could  not  see,  his  eyes  vexed  with  spots  and 
points  of  light  that  were  as  excruciating  as  diamond-du 
his  heart  pounding  up  in  his  throat  and  sufiocating  him. 
Elijah  betrayed  no  interest,  did  not  move  nor  open  his 
eyes  ;  and  Daylight  fought  out  his  battle  alone.  At  last, 
falling  on  his  knees  from  the  shock  of  exertion,  he  got  the 
boat  poised  on  a  secure  balance  on  top  the  wall.     Crawling 


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on  hands  and  Joibao    »,»    i       , 

-Ji-  robe,  the  rS"  ndVp"?  H  *^.'°**  ^  -l>Wt- 
the  Me  It  meant  an  add^«on„.  ^^,  ""*  ^^^^^  ^th 
and  back  and  if  th,.  need  fnn  •!  if '  ^^'^^  °f  t»'enty  feet 
he  would  be  past  a):  S     '  '*  '"'""''^  ^'^  ^e  weU  Ve^ 

over  the  ground  and  up  a  brofee^  ^^f «»»;  .^e  dragged  him 
the  boat.     But  into  the  br '     L    ^  °/i°*  *°  *^«  «de  of 
Ehjah's  limp  body  was  farm.     ^-1  °°'^^  ^^ot  get  him 
than  an  eq/a,  weXf  iL?^'  ^"ffif "Jt  to  J,ft  an'd  hand" 
nght  failed  to  hoSt  hir,,t  ^°^  "'"*  rigid.     Dav- 

«  like  a  XmSy  °;.  ^.  J"'^  -"-^P-d  at  ?^ 
the  boat,  Daylight  tried  va  ii,;  t^^""'"..  ^««g  into 
after  him.  The  best  he  oo^^  ^  '^^S  '"^  comrade  in 
head  and  shoulders  on  fn^.^  °  ''^  *°  get  Elijah's 
leased  his  hold,  t'heavSrom  fir?r'!,  ^^«»  ^^^  -! 
feh  promptly  gave  at  t^lZl^^'Za'T^Vt^^t 

otttti\^r^'^*"''-««dhistaotics.     Hestruekthe 

"wCfc.^Ti>:-^"^-nr.   He   cried. 

your  w'tXgiLSt.'  '°^^"^y-     "^«n  I  get 
on!    Bitei„toitliT;o^„t^,"4on!    Hear  me  ?    Hang 

The  eyes  fluttered  dow^  b,!t  n     f'^'"'  °^  •'" 
sage  had  been  received      A.     V^'''^''^^*  ^new  the  raes- 

head  andshoiilders'lr'hegfn'i  '°*  ''''  ^"'^^-^  '"^"s 
shifted^-hfsSptrrZn   ^'*^  ^  ■"'  '^^  ^^""^ted,  as  he 

the  o^eX'^^iStfA^"^^  ^^'^  «'^«-  o^ 

held  on     When  the  lift  caZ  hut    '"^''^'  ^«^  his  teeth 
the  sphnte^  ^od  tore  and  ettd  fC £1^^^^^ 


I 


t 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT    '  77 

!i^L****  "^"l  *'"''  ^*"*'  downward,  ho  slipped  on  and 
down  to  the  bottom  of  the  boat  tiU  his  limp  middle 
coUapsed  wross  the  gunwale  and  his  legs  hung  down 

T^"*i;..^"*  *^«y  ^«™  °»Jy  his  legs,  and  DayhgTt 
shoved  them  in  after  him.    Breathing  Lvily,  he  Sd 

robes  °°  '   """^  °°^^'^   h>™    ^^'*J»  l»i-^ 

Thfi'^^*^*'  *^.''  ^"""^ifed-the  launching  of  the  boat. 

JonLlnTf  ^^  r'  ^^  'T'"**  °*  "*"'  f°r  l*"  liad  been 
compeUed  to  load  his  comrade  in  aft  of  the  balance     It 

Tf^ln  'T^'^^  ''f '*  ''I  "^"°8-     D^y^gl't  "teeled  him- 
^nn^  K    ^^*°-     S'«"«*hing   must   have   snapped,   for, 
3^    l.'^f  ""r'"^^  °*  "■  ■'«  n«^t  l»e  kne4  he  was 
lymg  doubled  on  his  stomach  across  the  sharp  stern  of 
the  boat.     Evidently,  and  for  the  first  time  in  his  life, 
he  had  famted.     Furthermore,  it  seemed  to  him  that  he 
wa«  finished    that  he  had  not  one  more  movement  left 
m  him  and  that,  strangest  of  all,  he  did  not  care.     Visions 
came  to  him,  clear-cut  and  real,  and  concepts  sharp  as 
steel  cutting-edges.     He,  who  aU  his  days  had  looked  on 
naked  Life,  had  never  seen  so  much  of  Life's  nakedness 
Detore     J<or  the  first  time  he  experienced  a  doubt  of  his 
own  glorious  personality.     For  the  moment  Life  faltered 
and  forgot  to  !  e.     After  aU,  he  was  a  little  earth-maggot, 
just  hke  aU  the  other  earth-maggots,  like  the  squirrel  he 
had  eaten   like  the  other  men  he  had  seen  fail  and  die 
like  J.<e  Hines  and  Henry  Finn,  who  had  already  failed 
ana  wore  surely  dead,  like  Elijah  lying  there  uncaring, 
with  his  skinned  face,  in  the  bottom  of  the  boat.     Dav- 
light  s  position  was  such  that  from  where  he  lay  he  could 
look  up  river  to  the  bend,  around  which,  sooner  or  later 
tne  next  ice-run  would  come.     And  as  he  looked  he 
seemed  to  see  back  through  the  past  to  a  time  when 
neither  white  man  nor  Indian  was  in  the  land,  and  ever 
he  saw  the  same  Stewait  River,   winter  upon  winter, 
breasted  with  ice,  and  spring  upon  spring  bursting  that 
ice  asunder  and  running  free.     And  he  saw  also  into  an 
illimitable  future,  when  the  last  generations  of  men  were 
gone  from  off  the  face  of  Alaska,  when  he,  too,  would  be 


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mo8t  joyous  ei^n^nte  *  wllt'  T  °^  '*"  °^«^"»*  "^ 
of  flesh  and  nemHnd  sensitTvl  ^^u^^r*  "•*"«  »'»'«'»' 
muck  for  gold  ttlt  H™»™-!i     ^  '*  *^**  °''*^l«d  w  the 

mained,  the  things  that  were' no^lU^*  ^"^^  '^'"^^  ">- 
sensitiveness,  the  sand  and  m^i.T  J^'  *".''  ""'^^^  »°d 
ing  flats,  th;  ruSn^tr'vTr'iff  fr?;-^*'**"^ 

for  the  game-Lifrthe  «v«r  2  P^t°"'  ^^  "ch-oapper 
everlasti'ngfunei^jUelX  ''°"'"^"«  ^^-eyard.X 

an?;2tirti*°rivtTtrif?^^^^^^^ 

moose-bird,  perched  on  the  bow  of  trebnT"'  """^  '^'  * 
him  impudently     Then  hn  ^^f f  a  a  '"'**',^as  surveying 

meditations.  ■'''^"  ^^  ^^'^^ed  dreamily  back  to  his 

doJSsZlyTbrS^of  Sa^  A  ^  r'^^'     »«  -« 
pondered  thafq„esLTa?„]*:'L  ataS,!^'"'*  °*  ^*  '     «« 

ing  with  other  men  and  h^h-^t  ^*^^"«  '"^'^  "S^*  P'^y 
Physics  about  futCwe  teTth  'l^^^'^ '?. """ ^'^■ 
always  believed  that,  and  bfen  i.f  -f  "^l  J^^  ^"^ 
moment,  the  boat  fifteen  fp«f«>.^f''-  ^^  "*  this 
movable,  himself  fak.«n^  tl  °7  *^^  ^"^'^  "^^  im- 
particle  of  strength  l^tKV^.'^rf.  ""^  without  a 
ended  all,  and  he  w4  s  m  un^frl-d  ^  H^ '"^"'^  *^"*  ''^"^^ 
Bimply  and  solidly  based  tnlll  .?"*  ^^"^^  ^^"^  too 

squirm  or  the  lasC.  Sf^dlttfeLn^S"""  '^  *'^  ^«* 

hi.^ist^,T;rerc^.r:„thts  ^te*^^  ^f^  °^ 

over  agam.  Just  a.  he  had  seen  themT^l  tSe.^d  ty 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


79 


did  not  shake  him.  What  of  it  ?  They  were  dead,  and 
dead  long  since.  They  weren't  bothering  about  it.  They 
weren't  lying  on  their  bellies  across  a  boat  and  waiting  to 
die.  Death  was  easy— easier  than  he  had  ever  imagined  ; 
and,  now  that  it  was  near,  the  thought  of  it  made  him  glad. 

A  new  vision  came  to  him.  He  saw  the  feverish  city  of 
his  dream— the  gold  metropolis  of  the  North,  perched 
above  the  Yukon  on  a  high  earth-bank  and  far-spreading 
across  the  flat.  He  saw  the  river  steamers  tied  to  the 
bank  and  lined  against  it  throe  deep  ;  he  saw  the  sawmills 
working  and  the  I'ug  dog-teams,  with  double  sleds  behind, 
freighting  supplies  to  the  diggings.  And  he  saw,  further, 
the  gambling-houses,  banks,  stock-exchanges,  and  all  the 
gear  and  chips  and  markers,  the  chances  and  opportunities, 
of  a  vastly  bigger  gambling  game  than  any  he  had  ever 
seen.  It  was  sure  hell,  he  thought,  with  the  hunch  a- 
working  and  that  big  strike  coming,  to  be  out  of  it  all. 
Life  thrilled  and  stirred  at  the  thought  and  once  more 
began  uttering  his  ancient  lies. 

Daylight  rolled  over  and  off  the  boat,  leaning  against  it 
as  he  sat  on  the  ice.  He  wanted  to  be  in  on  that  strike 
And  why  shouldn't  he  ?  Somewhere  in  all  those  wasted 
muscles  of  his  was  enough  strength,  if  he  could  gather  it 
all  at  once,  to  up-end  the  boat  and  launch  it.  Quite  irrele- 
vantly the  idea  suggested  itself  of  buying  a  share  in  the 
Klondike  town  site  from  Harper  and  Joe  Laduo  They 
would  surely  sell  a  third  interest  cheap.  Then,  if  the  .strike 
came  on  the  Stewart,  he  would  be  well  in  on  it  with  the 
Elam  Harnish  town  site  ;  if  on  the  Klondike,  he  would 
not  be  quite  out  of  it. 

In  the  meantime,  he  would  gather  strength.  He 
stretched  out  on  the  ice  full  length,  face  downward,  and 
for  half  an  hour  he  lay  and  rested.  Then  he  arose,  shook 
the  flashing  blindness  from  his  eyes,  and  took  hold  of  the 
boat.  He  knew  his  condition  accurately.  If  the  first 
effort  failed,  the  following  efforts  were  doomed  to  fail 
He  must  pull  all  liis  rallied  strength  into  the  one  effort 
and  so  thoroughly  must  he  put  all  of  it  in  that  there  would 
be  none  left  for  other  attempts. 


MiaoCOPY   lESOlUTION   KSI  CHAUT 

(ANSI  ond  I30  TEST  CHART  No.  2) 


_^  rjPPUED  INA^GE    In 

g^^  'S5J  Easl   Main   Street 

=•-=  ,-,°fI',"'*'"'  ^=*  '^O'^         '<609   USA 

^J=  (^'6)  482  -  0300  -  Phone 

:^^  (7'6)  288  -  5989  -  Fax 


80 


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I 


eaort  The  boat  rose.  He  thought  he  was  going  to 
faint  but  he  continued  to  lift.  He  felt  the  boat  give  i  rt 
started  on  its  downward  slide.  With  the  last  sW  of  hL 
strength  he  precipitated  himself  into  it,  landing  in  a  sick 
heap  on  Elijah's  lef  He  was  beyond  attem^W  to  rie 
and  as  he  lay  he  h.  rd  and  felt  the  boat  take  the  water' 
By  watching  the  trte-tops  he  knew  it  was  whirLr  A 
smashing  «hock  and  flying  fragments  of  ice  told  him  thai 
It  had  struck  the  bank.  A  dozen  times  it  whirled  and 
struck,  and  then  it  floated  easily  and  free 

Daylight  came  to,  and  decided  he  had  been  asleep.  The 
sun  denoted  that  several  hours  had  passed.  It  wa^  early 
afternoon.  He  dragged  himself  into  the  stern  and  sat  up 
The  boat  was  in  the  middle  of  the  stream.  The  wooded 
banks  with  their  base-lines  of  flashing  ice,  were  sUppTng 
by.    Near  him  floated  a  huge,  uprooted  pine.    A  freak  of 

W«T°^  t"""^^'  '^^  ^°^*  ""^^^'^  "•  Crawling  fo^^d 
he  fastened  the  painter  to  a  root.  The  tree,  deeler  in  the 
water,  was  traveUing  faster,  and  the  paint;r  tanned  as 
the  boat  took  the  tow.  Then,  with'^a  last  giddy  loo^ 
around,  wherem  he  saw  the  banks  tilting  and  swaying  and 
the  sun  swinging  in  pendulum-sweep  across  the  sky,  Dav- 
hght  wrapped  himself  in  his  rabbit-skin  robe,  lay  down  fn 
the  bottom,  and  fell  asleep.  ^ 

When  he  awoke  it  was  dark  night.  He  was  lying  on  his 
back,  and  he  could  see  the  stars  shining.  A  subdufd  m^ 
mur  of  swollen  waters  could  be  heard.  A  sharp  jeTk 
informed  bam  that  the  boat,  swerving  slack  i2,\he 
painter,  had  been  straightened  out  by  the  swifter^ovin^ 
pme  tree.  A  piece  of  stray  drift-ice  thumped  against  thf 
boat  and  grated  along  its  side.  Well,  the  foUowing  jam 
hadn  t  caught  him  yet,  was  his  thought,  as  he  olShS 
eyes  and  slept  again. 

i,  It  was  bright  day  when  next  he  opened  his  eyes  The 
r.:  rt  '*  *°  j't-^'dday.  a  glanee  around  aTthe  far! 
away  bai^  and  he  knew  that  he  was  on  the  mighty 
iukon.    Sixty  Mile  could  not  be  far  away.    He  was 


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81 


abominably  weak.  His  movements  were  slow,  fumbling, 
and  inaccurate,  accompanied  by  panting  and  head- 
swimming,  as  he  dragged  himself  into  a  sitting-up  position 
in  the  stern,  his  rifle  beside  him.  He  looked  a  long  time 
at  Elijah,  but  could  not  see  whether  he  breathed  or  not, 
and  he  was  too  immeasurably  far  away  to  make  an 
investigation. 

He  fell  to  dreaming  and  meditating  again,  dreams  and 
thoughts  being  often  broken  by  stretches  of  blankness 
wherein  he  neither  slept,  nor  was  unconscious,  nor  was 
aware  of  anything.  It  seemed  to  him  more  hke  cogs  sUp- 
ping  in  his  brain.  And  in  this  intermittent  way  he  re- 
viewed the  situation.  He  was  still  alive,  and  most  likely 
would  be  saved,  but  how  came  it  that  he  was  not  lying 
dead  across  the  boat  on  top  the  ice-rim  ?  Then  he  recol- 
lected the  great  final  effort  he  had  made.  But  why  had 
he  made  it  ?  he  asked  himself.  It  had  not  been  fear  of 
death.  He  had  not  been  afraid,  that  was  sure.  Then  he 
remembered  the  hunch  and  the  big  strike  he  believed  was 
coming,  and  he  knew  that  the  spur  had  been  his  desire 
to  sit  in  for  a  hand  at  that  big  game.  And  again  why  ? 
What  if  he  made  his  million  ?  He  would  die,  just  the 
same  as  those  that  never  won  more  than  grub-stakes. 
Then  again  why  ?  But  the  blank  stretches  in  his 
thinking  process  began  to  come  more  frequently,  and  he 
surrendered  to  the  deUghtful  lassitude  that  was  creeping 
over  him. 

He  roused  with  a  start.  Something  had  whispered  in 
him  that  he  must  awake.  Abruptly  he  saw  Sixty  Mile, 
not  a  hundred  feet  away.  The  current  had  brought  him 
to  the  very  door.  But  the  same  current  was  now  sweeping 
him  past  and  on  into  the  down-river  wilderness.  No  one 
was  in  sight.  The  place  might  have  been  deserted,  save 
for  the  smoke  he  saw  rising  from  the  kitchen  chimney. 
^  tried  to  call,  but  found  he  had  no  voice  left.  An 
^earthly  guttural  hiss  alternately  rattled  and  wheezed  in 
his  throat.  He  fumbled  for  the  rifle,  got  it  to  his  shoulder , 
and  pulled  the  trigger.  The  recoil  of  the  discharge  tore 
through  his  frame,  racking  it  with  a  thousand  agonies. 


82 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


and  felt  that  he  w^  S'        *  ^^^  ^«  "»«*  be  q^ck 

the  ^n  where  itTa^/*S7tiZ  it'  .^-1!^  ^''^  *"^«"  »* 
board.     But  just  befo™  aTi  't  kicked  ofi  andover- 

the  kitchen  dC  oS  and'^'''  "^^^'^  °^«'  ^^-  he  saw 

og  house  that  wTdlS/a'T*'!  '""'^  °"*  "^  the  big 

trees.  "^'"'"'K  »  monstrous  jig  among  thi 


impt  to 
3  quick, 
igger  of 
d  over- 
he  saw 
the  big 
ng  the 


CHAPTER  IX 

Ten  days  later   Harper  and  Joe  Ladue  arrived  at  Sixty 
Mile  and  Daybght,  still  a  trifle  weak,  but  strong  enough 
to  obey  the  hunch  that  had  come  to  him,  traded  TS 
nterest  m  his  Stewart  town  site  for  a  third  inte-esfin 
theirs  on  the  Klondike.     They  had  faith  in    S^Upper 
Country   and  Harper  left  down-stream,  with  a  raft-kZ 
Hondle"'  *°  '*"'*  "  '"'""  P°^*  ^*  **>«  mouth  of  t^ 
"  Why  don't  you  tackle  Indian  River,  Daylight  ?"  Har- 
per advised  at  parting.     "  There's  whole  slathfrs  of  cree^ 
and  draws  draining  in  up  there,  and  somewher^gold  juft 
crying  to  be  found.     That's  my  hunch.     There's  a  bL 

added"'* ''Rnhw'  ''/^^™'°g  ^tl*  "loose,"  Joe  Ladue 
tihprl  tJ,  Henderson's  up  there  somewhere,  been 

there  three  yeaw  now,  swearing  something  big  is  going  to 

&:;iri°r'r  ^-^S''* -o- and  proVy arr d 
Daylight  decided  to  go  Indian  River  a  flutter  as  he 
expressed  it ;  but  Elijah  could  not  be  persuaded 'kto  ac- 
faZn°^  ^'"-  ^^t^''  ^''"1  '^^d  been  seared  by 
exPfence  ""  °'""''*  '^  *^^^  °^  -P-*-g  ^^- 

^_  "I  jest  can't  bear  to  separate  from  grub,"  he  explained 
I  know  It's  downright  foolishness,  but  I  jest  can't  help 
It.     It  s  aU  I  can  do  to  tear  myselt  away  from  the  tabfe 
allherSr  't"  '""  *V"f""  '^"^^  ai/t  got  storage  for 

Daylight  lingered  a  few  day,  longer,  gathering  strength 


84 


BURNWG  DAYLIGHT 


and  arranging  bis  meagre  outfit     W      . 
%ht,  carrying  a  pack  ofVev^ntv  fi  P'"""^**  *«  «<>  m 

luB  five  dogs  pack  as  well  7n2n  ?  P.°"''^^  ''"^  miking 
I  aJ*  *^^*^  P°""ds  each  '  De^enint"""  'e^'^^^S  *1»««^ 
Ladue,  he  intended  to  follow  lob  7  T  ^^^  ^^P"^*  "f 
and  hve  practically  on  strflillnf.;;.  Henderson's  example 
scow  laden  with  fhe  /aSJ^Cm  I  f'i^"  J-'^k  KeZ- 
up  at  Sixty  Mile,  Daylighrbundri  h  ^'  ^inderman,  tied 
board,  turned  his  town  Jte  aSf '""  «"*«'  and  dogs  on 

ffled,  and  the  same  day lasS  d^^th "''  '°  ?''J^^^°  ^e 
River.  ■'        'anaea  at  the  mouth  of  Indian 

^Ts%S:ret  tTam::J:^h^^  •'^  described  to 
son's  work,  and  also  at  ZS  <§"%°^  ^°'' ^^^der- 
farther  on.     The  weeks  ^^rT,    ^''^''^-   t^u-ty  miles 

never  encountered  The  othe'm^n     T*'   ''"*  ^^^S 
moose  plentiful,  and  he  «Z  ?    J     However,  he  foimd 
meat  diet.     He'  found  '•;:'  ^thl^  ^^''^^^^^'^  °''^e 
^ages  "  on  a  dozen  surfiop  h,  *^^*7^«  no  more  than 
spread  of  flour  gold  inThe  muck  and  t'""l  *^«  S^™" 
creeks,  he  was  more  confident  tL.     ^""^^^  °*  ^  ««»'«  of 
n   quantity  wa.   waiting   to   be     ^"' t^"*  ""^^^^  gold 
turned  his  eve-  to  tli»  r.^*u        ®   ""earthed.     Often   C 
dered  if  the^  gold  cal  f  ^^''^."'^^^  °f  ^lls.  and  pon 
ascended  DomfrSoa  S  toT  .*^''f '    ^"  the  end'^  he" 
and  came  down  on^he  tribuW  f't?'  r^^«<i  t^e  ^Vi^ 
later  to  be  caUed  H:£t7ek     'w.fondike  that  Z 
tad  he  kept  the  big  dome  on  to  r7;,ht^^^^  on  the  divide, 
do^n  on  the  Gold  Bottom,  so  naS  h'  ''u°'i^^^^'  ""me 
whom  he  would  have  found  at  w^t    \^°^  Henderson. 

-jo^the  summer  Ashing  X^f^rin^C^t  S 

anfl td\^i:Sanf-r '^^  ^  ^^— n 
boat,  and,  with  his  dogTou  C;/5°°^"?'  J''"'  bought  a 
to  Forty  Mile.  AugiSt  was  S;St'^  '^^r  *^«  ^ukoa 
wer«  growing  shortir,   and '^tteT^JV^^^^e.  the  days 

was  coming  on.    Still 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  86 

iSn"?Jr Unn''  ^r'^  ?  ^1?^™'=^  '^"^  "  strike  was  com- 
n„l?  tf     PP"^  Country,  his  plan  was  to  get  together  a 

Then  It  was  that  Carmack,  his  brother-in-law  Skookum 
ai  FoSSe  "  Charlie,  another  Indian,  arrivcTl  in  a  ca„oe 
recoSed  S  .«  M     ''""^'^  '*  '",  '^'  S^'^^  commissioner,  and 
S     itWttr'  '':f  %  "^''"r^'y  "'"^^  °"  Bonanza 
thev  exhlh^/n        ■   "  *^«  Sourdough  Saloon,  that  night, 
^tLl^    ^    r^'''^  sold  to  the  sceptical  crowd     Men 
grinned   and   shook   their   heads.     They   had   seen   the 
motions  o    a  gold  strike  gone  through  before      TWs  w^ 
too  patently  a  scheme  of  Harper's  and  Joe  Ladue's  tryTn^ 
i:£M:T'^T^/  'I  *^«  ^«'-ty  of  their  town  siKnd 
traoingpost.    And  who  was  Carmack  ?     A  sauaw  mflrT 
ti  whaV'  p'"""^  °'  ""  Bquaw-man  striking  l^^IhSg" 
entering  the  Klondike  just  above  its  mouth   and  known 
to  old-timers  as  Rabbit  Creek.     Now  if  Day Ught  or Tb 

ttyi  known  th'""''''  "'^''T  '^^  show/ e^ars^gold 
tney  a  known  there  was  something  in  it.     But  Carmack 

aarlie'^rr-tW     '^°''t^'    ^^ '     ^^T^ 
r^o  !•■  i,i  ?'       '  *^^*  -^^^  asking  too  much. 
iJayiight,  too^  was  sceptical,  and  this  despite  his  faith 

another  bl«™t  i£         ,-  .       '  '™™  ""^  ""^  s«k.  into 

andt^tySirtlt^raST;?  °'  f  "'^  "'^^ 
„  i-i.     -loasn,  ^Oi  a  lung  time,  he  sluUied 


86 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


tS^^dTar^,,^^^^^^^^^^^  own  gold,  «.. 

Bo^rs,  I  ^    ;  ^  ttn     ^    ,f  ^*"'^  ^°'"  silence. 

",She'«.;re  comeLi^"  C"-*"  ?o«etlung,"  he  said, 
all,  dear  and  forcible  tKTt  T^'"  ^""^  ^  *«"  ^ou- 
gold  like  that  in  a  blowerin  fli  ^^/''^  ,»">  *  never  been 
sold.  IfsgotmoSerinS''''°v"°*'^,^f°^-  ^'''^^^ 
colour.     Carmack's  «n™        L      ^°"-a"  can  see  it  by  the 

faith  to  co.e"S;;.r.rr-  ^  ^'"''«-  ^-U'^'^got 
weif;'^""^  "°  -l-t«--  Instead,  laughter  and  jee« 
^^J^Mebbe  you  got  a  town  site  up  there."  someone  Bug- 

Hai^d'Ser  ZTX  "»•'  ^  *^  -te-t  in 
out  for  more  than  your  hen  "1  ,T  ""^  ''°™^'"  '°*«  »«lling 
Birch  Creek.  ••         ^       'len-scratching  ever  turned  up  on 

po^It'X?'*'"  YSfe^"r  ^-"'^  ^~  «*«- 
know  you're  dead  sure  on  til     *  reputation,  and  we 

Ukely  as  any  to  be  LTtook  on  aTT"     ^"*  y°"'™  <« 

these  loafers  is  putti.^  up     Ck  v^^^^-  ^^'^''  «""'»  »« 

Carmack  do  this  hei«  prTsoer^n^  rV*™'«''*  =  ^^«n  did 

^a^  lying  in  camp  iCrsaE  7°"  '*''*  y°"™«"  he 

relat^ns,  and  tha?  was  oVthT^^^^^^  his  Siwash 

exci^t  :ra\*.?l^t  ''''^'"  C«  interrupted 
I  wasn't%rosXg  Hadfw  T"'  f'  ^-P^'K 
Daylight pul.-^ut,  tie  v™^" dat*  f  '}■.  ^"*  '^J'^" 
nver,  on  a  rait-load  of  supplies  butTrw  ^j^"^ '°'  '^°^n 
come  out  to  Sixtv  Milfi^So  •  °''^®'i'^«'"son.  He'd 
River  and  portje  ^^  P^^K  *°  f  ^ack  up  Indian 

Quartz  Creek  and  Gofdlottom— "*''''  '^^^^  ''«*'^««'' 
manS"^  ^  '^^"'^  «°'d  bottom  T'  Curly  Persons  de- 

squaw!L^anrnton.°'^T':aTarf  ^K^'"''*  ^-^-"  *»>« 
mto  the  Klondike.  That's  thf  «!  t  *  ^'^  "'"^^  ^^^^^  ^uns 
^-^  by  crossing  the^ltit  rei^a^^^ 


ir^SHla 


BURNING  DAYUGHT 


87 


sug- 


Beveral  miles,  and  dropping  down  into  Bonanza.  '  Come 
along  with  me,  Carmack,  and  get  staked,'  says  Bob 
Henderson  to  me.  '  I've  hit  it  this  time,  on  Gold  Bottom. 
Ive  took  out  forty-five  ouno.js  a'ready.'  and  I  went 
along,  Skookum  Jim  and  Cultus  Charlie,  too.  And  we  all 
.staked  on  Gold  Bottom.  I  come  back  by  Bonanza  on  the 
chance  of  finding  a  moose.  Along  down  Bonanza  we 
stopped  and  cooked  grub .  I  went  to  sleep,  and  what  does 
Skookum  Jim  do  but  try  his  hand  at  prospecting,  ^e'd 
been  wctching  Henderson,  you  see.  He  goes  right  slap 
up  to  the  foot  of  a  birch  tree,  first  pan,  fills  it  with  dirt, 
and  washes  out  more'n  a  dollar  coarse  gold.  Then  he 
wakes  me  up,  and  I  goes  at  it.  I  got  two  and  a  half  the 
first  lick.  Then  I  named  the  creek  '  Bonanza,'  staked 
Discovery,  and  we  come  here  and  recorded." 

He  looked  about  him  anxiously  for  signs  of  belief,  but 
found  himself  in  a  circle  of  incredulous  faces— all  save 
Daylight,  who  had  studied  his  countenance  while  he  told 
his  story. 

"  How  much  is  Harper  and  Ladue  givin'  you  for  manu- 
facturing a  stampede  ?"  some  one  asked. 

"They  don't  know  nothing  about  it,"  Carmack  an- 
swered. "  I  tell  you  it's  the  God  Almighty's  truth.  I 
washed  out  three  ounces  in  an  hour." 

"  And  there's  the  gold,"  Daylight  said.  "  I  tell  you-all 
boys  they  ain't  never  been  gold  like  that  in  the  blower 
before.     Look  at  the  colour  of  it." 

"  A  trifle  darker,"  Curly  Parson  said.  "  Most  likely 
Carmack's  been  carrying  a  couple  of  silver  dollars  along 
in  the  same  sack.  And  what's  more,  if  there's  anything 
in  it,  why  ain't  Bob  Henderson  smoking  along  to 
record  ?" 

"  He's  up  on  Gold  Bottom,"  Carmack  explained.   "  We 
made  the  strike  coming  back." 
A  burst  of  laughter  was  his  reward. 
"  Who-all  '11  go  pardners  ^vith  me  and  pull  out  in  a 
poling-boat  to-morrow  for  this  here  Bonanza  1"  Daylight 
asked. 
No  one  volunteered. 


88 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


"Then  who-all  '11  intn  a.  ,-«k  * 
adva^ce,^o  pole  4  .tZj^ ^Z^oi  ^l  r"«^'  ^" 

wages  in  advance  and  a^ed^fh*'     ^^'u  *'''""  **«'''• 
supplies,  thouch  he  emntrnTh"^     .  ^^   Purchase  of   the 

leaving  the  So^i^doug7when  L'^I'h^"  1°'"«  '"■     «"  ^^ 
the  bar  from  the  door  «"ddenly  turned  back  to 

;;  Got  another  hunch  V  was  the  querv 

wortlThatr.,t^:j;^:-t  -li"^'' -- «°-« *°  •>« 

Klondike.     Who-,1  ,3  rsoI'XT*^^  "^  °"  *^« 

acc°omXTm*ortrw1clt"""  /°  '"'''^  ''-'-'^  *" 
about  Uwithp°roffl'r:d"gteL''"^  ""^  ""^'""^ 

coi^eirjoVprv'fstoCker ''  '^''' '''  ""-"^ 

About  two  ton  "  ' 

thel':reS"te'S:t  a""%"°*  ""^^--»-  though 
ment.  ^'^  ^'""y  °^  ^n  o"^rageous  burst  of  merr° 

kelp^deZiTd  '""«  *°  '°  ^*^  *-°  *°-  ?■'  the  store- 

~^^KSt^s^i;£:s^"'^-nth. 

«WW^^  sauerkraut    factory    and    ZtnedTZS 

si.'Sht^riTi^^g'^fir.^^^^^^^^^ 

poling-boats.    Again  hi?  sap     °     '"  ^^"  *«  '"""y  -^ore 
heavily  in  debt  "^"^  ^^P^^'  and  he  waa 

of  X->"""  '°"''  "^  '^^'^'^  °»  *^^«  b-  -th  a  gesture 
do'wS H  fu*""''"  ^^  """"^-d'  "  -  -hat  youVe  going  to 

DaXltlTut  teT/'  ^'.^  1'^''  ""«'  *-■  *!--•" 
"Hunch  number^ne  TZ  ^'^t^^^""  .^^^^^'^g  off. 
Country.     Hunch   r.LC'li:^'tr^:^n^J/^] 


I 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


89 


Hunch  number  three  :  ain't  no  hunch  at  all.  It's  a  cinoh. 
If  one  and  two  is  right,  then  flour  just  has  to  go  sky-high. 
If  I'm  riding  hunches  one  and  two,  I  just  got  to  ride  this 
cinoh,  wSioh  is  number  three.  If  I'm  right,  flour  '11 
balance  ^  Id  on  the  scales  this  winter.  I  tell  you-all  boys, 
w?>nyc  all  got  a  hunch,  play  it  for  all  it's  worth.  What's 
lucij  good  for,  if  you-all  ain't  to  rde  it  ?  And  when  you- 
all  ride  it,  ride  like  hell.  I've  been  years  in  this  country, 
just  waiting  for  the  right  hunch  to  come  along.  And 
here  she  is,  Well.  I'm  going  to  play  her,  that's  all. 
Good-night,  you-all  ;  good-night." 


CHAPTER  X 

Stw^l^h"  hThel^'rtfi^fS  ■"*'>«  ^'^^    VVhen  Da,- 
of  the  Klondike    he  frmnH  i     u"'  "i"'^*''  "*  *'«'  """"'h 

and  his  Indians  wnron  iT  "^^  *•>«  "^e"--  f^^ef  Isaac 

they  were  d  JLTalmon  '"s  ^''';'^^  '^'"»«''  ^"'^  '^'""h 
cafflp  there.  ^KnXshedT'  "'''""'"''"  ""'^  """^  '» 
Mile  Creek,  they  had  eZ„^  'heir  summer  work  on  Ten 
Circle  City  Zt^t  ^^,T  mTV^^  ^""^"n-  '>°'»'d  for 
strike,  and  stonned  off  fn^  f^"^"  *^7  ^'^  '^''^^d  °f  the 
just  retuTMd  to  the.r  hn°  °''k  "^^^  ^^^  «^°»»d.     They  had 

and  their  "r^p^rVirSmt^  ^''^"«'^* ''''''»'''^ '^^  fl-. 

ney,?:Sto  wrwrt^T^""'*"  ""«'  ^"«  J'-  Har- 
havenothin- to d?wi  h it  Cr  ?."«  "/  ^"'-     "  »°«'* yo" 
seU.     They're  iustTo^n^f?^''!''*.    It's  a  blamed  rotten 
Harper  anVlJd  * 'f^i*  d  it^^  the  motions  of  a  strike.     . 
pigeon.     Whoever  heS  of  ^in        ^"""""""s  the  stool- 

a  mile  between  rta-rock  and  CnT*.  "  ^"'"■Pf  *"™  ^^ 
bed-rook  !"  ""*  ^"^  alone  knows  how  far  to 

^^Daylight  nodded  sympathetically,  and  considered  for  a 

"  £n  helTr"  ^''"ry.  •"  ^^  »^ked  finaUy. 
±-an  helJ  !    was  the  indignant  answer     "  Th;„!   t 
born  yesterday  I     Onl„  „  -i    i  , .  ,        -iBinklwas 

pasture  long  enough%n„'"''"fJ'.  '^  ^°°'  «'°^nd  that 
me  at  any  sLh  fSshnfs  "  "on  "  '^Z''  ^°"  •^°'''*  ^^t*'!' 
We're  p4ng  on  hi  thP  mn  l""*"  '''*'  ^"""S^^  for  me. 

never  had  faUh"n"ht  uZr7  ^'  ^^'IS  ^'^^^  ^  ^'^'^ 
the  Tanana  is  good  enough  for  ^T'^'     "^^d-reaohes  of 

my  words,  whi  thrbrs/r:oi.r,?rm,^-s 


BURNING  DAYUOHT 


01 


n 


river.    Johnny,  here,  stakwl  a  couple  of  miles  below  Dis- 
covery, but  he  don't  know  no  better  "' 

Johnny  looked  sbamefiKed. 

"  I  juBt  did  it  for  fun,"  he  explained.  "  I'd  give  my 
chance  in  the  creek  for  a  pound  of  Star  plug." 

"  I'll  go  you,"  Daylight  Maid  promptly.  "  But  don't 
you-all  come  squoaling  if  I  takn  twenty  or  tiiirtv  thousond 
out  of  it." 

Johnny  griniiod  cheerfully. 

'■  Gimme  the  tobacco,"  he  said. 

"Wish  I'd  Htaked  alongside."  Long  Jim  miu-mured 
plaintively. 

"  It  ain't  too  late,"  Daylight  replied. 

"  But  it's  a  twenty-mile  walk  there  and  back." 

"  I'll  stake  it  for  you  to-morrow  when  I  go  up,"  Daylight 
offered.  "  Then  you  do  the  same  as  Johnny.  Get  the 
fees  from  Tim  Logan.  He's  tending  bar  in  the  Sourdough, 
and  he'll  lend  it  to  me.  Then  fill  in  your  own  name, 
transfer  to  me,  and  turn  the  papers  over  to  Tim." 

"  Me,  too,"  chimed  in  the  third  old-timer. 

And  for  three  pounds  of  S  ir  plug  chewing  tobacco, 
Dayhght  bought  outright  thr  Ive-hundr-jd-foot  claims 
on  Bonanza.  He  could  still  i  .  ke  another  claim  in  his 
own  name,  the  others  being  merely  transfers. 

"  Must  say  you're  almighty  brash  with  your  chewin' 
tobacco,"  Long  Jim  grinned.  "Got  a  factory  some- 
wheres  ?" 

"  Nope,  but  I  got  a  hunch,"  was  the  retort,  "  and  I  tell 
you-all  it's  cheaper  than  dirt  to  ride  her  at  the  rate  of  three 
plugs  for  three  claims." 

But  an  hour  later,  at  his  own  camp,  Joe  Ladue  strode 
in,  fresh  from  Bonanza  Creek.  At  first,  non-committal 
over  Carmack's  strike,  then,  later,  dubious,  he  finally 
offered  Daylight  a  hundred  dollars  for  his  share  in  the 
town  site. 

"  Cash  ?"  Daylight  queried. 

"  Sure.     There  she  is." 

So  saying,  Ladue  pulled  out  his  gold-sack.  Dayliiht 
heft«d  it  absent-mindedly,  and,  still  absent-mindedly,  un- 


92 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


with  the  exception  of  Carmarkt^  w""*  ^"  '"^"^  «^«^  ««* 
tied  the  .outS  ofVe  sarCS^etuldTt  M'^  ^« 

for  a  swift  instanXy  JoXd  in.n''^'^^'.?  ^"•^*'»-  ^^ 
m  that  instant  an  inW  M        "'*?  ^ac^  other's  eyes,  an 

from  all  the  bod^ind  S^  o"?olt"l  '''"'f  *°  ^^^'^  °" 
to  Dayh-ght  that  he  Lraulftu^^fl  "t  ^^  '*  ^^^'"e' 
something  in  the  knowledllnV^'  flash  sensed  a  secre 
eyes.  "owieage  and  plans  behind  the  other'i 

on7'ai^4"3Wertl'tr^'\T ''  ^^^^^ht  went 
to  you-all  with  ^C'ylu^^l^Z''^^'  T*V  ^""^red 
me  whether  I  know  it  or  not  "  '*^  ^  ^"«'^«d  to 

,  "  i^t!Z^l^:^^^'  "^ "''  °«-^  ^-Pe-tely. 
know,  it's  worth  to  r»  ^^1  ^°  "^^^ter  what  I  don't 
payf;rit."  ^  """  ''^^*^^''  yo"-aU  are  willing  to 

le/S4raway  S^  ^"^"^'T'^  «-«  --  He 
things  in  conSe  '^"'P  ^""^  ""^^^  ^"d  told  him 

day,  on  the  rim-rock  T^tT  '  ^"  ""  ^'^^t  sack,  yester- 
the  grass-roo™  A„d  i!  y°"  ^°"/^«  ^^ake  it  out  of 
bottom  of  the  cretk  thTt  !;  T  ''''^"'■°'=''  "^"^  ^  tbe 
she's  big,  I  tell  you  tis  \f "  V''  •'"''y  "^  teUin'.  But 
can.     if's  in  sp^ots',  bit  I^v'^dA^b*'  '"^  '"'^'^  ^"  y- 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


93 


staking,  had  gone  on  down  to  Forty  Mile  and  Circle  City. 
The  few  that  possessed  sufficient  faith  to  remain  were  busy 
,;  building  log  cabins  against  the  coming  of  winter.  Car- 
j  mack  and  his  Indian  relatives  were  occupied  in  building 
]  a  sluice  box  and  getting  a  head  of  water.  The  work  was 
slow,  for  they  had  to  saw  their  lumber  by  hand  from  the 
standing  forest.  But  farther  down  Bonanza  were  four 
men  who  had  drifted  in  from  up  river,  Dan  McGilvary, 
Dave  McKay,  Dave  Edwards,  and  Harry  Waugh.  They 
were  a  quiet  party,  neither  asking  nor  giving  confidences, 
and  they  herded  by  themselves.  But  Daylight,  who  had 
panned  the  spotted  rim  of  Carmaok's  claim  and  shaken 
coarse  gold  from  the  grass,-roots,  and  who  had  panned  the 
rim  at  a  hundred  other  places  up  and  down  the  length  of 
the  creek  and  found  notMng,  was  curious  to  know  what  lay 
on  bed-rock.  He  had  noted  the  four  quiet  men  sinking  a 
shaft  close  by  the  stream,  and  he  had  heard  their  whip-saw 
going  as  they  made  lumber  for  the  sluice  boxes.  He  did 
not  wait  for  an  invitation,  but  he  was  present  the  first  day 
they  sluiced.  And  at  the  end  of  five  hours'  shoveUing  for 
one  man,  he  saw  them  take  out  thirteen  ounces  and  a  half 
of  gold.  It  was  coarse  gold,  running  from  pinheads  to  a 
twelve-dollar  nugget,  and  it  had  come  from  off  bed-rock. 
The  first  fall  snow  was  flying  that  day,  and  the  Arctic 
winter  was  closing  down  ;  but  Daylight  had  no  eyes  for  the 
bleak-gray  sadness  of  the  dying,  short-Uved  summer.  He 
saw  his  vision  coming  true,  and  on  the  big  flat  was  up- 
reared  anew  his  golden  city  of  the  snows.  Gold  had  been 
found  on  bed-rock.  That  was  the  big  thing.  Carmack's 
strike  was  assured.  Daylight  staked  a  claim  in  his  own 
name  adjoining  the  three  he  had  purchased  with  his  plug 
tobacco.  This  gave  him  a  block  of  property  two  thousand 
feet  long  and  extending  in  width  from  rim-rock  to  rim- 
rock. 

Returning  that  night  to  his  camp  at  the  mouth  of 
Klondike,  he  found  in  it  Kama,  the  Indian  he  had  left  at 
Dyea.  Kama  was  travelling  by  canoe,  bringing  in  the 
last  mail  of  the  year.  In  his  po.ssession  was  some  two 
hundred  dollars  in  gold-dust,  which  Daylight  immediately 


04 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


Forty  MUe.  When  Kam!^  ''f ".  ^^  ^"^^^  throng 
carried  a  number  of  letL™  fn  ?f  *T^.""^*  morning,  h 
the  old-timers  d'o^n'^  n  wwSft  '^'""^'^  ^  ^ 
come  up  immediately  and^tTke  A^^  T'*  "^^"^  *< 
let J.^of  Similar  impo^rt.  gi.eSm  hfthe^e?  S 

Yukon  ;  for  he  kneT  h!t  £  i:"^:**^  "l"""-  4  th^ 
mgly  accepted.  ^°"*  ^""^d  be  unquestion- 

tween  unveracity  and  tmth  tv,  '.°°g>tance  race  be- 
fost,  men  were  co'litinua^S^teSkeTanH'  "°  T***'^  '>°- 
When  men  who  doubted  Pa?mli^"  and  passed  by  truth. 
haU  to  the  pan.  themsX^panl/rP"'*."^  *^°  ^"^  ^ 
ted  and  said  that  they  M^re  bS  !  """^  *  ^*"'  *hey 
ere  the  lie  was  fairly  on  Hs  wav  th-*""  °"'^''«-  ^nd  long 
ounce  but  five  ounces.  Thilth;^  n^  ''^'J'  «***^«  °°t  one 
but  when  they  filled  a  nan  of  7  !  f""^"^  "^^  *««  ""nces  ; 
washed  out  twelve  ou^^s     AmI    v^'"^"  *^«  ««'  *W 

tjnu^edvahantlytolie.b„tthll:rcL-adL^rrTn 

4"o?^rwn^:Std^eSfd*,f'^^^^  tP-  ^-  bed- 
a  fire  burned  and  enabled  C  to  I  '"  "^''•''-     ^ere 

a  canvas  tank.  He  sauatt^H  .  ^^  '^^**'"  "^frozen  in 
wash.  Earth  and  ^a^el  SCdV„  fil^f  ^"'^  ""^^^  ^ 
imparted  to  it  a  circular  r^T  ?  ^l'  ^^'^  ?*«•  As  he 
particles  washed  out  otr  ZZT'a^I-^'^^*'''  -^™- 
the  surface  with  his  &nJIv^lt^  ^^  *™«»  ^e  combed 
The  contents  of  the  pa/d  ^l^^  °"*  ^f  «dfuls  of  gravel 
bottom,  for  the  purpase  o  X£  «n^V'  "^'^^  "^^'  *°  tbe 
tion,  he  gave  the  pan  a  sudden  slofh       ^^''^''^'^^  examina- 

-.  -  °^  --'•  ^-  tt^^'^fbirora^^^^^ 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  95 

"overed  with  butter.  Thus  the  yellow  gold  flashed  up  as 
the  muddy  water  was  flirted  away.  It  was  gold— gold- 
dust,  coarse  gold,  nuggets,  large  nuggets.  He  was  all 
alone.  He  set  the  pan  down  for  a  moment  and  thought 
long  thoughts.  Then  he  finished  the  washing,  and  weighed 
the  result  m  his  scales.  At  the  rate  of  sixteen  dollars  to 
the  ounce,  the  pan  had  contained  seven  hundred  and  odd 
dollars.  It  was  beyond  anything  that  even  he  had 
tkeamed.  His  fondest  anticipations  had  gone  no  farther 
than  twenty  or  thirty  thousand  doUars  to  a  claim  •  but 
here  were  claims  worth  half  a  million  each  at  the  least, 
even  if  they  were  spotted. 

He  did  not  go  back  to  work  in  the  shaft  that  day,  nor 
the  next,  nor  the  next.     Instead,  capped  and  mittened, 
a  hght  stampeding  outfit,  including  his  rabbit  skin  robe, 
strapped  on  his  back,  he  was  out  and  away  on  a  many- 
days  tramp  over  creeks  and  divides,  inspecting  the  whole 
neighbourmg  territory.     On  each  creek  he  was  entitled  to 
locate  one  claim,  but  he  was  chary  in  thus  surrendering  up 
^8  chances.     On  Hunker  Creek  only  did  he  stake  a  claim 
iionanza  Creek  he  found  staked  from  mouth  to  source 
wMe  every  little  draw  and  pup  and  gulch  that  drained 
into  It  was  likewise  staked.     Little  faith  was  had  in  theSe 
side-streams.     They  had  been  staked  by  the  hundreds  of 
men  who  had  failed  to  get  in  on  Bonanza.     The  most 
popular  of  these  creeks  was  Adams.     The  one  least  fancied 
was  Eldorado,  which  flowed  into  Bonanza,  just  above 
l^armack  8  Di every  claim.     Even  Dayhght  disliked  the 
looks  of  Eldorado  ;  but,  still  riding  his  hunch,  he  bought  a 
half  share  in  one  claim  on  it  for  half  a  sack  of  flour     A 
month  later  he  paid  eight  hundred  dollars  for  the  adjoining 
claim.     Three  months  later,  enlarging  this  block  of  pro- 
perty   he  paid  forty  thousand  for  a  third  claim  ;  and, 
though  It  was  concealed  in  the  future,  he  was  destined  not 
long  after,  to  pay  one  hrndred  and  fifty  thousand  for  a 
tonrth  claim  on  the  creek  that  had  been  the  least  liked  of 
all  the  creeks. 

In  the  meantime,  and  from  the  day  he  washea  »pven 
hundred  dollars  from  a  single  pan  and  squatted  over  it  and 


96 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


that  wonderful  washing  -  "^°*  ^''"^  ^^^  night  o 

-^^f^^iS:lZ^  again.    Here. 

Gold  wi'.  grow  gold  if  you  ™  have  t^efr*'  '°  ^f""  8°!^. 
ho  d  of  «ome  for  seed.  When  T I!l  f^^*^  *°**  "*«  ««* 
£Jars  in  the  botto.  of  ^C^lT^^f^Zl^Zt^i 
asklr^'  are  you  going  to  pla.t  it  V  Joe  Ladue  had 

«e^Sg^^^^^^^^  h-d,  definitely  indi- 

the  divides.  ^   ^"'*  **'«  creeks  that  lay  beyond 

"  There  she  is,"  he  sairl  "  „  i 
«moke.  There's  miUons  here  fe^""-"  J"^V^'**«h  ""y 
them.  And  I  seen  all  them  mi?i7  *^f, '"»«  ^ho  can  see 
them  seven  hundred  doUarsoe?,^^'  *^'  afteraoon  when 
^m  of  the  pan  and  eS^peft^?,;-?  t'"^  ^-^  the  bot- 
Dayhght  come  at  last.'  "  '     ^^''^  ^"^'t  Burning 


CHAPTER  XI 
The  hero  of  the  Yukon  in  the  younger  days  before  the 
Carmack  strike   Burning  Dayliglt  no^  becLe  the  he- 
of  the  strike.     The  story  of  his  hunch  and  how  he  rode  H 
was  told  up  and  down  the  land.     Certainly  he  had  rwlen 

1  Tu  ,T!?:  ^^^"''^  *^«  •^°'dest,  for  no  five  of  the 
uckiest  held  the  value  in  claims  that  he  held  And 
furthermore  he  was  still  riding  the  hunch,  and  with  no 
diminution  of  daring.  The  wise  ones  shook  thei^heads 
ard  prophesied  that  he  would  lose  every  ounce  he  had 
won  He  was  speculating,  they  contelded,^  U  the 
whole  country  was  made  of  gold,  and  no  ma^  could  win 
who  played  a  placer  strike  in  that  fashion 

On  the  other  hand,  his  holdings  were  reckoned  as  worth 
t^e  Z;  ''i  '^^'Y^'^  -en  so  sanguine  that  they  heS 
BehiTv  '  ^^°  coppered*  any  bet  Daylight  laid 

Behind  his  magmflcent  free-handedness  and  carelessX 
tZl7  "'"'"'^  were  hard,  practical  judgment,  tmagina- 
tion  and  vision  and  the  daring  of  the  bii  gambler  He 
foresaw  what  with  his  own  eyes  he  had  nefef  sren'and  he 
played  to  win  much  or  lose  all. 

r,."w  "t'^  *°°  '^^"^  S°^^  ^•"•e  in  Bonanza  to  I  ast  a 
pocket  "  he  argued.  "  It's  sure  come  from  a  mother-lode 
somewhere,  and  other  creeks  will  show  up.     CaU  keen 

ItZ^lZlf''\^T.  ^^'^  "'^^^^  *^-t  diai;  that 
TihZ  WW  Z^^'^^'"^  ^"^  J"«*  a»  I'l'ely  to  have  gold 
as  the  creeks  that  drain  this  side."  "avegoia 

And  he  backed  his  opinion  to  the  extent  of  grub-stakins 
fn^  ^,,^°^n  .Parties  of  prospectors  across  the  bL  Sf 
ZLlt  ^fl'"''  ^T'  '«g'°n.  Other  men,  thlSs 
faihng  to  stake  on  lucky  creeks,  he  put  to  work  on  Ms 


To 


copper :  a  term  in  firo  meanmg  to  play  a  card  to  lose. 


97 


98 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


Bonanza  olaimB  And  he  paid  them  weU-sixteen  doUars 
a  day  for  an  eight-hour  shift,  and  he  ran  three  shifte  ^ 

^  f-^Jy  ^^1,  *^"^  T'  *»'*  ^*'«'»'  °"  the  last  wat«r! 
the  Bella  arrived  loaded  with  provisions,  he  traded  a 
warehouse  site  to  Jack  Kearns  for  a  supply  of  Jub  that 
lasted  aU  his  men  through  the  winter  of  1896.  And  th^t 
winter,  when  famine  pinched,  and  flour  sold  for  two 
dollars  a  pound,  he  kept  three  shifts  of  men  .t  work  on  aS 

«ln  /n'  ^°"f'^''  '''^""^-  ^'^'^  mine-ownerj^S 
fifteen  doUars  a  day  to  their  men  ;  but  he  had  been^e 
first  to  put  mon  to  work,  and  from  the  first  he  paid  th"  ma 
full  ounce  a  day.  One  result  was  that  his  were  picked 
men,  and  they  more  than  earned  their  higherTay  ^ 

One  of  his  wilde.st  plays  took  place  in  the  early  winter 
after  the  freeze-up.     Hundreds  of  stampeders,  after™! 
ing  on  other  creeks  than  Bonanza,  had  gone  on  (S^ed 
down  river  to  Forty  Mile  and  Circle  City.     DaXht 
mortgaged  one  of  his  Bonanza  dumps  with  the  iX 
Commercial  Company  and  tucked  a  letter  of  credS^tnto 
^f^"       J^""  he  harnessed  his  dogs  and  went  do^ 
on  the  ice  at  a  pace  that  only  he  could  travel.  One  Indi^ 
down  another  Indian  back,  and  four  teams  of  dogs  was  C 
record     And  at  Forty  Mile  and  Circle  City  he  Zgh? 
claims  by  the  score.     Many  of  these  were  to  prove  Sly 
worthless,  but  some  few  of  them  were  to  show  up  more 
^toundmgly  than  any  on  Bonanza.     He  bought  rig^ht  and 
eft,  paying  as  low  as  fifty  doUaxs  and  as  high  as  five 

^Z  tJ^"  ^^^'''  ?""  ^'  ^""^^^  i°  the  TivJu 
baloon.  It  was  an  upper  claim  on  Eldorado,  and  when  he 
agreed  to  the  price,  Jacob  Wilkins,  an  old-iimerT^t  i^! 
turned  from  a  look  at  the  moose-pasture,  got  up  ind  left 
the  room,  saying  :—  '  e        f  "uu  lem 

"Daylight,  I've  known  you  seven  year,  and  you've 
always  seemed  sensible  till  now.  And  now  you're  jult 
letting  them  rob  you  right  and  left.  That's  what  it  fa- 
robbery.  Five  thousand  for  a  claim  on  that  damned 
moose-pasture  is  bunco.  I  just  can't  stay  m  the  room  and 
see  you  ouncoed  that  way." 

"I  tell  you-aU,"  Daylight  answered,   "Wilkins,  Car- 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


09 


mack's  strike's  so  big  that  we-aU  can't  see  it  all  It's  a 
lottery.  Kvery  claim  I  buy  is  a  ticket.  And  there's  sure 
going  to  be  some  capital  prizes." 

Jacob  Wilkins,  standing  in  the  open  door,  snifled  in- 
credulously. 

"Now  supposing,  Wilkins,"  Daylight  went  on,  "sup- 
posing you-all  knew  it  was  going  to  rain  soup.  What'd 
you-all  do  ?  Buy  spoons,  of  course.  Well,  I'm  sure 
buying  spoons.  She's  going  to  rain  soup  up  there  on  the 
Klondike,  and  them  that  has  forks  won't  be  catching  none 

But  Wilkins  h.^re  slammed  the  door  behind  him,  and 
Dayhght  broke  off  to  finish  the  purchase  of  the  claim 

Back  m  Dawson,  though  he  remained  true  to  his  word 
and  never  touched  hand  to  pick  and  shovel,  he  worked  as 
hard  as  ever  m  his  life.     He  had  a  thousand  irons  in  the 
are,  and  they  kept  him  busy.     Representation  work  was 
expensive,  and  he  was  compelled  to  travel  often  over  the 
various  creeks  in  order  to  decide  which  claims  should 
lapse  and  which  should  be  retained.     A  quartz  miner 
himselt  m  his  early  youth,  before  coming  to  Alaska   he 
dreamed  of  finding  the  mother-lode.     A  placer  camp  he 
knew  was  ephemeral,  while  a  quartz  camp  abided,  and  he 
kept  a  score  of  men  in  the  quest  for  months.     The  mother- 
lode  was  never  found,  and,  years  afterwards,  he  estimated 
that  the  search  for  it  had  cost  him  fifty  thous-nd  dollars 
mt  he  was  playing  big.     Heavy  as  were  his  expenses 
he  won  more  heavily.     He  took  lays,  bought  half  shares, 
shared  with  the  men  he  grub-staked,  and  made  personal 
locations      Day  and  night  his  dogs  were  ready,  and  he 
owned  the  fastest  teams  ;  so  that  when  a  stampede  to  a 
now  discovery  was  on,  it  was  Burning  Daylight  to  the  fore 
through  the  longest,  coldest  nights  till  he  blazed  his  stakes 
next  to  Discovery.     In  one  way  or  another  (to  say  nothing 
of  the  many  worthless  creeks)  he  came  into  possession  of 
properties  on  the  good  creeks,  such  as  Sulphur,  Dominion 
Excelsis   Siwash,  Cristo,  Alhambra,  and  Doohttle.     The 
thousands  he  poured  out  flowed  back  in  tens  of  thousands 
Jjorty  Mile  men  told  the  story  of  his  two  tons  of  flour  and 


100 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


made  calculations  of  what  it  had  returned  him  that  ranged 
from  half  a  miUion  to  a  million.  One  thing  was  known 
beyond  aU  doubt,  namely,  that  the  half  share  in  the  first 
Eldorado  claim,  bought  by  him  for  a  half  sack  of  flour,  waa 
worth  five  hundred  thousand.  On  the  other  hand,  it  was 
told  that  when  Freda,  the  dancer,  arrived  from  over  the 
passes  in  a  Peterborough  canoe  in  the  midst  of  a  drive  of 
mush-ice  on  the  Yukon,  and  when  she  ofierod  a  thousand 
doUars  for  ten  sacks  and  could  find  no  sellers,  he  sent  the 
Hour  to  her  as  a  present  without  ever  seeing  her.  In  the 
same  way  ten  sacks  were  sent  to  the  lone  Catholic  priest 
who  was  starting  the  first  hospital. 

His  generosity  was  lavish.     Others  called  it  insane     At 
a  time  when,  riding  his  hunch,  he  was  getting  half  a  m'illion 
for  half  a  sack  of  flour,  it  was  nothing  less  than  insanity 
to  give  twenty  whole  sacks  to  a  dancing-girl  and  a  priest 
But  It  was  his  way.    Money  was  only  a  marker.     It  was 
the  game  that  counted  with  him.     The  possession  of 
millions  made  httle  change  in  him,  except  that  he  played 
the  game  more  passionately.     Temperate  a.s  ho  had  always 
been,  save  on  rare  occasions,  now  that  he  had  the  where- 
withal for  unhmited  drinks  and  had  daily  access  to  them 
he  drank  even  less.     The  most  radical  change  lay  in  that 
except  when  on  trail,  he  no  longer  did  his  own  cooking     A 
broken-down  miner  lived  in  his  log  cabin  with  him  and 
now  cooked  for  him.     But  it  was  the  same  food  :  bacon 
beans,   flour,   prunes,   dried  fruits,   and  rice.     He   stili 
dressed  as  formerly  :  overaUs,  Germ<.n  socks,  mocassins, 
flannel  shirt,  fur  cap,  and  blanket  cjat.     He  did  not  take 
up  with  cigar-.,  which  cost,  the  cheapest,  from  half  a  dollar 
to  a  doUar  each.     The  same  Bull  Durham  and  brown- 
paper  cigarette,  hand-roUed,  contented  him.     It  was  true 
that  he  kept  more  dogs,  and  paid  enormous  prices  for 
them.     They  were  not  a  luxury,  but  a  matter  of  business 
He  needed  speed  in  his  travelling  and  stampeding     And 
by  the  same  token,  he  hired  a  cook.     He  was  too  busy  to 
cook  for  himself,  that  was  all.     It  was  poor  business, 
playing  for  miUions,  to  spend  time  buUding  fires  and 
boiling  water. 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  lOi 

Dawson  grew  rapidly  that  winter  of  1 896.  Money  poured 

L  f  /^/'*u*  ^'•'"  *^^  '"^^  "^  '°^  l°t«'  He  promptly 
invested  it  where  it  would  gather  more.  In  fact,  he  played 
the  dangerous  game  of  pyramiding,  and  no  more  perUous 
pyramiding  than  in  a  placer  camp  could  be  imagined.  But 
he  played  with  his  eyes  wide  open. 

0„t«^?'*l! ^'f\Tu-  ^'I'i^"  "^"^^  °^  *^^  «*"''«  reaches  the 
Sa^onn  ■  .'  TU  ''^  ^  °''';*™"'  '"•°'^««  ^"  *he  Moosehorn 
oaloon.  The  news  won't  get  out  till  next  spring.  Then 
there  s  going  to  he  three  rushes.  A  summer  rush  of  men 
commg  -n  hght ;  a  fall  rush  of  men  with  outfits  ;  anTa 
spring  rush   the  next  year  after  that,  of  fifty  thousand. 

Well,  there  8  the  summer  and  fall  rush  of  1897  to 
ab~tT'  ^^"*    '''    y°"-""    Solng    to    do 

demSed.'"'^  ^°"  ^"'"^^  *°  ^°  ^^"""^  ^*  •"  *  ^™nd 
r-i'Jinf^f"  ^^  ^"^^e^ed.     "  I've  sure  ah-eady  done  it. 

out  I?r,  4°^^°,?m  ^'  ^^r"^^  °"*  "P  **^e  Yukon  getting 
out  logs.  You-all  '11  see  their  rafts  coming  down  after  the 
rirer  breaks.     CaWns  !     They  sure  wiU  be  worth  what  a 

go  to  top-notch.  I've  got  two  sawmiUs  freighting  in  over 
the  parses.  They'll  come  down  as  soon  as  t^he  lakes  op'n 
^^.'l,  >f  you-all  are  thinking  of  needing  lumber,  I'll 

make  you-all  contracts  right  now-three  hi^dred  dollars 
a  thousand,  undressed.  '  "uuars 

Corner  lots  in  desirable  locations  sold  that  winter  for 
from  ten  to  thirty  thousand  dollars.  Daylight lenWord 
out  over  the  trails  and  passes  for  the  newcomers  to  brS 
down  log-rafts,  and,  as  a  result,  the  summer  of  1897  saw 

^nZ^a^  "  wi°«  ^'^''^^  "'8^*'  °»  three  sMfts  and 
^ih  ^  ^'^'"S^'ef  t  o^e"-  ^ith  which  to  build  cabins.  These 

tow^  \  T«o-story  log  buildings,  in  the  business  part  of 

Se  Tif.  ^V'""^  '°''y  ^  ^'y  thousand  doUars 
a£H??„  Jfe'iV'^f  "^''f'"^  °i«*Pital  were  immedi- 
a-_.j  .nvosred  .n  uther  ventmes.    He  turned  gold  over  and 


102 


Ik 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


OTw,  unta  everything  that  he  touched  seemed  to  turn  to 

h\io^t°"Chornd-S?htr'"^ '"  circ.ep:L': 

came  to  nmiions.  it  was  difEerent.     Such  a  fortune  w^  a 
stake,  and  w^  not  to  be  sown  on  bar-room  flooS  Hter^ly 

who  spent  one  hundred  thousand  a  mon~r  £  SoS 

m/,1^"'  i":'"?.'  *"^  *«"  ^«»  down  drunk  in  the™  on^ 
M«oh  night  and  was  frozen  to  death  ;  and  SwtftwX  bT 

ri^7r°''i°«  *^^  ^"^"^We  claims TareSrSi 
_a_  nr...  ,«r  „^t=  of  flour.    And  old-timers  who 


BURNING  DAYUOHT  los 

o«me  to  Daylight  mvariiibly  went  away  relieved  according 
lagnel    That  was  appalling.  ^^ 

h.nt^  ^**  ''®**u^'  °n  °«<""ion,  made  one  of  hi*  old-time 
heU-roanng  nights.    But  he  did  bo  for  different  reaso™ 

l^t'lu7  """^"^l "'  ^^  ^''"^  **  had  been  his  way 
m  the  old  days     And  second,  he  could  afford  it.     Jut  he 
no  longer  careo  quite  so  much  for  that  form  of  diversion. 
He  had  developed,  m  a  new  way,  the  taste  for  power.     It 
had  become  a  lust  with  him.     By  far  the  wealtWest  miner 
m  Alaska,  he  wanted  to  bo  -till  wealthier.     It  was  a  big 
game  he  was  playing  in  and  ho  liked  it  better  than  any 
^her  game.    In  a  way,  the  part  he  played  was  creative 
^ni^      t°"^  'o^ething.    And  at  no  time,   striking 
another  chord  of  his  nature,  could  he  take  the  joy  in  f 
mUlion-doUar  Eldorado  dump  t'at  was  at  all  equivalent 
!^i  ♦t^T   1**'°''  '°  watching  his  two  sawmills  working 
r,rf)*  t    '*^^°''"  "T  '°8-™""  swinging  into  the  bank 
in  the  big  eddy  just  above  Moosehide  Mountain.    Gold 
<ven  on  the  scales,  was,  after  all,  an  abstraction.    It 
represented  things  and  the  power  to  do.     But  the  saw- 
f^Tfr"*  *^^  *J^  themselves,  concrete  and  tangible, 
and  they  were  things  that  were  a  means  to  the  doing  of 

,^rhf  M*''-    7^y.  """'^  ^^^"^^  """"^  *™«>  ha^d  Ind 
mdubitable  realizations  of  fairy  gossamers 

.J^  *!5^  summ-.r  rush  from  the  Outside  came  special 
correspondents  for  the  big  newspapers  and  magazinesVand 
one  and  all,  using  unlimited  space,  they  wTO*e  Daylight 
up  ;  so  that,  so  far  as  the  world  was  concerned,  Daylight 
toomed  the  largest  figure  in  Alaska.  Of  course,  after 
^veral  months,  the  world  became  interested  in  the  Spanish 
Davl'iZ^  ^r*  ^"^''i'"*  him  ;  but  in  the  Klondike  itseS 
JJayl  ght  still  remained  the  most  prominent  figure.  Pass- 
:ng  a.ong  the  streets  of  Dawson,  all  heads  turned  to  follow 
nim  and  in  the  saloons  chechaqms  w.atched  him  awe- 
rZ2;r-^"'';l'^-  *^'^°S  ^^'^  'y^  f™"*  ^im  as  long  as  he 
rTch.T^  '"•  \T  '""S"  °*  ^'^'°"-  Not  alone  was  he  the 
richest  manm  the  country,  but  ho  wa.  Bmniug  DayUght, 
the  pioneer,  the  man  who,  almost  in  the  midst  of  antiqSity 


104 


BURNING  DAYUGHT 


of  that  young  land,  had  crossod  the  Chilcoot  and  drifto( 

jS  Kfr"  *°  T*  '^""^  "•'•«'  g'''"'^-  A'  Marfan 
Jack  McQuestion.  Ho  wan  the  BurniriB  Davlitrht  n 
BcoreK  of  wild  advonturea,  the  man  who  ofrr  oft  d  tc 
the  .oe-bou„d  whaling  fleet  aorons  the  tundra  wiWomes 
\vlr  tTh^"-  "'••"'•"^•"'^  '^^  """^  f'""  Circle  to  Salt 
Tanana  trlnTrn^*"'" '!!  ""^y  t^'"'  '^^'>  '"'^^^  '^e  whole 
f  h-  T       u      "*  l'«"^,'>'"g  ">  «'"  winter  of  'Ol-in  8hort 

vSlentlvtwr"":.*^'/*"*'"^"'"'  ""•'g""*"''"^  more 

Ho  had  the  fatal  fachty  for  8olf-adverti«ement,  Things 

fhe  uo„ular  tr  ^Z'^^'"''''"'"'  "'  "PontanoouH,  struck 
tfie  popular  imagination  as  remarkable,  And  the  latest 
thing  he  had  done  was  always  on  men's  lips,  v.hethor  it  w^ 

m  killing  the  record  baldface  griz/Jy  over  on  Sulphui^ 

S,±'fy'\."',"™"f  *^^  ^i^g'^-paddlo  canoe  race  on  th^ 
Queen  s  Birthday,  after  being  forced  to  partioipat«  at  the 
ast  moment  by  the  failure  of  the  sourdough  r7pres«i?at™ 
to  apooar^  Thu.^  one  night  in  the  Moofho  rhTlockod 
Jf  noir;  T^ "^  ^^'■"f  '"  ^  Jong-promised  return  game 
^nrt'  ^^  u  '^y  ^"''  "'g^'  °  «'°^''  in  the  morning  wore 
made  the  hmits,  and  at  the  close  of  the  game  DavLhT's 

tHIT C™  *"° ''"f --«"!  and  thirty  thousand  ffla« 
To  Jack  Kearns  already  a  several-times  miliionau-e  this 
loss  was  not  yital.  But  the  whole  community  wa!  tkilled 
by  the  size  of  the  stakes,  and  ea«h  one  of  the^dZn  coS 
spondonts  ,n  the  field  sent  out  a  sensational  arUcTe 


CHAPTER  XII 

Dkspite  his  many  sources  of  revenue,  Daylight's  pyramid- 
mg  Isept  him  pinched  for  cash  throughout  the  first  winter. 
The  pay-gravel,  thav.ed  on  bed-rock  and  hoisted  to  the 
surface,  immediately  iVoze  again.  Thus  his  dumps,  con- 
taining several  millions  of  gold,  wore  inaccessible.  Not 
until  the  returning  sun  thawed  the  dumps  and  melted  the 
water  to  wash  them  was  he  able  to  handle  the  gold  they 
contained.  And  then  he  found  himself  with  a  surplus  of 
gold,  deposi;«d  in  the  two  n-^wly  organized  banks  ;  and  he 
was  promptly  besieged  by  men  and  groups  of  men  to  enlist 
his  capital  in  their  enterprises. 

But  he  elected  to  play  his  own  game,  and  he  entered 
combinations  only  wLen  they  were  generaUy  defensive  or 
oflensive.  Thus,  though  he  had  paid  the  highest  wages, 
he  jo.ned  the  Mine-owners  /Vssooiation,  engineered  the 
fight,  and  effectucMy  ciubea  the  growing  insubordination 
of  the  wage-earners.  Times  had  changed.  The  old  day* 
were  gone  for  ever.  This  was  a  new  era,  and  Daylight,  the 
wealthy  mine-owner,  was  loyal  to  his  class  affiliations.  It 
was  true,  the  old-timers  who  worked  for  him,  in  order  to  be 
saved  from  the  club  of  the  organized  owners,  were  made 
foremen  over  the  gang  of  chechaquoa  ;  but  this,  with  Day- 
light, was  a  matter  of  heart,  not  head.  In  his  heart  he 
could  not  forget  the  old  days,  while  with  his  head  he  >layed 
the  economic  game  according  to  the  latest  an  most 
practical  methods. 

But  outside  of  such  group-combinations  of  exploiters,  he 
refused  to  bind  himself  to  any  man's  game.  He  was  play- 
ing a  great  lone  hand,  and  he  needed  all  liis  money  for  his 
own  Wking.  The  newly  founded  stock-exchange  inter- 
ePKc^  him  keenly.  Ho  had  never  before  seen  such  an 
'05 


106 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


aftertep^The  ir;':  "''^  ^'«,  -™  one  day.  wh. 

cleaned  „p  whaSuiXrhet"^:  ^oT' '  ^'   '"^"'^  ^ 
man.  "'^^  "^en  a  fortune  to  any  oth 

fo/'r  S^^Ss'S^atrt^^^^^^^  "^f,  ^^'^^^  -< 

battle.     But,  asked  when  h«  wn!     ^'"°'^*be  grim  Arct 

always  laughed  and^a'd  w  Jn  ^  W''*^''^^' ^ayligi 

^  hand.    %e  also  added  St  .  ^  ^  ^"^^'^  ^^^^ 

a  game  just  when  a  winnLl.,  S  ^^A"^^"  *  ^0°'  *»  qui 

^  It  was  held  by  thl  thoufan^^"^  ?f  *'"'''  ^^^^'^  l'™ 

chaguo,  that  Daylight  wasT^?  "f  hero-worshipping  cAe 

But  Settles  and  Dan  ZcdSh    '"i"*"'/  without  fear 

shook  their  heads  and  Wh«T».^^"*^  °'^^'  «ourdougfc 

And  they  were  right     Hetd.T  '^X^^^^^^^^^d  worZn. 

from  the  time,  himself  a  lad  n     *^'  **"""  "^^id  °f  them 

Anne,  of  June;u,  made  open  anH^^-T*?'"'  ^^«"  Q«e«n 

For  that  matter,  hTneverh  J  kn"'^""'"""  ^°^«  *°  him. 

a  mining-camp  where  Ihevw.r^"  ^°'"^'^-     ^o^n  « 

having  no  sisters,  his  mottf  d^g  ^Z  T''  '"y«*«"°'«. 

he  h^d  never  been  iu  contirt  w!  Ik®  ^^  "^^^  **»  infant, 

away  from  Queen  Cne  hehLV^f    ^^°*-     ^'■»«'  '^^^'^g 

the  Yukon  and  cSted  an  aca^IT"""^'""'^  ^^'''^  "^ 

the  pioneer  ones  who  crossed  tht^°*^''"^  ^'*^^  them- 

«>en  who  had  opened  up  the  fetdr''  °"  ^''^  *'^''  "^  t^e 

had  ever  walked  with  a  wolf  •        '^'SS^gs.     But  no  lamb 

than  had  he  waC'^f  1^^'^ '"' *^^'"^''^8 
masculme  pride  that  he  shonM  ii  ^?^  *  matter  of 
had  done  so  in  fair  seemi^g^.^itt^^^'l''  ^^''^'  '^"^  ^^ 

-n^uptj  ttt  -^  ^'  p'etrrXT^r  S 

sevtaro:h^rt;:rti^l,^„,^ng^^^^^^  Klondike,  ear^ 
-..,,..„  a.  Eldorado  King,  Bonanzt 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  107 

™^«*^^^"'°''.''  ?^°"'  '^'^'^  *^e  Prince  of  the  Stam- 
pedes not  to  oimt  the  proudest  appellation  of  aU,  JmZ 
the  Father  of  the  Sourdoug?      he  was  more  S  of 

^mTto  STh  ^  "^"^^  ''^*"'«  *^«y  •'"Id  ""t  tteJ 
arms  to  him    and  more  women  were  flockine  into  the 

Zne7in  The  Ll7-     ''  ^'"^^'"^  -*  -^ethef  hf  sat  a 

sriLV5:rhaii!r=SdtTni:^^^^^^^^^ 
'^oi7z  srSair  "^-  ^-^  ^-  °-  ^- 

There  was  one  exception,  and  that  was  Freda,  the  sirl 
tt  th«n"f '  ""'^  *°-^'^°'"  '^«  '^^'^  g'^"'^  th«  flour     She 

her  that  h«       "T^."^  °."*  ''"'■  ^^"^^^     ^"d  yet  it  was  from 

£ht     Ttn  t"*""'^  *°  '""^'^^  ''^^t  t°  lii«  severest 

tnght.     It  came  about  in  the  fall  of  1897.     He  was  return 

mg  from  one  of  his  dashes,  this  time  to  inspect  Sender^"" 
WX  had  coT"^  the  Yukon  just  belo^w  the  Stewart.' 
down  tiT  V  ?  "  ""^^  *  """*''  "°d  ^^  f°"ght  his  way 
™  *^«  7"k?n  seventy  miles  in  a  frail  Peterboroueh 
canoe  m  the  m.dst  of  a  run  of  mush-ice.  Huggilthe 
rim-ice  tha.  had  already  solidly  formed,  he  shot  fcross  the 
loneTf  "'°"*''  °*  ^"^^  ^"^'^••'^  J-*  in  time  tTse!  a 
the  w^w  m'"!  r'*''"^  "'^  ^'^^  ""1  ^"d  pointing  into 
the  water.  Next,  he  saw  the  furclad  body  of  a  woman 
face  under,  sinking  in  the  midst  of  the  dri^iS  mush^ce' 
of  seToXW"  *^r"''  "'  *^^  «"™"*'  "  wL"  matter 

t=:ir.mlTsh!ttla^,^^^^^^^^ 

This  worried  him.  In  the  nights  that  followed  instead 
of  sinking  immediately  to  sleep  as  was  his  Tont  he  lav 
coiSrrT'  ^  ''"'  ^""^  '^''  »>'-  blaze  of  .:^att  a^^ 
'™S  ;^f  '^"^'^^  T'  ^''^  "^'^^-     They  rane  with  sin- 

what  she  ,^;/''^A°'!i    .Tu^^""'°^-     ^''^  b^d  "leant  just 
wnat  siie  said.     And  still  he  pondered. 


108 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


but  incoherent  and  «1I  L  i  j  .  ^P^®"^  ^^s  frar 
event,  whateve;rwas  had  h^^°"^i''°'"  '*  ^"^  '^''^  * 
he  gleaned  tha?  r  ^ad'aTetar  ^  ^^^^^     ^^ 

gg.  thaf  i  rssrfhritar- 

sm^Six^'veUr'^^'^  '°^"  '"  ^^''  J"«*  ^«  he  had  escapee 

women  do  s^ch  fearful  anl  '°"''' u,  ^*  '"^d^  ""^n  ^'i*^ 
like  deliriun^  tmS^'^J  Tr^S  iSi%  '^-^ 
caught  it,  he  might  have  if  «VK»!i.  ,'  D^y'^ght, 

was  lunacy,  stark  lunacv  and  nn  .  ^  ?'  ^^^  °*  **>«■«■  " 
A  half-dozen  vouna  fc?l/'  ""ntagious  on  top  of  it  aU. 

aUwant7orrr?ht"V:rsrt7tr^^^^'^-  ^'^^^ 
that  some  other  feUow  on  thl^^u'  ^"°J  "^^^  "'^^y  °^er 

would  have  notjfg":  do  luh  15^ '"  °'  *'^  ^°"'^'  ^^^ 

shfr  at  *:  Ltsf d^ait  h"^-"  't^^'  ^^^^^*- 

through  the  head  hadd^n    ?       ,   ^" ,'""'  ''^'''»-     ^  shot 

no  ex?lana«r '  KrmeVhftS  'If  ""^ ^^^^^' 
publ  0  opinion  oillprl  ,-t  „  r  I  ^"^^  ^'*'  voicing 

had  IdlleTCsdf  because  -f'^         -""""^  ^^^^S^*'  ^^^^ 
and  said  so      £  rorreron^";     Everybody  knew  this, 

more  Burning  DavlLhtK^f.!  T^   *  "?'  ^^^^  °n°e 

tionally  featSn  the  Q^'?      the  Klondike,  was  sensa- 

y  eatured  m  the  Sunday  supplements  of  the  United 


turned  away 
i  yet  again, 
opped  a  hint 
b  how, — who 
h  was  frank, 
ras  that  the 
ifore.    Also, 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  I09 

States.  The  Virgin  had  straightened  up,  so  the  feature- 
stones  ran,  and  correctly  so.  Never  had  she  entered  a 
Dawson  City  dance-hall.  When  she  first  arrived  from 
Circle  City,  she  had  earned  her  living  by  washing  clothes. 
Next,  she  had  bought  a  sewing-machine  and  made  men's 
drill  parkas,  fur  caps,  and  moosehide  mittens.  Then  she 
had  gone  as  a  clerk  into  the  first  Yukon  Bank.  All  this, 
and  more,  was  known,  and  told,  though  one  and  all  were 
agreed  that  Daylight,  while  the  cause,  had  been  tlie 
innocent  ca-se  of  her  untimely  end. 

And  the  worst  of  it  was  that  Daylight  knew  it  was  true 
Always  would  he  remember  that  last  night  he  had  seen  her 
He  had  thought  nothing  of  it  at  the  time  ;  but,  looking 
back,  he  was  haunted  by  every  little  thing  that  had  hap- 
pened. In  the  light  of  the  tragic  event,  he  could  under- 
stand everything— her  quietness,  that  calm  certitude  as  if 
all  vexing  questions  of  living  had  been  smoothed  out  and 
were  gone,  and  that  certain  ethereal  sweetness  about  all 
that  she  had  said  and  done  that  had  been  almost  maternal. 
He  remembered  the  way  she  had  looked  at  him,  how  she 
had  laughed  when  he  narrated  Mickey  Dolan's  mistake  in 
staking  the  fraction  on  Skookum  Gulch.  Her  laughter 
had  been  lightly  joyous,  while  at  the  same  time  it  had 
lacked  its  old-time  robustnes;  Not  that  she  had  been 
grave  or  subdued.  On  the  contrary,  she  had  been  so 
patently  content,  so  filled  with  peace.  She  had  fooled 
him,  fool  that  he  was.  He  had  even  thought  that  night 
that  her  feeling  for  him  had  passed,  „nd  he  had  taken 
delight  in  the  thought,  and  caught  visions  of  the  satisfying 
future  friendship  that  would  be  theirs  with  this  perturbing 
love  out  of  the  way. 

And  then,  when  he  stood  at  the  door,  cap  in  hand,  and 
said  good-night.  It  had  struck  him  at  the  time  as  a  funny 
and  embarrassing  thing,  her  bending  over  his  hand  and 
ki.ssing  it.  He  had  felt  like  a  fool,  but  he  shivered  now 
when  he  looked  back  on  it  and  felt  again  the  touch  of  her 
lips  on  his  hand.  She  was  saying  good-bye,  an  eternal 
good-bye,  and  he  had  never  guessed.  At  that  very 
moment,  and  fur  all  the  moments  of  the  evening,  coolly 


no 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


^"sJlSfrS^'  Ti  It  2  ;rt'-  -7.  ^I^e  had  be 
by  the  contagious  maLvV^^,,'^"''"  '*  '    U°t°nch 

T^hat  she  contemplated  A«i^  .^  f^«^*^'*  ''^^^ 
that  hers  was  a  fifn  sti  L^l^'  ^^^.I  f-^thermo, 
have  permitted  her  to  c^ce5^:!f„  ?"''«  *'>"*  ^^^d  n 
thropy.     There  ha,l  r^n  ^u  ™*"»*ge  as  an  a<!t  of  phila 

Thel/ve-ci^are  tdSen''''  "\'"^°«  ^«^'  ^f^""  ^ 
doomed  from  thefc'tXrlhTit'"'  *^'^'  '""^  "^^  ^- 

ha""c:Shn'''i:5Te\t'f''r/^^*  ^«'  *->  ^j^^"' 

liiely.  if  fe  had,  it^i'd  h^/Si^^tl  '*•  ^°^ 
other  woman  There  wn=r.  *.,-'"  ^®'^*  °^  som 
who  had  staked  S^irf^^tlon^rS.'  '"'  ''"^^  ""'^ 
covery.  Everybody  kne^ThroH^^SV.  °'\?" 
iJertha,  was  madlv  in  Iovb  wjfk  i,-  .^""'^  »  (.e 'ghter 
tra^ted  the  disea.e^o?aU  ™S  ttLd  h'*'  "^.f  ^^  ''°» 

ou?Ms  r^nffirn^ir--  ^-*-'%  seZ| 

sacrificing  her  respectability  and  Ihdte;«^  poor  woman 
to  flee  with  him  in  an  orZ  T^Jf^^,''°°^  "*  society 
Colonel  Walthstone  LSnclfT*^'.^"^"'';  "'"d 
taking  out  after  them  in  ,!nni  ™"<*«''  ^^d  destruction, 
impending  tragedy  Cd  movpn'/P"''  ^°^^-     ^he  whole 

parsing  lort/Mi^ldcSrat"^„*'^'"".''''i^.^"^°-' 
wilderness  beyond     But  ther«  if  ?  ""^  '^"^  "^  the 

men's  and  women's  H™,  ^  •  ^  7^^'  '°^«'  disorganizing 
death,  turX  top'vlurw"'"^  °wards  destruction  and 
andc^nsider^i,  SSwTori""^.*''"*  ""^  ^^^^^'ble 
women,  and  scoinCs  Ld  !.t-H  "'^T  T^  °*  ^*»°«« 
always  been  clean  and  squa^''  °"*  °^  '"^^  ^^°  ^ad 

He"lfb\S;^Si;ow^^^^^^^^^^^  '- ^«  nerve. 

"uii^rnSoi^j^i" 

devoid  of  fear     ^S  were  not  f    Y7''!  '°  '^««'^«««'  «» 
happened  to  the  VirS-^eT^atSr''JriS^^^ 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  m 

more  seductively  than  ever.  Even  without  his  fortune 
reckoned  as  a  mere  man,  just  past  thirty,  ma«nifiSv 
strong  and  equaUy  good-looking  and  good^^aS,  he  S 
a  prize  for  most  normal  women.    But  when  to  to  Mtw^ 

^'"T.r'"'  "^^'^  *^«  '"'"^""^  *ha*  UnkeTw^K 
name  and  the  enormous  wealth  that  was  his,  pracMoaU^ 
every  free  woman  he  encountered  measured  him^rh  an 
oZZ^^  *nd  delighted  eye,  to  say  nothing  of  moTe  than 
one  woman  who  WM  not  free.     Other  men  might  have 

oXT^^  ^V^  """^  ^'^  *°  '°««  '^^i'  heads  fbut  the 
only  effect  on  him  was  to  increase  his  fright.     As  a  res^t 

be  ;^«r^T*  '"^***i°"^  t°  houses  where  women  mTght 
s!lZ'  *°d.frequented  bachelor  boards  and  the  MoosThorn 
Saloon,  which  had  no  dance-haU  attached. 


CHAPTER  XIII 
Six  thousand  spent  the  winter  of  I  so? ;.,  r> 

see  for  miles.     It  was  a  J^L^t,     ^  ^onanza  he  could 

hills,  to  their  u.iiZdizzizzt::^^''-  ?^ 

sides  showed  signs  of  Torino'  anri  '    t      !:  ^""^  *h«'ir  naked 
mantle  of  snow' coSl„"S  PtraJh"*!'-* -- the 
direction,  were  the  cabins  of  men      But  n^^'  '"  '^'"'y 
were  visible.     A  blanket  of  smoke  filled  tf    ""^^  '""" 
turned  the  grey  day  to  melancToly  tSht      sT^  F'  ^°^ 
from  a  thousand  holes  in  the  snoV  whfre  de«n°,     ^'°'^ 
bed-rock,  in  the  frozen  muck  and  erlvef'^    ^  '^°'^°  °" 
scratched  and  dug,  and  ever  bmit  £7  «  ^°  ?''^i'*  ^°d 
grip  of  the  frost.     Here  and  th^i     T  ^'  *°  ^"'"'^  the 
starting,  these  fires  femedfedfy     R^sT  '"^'^^  "^^^ 
out  of  the  holes,  or  disappeared  :  J'^""' "^  "^^n  "rawled 
platforms  of  hand-hewnTXr, "  ndlasre'd'ti,  °"  ^^^ 
gravel  to  the  surface,  where  it   mmeSv  fr      ^^Tu"^ 
wreckage  of  the  snrine  washing  ^-^  "°^^-     The 

piles  of  sluice-boSrLi^f  XS  T^'^T' 
wa^^r-wheels.-all  the  d.bris  of^r^r^^  S^i-S 

wastage  of  wood  that  had  takerplace    ^,^0^"^°.^^^ 
eye  .ew  he  realized  the  ^onJoZ  J^Z^^^Jt^ 


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S3 ZlZ.u!l:a\L'S':T'T-y-  ^^ 

richest  of  digging  it  cost  on«  Z.  '  ?^'-    ^  t^k 

and  for  every  dXrt^kenoTt  tfu  ^/^''^  *''°  dollars. 
ix«  methods"^  anSe^doZ  *^^,  t  hZ7^  "'^.*'^'''^- 
earth.  Given  an.other  yea^anTLiLZr'^  '"  *'«' 
be  worked  out,  ai.d  the  sum  nft^  rj  !^f  '''*™^  ^""^d 
no  more  than  ;quatttt^lt\ll^Si*'^-  ""*  '^""''^ 

Organization  was  what  was  nofirlBrl  »,o  'i     •  i   , 
quick  imagination  skefd.e7Elrado  Creek  t'' '  *°^  ^ 
to  source,  and  from  mountain  tnnf^  .  '■  ^^°'"  '"""tli 

hands  of  one  capable™agemS  Zn"^'°  ^^^u  '"*  ^^e 
as  yet  untried,  but  bound  to  coL  h««!'""*^.^T^8' 
makeshift.    What  shonW  h!\i        '  ^  ^""^  ^""^d  be  a 

vaUey  sides  and  beSetand  t"  Ztt  ""'"^f^  *^« 
to  use  Kold-dred™,  „„„u  .  u  u'  ?  ^  "'*®''  bottom, 
operati^^rnJSnia       "  ^'  ^^^  ""'^'^  -^--i^ed  as 

Ji  J^^"^  J*'  i^®  ^^"^y  "^^""^  for  another  big  killing     H 
had  wondered  just  what  was  nrecisfil,rVv,^  ?■     ^^ 

Guggenhammers  and  the  Zg  SKonlr'°°  1"^'  '^' 
their  high-salaried  exnert,    T^ft         concerns  sending  in 

was  wh?  they  C^^^otheXmlVfi'sSr "  ?.^* 
out  claims  and  taUings  Therw«r»  ^''®/*'!  "^  worked- 
small  mine-owners  KODher  outwC^v,  ''°*^'',*  ***  ^«'  *»>« 
would  be  millions  iitLleavIng?'*  '""'^  "''''^'  '°'  *!>«- 

i4ighfoSrhr.f;^rmS^,^^^^^^^ 

i^cr^wiKm-Snio^b^T^^^^  ^- - 
conception  came  a  ^eLS.^t  ts1SV^tt^"- 
Arctlc  years,  and  he  was  curious  about  theOulJ^  I'? 
great  world  of  which  he  had  heard  rrf^  ""fa  de_the 

which  he  was  as  ignora'ntl'TSf  T^h"?  ^S  T'  °*' 
out  there  to  play.   It  was  a  larger  table  and  tC«  ^"""^ 

ittok  ta,e,  ho,„„.    H,  p..  „„„.j  ^,„^  ^  ^^^|_ 

8 


114 


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f^w  fK^^^  ^°""^'  "^'^^  °P«'»  t°  win-am  I  rieht?"  h 
told  them  once,  in  a  heated  conference.    "^  ^  "«"  '    1> 

dike/and'^all'LvStul"^^^^^^^  "«^V°",  ^  Klon 

jouriough,,  who  hxl  struck  /I  rfch  ,.  ^T.S  oF.ll^t^' 


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lis 

mmmmss 
sBfMmmn 

Z  '»'<■»»'«■«  with  hi.  other  deeds.  AU  the  YukooJ 
hi.  gne.t  D,„„„  th,  „„  „f  ,^  f„tirity     On  till    - 

rne  oars,  perfurmmg  leats  of  strength, 


116 


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hig  bronzed  face  flushed  with  drink,  his  black  e™.  fl«J.  „ 

seet  ^Tfa^^Ca?,'^^^  '"^^  ^awlT^d  ever 
mT  .«      V^  -Liayuglit  8  desire  to  make  t  memorable  AnH 

Uke  his  olden  mghts,  his  ukase  went  forth  that  there  shoSd 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


117 


J^^nLn"^*  n"*  '^H.""'  *"™">*-  thow  near  him  mw 
the  mo«ture  well  up  in  Daylight's  eyes.  In  a  way^Tt  wm 
to  him  departure  from  his  native  land   thi«  JiZ  a    *• 

Sf Co^t"'''  P-tioally7£^:j;f Jt  flTk^wn 
Hetoreoflhwoapandwavredit  " 'uiown. 

.Good-bye.  you-alll"  he  called.      "Good-bye,  you- 


alll 


PART  11 


CHAPTER  I 

In  no  blaze  of  glory  did  BuriJng  Daylight  descend  upon 
San  Franowoo.  Not  only  had  he  been  forgotten,  but  th« 
Klondike  along  w.th  him  The  world  was  interested  in 
other  thing.,  and  the  Alaskan  adventure,  like  the  Spanish 
War,  was  an  old  story.  Many  thing.,  had  happened  since 
then.  Exciting  things  were  happening  every  day,  and  the 
sensation-space  of  newspapers  was  linuted.  The  effect  of 
being  Ignored,  however,  was  an  exliilaration.  Bic  man  as 
he  had  been  in  the  Arctic  game,  it  merely  showed  how 
much  bigger  was  this  now  game,  when  a  man  worth  eleven 
millions  and  with  a  history  such  as  his,  passed  unnoticed. 
He  RcU  ed  down  in  St.  Francis  Hotel,  was  interviewed 
by  the  cub-rei  Tters  on  the  hotel-run,  and  received  brief 
paragraphs  of  notice  for  twenty-four  hours.  He  grinned  to 
himself,  and  began  to  look  around  and  get  acquainted  with 
the  new  order  of  beings  and  things.  He  was  very  awkward 

"S  ril-'t""??''^"'^^-  ^"^  ^'^d"'"'*  t°  the  stiffening 
afforded  lus  backbone  by  the  conscious  ownership  of  eleven 
mUlions,  he  po.ssessed  an  enormous  certitude.  Nothing 
abashed  him,  nor  was  he  appaUod  by  the  display  and  cul- 
ture and  power  around  him.  It  was  another  kind  of 
wUderness,  that  was  all ;  and  it  was  for  him  to  learn  the 
ways  ot  It,  the  signs  and  traUs  and  water-holes  where  good 
hunting  lay  and  the  bad  stretches  of  field  and  flood  to  be 
»7ii'f  Y  ^f  "'"''''  *"'  ^°"Sht  .shy  of  th.  women.  He  was 
still  too  badly  scared  to  come  to  clo.s  r  aarters  with  the 
dazzlmg  and  resplendent  creatures  his  own  millions  made 

accessible.     Thsv  onUi-d  ar-'l  Inn-f.l   I„-f  i, i    ■ 

119 


120 


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theru.  HewastooS™t*Jf'<''^«t\at  attracted 
type  of  man.  Younc  w  K  '  t  i°°  """'''  *"»  "n^^"*' 
handsome,  magiUfioentlv  In  ^^^  ^'^^r'^'  ««»inently 
splendid  ^?^  hTSe  tr  J't'^-r**  ^"™*'°8  ^*»»  « 
pavements,  and  k  blaoW™?'!"?*"''^'  ?«^«''  'earned  on 
unwearied  with  the  n  o««  ^  '  ^"'•^'^'S  °*  8^"*  ^P^ces  and 
drew  many^  iLrSis  "ndC^''*^^?  ""^  *^"  city  dweUers, 
-w,  grinned  knoZg^lo'SS  SS 7lr"  «« 
many  dangers,  with  a  rnni  j       '  ^""^^  *^em  as  so 

greater  perlo^lIchierempntfrTT.'^''*  ^*«  *  f*-" 
frost,  or  flood      *''^'«^«™ent  than  had  they  been  famine. 

no?th:trr?sTr':S'^^r°p'''\*^«-^-'««-«- 

learned.  Thevs^rE;,  r^  ""^^  *»«  '"'^  «»*  yet 
divined  them  Cd  n  t  df  r~'°'lP.^^''"^"y  •  ^^^  »>« 
exterior  of  supple  softness  If^^  u"*  ¥'^  "°d«'  ''^ 
something  cailike  fbol  ih  "^^  '"™  ^''^^^  ^^^^  ^^^ 
clubs,  and  wondwed  h^l  f-  ^^  ""^^  *»>«'«  «  the 
they  displayTd  and  how  cu'V^'t"''^'^  good-fellowship 

their  claws  and  goueeanT^^  *^7J!°'^^  unsheathe 
Bition,"  he  repeated  ?:  hTmself  "  Jh ^'^il  ^  P^^P"" 
^hen  the  plafis  close  «n^!?5'  7^t.**  '^'''  ^^^^y-a"  do 
felt  unwarran^jJhh.  ?  -^  ''*"^  *°  ''™«s  tacks  ?"  He 
Bhck,'™WstL  7P'«-»%of  *^^?-     "They're  sure 

dropped  now  and'Lfn  Cfe It'h^'*-^!?"'  ^'''  °^  8°««'P 
tressed.     On  the  othm.  hnn,?  ft     •"«  lodgment  weU  but- 

of  manliness  and  tt  fatn  ^rf  ^^**'^  ^"  **'"°«PJ^«^« 

They  might  gonge  and  tnJ^^  «  I*  ^°^'  "^^^  manliness. 

than  natLKhe  fersoi^I  ^SlV'l*"^  ^^«  ''^  '°°'« 

and  rend  according  trruleTht'  ^''^^^y  ^°^d  gouge 

got  of  them-a  gfnerahzltiow        '  ^^^ '^Pression  he 

that  there  was  bound  to  be  «n    *«'»P«'-cd  by  knowledge 

drels  among  them  '*'""  Percentage  of  scoun- 

timlTlSKSi'r  "T^'^^"'  ''--g-hi'''^ 
Bolf  to  take  a  hand  ^  He  eve  '  l'^"'' "'l''  ^^"P^'^'^  ^'^■ 

i:nglish,andsucceed5'in.S^£'rrS£ 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  121 

.S-wiu-Sl°"  "t.  °^  excitement  he  was  prone  to  lapse 
mio  you-ajl,  knowed,"  sure,"  and  simUar  solecisms 
He  learned  to  eat  and  dress  and  generaUy  comportSu 
^-^:i''^  maimer  of  civilized  man  ;  but  through  it  all  he 
... yarned  ,,.,..  ,lf.notundulyreverentialnorco^ideratiye 
r.J.l  o^  Z'**'*^?  *°  '*"''"  rough-shod  over  any  soft- 
we™  rj """u*  '\^°*  "»  ^'  ^^y'^'^d  the  provocation 
were  grea.  .nough.     Also,  and  unlike  the  average  run  of 

he  failed  to  reverence  the  particular  tin  gods  worshinned 
vanously  by  the  civilized  tribes  of  men^  HrhadS 
totems  before,  and  knew  them  for  what  they  we^ 

whI™"fho  rZ^  Tr'^  ^^  ""^r^"''  ^  ^"^^  "P  to  Nevada, 
wnere  the  new  gold-mmmg  boom  was  fairly  started— 
just  to  try  a  flutter."  as  he  phrased  it  to  himself  The 
flutter  on  the  Tonopah  Stock  Exchange  lasted  u.t  ten 
days,  during  which  time  his  smashin|,  wild-bX  game 
played  ducks  and  drakes  with  the  more^ster^oty^d  lam! 
Wers    and  at  the  end  of  which  time,  having  gambkd 

^hon.     Whereupon,  smacking  his  lips,  he  departed  for 
San  Francisco  and  the  St.  Francis  Hot^l.     It  tasted  good 
and  Ins  hunger  for  the  game  became  more  acute        ^ 

ING  DAYT  tTwt  ^'  ^T-''  r»«^«°°a'«ed  him.  BURN- 
TZ  ^^JI^ICfHT  was  a  big-letter  headline  again.  Inter- 
viewers flocked  about  him.  Old  files  of  magazines  and 
Wn^^P^f  ""T  "^^"^^'^  ^'^""gh'  ^«d  the  romaX  and 
?b«^T  It  ^^IT^'  Adventurer  of  the  Frost,  ffing  of 
It  ?°°w^';  and  Father  of  the  Sourdoughs,  stride  uLn 
the  breakfast  table  of  a  miUion  homes  along  with  the 

hrwaSrcrl'^^*  \'f.  ^^-  ^^f"-  ^^  elLrd  time! 
ne  was  forcibly  launched  into  the  game.     Financiers  and 

sCT,?*?"'  '"''  ^'  *^^  ^"''^^  ^«d  jetsam  oTth    sea  of 
iSTf''  '"f '^  "P""^  '^^  ^^"^"^  °f  ^  eleven  mil^o,^ 
^  J«  ;^       "•!  ^^  ^^  '=°'»PeUed  to  open  ofiices.     He  hid 
made  them  sit  up  and  take  notice,  and  now,  willy-niUv 
they  were  deahng  him  hands  and  clamouring  for  him  to 

&,.^f  ■  P'Y  ""'  ^""'^  '  J^^'d  ^^o^  'em  ;  even  deLt^ 
the  elated  prophesies  made  of  how  swiftly  he  would  be 


122 


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,  astounded  by  the  multitudes  of  BhaL-"gl 

mmmmM 

which  hiL:!^  a  fineness  and  kindness  of  home  life  of 

K;oroteir;Tndr^LzroSi^^ 

of  friendship,  Holdswo.th/e7pES°t»r-S 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  123 

already  in  a  bit,  and  that  while  it  was  a  good  thing,  he 
would  be  compelled  to  make  sacrifices  in  other  directions 
m  order  to  develop  it.  Daylight  advanced  the  capital, 
fifty  thousand  doUars,  and,  as  he  laughingly  explained 
afterward,  "  I  was  stung,  all  right,  but  it  wasn't  Holds- 
worthy  that  aid  it  half  as  much  as  those  blamed  chickens 
and  fruit-trees  of  his." 

It  was  a  good  lesson,  however  ;  for  he  learned  that  there 
were  few  faiths  in  the  business  world,  and  that  even  the 
simple,  homely  faith  of  breaking  bread  and  eating  salt 
counted  for  httle  in  the  face  of  a  worthless  brickyard  and 
fifty  thousand  doUars  in  cash.  But  the  sharks  and  sharks 
of  various  orders  and  degrees,  he  concluded,  were  on  the 
surface.  Deep  down,  he  divined,  were  the  integrities  and 
the  stabihtic  Those  big  captains  of  industry  and  masters 
of  finance,  he  decided,  were  the  men  to  work  with.  By  the 
very  nature  of  their  huge  deals  and  enterprises  they  had 
to  play  fair.  No  room  there  for  little  sharpers'  tricks  and 
bunco  games.  It  was  to  be  expected  th.- 1  Httle  men  should 
salt  gold-mines  with  a  shotgun  and  mrk  ofi  worthless 
brickyards  on  their  friends,  but  in  high  finance  such 
methods  were  not  worth  while.  There  the  men  were 
engaged  in  developing  the  country,  organizing  its  rail- 
roads, opening  up  its  mines,  making  accessible  its  vast 
natural  resources.  Their  play  was  bound  to  be  big  and 
stable.  "  They  sure  can't  afEord  tin-horn  tactics,"  was 
his  summing  up. 

So  it  was  that  he  resolved  to  leave  the  little  men,  the 
Holdsworthys,  alone  ;  and,  while  ho  met  them  in  good- 
fellowship,  he  chummed  with  none,  and  formed  no  deep 
friendships.  He  did  not  dislike  the  little  men,  the  men  of 
the  Alta-Pacific,  for  instance.  He  merely  did  not  elect 
to  choose  them  for  partners  in  the  big  game  in  which  he 
intended  to  play.  What  that  big  game  was,  even  he  did 
not  know.  He  was  waiting  to  find  it.  And  in  the  mean- 
time he  played  small  hands,  investing  in  several  arid-lands 
reclamation  projects  and  keeping  his  eyes  open  for  the  big 
chance  when  it  should  come  along. 

And  then  he  met  John  Dowsett,  the  great  John  Dowsett. 


Hi 


124 


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^'^I^S\ltLr«1r  ^^^^^  -nnot  be  doubted. 

strong  at  Santa  Catalina  i^rj!  *  ^  *""*  ^^''e  "-"nninK 
Btead  of  returning  SlvtoTn  T'  *?  '^'  '^''^''^  «^ 
planned.  There  he  met  John  n  ^^'^"'^"^  »»  he  had 
several  days  i„  the  r^ddfe  of  "T"'  ^^^""^  ««  'or 
Dowsett  had  of  course  heard  of  f.,  ^«  "^^^^^^  ^p. 
King  and  his  rumoured  tSv  mm  • '^''*'""^'*'  Klondike 
found  himself  interested  h,,  .Y  ""'^"n"'  and  he  certainly 

ship  the  idea  must  bay7v^Z^^°f^,'V^r.''''^'^'''^''<'^- 

hrtaXJri^  ?rntHa"  «^^^ 

face,  ani  W^^JidSl  ""''¥'  ^^^  -*  ^^  to 
fandly  humannes^ab^ut  ^heir'^-  J^«'«  ^as  such  a 
craticness,  that  Daylight  foundTh'  T^  ^  f"^^'  ^emo- 
^as  the  John  Do/settpSei:;'f'^*°r?''-«  that  this 

^urance  manipulator,  reMaUvof^K'*'■;°«'  °^  ^^'^'' 
Standard  Oil,  and  kno^  »n      V  ?^  *^®  lieutenants  of 

Nor  dM  his  looks  beSh^reSuta^i*^"  G«ggenhammers 

Ph-sically,  he  guaranJL-^^  n  !i''°  ^""^  ^'»  manner, 
him.     Despilli/"f;^;**^«^^f"  *>*  daylight  knew  of 

Wshakewasfirm^lU^t;  ,°  ,'"T^^*«  '«^^'  his 
decrepitude,  walking  w7th  a  ou^VV       "'"'"""''  "°  ««««  "f 
all  movements  defiiltelv  anrlT  •  :  T^P^  «*«P'  making 
healthy  pink,  ^ni^'fCiTv'K   ^''  ^^°  ^as  f 
writhe  heartily  over  a  joke      ntWu  ^"''^  *•>«  ^ay  to 
palest  blue  ;  they  looked  out  ^f    """^  ^°^'*  ''^"^  «yes  of 
from  under  shaggy  grtybrol     T  ^"""^^  ^""^  lankly 
disciplined  andSwnd  u   w    ^'  """"^  '^^^^d  itself 
as  having  all  the  cert  fude  of  a  steeW  °^'  "'T^  ^^^^^^^^ 
who  knew  and  who  never  Too^fLu^\  "«  ^*«  a  man 
foohsh  frills  of  sentiment  onmnf'  ^^T'^dge  with 
accustomed  to  command  was  nattnt".'     ^^**   ^^  ^as 
gesture  tingled  with  p^weT     g^^K- '  ^""^  ^^^  ^^^^  and 
B^pathy  and   tact.^and'  D^yStloui?  ^^Tj;, 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  125 

enough  aU  the  earmarks  that  distinguished  him  from  a 
Lttle  man  of  the  Holdsworthy  calibre.     DaSt Zew 

he  had  descended,  his  own  war  record,  the  John  DoWt 
before  him  who  had  been  one  of  the  banking  bv^tresZo 

Sr  onlio  ttp^'^"''',  ^  Commodore  ifowset^oTthe 
/?u  \i  •  *r  Cfeneral  Dowsett  of  Revolutionary  fame 

eXtel'^Enid^"--"'  -"^  °^  '^^^  ^^^^^ 

nl,!^*'"  T  ^^^'^^^  *^"8'"  ^«  t°W  on«  of  Ws  fellow- 
Pacific"'  "I  jr'*''  ^^^  r°'^"s-'°°'"  °f  ^^e  xitl 

me  I  knel^&'  ^^"°^>  ^^f  «  genuine  surprise  to 
I^  «^i-  t  „  '?  "'^"^  ^"'^  *°  •'e  like  that,  but  I  had 
L7f  v""  '^^"^  ^''"^  '*■  He's  one  of  the  fellows  that 
does  thmgs.     You  can  see  it  sticking  out  all  ovm  him 

?LlTr,'V  -fr^""^-  *^*'^  '''^'sk  a  man  to  tie  t^- 
on  it  that  hZ  ^^^.f""  ^^  P'^'y'*'  ^°*»  y°"  <='*i  «tack 
on  It  that  he  plays  right  up  to  the  handle.     I  bet  he  can 

T^^LT  «  ^  \''r"  '"'■"'"^  ""J^""*  batting  an  e™- 

GaUon  pufied  at  his  cigar,  and  at  the  conclusion  of  the 

paneg,yric  regarded  the  other  curiously;  b^t  Daylght 

ordering  cocktads  failed  to  note  this  curious  stare^  ^     ' 

remarked^  ""  °"  '*"""  ^'^^'  ^  «"PI^«'"  «^"o° 

"Nope,  not  the  slightest  idea.-Here's  kindness      I 

was  ]U8t  explaining  that  I'd  come  to  understand  how  these 

big  fellows  do  big  things.     Why,  uye  know,  he  ga^re  m^ 

:£medft S."^  ""^^  ^^^^^*^'^^'  *^^*  '  -'  P'-^ 
"  I  guess  I  could  give  him  cards  and  spades  when  it 
comes  to  drmng  a  dog-team,  though,"  Dayhght  o Wed 
a  t^r  a  -ditative  pause.  "  And  I  really  beUeve  I  c^ld 
put  him  on  to  a  few  wrinkles  in  poker  and  placer  mh^l 
and  maybe  in  paddling  a  birch  canoe.  And  m^^i 
Tht'l-^/t;  ''^r*'^  *°  ^«*™  '^'  ^'^'^  he'f  been  ;&g 


CHAPTER  TT 

that  was  his.  a  callow  youth  of  ^f.  '^^"^'"bered  the  thrill 

Butte,  through  lack  oTaTuihL^Xmt:?'  '°  I^^^^ 
gambler,  had  said,  "Get  in  KW  f „t  t  "T'^^^' *^» 
thi-iU  was  his  now.  The  bald  'fvn  l^*""^-  ^^^ 
«eemed  gorged  with  4'.Ly  '' oTMr  ^^  ''"*"°''^^ 
rail  upon  you  at  your  hotel      H.  ,\  Y  I  T      ^°^^^on  mil 

our  talk."     Daylight  coZd  th^""!f  ''^*''  "'«  ^°^«  ^ 
That  was  it.     ThebleamelH  '?  "^"'^  ^"^^  °^er. 

had  been  furnishe/C,      ^os^   !r  t'"°*°l-''''^.  ^'^''^ 
know  any  more  tha,r^^^\^^  1      '*  ^^^  ^^  did  not 

with  its  Se:ous"g^i:^^^^^^^^  »*  ^^^^  ^^ou^e, 

was  already  there    and   «r„!f».  "^  '^'^°^-     Dowsett 

recognized  be£X  ttroductTon'was  f  °"  ^''^^S^* 
Nathaniel  Letton,  and  nonf^otC  ^.^^t\.^}  '^'^ 
his  face  a  score  of  timps  in  +1,^  ^  •  ^^"S'l*  I»ad  seen 
and  read  about  ir^^In^na  rfhTfi'' ^"^"^^^P^P^'-^- 
about  his  endowed  Srs!t;°ofDfrron:    T^'.l'^'' 

I^xoept  in  the  rn.t^r''^  !fZJ:^ror.T^J:t:t.        I 


1 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  127 

seemed  to  go  down  to  the  deepest  fibres  of  him - 
Nathamel  Letton  was  unlike  the  otC  in  ev^ry  particSw 
Thin  to  emaciation,  he  seemed  a  cold  flame  oCman  a 
man  of  a  mysterious,  chemio  sort  of  flame  who  und^;  » 

80  thin  was  the  face,  the  skin  of  which  was  a  Xstlv  duU 

i;T,       \^         Nathaniel  Lotton  possessed  control— Dav 
hght  could  see  that  plainly.     He  was  a  <hin  fl,  ^         f^ 
Uving  in  a  state  of  hi?h,  atinuatei::^-^^^^^^^^^^^ 
under  a  transcontinental  ice  sheet     And  vpJ   ,k1^      fi 

nre      jjaylight  had  the  feeling  that  a  healthy  man  n».th 

bChX'  *""'  *~"  ""^  •«••  '-^^.zl. 

long  since  learned  that  Martinis  had  ths  f  J^Li 
pointed  times  and  places.     Brhe  iLdTlaS'^anr 
bemg  a  natura  man,  he  chose  deliberately  to  Swheri 
h«b-.  Tv.^"  f^"^^'*-     Others  had  noticed  thtj^c^Har 
habit  of  his,  but  not  so  Dowsett  and  Letton    an^  Day 

eye  fVcXd^^^V  ^'V  "  ^^^^  «"-  wouldn't  ba^Tn 
rli  n  °/  *  8'^*^  °f  corrosive  sublimate  " 

^ndo^£r!ttTr\TTt '"'  '^'  "'''«*  °t'  *he  drink, 
auu  oraerea  bcotch.     Daylight  studied  him  curiously. 

~;Lnru°'  f!  g--\Guggenhamme"frml°;f^a 
wSh-^  iff^  '  f  ■  ^*  nevertheless  one  of  the  crowd  with 
which  fac  had  locked  grapples  in  the  North.    Nor  did  Z^on 


128 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


echoes  of  Ophir  oam^  down  S  °\''  '  P™«'«»«- ""  The 
say,  Mr.  Daylight^,  jT  H  •  1°"  ^'°'^-  ^^  I  •«•«* 
roindly  in  thaf  aff^'.'.  ^-  Harmsh,  that  you  whipped  us 

phS!!  •  ;i.Mfoore1r  tHr  *^;  ^'^-^  "^  ^''^ 
which  he  had  flung  auSs  strZf  h  ^^u"^  *•"«  ««*»*  «*» 
Klondike  miIlion<f  The  Gu Z^V"'*  ^''^  «*'«««th  of  his 
some  when  a  fight  of  that  ^^**'°'"*'''  ""^«  «»««*  go 
skirmish  of  wS  l^defZ7tor"  "2  """^^  *^'*«  « 
sure  play  an  almiVht,;  k-     ^  ^  ,*°  ^®^''  ^''i^oes.     "  Thev 

clusi,fn.  ^aocompZecf  b^f  a^r;/""".^^''^''  ^'^  ^«  -- 
was  just  preciseinhataUr/TP°°'*''^«''l**'°«  that  it 
about  to1,e  invi^d  to  X/Xj  To'r  Tv,"'^'''^  ^"  '^^^ 
poignantly  regretted  that  rumour  was  not  Jn.r'^ri^* 
his  eleven  miUions  were  nnf  ;„  ix  ,*'^'^' *"<*  *l»at 
Well,  that  much  he  wo^d  be  /L^'k^  '^i'^  "^«««- 
them  know  exactly  how  l^n  ^'^'^,''''°»t  =  he  would  let 
buy.  ^  h^"^  "^ny  stacks  of  chips  he  could 

mo^Tha'^nXtTrfLr  ^T«  ^'^'^  '-'■    ^ot  a  day 

sacks  under  SeJyetwt:;:mlr  '"'^.'^T''''^'^  P"« 
He.  too,  gave  the  imnTessLn  nf  ,  "^  ^^^^^^  ^«  *  ^oy's. 
the  pink  of  health  Us  unW«^-tT'''-  ^^  showed  in 
shouted  advertisleS  of  htSlTd  '.T^^-^-f ''^^  «^^° 
In  the  face  of  tharLrfeot  l^^'^K^^''^ 
mature,  rotund  pTun^h  could  h«  ^  ^^''^  ^^""^  """^ 
--^;.    He-^constiUroi%rt^,:i,ta^ 

4™Vhri^f;:ijrsi°  atr^^^^^  ^r «"«- 

mternational  yacht  race  andlT^  t-      *  ^^^  forthcoming 

yacht,  the  ^Lm  wCfrit  i°'^P"'"""'«*«^'^ 
antiquated.     Dowsrtt  hrl  '?''^nt  engmes  were  already 

occasional  reS  from  thfle^  P'""\"i'^«''  "^  -^ 
asked  questions.  vC^ver  th„  'r  *'"°.' ."'^ile  Daylight 
going  into  it  with  his  eves  oLn  P^S'^ri*""'  '^^^'  h«  was 
-th  the  practical  v^irofTh't  t^'hS^d^  ^^^^ 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  129 

hammer  .nterjeoted,  as  the  outlining  of  the  matter  drfw  to 

,  Jri^l^t'"^'-^""  understand,  Mr.  Hamish,  the  absolute 

Soi  waSjUY/'"''""^  '"  '''  '-^"  ^^'^^^^ 

Daylight  nodded  his  head. 

"  And  you  also  understand,"  Letton  went  on  "  thaf  tl,« 
re'-TiIt  can  only  be  productive  of  cood      Tvl  ?u'     •   ,    *  . 

b'^KSSone"  sTr-^L^r-*  Pl--     Thus  we  kiS 
"  V^f  ■  ^f /J*^  '*°°^-"  Daylight  broke  in  with  a  smile 

pointed  oT  Fh„  fl- ^      f  ^':"-     '^"'^  ^«  Mr.  Letton  has 
Steenth  ihl  /     .^  "  legitimate  and  square.     On  the 
eignteenth  the  directors  meet,  and    instead  nf  ti,^ 
tomary  dividend,  a  double  dividend  ^^fbe  dec  ared  »"" 

And  where  will  the  shorts  be  then  '"  lion Tn.;" 
hammer  cried  excitedly  '  °  ^^uggon- 

t^e  to  have  confidences  widTi?.^  Tn^tZS 


130 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


i>>wSrw.2dDaSgir'bitiTr,  t.^''"'  «*-*■■ 

you.  These  rumouw  mav  e™„  n°  °  *^*  *^«°'  ^"«hten 
oau  see  how  and  why  cTeariv  R?.?*"""*'  '^*''  ""■  You 
concern  of  yours  You  are  on  fj"*.™^°"'«  "»  to  be  no 
to  do  is  buy,  buy  buy  and  k  "^u^'  ^  y°»  have 
stroke,  when  theVrec^tors  d«n^^  ?.  ^7^"^  *°  *^»«  '"«* 
V-^^J.neyw.,..rsnhS^^^^^^^ 

Si  Ja^CtoT/k^^^^^^^^  ^.I'-.J.  pausing 

"u£«  v^^cot?dVL™„!:t  ^^^^^^^^ 

market  and  frighto^X  hofdeT  'In  J  ""'^''"T^  *»»« 
more  cheaply  in  such  fosWnn  «  ;^nd  we  could  do  it 
masters  of  the  situatLn^nH  "^  ""^  *^e  "bsoluto 

Ward  VaUey  oVS°g"„.Sr  Z  tw'"""'"  ^u  *'">' 
thropists,  but  that  we  need  fh„  ;i^°*  *h**  .'^e  are  philan- 
velopment scheme  Nnr,^^  ■  '"^ftors  in  our  big  de- 
-tio'L.  The  iZlnt^e  act^n  off h'T'^  '^  *^«  *'<»- 
known,  Ward  VaUey  wlU  rush  L»  'I^''*"'"  '^''°'°«« 

and  outside  the  leg'Se  Sd  of  rr""*^'  ^^  '''''"«°°- 
pinch  the  shorts  L  a  v  ^y  W  ^J^*''™  ^  ""  ^ 
incidenta  ,  you  understanH   =3   •  ■^"*  '^^t  is  only 

figures.     Here,  you  ^_T'        ^*  ""^  ^l*"^  you  the 


BURNING  DAYLIGHr  13, 

And  thereupon  he  entered  into  a  lone  teohni«Al    .„^ 

Ihe  whole  conference   asted  not  more  th«n  „,,  1, 

rank  with  the  Morgans  and  HarrimlnT'  And  Lt IhT 

M«.p.  th.  .ubtl,  11,11,™  „I  tt  for  ta  .S5  ""M  "' 

Jou».theiii,iHodolt.Mr  &nii,h     rZ,    *  u      ^"l 

-.ch.nes  stood  like  weird  night  mot&VXZ 


133 


BURNTNG  DAYLIGHT 


foot  of  the  wide  stairway  under  t»<»  nnlichted  «>r/^,>v.»j. 
It  was  a  dark  nieht  anH  fh«  i.„h«    "jiguioa  portt-coehire. 
as  Bharply  throuKh  the  blTrkf^^  °^  the  motor-oars  out 

through\^oIid  BuStato  '  ne'^UUturjr''  T 
automatic  genie  of  the  hoi  .hZTk  i??  lackey— the 
the  three  men-stood  likn  «  a^^  ^}<'^»>d  to  none  of 

oars  leaped  into  the  blackness,  iook  tZ  cui^^J'  ^ 
driveway,  and  were  gone.  °'  ">e 

Daylight's  car  was  the  last,  and  nofipino  «„*  k 
a  glimpse  of  the  unhghted  houi,^hi?*i  '  ^^  ^""8''* 
through  the  darkness  hko  a  ^ounta  J  ^T^  ^""^^^ 
he  wondered.  How  came  theT?o  u^it  ST  ^"^  '*  ' 
conference  ?  Would  the  lackey  telk?  Knl  K  ^''u * 
chauffeurs  ?  Were  they  trusted  men  liJe  ^'S^V*  "'^ 
Ho^son?  Mystery?  The  affair  was  al^ewithT  f^A 
hand  m  hand  with  mystery  walked  vZl7^\  ^^ 
back  and  inhaled  hi,,  cigarette  T„.r  "*  ^"^""^^ 
The  cards  were  shuffled 'frrhenS  a  mifhtrdLf  ^d 

Sthp-K^.-rrufc^tu^^ 

when  that  di^idLlwasSaTd.  hf chuckled  aTth*"'"*^ 
fusion  that  would  inevitably  descend  nnonth  ""I" 

tl^^J^ai^ned  shears  waitin^rSClit.'-^r^J 


CHAPTER  III 

found  *t\«'\^°'*'l'  ^''""^^  ."""'y  *^°  'n  '*>«  •""f'^og.  he 
found   the   reporters   waiting   to   interview  him.     Next 

^nZ!?  i   ^*  """^  '""'f ;    ^^  ^''^^^  ^■"*>  blare  of  paper 

beating  of   om-toms  and  wild  huUaballoo,  hi.  picturesqu 
figure  strode  acrosn  the  printed  «heet.     The  King  of  the 
Klondike,  the  hero  of  the  Arctic,  the  tliirty-million-doUar 
m.mo„a.re  of  the  North,  had  come  to  NeJ  York     Wh! 

frlmeH  T  t'  ■  ^°  ^""^  '^°  ^«^  Yorkers  as  heTd 
trimmed  the  Tonopah  crowd  in  Nevada  ?  Wall  Street 
had  be«t  wateh  out.  for  the  wild  man  of  Klondl  had  ^ 
Z?  Vr^;  O/;  P?^«'^'">'=«.  ^o"W  Wall  Street  trim 
tl?  i   ^      ^^'"^J:  ^""^  tnmmod  many  wild  men  ;  would 

mmself,  and  gave  out  ambiguous  interviews.  It  helped 
thegame,  and  he grmned again,  as  he  meditated  that  V^S 
Street  would  sure  have  to  go  some  before  it  trimmed 

buS^oTw^rr,?'^  1°'  ^™  ^  P'*^'  «'>^'  ^^^^  heavy 

he^fs    t^  "f ^  ''T'*'  "  ^'"^  ^"'^kly  decided  that 

hummed      H  °'^''^*,°;-     f  °^°"^'*'    So«sip    buzzed    and 

TWorvom  r"  "^'!',*^  Guggenhammers  once  more. 

until  even  n.?l!7^'  *°V  °^''  "^^^^^  ''«*1  sensationalized 
^rkt  *^^*'".D'*>}ght  scarcely  recognized  it.     Still,  it  was  all 

tooled  Each  day  he  increased  his  buying,  and  so  eacer 
were  the  sellers  that  Ward  Valley  rose^bu^t  slowly  '*?it 
sure  beats  poker,"  Daylight  whispered  gleefoUy  to  him- 

^1  *'  ^'  T*^'*  '^'  perturbation  he  wfs  causing  The 
newspapers  hazarded  nr..,nfU„o ,_a  _  "''"fS-     -^le 

IJayhght  was  constantly  dogged  by  a  small  battalion  of 
133 


134 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


exaggerated  these  p^oXritit«„f'"'«r"P^'"  ^  ^^^'^ 
phraseshehadhearrotSont.l'^"'''''  «^Pl°"i«g  the 
occasionaUy  a  new  one  of  k'o^'""'"  "^'  ''"<*  "^^'^'^ 

Tht:Ja?ti:SterrN'':'»T«*l'«-eekpreceding 
he  had  nevergaffid  beforfbu?^^  ""^  ^'  gambling^ 
biggest  table  in  thrworirifo"  ?t«''*'"''^''«  ^*  ^^^^ 
even  the  case-hardene7habitu&  of  tW  f^^  ^'^^  *^* 
veiled  to  sit  up     In  sr^t^^l^       l  *^**  **hle  were  com- 

Bistent  buying' comS°War7vT*"'^  '^"^'•«'  ^  P«'- 
andas  ThursdVa?Sched  I«  J'f  I  ""l^^^^  ^  ^' 
Something  had  to  smash  Wn  ''*"f '°?  became  acute, 
this  Kioiike  gambCting^rbr.^  "^^^^  ^^"^^  -« 
he  buy  ?     What  was  the  Ward  vLL  f  ^"^  '^'■^ 

this  time  '    DavliVfif  «  •  .   ,     "^  •"'"^^  doing  all 

them  that  apSed-in^C"'''**^  .'^Z  ^*«^^«^«  ^th 
non-comndtt^  SroXnT  '^«"«1'«"%  P'acid  and 
opinion  that  this  Northkudl^rT""'' '^T  ^^^^'^«<*  **»« 
making  a  mistake.  Butnottha^tt  '^g'^t  P°««bly  be 
explained.  Nor  did  thev  nh wV  l,r?-f  •*'  ^°^  ^°^«ett 
garding  his  intenOon!  Tf  orthinr^h'  "*  '^'  ^''^  ''- 
namely,  that  he  was  b^  Ward^!, u'^  T'^  "''^''^  ' 
not  mind  that.     No  matter  wWu^"    ^- they  did 

bis  spectacular  opfrat^^wSL^PP""''^  .1°  ^"^^""^ 
would  remain  allrightTs'  Zt^Jfu^V'''^  *"  "g^t.  and 
No  ;  they  had  no  Ward  v™!!.?  T  *^u  ^^  "*  Gibraltar, 
purely  fictitious  state  of  tie  mart .'""'  '^"^  y°"-  This 
pass,  and  Ward  VaUey  was  not  tnV"^'  ^"''f  '^^'^^y  *» 
the  even  tenor  of  ft"  waTbv  «nt  •  '"'*""*'*  *°  "'^^'^g^ 
flurry.  "  It  is  purely  g^fe~l-''°"'^  ^"^^^°«« 
were  Nathaniel  Letton's  words^-  "and  !f      f «  *°  «'"*'" 

-ything  to  do  with  it  o^t'uCLi-jtvtJ::; 

wifh"S%SnSlJS''S^;<^  ---'  --t  meetings 
With  .ohnVsel,  :nd  Zt^^Cur'^S^^^r^S 


even 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  135 

congratulations  they  reaUy  amounted  to  nothing  ;  for  as 
he  was  informed,  everything  was  going  satisfactorily. 
in™«  JT  7  ^°^^S  a  ™mour  that  was  disconcert- 

^^Z  sT^W  ^^  f  *  'Z^""'-  "  ^^'  *'«°  pubhshed  in  the 
Wcdl  Street  Journal,  and  it  was  to  the  effect,  on  apparently 
straight  inside  information,  that  on  Thursday  when  the 

Sd^nd  ^'"^"f  7'''7  '"^*'  instead  ofTfo^sSmS 
dividend  being  declared,  an  assessment  would  be  levied 

h^m  with  a  shock  that  if  th  ,  thing  were  so  he  was  a  broken 

Sf.„  nf  1?  f  °*'"f  *•■  '^"  *^^*  »'l  tl»i»  colossal  oper- 

ating of  his  was  being  done  on  his  own  money.  DowsVtt, 
Guggenhammer,  and  Letton  were  risking  nothing  It 
was  a  panic,  short-lived,  it  was  true,  but  sharp  enough 
while  It  lasted  to  make  him  remember  Holdsworthy  and 

n^lr^^^^'u'  ^''^  *.°  •'"P*'  ^'^  *o  cancel  all  buying 
orders  while  he  rushed  to  a  telephone 

I,«3°*^*^  in  it-only  a  rumour,"  came  Leon  Guggen- 
hammer s  throaty  voice  m  the  receiver.  "  As  you  know," 
said  Nathanie  Letton,  "I  am  one  of  the  direct<,rs,  and  I 
should  certei^y  be  aware  of  it  were  such  action  contem- 
plated. And  John  Dowsett:  "I  warned  you  against 
just  such  rumours.  There  is  not  an  iota  of  truth  il  it- 
certainly  not.  I  tell  you  on  my  honour  as  a  gentleman." 
Heartily  ashamed  of  himself  for  his  temporary  loss  of 
nerve,  Daylight  returned  to  his  task.  The  cessation  of 
buying  had  turned  the  Stock  Exchange  into  a  bedlam, 

W„i7^     '  **'!J'°**  °^  '^"^^  ^^^  ^^^''  ^er«  smashing 
TJ^ard  Valley,  as  the  apex,  received  the  brunt  of  the  shock, 

f  J^iu"  r""^  beginning  to  tumble.     Daylight  calmly 
doubled  his  buying  orders.     And  all  through  TuesdayTnd 

^Xlv^l'T^  ^^""''^^^  "'"^"S-  he  went  on  burying 
wMe  VVard  Valley  rose  triumphantly  higher.  Still  they 
old,  and  still  he  bought,  exceeding  his  poTver  to  buy  many 
of  rr.'"''r7*'!?.'^'^^"'y.  ™^  *^''«"  into  account.  ^  Wha^ 
rlir^H  I  "  *^'  ^y  ^^^  "^""^'^  ""^'dend  would  be  de- 
clared, he  assured  himself.  The  pinch  of  delivery  would 
te  on  the  shorts.    They  would  be  making  teris  with 


ii^ 


136 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


Wal'/vX'^  Sthe "r'*  ''""'''■  ^™«  *o  *he  rumour 
Ws  arms.  hIZm  ZT'^T  P^^^^^'  *hrew  Sp 
Ward  Valley,  but  al?  It'T'^  ''"''  .^'""*-  Not  alone 
down  by  the  tnumphant  iS^'f  were  being  hammered 
Daylight  did  not  even  tronWet  .  ^v  "^^'^  Galley, 
bottom  or  was  still  tumbSj^'^ot  stun^'J*  ^'  '''''^^ 
wildered,  while  Wall  Str<.<>f         .      stunned,  not  even  be- 

with  his  brokers,  he  proceel;]  ff^     ?  '''V'^  conference 
picking  up  the  e;ening7a 't    *h    f  ^°**'^'  <"'  ^^^^  ^^y 

lines.   B Wing  SII^Tght  pf  Sl,^*  *^«  ^>«*d- 

read  ;  DAYLIGHT  GFT^  mo  <^^f  ^^ED  OUT,  he 
ERNER  FAILS  TO  FIND  EiW'TnS^  ^^^T- 
entered  his  hotel,  a  later  edi^onf  MONEY  As  he 
a  young  man.  a  lamb  who  hid  fo^""^??  *he  suicide  of 
What  in  hell  did  he  want  ^  tint  .^°"°f «d  Daylight's  play, 
muttered  comment       '        "  himself  for  ?  was  Dayhght's 

too^o&sh^sra^dSZrf.^^'*^*- ''-'^^11. 
iour  he  roused  hiClf  to  takTthe  d^^t"  ^^'  ^*"  '^^ 
the  liquor  pass  warming W  through  hf'!!^:.  ^"?  **  ^«  ^^1* 
relaxed  into  a  slow,  de/berate  w  ^°'*'^''  ^  ^^^^^es 

laughing  at  himself  ''^^*'"'**^'  ^^^  genuine  grin.    He  was 

Th^nTr"*'  ?'^i°'^  •'"  *>«  "nuttered. 
serit  tf^g'SSr^^^  ^r  «--  '"-1^  -nd 
reclamation  P^fcts  (wM  fC*VAf^'  ''"^''''  W^«*«™ 
he  was  a  ruined  mal  Bnt  Za  ^-  "^^^  heavily), 
pride.  He  had  Cn  so  eas^  Thf  ^/  **"«  ^"^  ^' 
him,  and  he  had  nothing  T^i,  ^^  ^^'^  gold-bricked 
farmer  would  have  hS  "^  ^""^  '*•     ^he  simplest 

but  a  gentlemanlagrlmeTr„H'  '''^'J''  ^adbotCg 
Oentleman's  agreement  Tn^l'  .J*  ^^'^''^  <"»»  at  that 
sett's  voice,  fut  as  ^e  ^dT'^^T''''  J°hn  Dow: 
receiver,  sounded  in  his  earsl'^/'."'  ^^"^  telephone 
a  gentleman."  They  were  ir/.'^^'  ^^^Vhonluras 
that  was  what  they  wTre  andt,;  'T^  ^"'^  swindlers, 
double-cross.     XheUSp:-^^^  g^- J^^^^^^ 


BT7RNING  DAYLIGHT  137 

to  New  York  to  be  trimmed,  and  Messrs.  Dowsett  Letton 
and  Guggenhammer  had  done  it.  He  was  Tlittlf  fi^?' 
and  they  had  played  with  him  ten  dL-ampfe  tfmf  fn 

ro^hi'^itlX^Cd  VaTv^bS;"  *'^  ''^'-  ''^^ 
^arket  ^d  iCl  ^S^itbi^.V^t^VhTsKo? 

wWt'  u  ^^\  ^^^  ^^^'l  Dowsett  would  do  with  his 
whac^ was  beyond  him-most  likely  start  anotheTst^ 

And  Daylight  sat  and  consumed  cocktails  and  saw  back 
9XSirr:^---e^n^.^ 

£^sr^Sdt-s^^i-«^^^^ 

Ws  Brio  and^i  *^!  i"""  ^^"'^"g-     Daylight  unlocked 
nw  gr^  and  f«ok  out  his  automatic  pistol-a  big  Colt's 

oSrat^l  tbrr^.*''"  'f**?  '^"^^  ^^^  ^  thuml  and! 
operatmg  the  sliding  outer  barrel,  ran  the  contents  of  the 

chp  through  the  mechanism.     The  eight  carSes  slid 

Lto'V«  t*r't   "^^  'I^^'^  '^  cUp,\hrew  a  cartridge 
mto  the  chamber    and,  with  the  trigger  at  full  c^k 

men,  the  lean-dragged  days  of  famine,  the  long  months  of 
stinging  hell  among  the  mosquitoes  of  the  KoyS  the 
tod  of  pick  and  shovel,  the  se^rs  and  marsScfitran 
and  tump-hne,  the  straight  meat  diet  with  Kogs  and 


138 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


wt*  *1?  "'"'^^  ^^  arose  and  pored  over  the  city  direc- 
mto  tie  night.    Twice  he  changed  cabs    and  finally 

^^^''W^t  "^8*^*  "ffl''^  °f  a  detective  agency  He 
supe'intended  the  thing  himself,  laid  down  money  1^ 

^iTr  "\P'°f»««  quantities,  selected  thrsiTmen  h^ 
needed,  and  gave  them  their  instructions.  Never  for  so 
simple  a  task,  had  they  been  so  weU  paid  •  for  te  each  tn 

ff  Sh'Th"®"  ''^^^^'  ^«  ^''^^  aVelhSe'doC 
timL?   .  ^   Pu"™"^  '"  *°°*'^«"-  "  *»«  succeeded.    Som, 

s^s^z:rss;."^:r^i;nd 

Sflfetrd^r:.'^""'^^'^-     ^^--^Pla'^al 

"I'S  W^^J^^i  ^°y'''  ^'"■^  *^^  fi^al  instructions. 

1  must  have  this  mformation.     Whatever  you  do  whaT 

ever  happens,  I'll  sure  see  you  through  "     ^  '     ^^ 

upto  ~^  *^^,'^°^,''  ^«  "^"g^'i  -bs  as  before,  went 
wL+  rl  °.     ' ,  °^  "^'^^  °°«  »"°'"e  cocktail  for  a  nishtcan 
went  to  bed  and  to  sleep.     In  the  morning  he  cbesid  and 
shaved,  ordered  breakfast  and  the  newspa^r^  Zt  ud 
and  waited^    But  he  did  not  drir-.     By  S  o'cTock  his 

SS^l  te  *°  ""^'^^'^  *-  -eP^rts  to  come  S 
Wathamel  Letton  was  taking  tL.  ,rain  at  Tarrytown 
John  Dowsett  was  coming  down  by  the  subway.  lTh 
Guggenhammer  had  not  stirred  out  yet,  though  he  was 
cT ?nf  ^  T^h  .'^''^  '^"^  f^«hi°«  -ith  a  map  of  21 
mSw  bl?.*  '''^°'''  him  Daylight  followed  the  move: 
ments  of  his  three  men  as  they  drew  together.    Nathaniel 

SarXd^P  ^  ""T  '°  tl'^MatuallolanderSdSg' 
o^  nffi  Guggenhammer.     Dowsett  was  stiU  in  his 

^arSv^d  and    "'  'V'"  '"^"^  '""^  ""'^  that  he  ako 
bf™^^  !  '  ^^'^^  "™"*««  'ater  DayJi^rht  was  in  a 

bred_motor-car  and  speeding  for  the  Mutual-SoWer 


CHAPTER  IV 

Nathaniel  Letton  was  talking  when  the  door  opened ; 
he  ceased,  and  with  his  two  companions  gazed  with  con- 
trolled perturbation  at  Burning  Daylight  striding  into  the 
room.  The  free,  swinging  movements  of  the  trail-traveller 
were  unconsciously  exaggerated  in  that  stride  of  his.  In 
truth,  it  seemed  to  him  that  he  felt  the  trail  beneath  his 
feet. 

"Howdy,  gentlemen,  howdy,"  he  remarked,  ignoring 
the  unnatural  calm  with  which  they  greeted  his  entrance. 
He  shook  hands  with  them  in  turn,  striding  from  one  to 
another  and  gripping  their  hands  so  heartily  that 
Nathaniel  Letton  could  not  forbear  to  wince.  Daylight 
flung  himself  into  a  massive  chair  and  sprawled  lazily, 
with  an  appearance  of  fatigue.  The  leather  grip  he  had 
brought  into  the  room  he  dropped  carelessly  beside  him 
on  the  floor. 

"  Goddle  mighty,  but  I've  sure  been  going  some,"  he 
sighed.  "  We  sure  trimmed  them  beautiful.  It  was  real 
shck.  And  the  beauty  of  the  play  never  dawned  on 
me  till  the  very  end.  It  was  pure  and  simple  knock 
down  and  drag  out.  And  the  way  they  fell  for  it  was 
amazin'." 

The  geniality  in  his  lazy  Western  drawl  reassured  them. 
He  was  nut  so  formidable,  after  all.  Despite  the  fact  that 
ho  had  effected  an  entrance  in  the  face  of  Letton's  in- 
structions to  the  outer  office,  he  showed  no  indication  of 
making  a  scene  or  playing  rough. 

"  Well,"  Daylight  demanded  good-humouredly,  "  ain't 
you-all  got  a  good  word  for  your  pardner  ?  Or  has  his 
sure  enough  brilliance  plumb  dazzled  you-all  ?" 

LottOil  made  a  dry  sound  in  his  iluoat.  Dowsett  sat 
139 


140 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


quietly  and  waited,  while  Leon  n„„„    i. 

into  articulation  Goggenhammer  struggled 

dreamed  they  would  beZt^a^y^"^  '"'P'^^"    '  '«^«' 

growaw\r^;'.^;;7z^"i^-°*  ^^,T""«  *^«  !»»««  *<> 
I'm  pnllin'  West  tZ  *,  ™8'**  *«  ^ell  have  an  acoountinir 
(^nt^ur-  nTtu^ed  alSri?  ^l^^'^'^-^d  TwenS 
into  if,  with  both^-s  han^  ^"^b^°*  !,*  "r,"  "^"^  ^^^^ 
when  you-all  want  me  to  hornswoSe  wTu  St'^^ '  'T ' 

o4ueS;rdr.:;rrSp;  ^-z^Tf  ^*"''«' 

in  a  heap  on  the  big  table  7„^^- '  •    ™**  *■*  deposited 
read  aloud  :~    ^  ^  '        "^  ^"""^  ^'^  °oat  pocket,  and 

Of  course,  that-IKken  frl^L^^'""  "^  f  ^  «P«n«««- 
get  to  figurin'  on  the  w^ck-un  tT^^"  ^^°'^  ^«-«U 
It  must  a.  been  a  God-Hr^hTy  b^Zn-^'   '^'^^  ' 

anir^^Sern'r^al^   ^/r^-*  at  one 

imagined,  or  else  heCnlLnf!*''  *°°'  1^^"  '^^y  ^ad 
not  divine  ^'^^''^  a  game  which  the/could 

full  account.^g%rL^3/^\Mr- Harni^.  before  the 
upon  it  now.     We-ah-TT'  Howison  is  at  work 

ing  clean-up.  Suppose^e  L  T'  'u'"''^  ^^'^  ^  g^^tify- 
it  over.  Til  have  the?Wt=  1  ^T^  *°««*^«'-  ^nd  talk 
«o  that  you  wiU  have  atn^  «:ork  through  the  noon  hour! 
Dowsett  and  oZeS '""'  ^  "^"^^  y""  train."  ' 
was  almost  obviot^-S:=-S-d^^^^^^^ 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


141 


disconcerting,  under  the  circumstances,  to  be  pent  in  the 
same  room  with  this  heavy-musoled,  Indian-like  man 
whom  they  had  robbed.  They  remembered  unpleasantly 
the  many  stories  of  his  strength  and  recklessness.  If 
Letton  could  only  put  him  off  long  enough  for  them  to 
escape  mto  the  policed  world  outside  the  office  door,  aU 
would  be  weU  ;  and  Daylight  showed  all  the  signs  of  beine 
put  oflF.  * 

"  I'm  real  glad  to  hear  that,"  he  said.  "  I  don't  want 
to  miss  that  train,  and  you-all  have  done  me  proud  gen- 
tlemen, letting  me  in  on  this  deal.  I  just  do  appreciate 
It  without  being  able  to  express  my  feelings.  But  I  am 
sure  almighty  curious,  and  I'd  like  terrible  to  know,  Mr 
Letton,  what  your  figures  of  our  winning  is.  Can  you-ali 
give  me  a  rough  estimate  ?" 

Nathaniel  Letton  did  not  look  appealingly  at  his  two 
friends,  but  m  the  brief  pause  they  felt  that  appeal  pass 
out  from  him.  Dowsett,  of  sterner  mould  than  the  otlSTs, 
began  to  divine  that  the  Klondiker  was  playing.  But  the 
other  two  were  still  under  the  blandishment  ofi  his  child- 
like innocence. 

"  It  is  extremely— «r— difficult,"  Leon  Guggenhammer 

began.       You  see.  Ward  VaUey  has  fluctuated,  so,  er " 

"  That  no  estimate  can  possibly  be  made  in  advance  " 
Letton  supplemented.  ' 

"  Approximate  it,  approximate  it,"  Daylight  counselled 
cheerfuUy.  "  It  don't  hurt  if  you-aU  are  a  million  or  so 
out  one  side  or  the  other.  The  figures  'U  straighten  that 
up.  But  I'm  that  curious  I'm  just  itching  all  over  What 
d'ye  say  ?" 

"  Why  continue  to  play  at  cross  purposes  ?"  Dowsett 
demanded  abruptly  and  coldly.  "  Let  us  have  the  ex- 
planation here  and  now.  Mr.  Harnish  is  labouring  under 
a  false  impression,  and  he  should  be  set  straight  In  this 
deal " 

But  Daylight  interrupted.  He  had  played  too  much 
poker  to  be  unaware  or  unappreciative  of  the  psychological 
factor,  and  he  headed  Dowsett  off  in  order  to  nlav  the 
denouement  of  the  present  game  in  his  own  way.'    " 


f, 


"2  BURNING  DAYLIGHT 

»U  would caU  a squawgame  t^^'  ,f*  '"* "  *  what  you- 
Wt  in.  But  they  wmI  ten^^^^T*"' '''"'  t'^-horBs  that 
are  caUed  out  t^e^^  H^Snt^Lf-^ri°"«  '^^y'^^ 
sees  that  same  dealer  give  wSt,,^^*^  **"«  dealer  and 
of  the  deck.  The  tefdlrfT^-  "'  *"**  °*f«n  the  bottom 
around  to  the  playeSl^^L''/"^  *''°<'^'«d.    He  sS 

"  'Say,'  he  whi  Tse^th«  7  fT  '^'  **»"«■ 
aces."  ^    '    *  *®®'»t'»e  dealer  deal  hisself  four 

.'.'  .'S!";  "^'.^^^''t  °f  it  ?•  says  the  player 
ought't?  a  -^^aS^rer^T"'^^*^^^^^^  you-al. 
«e^n  Wm  dealIiss:Ktlcr'"'°°*-     ' '  *«"  WU  I 

outa  £:  ""w'dlT„^  P>''  'yo"-**"  "d  better  get 
deal,  ain't  it  ^-       '**'"  *  understand  the  game.    It',  L 

^^^rffB^graj^atdtoTr  ^""''--^ 

^aidX^S^  ^  --=-ri^u^:.^^Bo^tt 

J<lre  away,"  he  sairl      «  n-         "^°- 
our  winning.  "^ As  I  sl'd  befoS  a  ^n"  *PP'°^''»«tion  of 
the  other  won't  matter  it'fbonn^  ?^°°  °"*  ""^  ^"7  or 
big  winning. "  '  '*  ^  ''"'^^  to  be  such  an  almighty 

setfL^ftaS,  ^nd'SsTr:? r '^  '^  *»"«  '^''^^'^  Dow- 
^  "  I  fear  you  kre  und^r  a  ZI        f  "'"P*  '"''^  ''^finite 
There  are-'no  wim^  toTST'"?!*^^"  H«™'«t- 
don't  get  excited,  I  be?of  yj^  ^P^f  Tf  y°"-    Now 
button  ..."  **  °'  y°"-    I  bave  but  to  press  this 

^tnZT'^^'i^A^^y^Sht  had  all  the  seeming  of  bein. 
%bt.d  it,  a^d'SctS^tSer/^''^^*^  "^^^^^ 
^ee  men  wat<,hed  Mm  wM  the  tf  "V'^*''^**^-    The 
Now  that  it  had  come  th^ykS w^W  ^I'^T'  "^  ''^ts. 
few  minutes  before  them  ^*  ^^^^  h»<i  a  nasty 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


143 


aU 


said  "Zms  S"iTr^.^*  °^f' ."«•-  '•■  Daylight 
You-aU  ^  r  «°*  '*  ^'^^  ^^^-Wy  right. 

utSLn^  "'*'  P"'^"'  ^^P^^^-^^y  ""^  Nathaniel  Letton'., 

nia'h'tSJ^LW'vn.^'  "  "Apprehension.  Mr.  Har- 
you  'have  Zn  luvrd  It  'bJTT^^  ^^ '>■  -^^ 
-^I,nor  .,  asaociaS  ^2?^^^  o^r^tj: 

the'^Sf  P"'"**'  ''^  *^«  ^-P  °f  -eipts  and  stubs  on 

and  SytoSta*:SS°°  n?*^---  thousand 
A^n'tit  JoodforrnyL"4'*hr^^^^^^  ^^"*^'  ''"'^  «-h. 
I^tton  smiled  and  shrugged  his  shoulders 
Dayhght  looked  at  DowTett  and  murmured  - 

aU  right,  you%  and  dole  them  St  too   Xl^'  ^'^^ 

you  done  it-olJaned  me  out  ffwnfSle'^?*-    ^^ 
fs^Zr^  "'  '""^  ^-P  -  '^^  t-hle  with  antr  of  stupe- 

that  squeals  on  anX  L^^Cell  Td'"  *  ^If  \'^ 
defi^er-V"^  *^  ^^^  ^  ^  ttX^S^d^S 

apSpfifttstttr^^^^-p-^^^^ 

mydtl'aX&oit^t^'ift'^  ^^^^^    Now  it's 
aces 1"  ^"""S  to  see  If  I  can  hold  them  four 


"*  BT7RNING  DAYLIGHT 

father  was  a  waterTLCVnH*       °^  '"  ^^°^  y^^ 

per;  and  you-aU,  Dow^U  tft  riff,."*"'  «"K««nham- 

irreevantly  explain^hTvirtues  of  th?  T'  ^^'^  ^  J"** 
She's  loaded  for  big  came  In^  t   ^^  '**'"*  automatic. 

She's  a  sure  hummfrKshfgetsSf  *'«'^*  «"«'''■ 

deal.    You  done  your  darnde«^  .*  no  remarks  about  your 
this  is  my  deal,  aJd  iffup  t te  ^  Ho"''  f  "«''*•    ^"* 
the  first  place,  you-all  k^ow  C    I'l  «^  ''.'*™'*««*-    I" 
-*»vvee  ?     Ain't  afrai^?Ld  devil^f  T"^  ^""^^^^^ 
tion.    Them's  my  four  ^oeatTjh       ***"'  "°'"  ''««*•■"<'- 
bets.     Look  at  that  there  hvin«ske&"?  '.?^'  y""' 
sure  afraid  to  die      Vm.r  I    ^     •      °"-     I^tton,  you're 
you're  that  scared     A^d  look  aTtha.  ?'l  ?""''8  *<'^*her 
httle  weapon's  sure  pt?  the  fear  oK^"    ^  i^"''"-     ^his 
yellow  as  a  sick  persimmon     n„      ..  "^  ^^  ^«*rt-    He's 
^u-all  ain't  baCreye  n^r7urnlJ"'"'r  ?  "°°' °"«- 
because  you're  crpaf  ^„       -il.     *"™ed  a  ha  r.     That's 
you-all  dead  ea,y  to  tWs  Z^'^f^-    ^^  '^^  ""akes 
there  and  addingCa^  two  o°/.f°'-    ^"""''^  «"C 
I  sure  got  you  siinned  "  yIu  Sw  l';  ""V"."'""  ^°- 

aldtl-rjn'tXra^^ 
th''»-^^i^SH'^"' 

-^E-^feai/Kl-S^-^^s:: 

to  the  law's  de]ayTVaZe°r;n''^'^J"'^«^»l'i««* 
growing  out  of  your  carTItl;  ""^  ^^'"^'  '«^th  grass 

hang,  but  I'll  suHl^e   he  ^  ksC  aT'*  ^°"  "'^'''  ^ 
mg  you-all  beat  me  to  it  "  ^  *  *°'«  *'*"«  °f  know- 

DayLght  paused. 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


14S 


Letton  asked  in  a 


"  You  surely  wouldn't  kiU  us  » 
queer,  thin  voice. 
Daylight  shook  his  head. 

.ooifhr.TchKS-  Zd^i-triraK*- ''' 
«'a  lo-icitd-  ^  *^«  =--"  °°"^' 

But^i^ruvlTeutr^tinJ*'?  ^a.^oT^e"  *"  ^It^" 

start  plugging^  T^e/S^ff  fctt'^h"  '  '"'*' 

except  feet  first."  ^     °"*  *™  ""oom 

A  long  session  of  three  hours  followed     Tl,«  ^    -j- 

sifDist^^furirLrf'^^ 

men  convinced  ot  this  bit  n^  I  t.T'^*'^  *^«  *^»^«« 
vinced.  He  was  flr^  LsolS' t^^'Liwr"  ^^.T' 
money  was  not  forthcomincr  Tf  „  .  ^^^  "^^^  '^  *^« 
on  the  spur  of  the  mom?n?V  -^'Z"*  *"  ^^'^  "tatter, 
currency^  and  the^  w«r«'       'T  *^°  "^"""^  ^  P^Per 

times  d;.  ii^'ranT  LralTrk'w  ^"  ^  '°^^'' 
into  the  room  On  thZ,no,.-  Ju *  .'^*'"®  «"mmoned 
light's  lap,  Covered  carels.^  f  h""'  '^^  ^^'°^  '"^  ""  ^ay- 
wls  usually  e~d  in  rnn-*  ''^  \  ".«^«Paper,  while  he 
cigarettes.^  bT  in  th"  end  1"'  ^^^'"^  ^'  brown-paper 
A  suit-case  was  brought  ,?n'».  ^  T"  ^•'''"mplish^. 
waiting  motor-car  and  nfJ'^u?^  °^  ^'^^/'^^  from  the 
last  package  of  bnisH?^^^  '"^PP**^  "  ^'i"*  "«  the 
final  remarks  ^'  P"*"*^  **  ^''^  ^oor  to  make  his 

Wh^n^ge^Srirdto"^^^^^^^^^ 

money's  mine.  Zl^t  rl^^ yT:^']]^?  1  f  ^^ 
irk^g^ifTher^^  ?r  --  -^  hoJil^yt 

almighty  b  g Taueh      V.     T  ^°"'  ^°^  '''"  «"«  ^e  an 
p.-.X    \    °  laugn.      iou-all  can't  affoH  *},„<.   i.„„,, 

B..des,  havu,g  got  ba.k  my  stake  that  yo;:alSbed  ^ 

10 


U9 


BURNING  DATUGHT 


fra.d-cat  »brim^  Uke  you  aud^i^  *n*  ^°"-  ^o  little 
If  you  Win  you  W  and  the!.^,*"  tlP"'^''*  ^^'^'iKht. 
expected  funerab  around  iCbura  ^  '""n*  ««veral  un- 
ey«,  and  you-all  'U  saX  I  ^in*K    ■^"'"  ''"'''  "•«= '"  the 

It     I  Wl  yon  I  ,„„•,. St"  ^'"''     '  ■"•'''  •'•■Hi 

hammer  he  found  an  akxiou/X'  '"  ^°"  °"8««''- 

And  nothing  ever  came  of  it     Th=  *i,- 
«fcret  with  the  three  men.    Nor  did  nl^r\r""*^«'*  " 
the  secret  away   though  tLt    ,1         ^^yhght  ever  eive 

his  state-room';;*£«J^,tlfh  ™r'  'T°«  ''^^^ 
and  feet  on  a  chair,  he  ohI.oki«H  i  ^*°'"7'  ^  shoes  off, 

York  remained  fo     v,t  puzzted  ov- .K ''^  «'"*"y-     ^ew 
It  hit  upon  a  rational  ox,  anff-    "'^^^ ''"e  affair  ;  nor  could 

Daybgh^sho^ftry^gttZ'  yefif  "«i^'  ^"™^« 
he  immediately  reappear™  in  Sa/FrlJ*^  '^'"^  *^^ 
an  apparently  uninZ^red  caoital  ^™P<"^°  possessir.^ 
by  the  magnitude  of  tlJenterShJ  "^I  evidenced 
for  instance,  Panama  MaU  hi!    ^  ^'"gaged  in,  such  as 

fighting  po;er  wr^tlW  ;h/:oZ„r'«''*  1  '""'^^^  «^d 
and  seUing  out  in  two  ISL  to  the  S  ^'°'"  ^^"^"^ 
at  a  rumoured  enormous  adrnce.        ■"*"""'"'  '"te'ests 


CHAPTER  V 

-ri'^^n'^^nV^^ilft'*  ''"•^^  to  h.'a 

Men  were  afraid  of  him     Hetecal  r*'''^  reputation, 
ft  fiend,  a  tiger.    His  nlav  w«!  T^-^   ^""^  »«  »  %hter, 
and  no  oneUw  wherever  how  hK^M  "^'"^^  ""^ 
The  element  of  surprise  was  Tar^e     He  i^l^J'"'''  '"" 
unexpected,  and,  fresh  from  7»f*     -.P.r ''*"'«'*  <»»  the 
not  Operating  to  stereot^^*''!  ""''1  ^°'^^'  Ws  mind 

«nusu^degr^todevrnr?ri£rdl'^  ""^  »•"«  - 
once  he  won  the  advantaw   hi  f.        f<>-atagem8.    And 

"As  relentless  as  a^d  Indian  '^7'' •!!  remorselessly, 
was  said  truly  ^°  ^naian,    was  said  of  him,  and  it 

wo?d"rs  :?g;,Kib?ndt7°.H^^  ?«'"-■■'  Hi. 
that  he  accep^dnobod/s  word  He.r  ^''^'^  '^'  ^^o* 
positions  based  on  genlLZTnnr.  7"^  *^'«<^  "'  P'o- 
ventured  his  honour  asT  InH^''"'*' '''^'^ "»  °»»°  ^ho 

Daylight,  inevitably  w^  treated  t^'"'  '"  f'^^^«  ^^^^^ 
Daylight  never  gave  Ws  own  Ir^ '*"  .""P'****"*  time. 

.s-x '' '-  --  -r  tS  rcfir^4« 

It^eph^ril^*":- 51^^^^^^^^^  ^^^'f  fs  play, 
was  the  gambling  side  of  business  tw  f  '"'"*  "^  ™''-  I* 
to  play  in  his  slashing  manZr-  T'"'''*'^ '^•».  and 
must  be  ready  to  S  It  l.^""""'*  •*''**  ^  """"ey 
short  interval^  for  he  was  prinoL'ir"'  '^^  "P  «»^«  ^o^ 
It  over  and  over,  r.idilg  here  th^^  '""^f^^'^  '"  timing 
veritable  pirate  of  the  infnll  ^'  ''"'*  everywhere,  a 
safe  investment  had  no  attrflr  "^J''-  .^  fi^«-per-cent. 
millions  in  a  sharp  Lrht^^°  ^°'  ^™  '  *'"tto  risk 
narp.  h^r^h  „k..mish,  standing  to  lose  every- 


148 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


oSe  to  hZ^  ^W^  °?  ^"/'^^'^  P«'  "^''t'  ^^  the  savour 
^I^  K  .  u  ■ ,  He  played  according  to  the  ruleB  of  the 
game,  but  he  played  mercilessly.  When  he  g™a  man  or 
a  corporation  down,  and  they  squealed,  he  gouged  no  kss 
hard.  Appeals  for  financial  mercy  fell  on  deaf  ears  H« 
was  a  free  lance,  and  had  no  friendly  business  a  sodatioS 
•Such  alliances  as  were  formed  from  tiniB  "™?"*^'°'"- 
purely  affairs  of  expediency'lJd  hTreSed  h  aUieTL' 
^fifir^u'*  «^'  ^™  *he  double-cfoss  or  ruin  hfm  U 

The  business  men  and  financiers  of  th^  p/  ■« 
never  forgot  the  lesson  of  CharlerfflSkSr  and  th«rT 

wen  over  to  the  enemy  in  the  thick  of  the  pitcted  ba^a^' 
Daylight  lost  three  millions  before  he  was  done  ^tht 

Smont  TruTp  ^'"''  ^^'^  '*  *»«  '^^  '^'  CaliforZ  and 
Altamont  Trust  Company  hopelessly  wrecked,  and  Charles 
Klmkner  a  suicide  in  a  felon's  ceU  ^Not  only  dtd  Davh^ht 
lose  his  grip  on  San  Jos6  Interurban.  but  in  the  crash  of  hk 
battle  front  he  lost  heavily  all  alone  the  ifneTf 
conceded  by  those  competent  to  judgf  that  ^Tcould  hTve 

tit  iustXy  T"  '"  •"^"'^^-^"y  -"nd  institution  but 
«iat  just  then  it  was  m  a  precarious  condition  due  to 
Klinkner's  speculations  with  its  money.  He  kLew  als!^ 
that  m  a  few  months  the  Trust  Company  wouW  bimore 
firmly  on  its  feet  than  ever,  thanks  to  tho^.e  same  s^Z 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  149 

Sateiv '"^' *n-!  '•  *?  T:  *°  "1"^"  '^^  """«*  strike  imme- 
diately.       It  8  just  that  much  money  in  oockflt  «.t,^  . 

tion  with  his  heaw  losses      "  Tf »  inct  „ i_  •     ""''"^ 

mltttt'ntS;^"^  ^^-«  '^^y  '^y  to^oubio^s: 

The  reason  for  his  savageness  was  that  he  desoised  thn 

men  with  whom  he  played.     He  had  a  conviclon  that 

andTC.^  ^""•^'"'^  °^  *•""»  ^^'  intrinsically  square 
and  as  for  the  square  ones,  he  prophesied  that,  playing  in 
a  crooked  game,  they  were  sure  to  lose  and  in  the  lonefun 

He  t'nr  '..  "^'^ ^'Z  ^^"^  «^P«"«»''«  ^ad  opened  SJe" 
He  tore  the  veils  of  illusion  from  the  busiiWss  game  and 
saw  Its  nakedness.  He  generalized  upon  induXv  and 
society  somewhat  as  follows  :—  Juausiry  and 

Society,  as  organized,  was  a  vast  bunco  game.  There 
were  n.My  hereditary  inefficients-men  and  women  who 
were  n,  .  weak  enough  to  be  confined  in  feeble-Snded 
homes  but  who  were  not  strong  enough  to  be  augTt  else 
t^an  hewers  of  wood  and  drawers  of  water.     Then  there 

r4?v  hi   "'•  ''*'°i°°^  '^'  ""'^^"^'^  bunco  gar^e  serf! 
ZYh  *"?°'"">\*°d  respecting  it.     They  were  Lsy  game 

for  whaS  wr'°  ^'"^  °'«-'^  -<i  ^-  tl^e  bunco'S 
Work,  legi'imate  work,  was  the  source  of  all  wealth 
That  was  to  say,  whether  it  was  a  sack  of  potaToes   a 
grand  piano,  or  a  seven-passenger  touring  car   it  ««;„« 
into  De.„g  only  by  the  per^formance  of  wo°l.  "Vhere  th^ 
bunco  came  m  was  in  the  distribution  of  these  things  Ifter 
labour  had  created  them.     He  failed  to  see  the tt- 
automnhT'  V""^  ."°J°^^°S  S^^nd  ^i^^o.  or  ridinj  fn 
Dunco.     ±!y  tens  of  thousands  and  hundreds  of  thn„Lr,A 
men  sat  up  nights  and  schemed  1™'™^^?^ 
twean  the  workers  and  the  things  the  Srs  pr.fdtS" 
These  schemers  were  the  business  r  en.     When  thevsot 

outlflt  f  '"^r^'^T  ""'^  '^'^  P^duct,  they  took  fll^l 
out  of  It  for  themselves.     The  .i.^  of  the  whack  was  deter 


150 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


can  bear."    He  saw  aU  .e^  in  rb^inesf  gltSg 

Jones,  the  elev^or  bov       Cl      "  '"">^f'«*'«on  with 
headed,  man-grow^  truful«nffl       T  "  .^^nder,  mop- 

cation,  and  he  had  3^^*     his  own  aggressive  olassifi- 

turning  Ws  wood  into  charcoal  Hk  ff-  5''"^ ''^ 
satisfactory.  But  the  railmJ^  i  ^'^^  estimates  were 
issued  a  rate  of  f ortv  two  H^f  °  "^^^  estimates.  It 
thfi  PT„l  „Au       lorty-two  doUars  a  car  on  charcoal      Af 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


161 

W>,!^T'  ^Tf  '^1'''^  *^«  ^'^"'^  ''^  *^  summer  and 
touched  a  match  to  the  snow-sheds.  They  only  had  a 
Uttle  hirty-thouBand-doUar  fire.  I  guess  thit  squared  up 
all  balances  due  on  Petaoha."  aieu  up 

tion  ?    Daybght  gravely  demanded. 

Not  on  your  life,"  quoth  Jones.  "  They  can't  prove 
It.  You  cou^d  say  I  said  so,  and  I  could  sa/ 1  didn't  sJv 
rjury"'  *'""  °'  " '°'  '"^^  ^^''^"^^  ^'^^^  aLuTt  toS 
Daylight  went  into  his  office  and  meditated  awhile 
That  was  It:  All  the  traffic  would  hear.  Prom  tonto 
bottom,  that  was  the  rule  of  the  game  ;  and  whaMthe 

ZZrii  Tlo^  '"'*  ^*  '^"""^^^  was  born  C; 
?i^;.  ,     "  ''°^^  '^®''*'  ^°^  every  minute   the  eam« 

SrrX^i    LuckyforLplaye^slhafZ: 

^S  aft  Z'irl  "'  *^^  P'"''""*  "*  '"^^  work"  ;  bt 
liter  aU,  xt  was  the  large  business  men  who  formed  tt,« 

workers  through  the  little  business  men.     WhenTll  was 

said  and  done   the  latter,  like  Jones  in  Petacha  Valfev 

got  no  more  timn  wages  out  of  their  whack.    In  truth 

they  were  hired  men  for  the  large  business  men     Stni 

agam,  higher  up,  were  the  big  feUows     TW  us"  d  vS 

and  comphcated  paraphernalia  for  the  purTse  on  a  llrl 

scale,    of   getting    between   hundreds   of  Standi   of 

and  robbed  one  another  of  the  accumulated  loot     S 
explained  the  fifty-thousand-dollar  raid  on  Wm  by  HoTd^ 
worthy  and  the  ten-million-doUar  raid  on  him  by  Dow«,Tt 
Letton,    and    Guggenhammer.     And    when    he    raided 
Panama  Mail  he  had  done  exactly  the  same  thinj.    wtlf 


152 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


superman.    He  toundXithr^reanI^^^''''^'^'''''''''y 
that  there  was  no  noblZlTJ,^!^    mythical  exceptions. 

financial  supermen     ractvfr  trT^.f  '^u  ^^''''^^^  """^ 
in  an  after-Smer  speech^auK^jS/l.^-^^^^^^^ 
honour  amoncst  thiBTroo   o«j  it-         ■^"'^'"0,      Ihere  was 
thieves  from ToneSZn  "    Th^?  ^'^^  ^hat  distinguished 
on  the  head     These  modern  «T  ^'  '*'     ^*  ^'  ^^e  nail 

banditti  who  had  ttorocessfuirC'r ""'?  "  '"*  °^  ^"^-^'^ 
of  right  and  wror.TLthT  -J  °''!^''y  *°  P^'each  a  code 
did  not  prlT^^^  wS  thlm"^'  ''^"'^  *^«y  themselves 
iu.t  as  lo'ng  as!  wTfoomSd  rirVr  'Tf 
Z  ^''"'  ^"^  "'^^  applicable'To  the  hoSworke^^\t  ' 

2^^^=aXe:e"hru-Vh7tSr^^^    ^ 
mg  to  the  magnitude  of  their  stealings  ""'''  ^"'"^- 

And  it  was  a  snan     """ ,  "Suiar  army,  and  the  courts. 

hisfellorsuirman     ThZlTf' 'J^'^'''  ^^""^er  was 
did  not  cou^     TK  ^^*  '''*"P'*^  ™*^  of  the  people 

•nd  robbed  on,  .noUier  ""••  ""y  '""»>1  !"»• 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


163 

fw,^^  V  f^  """iP'ex  appeared  just  as  simple.     He  saw 

^oXe  yX:  '^tt'^*"'"'  "*"•*  ^''""^  it^as'elemeZ 
Thev  hid  th  Men  were  made  of  the  same  stuff. 

Ihey  had  the  same  passions  and  desires.  Finance  was 
poker  on  a  larger  scale.  The  men  who  played  were  The 
fTgS°stSs      H     ^^r '^^'^  "^'^  * '«  fellowXili^ 

order.     Practically  all  human  endeavoursltrefuti"e  ^He 
yo^^'o.JZL  ^nd Sr:^.-£l --2 

So  It  was  that  Daylight  became  a  successful  financier 
He  d,d  not  go  m  for  swindling  the  workers.  Not  oXSd 
he  not  have  the  heart  for  it,  but  it  did  not  strX  kKa 
sportmg  proposition.  The  workers  were  so  eslTsoZni^ 
llZS^  slaughtering  fat,  hand-reared  ^het^fnt'.; 
on  the  Engl  sh  preserves  he  had  heard  about    The  8,.ort 

their  spoils  from  them.  There  was  fun  and  e-  temS 
that,  and  sometimes  they  put  up  the  very  devii  ouS 

r^ch  and  fn?:^'';'  "'^'^-/^'sht  preceded  to  'bThe 
ncn,  and  in  a  small  way,  to  distribute  to  the  needv  Bnt 
he  was  charitable  after  his  own  fashion.  Th™t  mass 
of  human  misery  meant  nothing  to  him.     That  wis  part  of 

izea  onarities  and  the  professional  charity  mongers     Nor 
.a.a,«J„  ,u.rf  to  J.p^  „„,  to  .n  op.n-.lr  fnnd  in  N." 


1S4 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


for  «  ,»/■  JT^"^'-  ^^  ^'"'"^  J°°«»'  the  elevator  boy 
for  a  year  that  h^  might  write  a  book.  When  he  leamid 
that  the  wife  of  his  waiter  at  the  St.  Francis  was  stSJ 
from  tuberculosis,  he  sent  her  to  Arizona  anJww^ 
tZ'^X'1:  '^1°^'"^'^  ''"P*'^^^'  ^^  ««°t  tie  husband  C^ 
of  ^Zf  •  ^'  ^,  *^f  "°'^-  ^^'^^'  ^  bought TstrW 
of  horsehair  bndles  from  a  convict  in  a  Western  ™Sten 

bridUM^^  the  convicts  in  that  institution  were  malaW 

to  Kni^""-  ",!  *°"«^*  ^^^'^  ''"■  P^y^  from  twenty 
to  fafty  dollars  each  for  them.     They  were  beaiitif,,!  ,3 

honest  tW.  and  he  decorated  aU^he  aSSaUe  waU 
space  of  his  bedroom  with  them  "^""aoie  waU- 

n  "^h  ^-^  ^^"'^  "^«  ^^^  f^'i'ed  to  make  Daylight  hard 
It  reqmred  civihzation  to  produce  this  res^t.    In  the 

fmZoTf^^  «r'  ^"  °°^  P^^y^d-  !»'«  habitual  ge^h?; 
^perceptibly  shpped  away  from  him,  as  did  his  lazv 
Western  dra«vl.     As  his  speech  became  sharp  and  Zvo^ 

^t3  '^^^  ^"^d  >«««  time  to  spend  on  being  merely  |oo7 
natured.  The  change  marked  his  face  itself.  The  lines 
grew  sterner  Less  often  appeared  the  playful  curi  of  Ws 
V.  he  smae  in  the  wrinkltog  corners  rfCeye  The 
eyes  themselves,  black  and  flashing.  like  an  IndC's  be 
^ayed  ghnte  of  cruelty  and  brutal  consciousnessof  Aer 
His  tremendous  vit^ty  remained,  and  radiated  frC^ 

man-tramphng  man-conqueror.  His  battles  \athele 
mental  nature  had  been,  in  a  way,  impersona"  hTpreJ^nt 
battles  were  wholly  with  the  maks  of  Ms  sSdeTand^he 
ftts^^tl^n'tlr  Xt'  '""t  "^«''  ^"^  '""^  fr<rt  marred^lS.' 
feUows  ^''°"'''  °*  *^«  «*™8«'«  ^th  his 

He  still  had  recrudescences  of  geniality,  but  thev  were 
largely  periodical  and  forced,  and  they  w^re  usuXT« 

he  had  drunk  deeply  and  at  irregular  intervals  ;  but  now 
his  drmking  became  systematic  and  disciplined  It  waT 
an  .onconsoious  development,   but  it  wa^s  bid  uj*n 


BURNING  DAYUGHT  jos 

physical  and  mental  oonditinn  Tt,„  -  w  ■. 
an  inhibition  WitW  „„=  •  ^  ""okta'ls  served  as 
the  straiTof  the  o£r  wh^"*'  °'  **^'^°«  ^'^"t  i*. 
daring  and  audadtv  nf  T^  T  essentially  due  to  the 
cessationTanSi?I°d  ^tJ^^'t'T'  '^"^"^'^  ^^eck  or 
that  the  coott'Sie^S^StTfi  -^ --*'-. 

heVoceeded  to  "ar  t£f  SlTaT.  If  ^.^he  office 
athwart  his  consciousness  Thl  °i  ^'''"^"''^  inhibition 
ately  a  closed  Xfrif  j        °®'=®  *'e<'ame  immedi- 

leaving  it,  he  rebuatT«  Jn  ?•  t'^''"  *'°""'«'  ^^^en, 
there  lere  exceS  to  thS  inl  "^.^"'°°-  u  °*  «°"'^- 
his  discipline.  &*het  a  dZ^'"'''  *^'  "8°"''  °^ 
before  him  ii^  which  in!,  if,!-        """  ".''  *  conference 

as  not  to  excite  comment  °  "  '°°«  S'*""  «° 


CHAPTER  VI 

Into  Daylight's  life  came  Cede  Mason      «!!,<. 
iniDercpnfihltr     ii„  i,  j     -^^"e  iuason.     bhe  came  rather 

Mo.d.,  there  rJided  «vS^Ur.„ta',""  '  *»'■ 

matters,  nor  was  he^rSteS      k°    --^^ed  eye  in  such 

ever,  was  quite  vague  for  he  h^d  h^  ''^P'^'^^on,  how- 
other  stenVaphefs:  and  natt^jVeCeTtra?  tt*' 
were  all  quick  and  accurate  Relieved  that  they 

vict?^      of  annoyance  crossed  her  face.     She  stood  con- 
IS6 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  157 

,  It's  right  just  the  same  " 
he  J^et'  "°"^'  "^'^  ^"  *^°^«  ^  -'^  wrong,  then." 
them  r""''"  """'  ^'' *"'^'"''°"«  «°«w«r-     "  Shall  I  change 

right.  Miss  Son  It  S  don-r''-  ""  ^o'.'t  sound 
nobody  writes  to  me  thrtat  k^T  ,' "^  V  ^^• 
educated  men,  too.  soj^of  ^m.  'SnVthaTlo'"'"'^ 
tom!ret£rrS?^'-'^'^P--'»-*^her°machine 

w£mte"rtriSerrTy?;nrs-r  ^*^ 

mining  engineer  Harl  if  hJ^  ^  ^  Englishman,  a 
woulAave^p^ed  ^nifeeSTtteshlomts  ^-^^ 

certain  there  was  no  mistake  about  it  ^^ 

bei  wLorhe'kLw  rr'^'^'^''"''^'  °««  °f  the  mem- 
of  histX'u  r'epuTat'^^^  '""  ^  '=''"^«^  --■  ^~e 

rieht^/^*!^^  ^"''"^■','  ^''y^g^*  demanded,  "which  is 
"  Oh,  /  will,  of  course." 


158 


BURNING  DAYUGHT 


w«3!l?  *^  °*^^'"  "  "«•»*•  "depend  "!»«»  it.    I  alwav. 
was  rotten  on  grammar  >•  '^  *^    "•    '■  »«w»y» 

h<Sk.^\7j'^^  t*^"  °®'"''  D^yl'ght  dropped  into  a 
Dookstore  and  bought  a  grammar ;  and  for  a  solid  hour 

•'  KnZ  V^'  t*^'  ^«  '""'"^  tJ^'oogh  its  pages  ' 

riKht^"  h«  on  J"^  '"'^'^  r***  ""'«  "??'««  if  the^gW  ain't 

FortheSst  t^'^Tf  "^it  "' ^^  ^''^  "*  the^session 
roT  tne  nrst  time  it  struck  him  that  there  was  something 
abou  h.B  stenographer.  He  had  accepted  Cup  to  tS 
as  a  female  creature  and  a  bit  of  office  furnish^  But 
than  iTZt'"°'^''''^i  *^**  «»>e  knew  mTrr^mS^ 
Mvidual  Shr"  ""-iTU^g^  8^«du«te8,  shf  became 
„"  .  :    ^™  seemed  to  stand  out  in  his  conscious- 

tZd  nariTrl^  *"  *^^  '  "^"  "^^  «tood  oTon  the 
»ygid  page,  and  he  began  to  take  notice 

he  was73l^r?^  ^'■'  '«»^^  *•»»*  afternoon,  and 
a^d  that  h«r  i  ^"^  ^"■/V''"*  *^''*  «!>«  ^««  weU-formedT 
and  that  her  manner  of  dress  was  satisfyine     He  knew 

r^dl^  fl"^^'  °*  ^°'"«°'«  dress,  and^h^saw  non^'oT 
l^t  T  •  1  ^   i?  ^^^^''t  •''  »  general,  sketchy  wav     She 

^SS.  .1^  ""« *^  "— «'  »«™* 

observed  this  phenomenon  tef ore    ^^*' **^*  ^"^ '^'^  ""^^^^ 

"  ?.lT''^  ^1\*>  grammarfand  dictated  - 

-II  gave  a  qmoi.  look  up  ai  mm.    The  action 


i 
i 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


159 


»g«n.  and  she  wt  waiting  to  go  on  ,^Tt^iw  ?'*'^ 

rt  r^Arrr^  \  ^loiyxisS'^iT^, 

that  herey^s^weTiV^  '        '^'"^**  *^^  ^'«'* 

plained  "  '*'"''*  '""'^'^  "«'^*'  J»«*  »»>«  «»me,"  he  com- 
At  this  she  laughed  outright 

and  Jh^^sSdTbradS  'Tr'  *°  '^''^  ™^. 

_,  I  idn  t  mean  to  be  funny,"  he  said.  ^• 

feotly  t*odTram4'r  J.'*"^'^'^-     ="*  '*  "  "«H  -«i  Pe- 

««  ^oSL^yfflT''  '  **""  '"^^'  ^'^  '^Vu.y  in 
And  fhe  dictation  went  on 

on  some  sort  of  feminine  fancy  work  ^  '    '  "^"'^'"^ 

Jtou  like  reading.  Miss  Masnr.  ?"  u^    'r.    ,    P^ges. 
book  down.  •    ''^  ''^'d'  laying  the 

"  Oh,  yes  "  was  her  answer  ;  "  very  much  " 
Cwf "  *™^  '*  "^«  ^  ^-^  °^  Cells',  m  PPAeefo  of 

"  What's  it  all  about  ?"  Daylight  asked. 


Ill 


180  BURNING  DAYLIGHT 

"  Oh,  it'B  just  a  novel,  a  love-story." 
She  stopped,  but  he  still  stood  waiting,  and  she  felt  it 
inoumbent  to  go  on. 

'•  It's  about  a  little  Cockney  draper's  assistant,  who 
takes  a  vacation  on  his  bicycle,  and  falls  in  love  with  a 
young  girl  very  much  above  him.  Her  mother  is  a  popu- 
lar writer  and  all  that.  And  the  situation  is  very  curious, 
and  sad,  too,  and  tragic.  Would  you  care  to  read  it  '" 
^  Does  he  get  her  ?"  Daylight  demanded. 

^^  No  ;  that's  the  point  of  it.     He  wasn't " 

"  And  he  doesn't  get  her,  and  you've  raad  all  them 
pages,  hundreds  of  them,  to  find  that  out  ?"  Daylight 
muttered  in  amazement. 
Miss  Mason  was  nettled  as  well  as  amused. 
"  But  you  read  the  mining  and  financial  news  by  the 
hour,"  she  retorted. 

''  But  I  sure  get  something  out  of  that.  It's  bu.sines8, 
and  It  s  different.  I  get  money  out  of  it.  What  do  you 
get  out  of  books  ?"  •' 

"  Points  of  view,  new  ideas,  life." 
"  Not  worth  a  cent  cash." 
''  But  life's  worth  more  than  cash,"  she  argued, 
'  Oh,  well,"  he  said,  with  easy  masculine  tolerance,  "  so 
long  as  you  enjoy  it.     That's  what  counts,  I  suppose  • 
and  there  s  no  accounting  for  taste." 

Despite  his  own  superior  point  of  view,  he  had  an  idea 
that  she  knew  a  lot,  and  he  experienced  a  fleeting  feeUng 
like  that  of  a  barbarian  face  to  face  with  the  evidence  of 
some  tremendous  culture.  To  Daylight  culture  was  a 
worthless  thing,  and  yet,  somehow,  he  was  vaguely 
troubled  by  a  f.-nse  that  there  was  more  in  culture  than 
he  imagined. 

Again,  on  her  desk,  in  passing,  he  noticed  a  book  with 
which  he  was  familiar.  This  time  he  did  not  stop,  for  he 
had  recogmzed  the  cover.  It  was  a  magazine  correspon- 
dent s  book  on  the  Klondike,  and  he  knew  that  he  and  his 
photograph  figured  in  it,  and  he  knew,  also,  of  a,  certain 
sensational  chapter  concerned  with  a  woman's  suicide, 
and  with  OiiC  "  Too  iiiuch  Daylight." 


BXJRNINO  DAYLIGHT 


lai 

from  thrpaitrrjr  rjrrn.t  '■^'k  '*™"» 

m  that  they  were  undeneCd     Of  all  u^kS  ♦l'^  "T 

for  wi  '1^°''-,H  tW  h„r'°*"  •""  •'"'*"  °"t  of  'ov? 
and  wondc  u'  i^l^Tl^"''  "f ""i^unate  man, 
thousand,    <  t      H  ,    '  u  '^**  "f'*  b°»k  of  »"  the 

ooi^or    ..r.     ex,.  a-,on  r        1?^*  afterward  he  had  an  u„- 
How  do  you  make  that  out  ?"  Daylieht  Queried 

horse,  f^n      Sb«  -dp-  ft-f,?  ?      !!  -^.^     ^**  *'*''  ''^^Ps  » 

II 


i'^  J 


102 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


I  wonder  how  she  does  it.    Sixty-five  a  month  don't  go 
far.    Then  she  has  a  sick  brother,  too." 

''  Live  with  her  people  ?"  Daylight  asked. 

"  No  ;  hasn't  got  any.  They  were  well  to  do,  I've 
heard.  They  must  have  been,  or  that  brother  of  hers 
couldn't  have  gone  to  the  University  of  California.  Her 
father  had  a  big  cattle  ranch,  but  he  got  to  fooUng  with 
mines  or  something,  and  went  broke  before  he  died.  Hor 
mother  died  long  before  that.  Her  brother  must  cost  a 
lot  of  money.  He  was  a  husky  once,  played  football,  was 
great  on  hunting  and  being  out  on  the  mountains  and  such 
things.  He  got  his  accident  breaking  horses,  and  then 
rheumatism  or  something  got  into  him.  One  leg  is 
Bhort.r  than  the  other  and  withered  up  some.  He  has 
to  walk  on  crutches.  I  saw  her  out  with  him  once- 
crossing  the  ferry.  The  doctors  have  been  experimenting 
on  him  for  years,  and  he's  in  the  French  Hospital  now,  I 
think." 

AU  of  which  side-lights  on  Miss  Mason  went  to  increase 
DayUght's  interest  in  her.  Yet,  much  as  he  desired  he 
failed  to  get  acquainted  with  her.  He  had  thoughts  of 
asking  her  to  luncheon,  but  his  was  the  innate  chivalry  of 
the  frontiersman,  and  the  thoughts  never  came  to  any- 
thing. He  knew  a  self-respecting,  square-dealii^  man 
was  not  supposed  to  take  his  stenographer  to  luncheon 
Such  things  did  happen,  he  knew,  for  he  heard  the  ohaflfing 
gossip  of  the  club  ;  but  he  did  not  think  much  of  such  men 
and  felt  sorry  for  the  girls.  He  had  a  strange  notion  that 
a  man  had  less  rights  over  those  he  employed  than  over 
mere  acquaintances  or  strangers.  Thus,  had  Miss  Mason 
not  been  his  employee,  he  was  confident  that  he  would 
have  had  her  to  luncheon  or  the  theatre  in  no  time.  But  he 
felt  that  it  waH  an  imposition  for  an  employer,  because  he 
bought  the  time  of  an  employee  in  working  hours,  to 
presume  in  any  way  upon  any  of  the  rest  of  that  em- 
ployee's time.  To  do  so  was  to  act  like  a  bully.  The 
situation  was  unfair.  It  was  taking  advantage  of  the 
fact  that  the  employee  was  depending  on  one  for  a  live'i- 
hood.    The    employee    might    permit    the    imposition 


X 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  163 

through  fear  of  angering  the  employer,  and  not  through 
any  personal  inclination  at  all. 

In  his  own  case  he  felt  that  such  an  imposition  would  be 
peouharly  obnoxious,  for  had  she  not  read  that  cursed 
Klondike  correspondent's  book  ?  A  pretty  idea  she  must 
Imve  of  him,  a  girl  that  was  too  high-toned  to  have  any- 
thing to  do  with  a  good-looking,  gentlemanly  feUow  like 
Mornson.  Also,  and  aown  under  all  his  other  reasons, 
Dayhght  was  timid.  The  only  thing  he  had  ever  been 
afraid  of  in  his  life  was  woman,  and  he  had  been  afraid  aU 
his  bfe.  Nor  was  that  timidity  to  be  put  easily  to  flight 
now  that  he  felt  the  first  gUmmering  need  and  desire  for 
woman.  The  spectre  of  the  apron-string  still  i^unted 
him,  and  helped  him  to  find  excuses  for  getting  on  no 
forwarder  with  Dede  Mason. 


CHAPTER  VII 

Not  being  favoured  by  chance  in  getting  acquainted  with 
Dede  Mason,  Daylight's  interest  in  her  slowly  waned. 
This  was  but  natural,  for  he  was  plunged  deep  in  hazardous 
operations,  and  the  fascinations  of  the  game  and  the 
magnitude  of  it  accounted  for  aU  the  energy  that  even  his 
magnificent  organism  could  generate.  Such  was  his  ab- 
sorption that  the  pretty  stenographer  slowly  and  imper- 
ceptibly faded  from  the  forefront  of  his  consciousness. 
Thus,  the  first  faint  spur,  in  the  best  sense,  of  his  need  for 
woman  ceased  to  prod.  So  far  as  Dede  Mason  was  con- 
cerned, he  possessed  no  more  than  a  complacent  feeling 
of  satisfaction  in  that  he  had  a  very  nice  stenographer. 

And,  completely  to  put  the  quietus  on  any  last  lingering 
hopes  he  might  have  had  of  her,  he  was  in  the  thick  of  his 
spectacular  and  intensely  bitter  fight  with  the  Coastwise 
Steam  Navigation  Company,  and  the  Hawaiian,  Nicara- 
guan,  and  Pacific-Mexican  Steamship  Company.  He 
stirred  up  a  bigger  muss  than  he  had  anticipated,  and 
even  he  was  astounded  at  the  wide  ramifications  of  the 
struggle  and  at  the  unexpected  and  incongruous  interests 
that  were  drawn  into  it.  Every  newspaper  in  San  Fran- 
cisco turned  upon  him.  It  was  true,  one  or  two  of  them 
had  first  intimated  that  they  were  open  to  subsidization, 
but  Daylight's  judgment  was  that  the  situation  did  not 
warrant  such  expenditure.  Up  to  this  time  the  press 
had  been  amusingly  tolerant  and  good-naturedly  sensa- 
tional about  him,  but  now  he  was  to  learn  what  virulent 
scurrUousness  an  antagonized  press  was  capable  of. 
Every  episode  of  his  life  was  resurrected  to  serve  as 
foundations  for  malicious  fabrications.  Daylight  was 
frankly  amazed  at  the  new  interpretation  put  upon  all  he 
IM 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


16S 


had  accomplished  and  the  deeds  he  had  done.  From  an 
Alaskan  hero  he  was  metamorphosed  into  an  Alaskan 
bully,  liar,  desperado,  and  all-round  "  bad  man."  Not 
content  with  this,  lies  upon  lies,  out  of  whole  cloth,  were 
manufactured  about  him.  He  never  replied,  though  once 
he  went  to  the  extent  of  disburdening  his  mind  to  half  a 
dozen  reporters. 

"  Do  your  damnedest,"  he  told  them.  "  Burning  Day- 
light's bucked  bigger  things  than  your  dirty,  lying  sheets. 
And  I  don't  blame  you,  boys  .  .  .  that  is,  not  much.  You 
can't  help  it.  You've  got  to  live.  There's  a  mighty  lot 
of  women  in  this  world  that  make  their  living  in  similar 
fashion  to  yours,  because  they're  not  able  to  do  anything 
better.  Somebody's  got  to  do  the  dirty  work,  and  it 
might  as  well  be  you.  You're  paid  for  it,  and  you  ain't 
got  the  backbone  to  rustle  cleaner  jobs." 

The  socialist  press  of  the  city  jubilantly  exploited  this 
utterance,  scattering  it  broadcast  over  San  Francisco  in 
t«ns  of  thousands  of  paper  dodgers.  And  the  journalists, 
stung  to  the  quick,  retaliated  with  the  only  means  in  their 
power— printer's  ink  abuse.  The  attack  became  bitterer 
than  ever.  The  whole  affair  sank  to  the  deeper  deeps  of 
rancour  and  savageness.  The  poor  woman  who  had  killed 
herself  was  dragged  out  of  her  grave  and  paraded  on 
thousands  of  reams  of  paper  as  a  martyr  and  a  victim  to 
Daylight's  ferocious  brutality.  Staid,  statistical  articles 
were  published,  proving  that  he  had  made  his  start  by 
robbing  poor  miners  of  their  claims,  and  that  the  capstone 
to  his  fortune  had  been  put  in  place  by  his  treacherous 
violation  of  faith  with  the  Guggenhammers  in  the  deal  on 
Ophir.  And  there  were  editorials  written  in  which  he  was 
called  an  enemy  of  society,  possessed  of  the  manners  and 
culture  of  a  caveman,  a  fomenter  of  wasteful  business 
troubles,  the  destroyer  of  the  city's  prosperity  in  com- 
merce and  trade,  an  anarchist  of  dire  menace  ;  and  one 
editorial  gravely  recommended  that  hanging  would  be  a 
lesson  to  him  and  his  ilk,  and  concluded  with  the  fervent 
hope  that  some  day  his  big  motor-car  would  smash  up 
and  smash  him  with  it. 


m 


166 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


He  was  Lke  a  big  bear  raiding  a  bee-hive,  and,  regardless 
ot  the  stings,  he  obstinately  persisted  in  pawing  for  the 
honey.    He  gritted  his  teeth  and  struck  back,  ^ginning 
with  a  raid  on  two  steamship  companies,  it  developed  intS 
a  pitched  battle  with  a  city,  a  State,  and  a  continental 
ooast-hne      Very  well ;  they  wanted  fight,  and  they  would 
get  It.     It  was  what  he  wanted,  and  he  felt  justified  in 
having  come  down  from  the  Klondike,  for  here  he  was 
gambhng  at  a  bigger  table  than  ever  the  Yukon  had  sup- 
plied.    Allied   with   him,    on   a   splendid   salary,    with 
princely  pickings  thrown  in,  was  a  lawyer,  Larry  Began, 
a  young  Irishman  with  a  reputation  to  make,  and  wW 
peouiiar  genius  had  been  unrecognized  until  Daylight 

dS  7Jf  """l-  J^'^^""  ^^^  C^'ti"  imagination  and 
daring,  and  to  such  degree  that  Daylight's  cooler  head 
was  necessary  as  a  check  on  his  wilder  visions.  Hegan's 
Zt  ^.^''P"'^'^^  1^1  i^ind,  without  balance,  and  it  was 
JUBt  this  balance  that  Daylight  suppUed.  Alone,  the 
Irishman  was  doomed  to  failure,  but  directed  by  Daylight 
he  was  on  the  highroad  to  fortune  and  recognition.     iUso 

tTL^Zn.^  °'  °°  "°"  P^"'""'  "'  "^^  •=°'^''-'^- 

r. JlJ%'  ^T°  ^^1  ^""'^^^  Daylight  through  the  intri- 
cacies of  modern  politics,  labour  organization,  and  com- 
mercial and  corporation  law.     It  was  Hegan.  proUfio  of 
resource  and  suggestion,  who  opened  Daylight's  eyes  to 
undreamed  possibilities   in   twentieth-century  warfare  ; 
and  It  was  Daylight,  rejecting,  accepting,  and  elaborating 
who  plamied  the  campaigns  and  prosecuted  them.     With 
the  Pacific  coast,  from  Puget  Sound  to  Panama,  buzzing 
and  humming    and  with  San  Francisco  furiously  about 
aL?™'        f''°  ^'^  steamship  companies  had  aU  the 
appearance  of  winning.     It  looked  as  if  Burning  Daylight 
was  being  beaten  slowly  to  his  knees.     And  then  he  struck 

wlf  I    D   •^.**'^'^'"P  companies,  at  San  Francisco,  at  the 
whole  Pacific  coast.  .  "i-  i^ub 

It  was  not  much  of  a  blow  at  first.  A  Christian  En- 
deavour convention  being  held  in  San  Francisco,  a  row 
was  started  by  Express  Drivers'  Union  No.  927  over  the 


•^'^ 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  167 

handling  of  a  small  heap  of  baggage  at  the  Ferry  Building 
A  few  heads  were  broken,  a  score  of  arrests  made,  and  the 
baggage  was  deUvered.  No  one  would  have  guessed  that 
tehind  this  petty  wrangle  was  the  fine  Irish  hand  of 
Hegan  made  potent  by  the  Klondike  gold  of  Burning 
iJayiight.  It  was  an  insignificant  affair  at  best— or  so  rt 
seemed  But  the  Teamsters'  Union  took  up  the  quarrel 
backed  by  the  whole  Water  Front  Federation.  Step  by 
step  the  strike  became  involved.  A  refusal  of  cooks  and 
waiters  to  serve  scab  teamsters  or  teamsters'  employers 
brought  out  the  cooks  and  waiters.  The  butchere  and 
meat-cutters  refused  to  handle  meat  destined  for  unfair 
restaurants.  The  combined  Employers'  Associations  put 
up  a  solid  front,  and  found  facing  them  the  40,000  organ- 
ized labourers  of  San  Francisco.  The  restaurant  bakers 
and  the  bakery  waggon  drivers  struck,  followed  by  the 
nulkers,  milk  drivers,  and  chicken  pickers.  The  building 
trades  asserted  its  position  in  unambiguous  terms,  and  all 
ban  Francisco  was  in  turmoil. 

But  still,  it  was  only  San  Francisco.  Hegan's  intrigues 
were  masterly,  and  Daylight's  campaign  steadUy  de- 
Ju^-^  ^^^  powerful  fighting  organization  known  as 
the  i-acific  Slope  Seaman's  Union  refused  to  work  vessels 
the  cargoes  of  which  were  to  be  handled  by  scab  long- 
shoremen and  freight-handlers.  The  union  presented  ite 
ultimatum,  and  then  called  a  strike.  This  had  been  Day- 
light's objective  all  the  time.  Every  incoming  coastwise 
vessel  was  boarded  by  the  union  officials  and  its  crew  sent 
ashore.  And  with  the  seamen  went  the  firemen,  the 
engineers,  and  the  sea  cooks  and  waiters.  Daily  the 
number  of  idle  steamers  increased.  It  was  impossible  to 
get  scab  crews,  for  the  men  of  the  Seamen's  Union  were 
fighters  trained  in  the  hard  school  of  the  sea,  and  when 
they  went  out  it  meant  blood  and  death  to  scabs.  This 
phase  of  the  strike  spread  up  and  down  the  entire  Pacific 
coast,  until  all  the  ports  were  filled  with  idle  ships  and 
sea  transportation  was  at  a  standstill.  The  days  and 
weeks  dragged  out,  and  the  strike  held.  The  Coastwise 
Steam  Navigation  Company,  and  the  Hawaiian,  Nicara- 


168 


BtJBNING  DAYLIGH^ 


were  tremendous   and  W^         combating  the  strike 
dail,  the  .it^^n  went^tV^a  Z^"""^^.  ^^^'^ 

raked  in  the  Snes  «nH^if  Z"^^**  °"*  *^«'''  ^and, 
continent  to  r™«bVinL  ""'''  *  ^"""^'^  P"'«°°  °*  " 

wJrlmrnS'the™!i7'''«/'''™'  '^'''  ««^««'  Ic-dersof 

diately,  otheiSerran'r-lTa  "Srr'rr! 
preferment  and  the  control  of  the  Zn.V^  T  P°''*"*' 
and  the  municipal  moneys  In  ZT  ^^  government 
boss-ridden  condition  w3»  "*'   ^*°  Francisco's 

dreamed  that  his  raid  on  tL  =+         u-    ■'^*y"8'»t  himself 

'TufhT  ,^  -  "-ra^  p^r^i--^^^^^  -»i<i 

exc1ting\Jn1  Zt^  bLCtste"^^  ^"^  ^^''^^'^  - 
down  into  the  dul TnH  ml?^.  ,  ^^^T^P  companies 
holders  by  perfeoWv  tifl     ^^"fl  "'"''''^g  ^^^  ^k- 

advantages  which  1  It   ^n.M  ff^^""^^,  by  gobbling  the 

by  the  swo^r*  ot  toolf  ll   r^"  ^^  J''"  ^^"''^  P^'i^l'cd 

cut-throats  and  SLDL^lhtwl'  ""^^  ^'  ^^""^'^  ^"»» 
That  was  it  >    And  i>«  hJi         '    x'"**  ^^  ^^^  «tact. 

war  between  thf  sti'lr^Th^f  "T  ^".«^"'"«  '^"'^ 
They  were  always  gettW  hurt  ■  an^  M  f ..f"^  ?*  ""'"'*• 
been  getting  hu?t  Ls  thf  clVSt  ^^SrwJ^t 


1 

i 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  leo 

m^d\«\'^''°*  ^?.**"y-  ^"'^  F'^noisoo  had  wanted  war 
and  he  had  given  It  war.  It  was  the  game.  All  the  Wc 
fellows  d.d  the  same,  and  they  did  much  worse  too         * 

replied  to  a  persistent  interviewer.  "  If  you  ouit  vonr 
job  to-morrow  and  went  to  work  on  another  p2™r  ™u 
would  writ*  just  what  you  were  told  to  write     It's 

?i'*^f  *',"'^''  **"*y  ""'^  ^ith  you  ;  on  the  newiob  it 
would  be  backing  up  a  thieving  railroad  with        mor  Uv 
and  .mo  duty,  I  suppose.     Your  price,  mVson   k  t»^ 
about  thirty  per  week.     That's  what  y;u  sell  for     But 
your  paper  would  sell  for  a  bit  more    Pav  i  J  r.r,„^  *'    j 
and  it  would  shift  its  present  r'tten  ^ZTtZo^^T'otli 
o-T6^''  ''  *•"*  ''  ^°"'^  --■•  '«*  «P  -  -raTt;ind 
"  And  aU  because  a  sucker  is  born  every  minute      Sn 
long  as  the  people  stand  for  it,  they'U  g7t  TZ^d  and 
teS'r^^r"     7V^'  «hareholdL  fnd  buSs^n 
tWve^fen  W     v"*  "^  ''i^^^^^S  about  how  much 
iney  ve  Deen  hurt.     You  never  hear  anv  squeal  out  nf 
them  when  they've  got  the  other  fellow^down  and  are 

same  f^iL!°  '     J^l''  i^""*  mollycoddles  !     Son,  those 
same  fellows  would  steal  crusts  from  starving  men  and 
pull  gold  fillings  from  the  mouths  of  co%Ies^  Tp    and 
Twt  ^f  f""*  Scratch  if  some  blamed  cTrJs;  Wt'^back 
They  re  aU  tarred  with  the  same  brush,  little  and  big 
Look  at  your  Sugar  Trust-with  aU  its  millions  st^aW 

Shw7h:°r°"  *'"'1'^°'"  ^«"  Y"^'^  Citrandi  ' 
weighing  the  government  on  its  foney  scales  Moralitv 
and  cmc  duty  !    Son,  forget  it."        ' '^^'^^-    J^orahty 


CHAPTER  VIII 

Tn,?'^^'^  ""  w  «  *°  fi^yi^tion  had  not  improved  him 
True,  he  wore  better  clothes,  had  learned  slightly  bettTr 
manners,  and  spoke  better  English.     As  a  gaK  and  a 
Sso  heZdh^'  ^^  ^7''°^'^  remarkable  efficiency 
^dhe  L^l  ^rr*^.^  *°  "  ^^^^^  "t^ndard  of  living 
and  he  had  whetted  his  wits  to  razor  sharpness  in  the  fierce 
ened^  ::d  at  *th'«''  °'  fighting  m,,,,.    %^^  ,^  ^^^^^ 
gemii^v     Of  tt'"'P*r,°*i^  °^^-'''^''  whole-souled 
kTw  nothini  *^^"'j??t"^i  refinements  of  civilization  he 
Knew  nothing     He  did  not  know  they  existed.     He  had 
become  cynical,  bitter,  and  brutal.     Power  had  it«^efiect 
on  him  that  it  had  on  all  men.     Suspicioil  of  the  big  e^ 
ploiters  despising  (he  fo„l«  of  the  exploited  herd  he  lid 

othew     n„v  ^^"'i  ^'^"^^  ^''^y  consideration   of 

others— nay,  even  simple  respect— was  destroyed    until 
^^ught  was  left  for  him  but  ^  worship  at  the'^irol 

n^^^A^"'^^'  ^^  T** "°*  *^®  '^^^  "f  i-'on  muscle  who  had 

™tW  .^^  """"i!  *^^"  ''^'  Sood  for  him,  and  drank  alto- 
gether too  much.     His  muscles  were  getting  flabbv  and 
ms  taJor  called  attention  to  his  increasfng  wIstTand     ?n 
nhv;;.  f ^  f*"*-  ''^'  d«^«l°Ping  ^  definite  paunch.     This 
ThfC   deterioration  wr.  manifest  likewise  in  his  facf 
=^^ll  ril^'i'^"  ^'"^Se  was  suffering  a  city  change     The 
tfmfT  '"the  cheeks  under  the  hijh  chefk-bones 
wa«  Sl°     :  ■,?'  besmmng  of  puff-sacks\nder  the  eyes 
Id  ^h«  ^  T"^'^-     ^^?  8''*^  °^  *h«  ns-^k  had  incre  Jd 
and  the  first  crea.se  and  fold  of  a  double  chin  were  be 
coming  plainly  discernible.     The  old  effect  of  asceticism. 
170 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  171 

bred  of  terrific  hardships  and  toU,  had  vanished  ;  the 
features  had  become  broader  and  heavier,  betraying  all 
the  stigmata  of  the  life  ho  lived,  advertising  the  man's 
self-indulgence,  harshness,  and  brutality. 

Even  his  human  affiliations  were  descending.     Playing 
a  lone  hand,  oontomptuous  of  most  of  the  men  with  whom 
he  played,  lacking  in  sympathy  or  understanding  of  them, 
and  certainly  independent  of  them,  he  found  little  in 
common  with  those  to  bo  encountered,  say,  at  the  Alta- 
Paoiflo.    In  point  of  fact,  when  the  battle  with  the  steam- 
ship compames  was  at  its  height  and  his  raid  was  inflicting 
moaloulable  damage  on  all  business  interests,  ho  had  been 
asked  to  resign  from  the  Alta-Pacific.     The  idea  had  been 
rather  to  his  liking,  and  he  had  found  new  quarters  in 
clubs  like  the  Riverside,  organized  and  practically  main- 
tained by  the  city  bosses.     He  found  that  he  really  liked 
such  men  better.    They  were  more  primitive  and  simple, 
and  they  did  not  put  on  airs.     They  were  honest  buc- 
caneers, frankly  in  the  game  for  what  they  could  get  out 
of  it,  on  the  surface  more  raw  and  savage,  but  at  least  not 
glossed  over  with  oily  or  graceful  hypocrisy.     The  Alta- 
Pacihc  had  suggested  that  his  resignation  be  kept  a  private 
matter,  and  then  had  privily  informed  the  newspapers. 
Ihe  latter  had  made  great  capital  out  of  the  forced  'esig- 
nation    but  Daylight  had  grinned  and  silently  gone  his 
way,  though  registering  a  black  mark  against  more  than 
one  club  member  who  was  destined  to  feel,  in  the  days  to 
come,  the  crushing  weight  of  the  Klondiker's  financial 
paw. 

The  storm-centre  of  a  combined  newspaper  attack  last- 
ing for  months,  Daylight's  character  had  been  torn  to 
shreds.  There  was  no  fact  in  his  history  that  had  not  been 
distorted  into  a  criminality  or  a  vice.  This  public  making 
ot  him  over  into  an  iniquitous  monster  had  pretty  well 
crushed  any  lingering  hope  he  had  of  getting  acquainted 
with  Dede  Mason.  He  felt  that  there  was  no  chance  for 
her  ever  to  look  kindly  on  a  man  of  his  calibre,  and 
beyond  mcreasing  her  salary  ta  seventy-five  dollars  a 
month,  he  proceeded  gradually  to  forget  about  her.     The 


V 


!i 


II 

ill 


f 


172 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


ul^T  T  ^»f« '"'?'^  *"  hw  through  Morrison,  and 
On-  l*"''^'*  »Y''8''*'  "d  tl«t  wo*  the  end  of  it. 
One  week-end,  feehng  heavy  and  depre«Hod  and  tired 
of  the  c,ty  and  it.  ways,  he  obeyed  the  impulse  of  a  wh?m 
that  was  later  to  play  an  important  part  in  his  life  iC 
desire  to  get  out  of  the  city  for  a  whiff  of  country  air  and 

Side  t^  *'  l^^r  ""^  *^"  *'»"'«•     Yet.  to  himself,  he 
made  the  excu*  of  going  to  Glen  EUen  for  the  purpose  of 

^r^bSd'him'™'^'*''*  '^'*''  ^'^''  Holdswo^rtS^ai 

gZ  /l.'"°w  ^i!  "'*'■'''*  *  saddle-horse  rented  from  the 
Glen  Ellen  butcher,  rode  out  of  the  village.     The  briok- 

Crl'^ThiT.  "'  '""'  °"k^-  ^*  '"'^'^^  thtlonol 

&  1,^/''*  '^^M  """*  """8^'  *'8lit  of  a  cluster  of  wooded 
of  Sonn^  M°"^!  •"'"'y'  P^''^^^''  "°  the  roUing  slopes 
towfZ  K\^T"*"l?i.  ^^^  inountain,  itself  tood^, 
towered    behmd.       The    trees    on    the    knolls    seemed 

Ihro^ah  w-.^  *"T--  ^^^  -^^y-  «"ly  «"n.mer  air.  shot 
KZw  •""f'"'"t'  ^"1^"^  *«  ^°>-  Unconsciously 
vLh  t  '°  '".'^^^P  *''^*^*^-  The  prospect  of  the  brick- 
nl  ^  """noting.  He  was  jaded  with  all  things  busi- 
ness, and  the  wooded  knolls  were  calling  to  him     A  ho^ 

Int  hirb''  w'^f^-^  «°°'» '«''^«'  •^^  d-'d«d  ;  one  tl^ 
Zf«™  n  ^  *K  *u*  ""^'"^  ^'^  '"^d  ridden  during  Us 

J^^Z  .^'*^°"  '?°yi"'°^-  ^«  '""d  '^«n  somewhat  of  a 
nderm  those  early  days,  and  the  champ  of  bit  and  creak 
of  saddJe-leather  sounded  good  to  him  now 

Resolving  to  have  his  fun  first  and  to  look  over  the 
brickyard  afterward,  he  rode  on  up  the  hill,  prospectogS 
a  way  across  country  to  get  to  the  knolls  He  left  the 
country  road  at  the  first  ga1«  he  came  to  and  cante  ed 
though  a  hayfield.     The  grain  was  waist-high  on  eS 

ftt^f^^Tf.°'V'°*•^'  ^"'^  h«  '"^^^  the  warm  aroma  of 
It  with  delighted  nostrils.     Larks  flew  up  before  him  and 
from  everywhere  came  mellow  notes.     FrZ  the  ap^ar 
ance  of  the  road  it  was  paient  that  it  had  been  uEr 
hauLng  clay  to  the  now  idle  brickyard.     Salving  ^  con- 


iitv   *' 


\ 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  178 

Boienoe  with  the  idea  that  this  was  part  of  the  inapootion, 
he  rode  on  to  the  olay-pit— a  huge  soar  in  a  hillside.  But 
he  did  not  linger  long,  swinging  off  again  to  the  left  and 
leaving  the  road.  Not  a  farm-house  was  in  sight,  and  the 
change  from  the  city  crowding  was  essontially  satisfyi.ig. 
He  rode  now  through  open  woods,  across  little  flower- 
scattered  glades,  till  he  came  upon  a  spring.  Flat  on  the 
ground,  he  drank  deeply  of  the  clear  water,  and,  looking 
about  him,  felt  with  a  shock  the  beauty  of  the  world.  It 
came  to  him  like  a  discovery ;  he  had  never  realized  it 
before,  he  concluded,  and  also,  he  had  forgotten  much. 
One  could  not  sit  in  at  high  finance  and  keep  track  of  such 
things.  As  he  drank  in  the  air,  the  scene,  and  the  distant 
song  of  larks,  he  felt  like  a  poker-player  rising  from  a 
night-long  table  and  coming  forth  from  the  pent  atmo- 
sphere to  taste  the  freshness  of  the  mom. 

At  the  base  of  the  knolls  be  encountered  a  tumble-down 
stake-and-rider  fence.  From  the  look  of  it  he  judged  it 
must  be  forty  years  old  at  least— the  work  of  some  first 
pioneer  who  had  taken  up  the  land  when  the  days  of  gold 
had  ended.  The  woods  were  very  thick  here,  yet  fairly 
clear  of  underbush,  so  that,  while  the  blue  sky  was  screened 
by  the  arched  branches,  he  was  able  to  ride  beneath.  He 
now  found  himself  in  a  nook  of  several  acres,  where  the 
oak  and  manzanita  and  madrofio  gave  way  to  clusters  of 
stately  redwoods.  Against  the  foot  of  a  steep-sloped  knoll 
he  came  upon  a  magnificent  group  of  redwoods  that 
seemed  to  have  gathered  about  a  tiny  gurgling  spring. 

He  halted  his  horse,  for  beside  the  spring  uprose  a  wild 
Califomian  lUy.  It  was  a  wonderful  flower,  growing  there 
in  the  cathedral  nave  of  lofty  trees.  At  least  eight  feet 
in  height,  its  stem  rose  straight  and  slender,  green  and 
bare,  for  two-thirds  its  length,  and  then  burst  into  a 
shower  of  snow-white  waxen  bells.  There  were  hundreds 
of  these  blossoms,  all  from  the  one  stem,  delicately  poised 
and  ethereally  frail.  Daylight  had  never  seen  anything 
like  it.  Slowly  his  gaze  wandered  from  it  to  all  that  was 
about"  him.  He  took  off  his  hat,  with  almost  a  vague 
risligious  feeling.     This  was  different.    No  room  for  con- 


ill 

If, 


Wi 


MICROCOPY   RESOLUTION   TBI   CHART 

(ANSI  and  ISO  TEST  CHART  No.  2) 


^  APPLIED  IN/MGE    I, 

5Sr^  165J  Eost  Moin   Street 

^=  ?°frr*''"'-   ^o*   ^O'-''         1*609       USft 

a^  (71b)   482  -  OJOO  -  Phone 

^S  (^'6)   2ea  -  5989  -  fo„ 


174 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


The  atmcspherf  was  one  of  ty  calm"'H«^"  "  '"^'^''^ 
the  prompting  of  nobler  things  ^mS' of  ^1  "^^  ^''* 
was  m  Daylight's  heart  as  he  Lked  about  hn.«T'^ 
was  not  a  concept  of  his  miml      w  ,    ,  ,  ™-     ^"*  '* 

thinking  about  ft  at  M  ^"  ""'''^^  ^^'*  "  ^'^^^^ 

Great,  moss-co4red  trunks  of  fSf/'"'^,  ^"^1  ^'*'^««- 
there,  slowly  sinking  back  anH  ff  °  ^'^^'  '^^  '^^''^  ^^d 
*'ic  forest  moX  Kvond  fn  """'Pig  "'t"  t^e  level  of 
wild  grape  and  honevsuckt  '^^^"^  '^^'''^'  ^P^""- 

gnarled  oM  oak  trees  ^T^r!  T""^,  "^  ^'^^^  "»*  f^°m 
on  a  branch  and  watched^ZF.«'"''«'^"«!.'''«P*°"t 
the  distant  knockinfof  a  wo'dpecW  "Tts"^'^^''^'"I 
not  disturb  the  hush  and  aw»  J;*  S!  ,  '"^  ^"""^^^  did 
noises  belonged  there  and  m.Lf^P'""?--  Q"i«t  woods' 
The  tiny  bubbling  rinoirnf  T  ^^  '°^'*"'*«  complete, 
of  t- Jquirre?  wfr^r  ya/ds'J^^^^^^  8-/^-^ 

the  silence  and  motionle^ss  repose  "^  *°  ""'^^"^^^ 

whisS^\im^i'°"  ""'^^^  *--  -3-here."  Daylight 
the^bL\'^ng':pfr4^;^*--<l  *°  the  wonderful  lily  beside 
knSL^^T^V  f*^'  ^°'''  ^"^  ^^"^dered  on  foot  among  the 
native  holly.    But  to  the  n,rf  ^   ^^  '''''*  madroiios  and 

his  senses  *^*"  ^°^  ^""^  sweetness  stole  in  upon 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


^'^^^^V^^,^^-  The  sunjr 
rested  for  he  was  Sn'  tro^lTl^^'f  ^«  P^-^^d  and 
had  he  known  shortness  of  bSJuoh  !  .'^"'  ^°*  °^  °'d 
t  't  so  easily  tired  at  a  stSmb  A  f''  ^""^^^^i^^ 
dc  VI,  the  tiny  valley  thronXo  +•  ^  *^'^y  ^^ream  ran 

peted  knee-high  wfth  grasSnd  bl?  """^^7"  ^^'^^  ^^«  <=ar 
The  hiUside  was  covfred  w?th  JLT*^ ''^?^.*' "«^°PhUa. 
hyacinth,  down  through  wSlJsT„r^''""'  ^""^  ^"d 
with  cxrcumspect  feet'and  reJct^nt  St  °^^^  '^°''^y' 
t-r-a^fc^^^^'SHJ^f^afainteattle- 

bordered  streamlet.  A  lack  rTbhff  k^^T'''''^'  '"^^^ow- 
underhis  horse's  nose,feiped£;?°""'^'''^.^''°°»  ^  b««h 
the  opposite  hiUside  ofS-oak  T'v'l/^°^^''^"P 
admzringly  as  he  rode  on  to  the  head  ^2^'^^^  ^^^^"'i  " 
he  startled  up  a  many-pronted  h,?  t  1  ^  '"''^'*°^-  Here 
across  the  meadow,  a'nd  tofot  "2;  't'  T^^  *»  «oar 
J^.^and,  still  .oaring,  disrp^^aTd  L^I^X/it 

AtZ'£^t::::^lr''^^.  I*  seeded  to  him 
«g  was  aroused  and  he  "^asZi,  »«  old  woods'  trSl^ 
thing-in  the  moss  on  thT  t^?^  i"t^'^^*«d ''^  e^ery- 

bunchesof  mistlet<Ll^nS«  rthr^*'''^'?''^^^'  '"°  *^e 
a  wood-rat ;  in  the  wTtef  ^£=  °^^  '  ""  ^^e  nest  of 

eddies  of  the  li  tte  Ttrtm  -/TT  '"  *^''  ^^elt^red 
through  the  rifted  sunsCra'nd.bi'^'  butterflies  drifting 
that  flashed  in  splasW  nf  t^  ^^"^"^  '  ""  *^^  blue  jajS 
forest  aisles  ;  in  tCS;  b  rirfk?'  ^^^^^-.-^ross-'t^ 
among  the  bushes  andi^tated  i.^  ■^'''^-  *^**  ^^op  ■ 
and  in  the  crimson  cre^dw.T^?  °"°°''  ^^^^l-^al  ; 
WkingandcockedTSdonle^';  '^"^  "'^^^  "« 
Crossing  the  stream,  he  struck  faLT  vl^  *°  'T'^  ^'^■ 
road,    used,    evidently    a^eLt.     ^®f «''"  °f  »  ^ood- 

meadowhadbeenclear;dofr:rks°\7'''  J^^'^    '^^ 
-t  on  the  ^btning-shattLe^SLsf  LX^^tt't 


II 


176 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


1 


redwood.  And  to  complete  it  all,  his  horse  stumbled 
upon  several  large  broods  of  half-grown  quail,  and  the 
air  was  faUed  with  the  thrum  of  their  flight.     He  halted 

ing  on  the  ground  before  his  eyes,  and  listening  tTthe 
anxious  calls  of  the  old  ones  hidden  in  the  thickets 

V^J^l'"  """^^''^  P'*""®*  """^  bungalows  at  Menlo 

?lt'  .^%«°°™"ned  aloud;  "and  if  ever  I  get  the 
hankering  for  country  life,  it's  me  for  this  every  time." 

The  old  wood-road  led  him  to  a  clearing,  where  a  dozen 
acres  of  grapes  grew  on  ^yine-red  soil.  A  cow-path,  more 
trees  and  thickets,  and  he  dropped  down  a  hillside  to  the 
south-east  exposure.     Here,  poised  above  a  big  forested 

faim-house.  With  its  bam  and  outhouses  it  snuggled 
into  a  nook  m  the  hillside,  which  protected  it  from  west 
and  north.  It  was  the  erosion  from  this  hillside,  he 
judged,  that  had  formed  the  little  level  stretch  of  vege- 
table garden.  The  soil  was  fat  and  black,  and  there  was 
water  m  plenty,  for  he  saw  several  faucets  running  wide 

Forgotten  was  the  brickyard.     Nobody  was  at  home, 
but    Dayhght    dismounted    and    ranged    the    vegetable 
fhl     M  ^f'u^  strawberries  and  green  peas,  ins^oting 
the  old  adobe  barn  and  the  rusty  plough  and  harro^ 
and  rolling  and  smoking  cigarettes  while  he  watched  the 
antics  of  several  broods  of  young  chickens  and  the  mother 
hens.     A  foot-trail  that  led  doivn  the  waU  of  the  bie 
canon  invited  him,  and  he  proceeded  to  follow  it     A 
water-p.pe,  usually  above  ground,  paralleled  the  trail 
which  he  concluded  led  up-stream  to  the  bed  of  the  creek 
Ihe  wall  of  the  canon  was  several  hundred  feet  from  ton 
to  bottom,  and  so  magnificent  were  the  untouched  trees 
that  the   place   was  plunged  in  perpetual   shade     He 
measured  with  his  eye  spruces  five  and  six  feet  in  diameter 
and  redwoods  even  larger.     O..?  such  he  passed,  a  twister 
that  was  at  least  ten  or  eleven  leet  through.     The  trail 
led  straight  to  a  smaU  dam  wixere  was  the  intake  for  the 
pipe  that  watered  the  vegetable  garden     Here 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


in4rd,^l?t\f^efrd%^  j^^  ^°  -  had 

winter  storm.  The  huoe  tr„nt  i  ^u  ^^^  ""^^  ^t^ess  of 
lay  =,c.s-covered.  .Mwlf  re  £  "i**'^'  '^'''  ^^^'  ^aUen 
which  they  spraM  Somr&  ^^"^ '''*°  t^^"  ^ci' from 
were  quite-'gon.    fhouS  thi  f  -^f  '°,'°'>«  *hat  they 

the  mould,  could  stiUbfLnor  ^"*^  '^'  ''^"'  ^'*^ 
and  from  beneath  the  bX  of  one  1  "f«'^*'^^'t^<'am, 

younger  trees,  overthrown  and  T  ^Tu^',^""^  ^  dozen 
ing  out  along  the  «ounTstm  liv?,  '^  ?^  *'"'  ^^"'  g"-"^- 
roots  bathed  by  the  "team  tt  "'iP'°'P«'-'''''  their 
catching  the  sunlight  tSkfu  "P^^ooting  branches 
made  in  the  forest  foof^^  *^^  8*P  *hat  had  been 

onXtrottSTant":^^^^^  and  rode 

:ptrn:x^rtce^~^^ 

here  on  the  crest,  three  hours  ffteT'T  ,M°"'>*''in-     And 
and  sweaty,  garments  t^^lndS  and  tT'"^*''''  "'^'^ 
but  with  sparlding  eves  and  an  ,f    *°d  ^ands  scratched, 
expression."^  He  ffltThe  Shcit  nT''°°*^'^.""^*^"'°«^«  o 
playing  truant.     The  bL  aambH  ^^IT  ?'  ^  schoolboy 
seemed  very  far  away  ^luTjfe*^'''^  "^  ^^^  Francisco 
pleasure  inhis  mood^'  It  was  aTtr'  uT  '^^"^  ^^^cit 
through  a  sort  of  cleansing  bath     l^^^  ^^  ^'^  g°'ng 
the  sordidness,  meanness  Ldli  •         '""'^  ^^"^  fo"*  ^U 
dirty  pool  of  city  eTt^nco      w7y!°T'V^^'  ^"^d  the 
upon  the  matter  at  aU  has 'seSo  "   ^""'^'J^^  '°  "^^tail 
and  uphft.      Had  he  been  asZ^T.^^"^  Purification 
would  merely  havesaid  thattf         u^^^  ^°^  he  felt,  he 
for  he  was  unawa^^  iSif se  f  00"^-  "^  '  ^'^^  ^''"^  '' 

charm  of  nature  that  wL  nercor/°"''2r  °^  *^«  P°tent 
rotted  body  and  bra  n-Lw  fn  ^f  f  i°"gh  his  city- 
abysmal  past  of  wildernesHweltr?  v>*  u^  "^""^  °^  ^n 
coat^d  With  but  the  thi^SS  cT^wdel  cTv^tS 

12 


(  'n 


178 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


There  were  no  houses  in  the  summit  of  Sonoma  Moun- 
tain, and,  aU  alone  under  the  azure  California  sky    he 
reined  in  on  the  southern  edge  of  the  peak.     He  saw  open 
pasture  country,   intersected  with  wooded  caiions    de- 
scending to  the  south  and  west  from  his  feet,  crease  on 
crease  and  roll  on  roU,  from  lower  level  to  lover  level  to 
the  floor  of  Petaluma  Valley,  flat  as  a  billiard-tablo',  a 
cardboard  affair,  all  patches  and  squares  of  geometrical 
regularity  where  the  fat  freeholds  were  farmed.     Beyond 
to  the  west,  rose  range  on  range  of  mountains  cuddling 
purple  mists  of  atmosphere  in  their  valleys  ;  and  still 
beyond,  over  the  last  range  of  all,  he  saw  the  sliver  sheen 
of  the  Pacific.     Swinging  his  horse,  he  surveyed  the  west 
and  north,  from  Santa  Rosa  to  Mount   St.  Helena   and 
on  to  the  east,  across  Sonoma  Valley,  to  the  chaparral- 
covered  range  that  shut  ofi  the  view  of  Napa  Valley 
Here,  part  way  up  the  eastern  wall  of  Sonoma  Valley  in 
range  of  a  Une  intersecting  the  little  village  of  Glen  Ellen 
he  made  out  a  scar  upon  a  hillside.     His  first  thought 
was  that  it  was  the  dump  of  a  mine  tunnel,  but  remem- 
bering that  he  was  not  in  gold-bearing  country,  he  dis- 
missed the  scar  from  his  mind  and  continued  the  circle 
of  his  survey  to  the  south-east,  where,  across  the  waters 
of  San  Pablo  Bay,  he  could  see,  sharp  and  distant   the 
twin  peaks  of  Mount  Diablo.     To  the  south  was  Mount 
Tamalpais,  and,  yes,  he  was  right,  fifty  miles  away,  where 
the  draughty  winds  of  the  Pacific  blew  in  the  Golden 
Gate,  the  smoke  of  San  Francisco  made  a  low-lying  haze 
against  the  sky. 

"  I  ain't  seen  so  much  country  aU  at  once  in  many  a 
day,"  he  thought  aloud. 

He  was  loath  to  depart,  and  it  was  not  for  an  hour  that 
he  was  able  to  tear  himself  away  and  take  the  descent  of 
the  mountain.  Working  out  a  new  route  juit  for  the  fun 
of  it,  late  afternoon  was  upon  him  when  ho  arrived  back 
at  the  wooded  knolls.  Here,  on  the  top  of  one  of  them 
his  keen  eyes  caught  a  glimpse  of  a  shade  of  green  sharply 
difierentiated  from  any  he  had  seen  all  day.  Studyiiw  it 
for  a  minute,  he  concluded  that  it  was  composed  of  three 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  179 

on  hands  and  knees  strugglimi  hard  ^o  W  '       ^""''u  ^^^^ 

these  clues,  Daylight  cast  about  fo/a  tmU  and  S    ^ 
because  it  was  so  irrpaiil=,.i„  „i,       j    'arger.     iius  was 

much  rent     Hillarri   +v,<>  ^         "  *  "^^^  *"  pay 

fro™  the  c4Jlf 'SaTwas'Zrofi'  ^^17^ 

M  for  the^restoSe  ranch   H>  ^''"^''  ^^"^  ^°^  ^^^^  "'4- 
e..  01  tte  ranch,  the  land  was  good  in  patches, 


ir 


180 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


You  re  not  n  farmer,"  Daylight  said. 
The  young  man  laughed  and  shook  his  head. 

Ifes,  there  were  about  eleven  acres  in  the  v,-n«,.nr^ 
oTX^'-,  Jho  price  was  usually  good.  ^'Cg^rmo;; 
Zi^u  \  ,^.^^-  ^^  ^^  °^ed  the  place,  he'd  clear  «. 
patch  of  land  on  the  hill-side  above  the  vineyard  and 
plant  a  smaU  home  orchard.  The  soil  was  ewd  TW„ 
was  plenty  of  pasturage  all  over  the  mnch    «nH  T^ 

ttSj'ra^^S/rvatrha^y^^^  "^""^  --  ^  ton 
A^  Daylight  listened,  there  came  to  him  a  sudden  enw 

The  young  man  smiled  with  a  certain  wistfulness 
Because  we  can't  get  ahead  here  .  .  ."(™stated 

T'm^nX;    +  '    ,         ^  '*  '»•  counts ;  and  besides 

I  owned  H   of  ifT^''  *^  '^^1'^""^  ^^^  *1^«  ?!''"« 

story  ran,   the  father  and  mol^had  ^r^eTeac^ 


i 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


181 

for  years,  for  the  Tndicatro^  17'^'*  "^  '*'  °«  ^''d  "» 
was  years  and  years  Sr  1  '""  S"?^'  »"'  that 
struck  in  the  valley  ThouS^  tS  Tu  ^"'^  "^"^  ''"^n 
prospect-holes  put  down  and  tW  Y,^^"  ""  ^'''^  "^ 
rush  there  thirtV  years  back  '"^  '''^''"  ^  ™^'  ^f 

that  c-/livi„g  had  nTagreed'SL"*f7S^*  -- 
noted  the  slight  tan  anri  hlauv.  >  ^'-  ^"^1  then  he 
to  her  face,  afd  he  SeS  tS^'th^  "  '""t'  ^^^'"«^'  ^^ded 
for  her.  Declining  an  ii.v.>»^  the  country  was  the  place 
for  Glen  Ellen,  S  siI^Wh  '".rPP"'  ^'  '«de  on 
humming  forgUte^sont  w!  ?  '"  *^!  '^'^'^^^  ^^"^  'ohly 
winding  load  throuch  oS  o  fPP"^  ''°^^n  *e  rough, 

there  thicket  TS^^l  3''  ?"!*"'■«'-"»'  h-e  and 
He  listened  greedilv?ni?;^i    ",     »'"*"*  "^  "P^n  glades. 

right,  once,frshlVU    ar»  r        f'°''  '""^'^^^  °"*- 
scolding  up  a  bail  sl.nnin^        *,°^  chipmunk  that  fled 

falling  ^down,   t£'  daC  °°/'''  T'^'^'^  '^^^'^^^  """d 

horse's  nose 'and!  staTscoldinrsnf\r°"^  ""'^"^  l''* 
tecting  oak  scolding,  scrambling  up  a  pro- 

tratsirttrdV^rdtno'tr "  *°  ^-p  *°  ^^^^ 

to  Glen  Ellen  brought  WmunnT"-""*  '"'"'''  ''"""t^y 
his  way  that  he  wfs  gltd  toPf?^,„*  "^T  '^^*  «°  '''"c'^ed 
This  led  him  to  a"sS?  t^eZun'X'T'^'''''- 
windows  were  open    and  a  n7t  '^'^  ^oors  and 

kittens  in  the  doorwav  hnf  n  ^'  ""'"'^"S  "*  "tter  of 
descended  the  tralfL,     "°/°V^®'"«dathome.     He 

Part  way  down.  he^netjSm^  """^'^  '^«  --« 
the  sunset.     In  his  hand  h.  n         f "  ^"""'"S  up  through 

He  wore  no  hat.  and  in  his  fac^f '^  ^  ^f  °*  ^"^"^^  ^i^k- 
hair  and  beard,  was  he  rJdv'/,!?'"'''^/^*'^  snow-whit* 
passing  summer  daV    n"&?  .^  ^°?  ''°"**°*  ''f  *!»« 

never  seen  so  contented-ffigUernT'  *'"''  """  "^"^ 


182 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


''  How  old  are  you,  daddy  ? "  he  queried. 

ami  .^      T"  "^^  *?,"  "■"P'y'     "  Yes,  sirree,  eighty-four 
and  spryer  than  most."  "    ^ 

suggS^d"""*  "'  *''^'"  '^°°^  "*■■*  °*  yourself,"  Daylight 

wn'i'tL''""'*  '"!?"' ™''°"'  *'«'*•  I  ain't  loafed  none.  I 
walked  acroBs  the  Plarns  with  an  ox-team  and  fit  Inju/, 
m  61,  and  I  was  a  family  man  then  with  seven  youngster:, 
on  to  .V'  ""*'  ^'  "'''  '•''"  ''*  ^°"  "''  ''°^'  °^  P'ettytgh 
"  Don't  you  find  it  lonely  here  '" 

"  tI"!*^  ff5"  ''''*,**''  *^^  P"*''  °^  ™"1^  and  reflected. 

-Tliat  all  depends,"  he  said  oracularly.     "I  ain't  never 

been  lonely  except  wnen  the  old  wife  died.     Some  feSIrs 

are  lonely  in  a  crowd,  and  I'm  one  of  them.     That's  the 

only  t,me  I'm  lonely,  is  when  I  go  to  'Frisco.     But  I  don't 

ILul7°'^'  ^"^^  ^r  ''"°^*  *°  '^'"^th.  This  is  good 
enough  for  me.  I've  been  right  here  in  this  vaUey  since 
54--K)ne  of  the  first  settlers  after  the  Spaniards  " 

-Daylight  started  his  horse,  saying  •— 

"Well,  good-night,  daddy.  Stick  with  it.  You  got 
all  the  young  bloods  skinned,  and  I  guess  you've  sure 
buried  a  mighty  sight  of  them."  ^ 

The  old  man  chuckled,  and  Daylight  rode  on,  singu- 

that  the  old  contentment  of  trail  and  camp  he  had  known 

!^J  f  1°°  ^^"^  ?*""^  ^'^''^  t°  him.  *^  He  could  not 
.hake  from  his  eyes  the  picture  of  the  old  pioneer  coming 
up  the  trail  through  the  sunset  light.  He  wa.s  certainlf 
going  some  for  eighty-four.  The  thought  of  following  Ws 
example  entered  Daylight's  mind,  but  the  big  game  of 
ban  Francisco  vetoed  the  idea. 

"  Well,  anyway,"  he  decided,  "  when  I  get  old  and  quit 
the  game,  I'll  settle  down  in  a  place  something  like  this 
and  the  city  can  go  to  hell."  ^  ' 


CHAPTER  IX 

plentiful  and  also  l'£unr„t  Co  5 Vo^^r  TJZl 

KtZnn  %'°  ^'^  =  r^  P'°^P^'=*^  that  Granted 
tne  starting  of  the  tunnel  into  the  side-liill  ■  n,„  tu 

off  while  the  men  went  away  and  got  job?- 'then  the 

lurZr^  "  ""'^  '''!''^  °'  ^°^'''  ^^'th  the  "pay '"eSr 
luring  ari  ever  receding  into  the  mountain  until  afl«r 
years  of  lope.  the  men  had  given  up  and  v^^hed  '  Most 
ikely  they  were  dead  by  now,  Daylight  thouriit  as  hn 
turned  in  the  saddle  and  looked  back  fcross  Z  caiion  S 
the  ancient  dump  and  dark  mouth  of  the  tunnel 
AS  on  the  previous  day,  just  for  the  joy  of  it   he  fol 

!r dt?  ruStf  S"  .r^  -rk^/hih^y  °^ 

led  upward,  he  foUoweS^H  forsetrm^ef  r^rgt^t* 
a  small,  mountain-encircled  valley    where  hnK„^^^ 

crs  t7'  *nT-^-p-  onZli;sfo;r 

r>eyon(i,    the    road   pitched    upward     Densp    pLr,»r™i 

covered  the  exposed  hiUsides,  but  in  the  creases  oT  the 

canons  huge  spruce  trees  grew,  and  wild  oateand  floter, 

183 


184 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


n 


.rrogular  patches  where  th^ltZ^ndZ  ""?  Z'"''^'  '« 
w«ne-gra{X)8  were  crowinr  r^TJ  **'*'/°'l  favoured, 
had  been  a  ntiff  s^^^^and^lf' -^^^  «««  that  it 
fresh  «ig„s  of  winmnSha"  rri  tC  tT*"™.''''"^'''* 
eleanngs  ;  patehos  and  parts  of  n«fK  f  '"^"^^'^  *^«» 
pruned,  grass-grown  and  ahlr^"'"  °'  '''"eyard,  un- 
old  ^takf-and-ridrr  'fence.  vainir'^/°"'^  everywhere 
intact.    Here,   at  a  Zm   ZZi       '^'"«   *°   '^^'^'n 

!:KSr?^-V--eS:X^r£pi- 

^a^^^K^-.;r^--~.the 

ni^aS^rt£X^^"^^'*^-«otary 

hiteh  and  have  a  glassVwiJe  ?"      ^°°  *  ^°"  ^*°P  '"'d 

a  hand-press  and  all  tRaraofc  .''*''"''  daylight  saw 
for  the  making  of  wine  Tt  wil  ?  ?  °°  "  «'°»1^  ^^^^ 
road  to  haul  the  gZes  to  t^  n°  ^'"'  """^  *«°  ^ad  a 
plained,  and  so  theTwere  col.l7^  ?  T'°""^*'  «»»«  «=^- 
"They,"  ho  learned,  wereThetd  her" i**''^'^^^^^''- 
latter  a  widow  of  fortv-odd  Tf  ),,  ^  daughter,  the 
the  grandson  died  and  hTfn      v,     '^  '"'^°  ^^^^e"-  before 

savages  in  the  iie'''''He  han^""'"^  *°  ^8^* 
battle.  i'pines.     He  had  died  out  there  in 

taKtSte:  Sa*""'^r.1  ^^-"--^  ^-sling. 
Yes  they  iusT^rgeSto"trve°'  a  second  tuniblef.' 
she  had  taken  up  thi!  governltrnd  SZ^l^t^^^^t 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


188 

what  wore  they  to  d??tfro''war/h  '°''^  *""'  """' 
wine  was  down^  That  Riolli^  ?  4!  -?  y"""  V""*'  '""^ 
railroad  down  in  the  vnll„v  flA  .  ''"''^ered  it  to  the 
And  it  wa  a"onK  hau7  ft  t  ^"""i*y-*7"  ''«"'«  »  gallon. 
Her  daughte/wlfi  Jt'Sh^t^f  *'«  -"-''  *'^P- 
■L'aylight  know  tliat  in  thn  lio»«lr.    »•'    r 

mmmsm 

fight  and  de  for  the  L^Z/™'  "I'u    S^r^'^'^'om  out  to 
gallon.    Th  «™7ll  '"'•  ""  "S"  """  '  •!■»" 

«f  «v„  doll.™  «d  ..™'l"ih  tni,  rSi:.?''?'t°°; 

..  ^°^  °'d  ^'■«  yo".  mother  ?"  he  asked 
_^  beventy-mne  come  next  January." 
^_  Worked  pretty  hard,  I  suppose  «" 

statfr^/i :::  r^UoZ  "£  r^  ^^-^^^r 

reckon  the  work  got  harde'TJd  harder  "    "'""'"'  ^'"'^  ^ 
When  are  you  going  to  t.-vko  a  rest  ?" 


186 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


She  looked  at  him,  as  though  she  chosn  in  t\,;^i.  u- 
question  facetious,  and  did  not  re^ly  ^^'^  ^' 

Do  you  believe  in  God  ?" 

She  nodded  her  head. 

"  Then  you  get  it  all  back,"  he  assured  her  ■  but  in  hi, 
heart  he  was  wondering  about  God,  that  allowed  so  manv 
suckers  to  be  born  and  that  did  not  break  upKaniS 
game  by  which  they  were  robbed  from  the'crXTo  thf 

"How  much  of  that  Riesling  you  got  i" 

bbe  ran  her  eyes  over  the  casks  and  calculated     "  Tnst 

short  of  eight  hundred  gallons."  '■"'"""^lea.       Just 

He  wondered  what  ho  could  do  with  with  all  of  it  »^^ 

spec^ted  as  to  whom  he  could  givTit  a"ay        ^  '*'  "°^ 

it  r'Stff '  ^°"  '°  " '  ^°*  '°^  '  -^""^  -  «-"-  f- 

''  Drop  dead,  I  suppose." 

^^  No  ;  speaking  seriously." 

"  Get  me  some  false  teeth,  shingle  the  house  and  hi,Tr  - 

"Buy  me  a  coffin." 

"Well,  they're  yours,  mother,  coffin  and  all  " 
ahe  looked  her  incredulity. 

"  No  ;  I  mean  it.     And  there's  fifty  to  bind  the  bargain 
Never  mind  the  receipt.     It's  the  rich  ones  thSfeed 

Cow  Vr  r  "'Tr^  ^''""^  «°  ''^--l  short,  you 
toow.     Here  s  my  addre.ss.     You've  got  to  deliver  it  to 
the  railroad     And  now,  show  me  the  way  out^here 
I  want  to  get  up  to  the  top  "  ^  ®  ®- 

On  through  the  chaparral  he  went,  following  faint  cattle 
d  tlT'^7°'^'i'?,'^°^'y  "P^'^'-i  ™  i'^  came  out  on    he 

landV""''*  '"'"''"  ""'  "^"""•'^'   "^°  ^^iS^iy  Bweet 

Circling  around  to  the  right  and  dropping  down  alontr 

W^"  V  *,?"'■  ^  '1"''^*^^  f°^  anotherwayTack   to 
Sonoma  Valley  ;  but  the  cattle-trails  seemed  t^  fade  out 


-4-' 


Ml^ 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  187 

and  the  chaparral  to  grow  thicker  with  a  deliberate 
viciousness,  and  even  when  he  won  through  in  places 
the  oaiion  and  smaU  feeders  were  too  precipitous  for  his 
horse  and  turned  him  back.     But  there  was  no  irritation 
about  It     He  enjoyed  it  aU,  for  he  was  back  at  his  old 
game  of  bucking  nature.     Late  in  the  afternoon  he  broke 
through,  and  followed  a  weU-deHned  trail  down  a  dry 
cafion.     Here  he  got  a  fresh  thrill.     He  had  heard  the 
baying  ot  the  hound  some  minutes  before,  and  suddenly 
across  the  bare  face  of  the  hill  above  him,  he  saw  a  large 
buck  m  flight.     And  not  far  behind  came  the  deer-hound 
a  magmfloent  animal.     Daylight  sat  tense  in  his  saddle 
and  watched  until  they  disappeared,  hia  breath  just  a 
trifle  shorter,  as  if  he,  too,  were  in  the  chase,  his  nostrils 
distended,  and  in  his  bones  the  old  hunting  ache  and 
mwnories  of  the  days  before  he  came  to  live  in  cities 

The  dry  canon  gavo  place  to  one  with  a  slender  ribbon 
of  runmng  water.  The  trail  ran  into  a  wood-road,  and 
the  wood-road  emerged  across  a  small  flat  upon  a  slightly 
travelled  country  road.  There  were  no  farms  in  this  im- 
mediate section,  and  no  houses.  The  soil  was  meagre, 
the  bed-rock  either  close  to  the  surface  or  constituting 
the  surface  itself.  Manzanita  and  scrub-oak,  however 
flourished  and  walled  the  road  on  either  side  with  a  jungle 
growth  And  out  a  runway  through  this  growth  a  man 
*  bh-^  scuttled  in  a  way  that  reminded  Daylight  of  a 

He  was  a  little  man,  in  patched  overaU-  ;  bareheaded 
with  a  cotton  shirt  open  at  the  throat  and  down  the  chest' 
The  sun  was  ruddy-brown  in  his  face,  and  by  it  his  sandy 
hair  was  bleached  on  the  ends  to  peroxide  blonde  He 
signed  to  Daylight  to  halt,  and  held  up  a  letter 

.u-    V  7°"'''^  8°'"8  *"  t°^n'  I'd  be  obliged  if  you  mail 
this,"  he  said.  '' 

"I  sure  will  "     Daylight  put  it  int     his  coat  pocket. 
Uo  you  live  hereabouts,  stranger  ?'• 
But  the  little  man  did  not  answer.     He  v.a3  gazing  at 
Dayhght  m  a  surprised  and  steadfast  fashion. 

I  know  you,"  the  little  man  announced.     "  You're 


188 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


I 


Daylight  nodded, 
chrparll^^*  ""''^'  *^^  «"-  -«  y-  doing  here  in  the 

^o^^SZ^T^'  "  ^---ing  "P  trade 

litt,e^l'it^cr'K?;  *^^  ^^r-^"- '■  '^^ 

I've  seen  your  photo  in  thl  ^^®  ""^^^^  seeing  you. 

a  good  memoryZ  faces    V;P«"  ^^y  ^  «'"«■  and  I've 
name's  Ferguson  "  recognized  you  at  once.     My 

^JDo  you  live   hereabouts?"   Daylight   repeated  his 

a  hu?dr;r;ards'^L^d°iS  t^n  '*''",  '^T  '»  ^''^  "^^ 
and  berry  bushes.  Come  S  anK  ^''''i  ^  ^^  ^'''''  *r««« 
spring  is  a  dandy.  YoHelr  ?f  l}^  ^  ^°°^-  ^"^  that 
in  and  try  it. "  ^  "^"'^'^  **«**d  water  like  it.    Come 

^^oSI^P^:il:itTitS^:r-  daylight  ^owed  the 

and  emerged  abru%ly"'ortLr*'  fT  ^"'^^J 

mght  be  called,   where  wiWn!f"°?,'  "^  "^"^''''S  it 

ecratcWng  were  inelw:bry  blender  Tt"^  '"""'•^  ''''^■ 
M  the  hills,  protected  hJ^thLT         \,  ^^  '*''**  *  tiny  nook 

Here  were  severlllrge  ^^'eJ^H  "'  °'  ^  ''^*'°''  ^°«th- 
The  erosion  of  ages  from  the  bin  -f^u'^.^  *  ""J^^'  ^^il. 
this  deposit  of  fat  ear  r  UndSS  t"^  i"""'^  ^""^'^ 
in  them,  stood  a  rough  unDaintd  n  K°*^'  ^''"°«*  '"'^^ 
of  which,  with  chairs  and  h2-f'i  ^''^^  ^^^anda 
of-doors  bedchamber.  Ja^lSl;  "^"'''"^^  ""  °"*- 
everything.     The  c]e«rir,„      ^    •      ^*'®°    ^^^^    took    in 

patches  of  the  b:s?ror.nre;eSlSt%/°^^^^^^^  '""^ 
bush,  and  even  each  vegetablp  I?w  u  *.  T  ^""^  ^erry 
sonally  conducted  toT  Th7  fnv'  •^^'^  *>  ^^*«'  P^-"" 
we.  everywhere,  and  along  ste"of^h:rrw:ferwt 

Of  ISXtion.'^'  ^'^'^^'y  -*°  ^  -itor's  face  for  signs 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  ,89 

"What  do  you  think  of  it,  eh  i" 

BaySS^S^bStKSsa^^^^^^^ 

'«  h«  «ye«  contented  the  httle  ^^~'^^''"'  ^^^  «hone 

if  the7^;re  lon^S'mine^T  7'?.°''t  "*  ^'^''^^  ^^-^  <« 

fed  thV  and  brougr  he^;  up  ComH'  '^T'*  *^^-' 
the  spring."  P'     ^"""^  <"»  "nd  peep  at 

"It's  sure  a  hummer,"  was  Daylight's  vprH.v-f    af* 
due^mspecon  and  sampling,  as  the'y  lurZHt^'i^Z 

large  living  room  A  trlf  f'  k,  •  ^H°'^  '='*'"°  ^o'^ied  a 
fortabJ^ftZd^  wl^  hnoV  '"  "T  ^'^^  '^^'^^^  ^^«  com- 
availabitl^TltactLmtVto^S^^         ^   ^''^ 

Er/oor"^*''---'^^-^^^^^^^ 

proudi?aS:rtr""'  '^^'^  '^'^^^  *^^-'  ^  V'  Ferguson 

of  L^rsS^s^^rbi^Vr^  '"^"^  --  ^  ^"««  fi-p'-e 

she  drew  !    Never  a  wisp  of  smoke  any^vhere  sa;^^n  f  k  ' 
appomted  cham^el,  and  that  during  th^Wrrtirtet 

ti.?t^l':rxr':j''::r.^,.^-^  -de  cunous  by 

chaparral,  he  andSir.ifetafnS  'T  !"  '^' 
body  could  see  that.  Then  whv  ?  T^  u^  '  ^°°''  '"'y 
a  tinge  of  adventure,  and  DaJl^Jfa  aSt^'t '  '^f  ""^ 
to  supper,  half  prepared  to  find  his  S  a  r  '"^?'^«°'> 
m,t-eater,orso:^esLilarsorto?he:UhfLdrr^^^^^^^^ 
while  eatmg  rice  and  jack-rabbit  curry  aheTtV.r  It  ^' 
Ferguson),  they  talked  it  over,  anMvLtl  °^u^ 
httle  man  had  no  food  "  views  "H^^ru""**  ^^^ 
lil^ed.  and  aU  he  wanted,  avofd^g  onlf  su^J  c^S L^^ 


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dt^stfoT"""   """^   ^^"S'^*   '^'^   'J^-g^-d   with   hf, 
Next,  Daylight  surmised  that  he  might  be  touched  witf 
rehgion  ;  but,  quest  about  as  he  would  in  a  rrT™,   T- 
covering  the  most  divergent  topicrhe  ?;^Vfind  no  Ct  ol 
queerness  or  unusualness.     So  it  was  wwT  W  ^ 

SZhadslSd^'^r^'^'^^^^^^^^ 

rvi  suteed^d  "  \vZ  ^°'"«-'^-^-  ''"*  I'"  he'danS  ^ 
W^tmXlco?etre1  ^Whatri^rdS^i 
yo:^feir'"^  y-  --«  J^-e  ?     Go  aheadV  eSate 

So  e^a^tXrT  H  laT Sr^^^^^^^^^  f  flC^ 
and  forced  feeding,  and  far«M     T  w»  electricity, 

about  everything  in  the  curricXm      Th!  ^^raduate  of 

tToub^^^i^"^^  -^'^ '  -™*^"-  bSTo^rr^z 

trouble  with  me  was  twofold  ■  first  T  araa  .  k„.  t ,. 

and  next,  I  was  living  unnl^r^itormuc^Cftd' 
^E^S^^el".^  ^^-^-     '  - -naging^di^of  th^ 
DayUght  gasped  mentaUy,  for  the  Timea-Tribune  w^ 

He  shrugged  his  shoulders  and  drew  at  Ms  pfpe 
When  the  doctors  gave  me  up.  I  wound  uj^y  affairs 


hU 


I 


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and  gave  the  doctors  un     TJint  wo=  ett 

nA^J  1  J^    ,    *™  "*'''°  ^nd  sent  for  mv  books     T 

never  knew  what  happiness  was  before,  nor  health      T  not 
at  me  now  and  dare  to  tell  me  that  I  kok  fort^teven  ?' 

ti^tTj^LZi::z''"'' '  '°°'^'  ""'"'^^  '"^'y'  --^ 

from  Yew  SefV"'  """^"^^^  '°°'^«'^  ''^  ^^^^  --W 

fS^,  Jr^m"  I^ bllKb^ilwlt  r «  ^"^ 
knows  how  lone  «     I  was   ,nt  h«h^?^    ^*  ^  I^  ^°''  ^^^^^'^ 

Anything  I  can  do  for  vou^;     p^  '''■'  T"'  "'"^  "^^^  ? 

»sri=  -Sr  L~ '"— 

I  could  do  1.0k  .oA  ,„,  a.r^:^s  rd-ui^'^sr; 


:;f.v^ 


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j  (I 


.ii 


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And  I  like  the  wor^k  But  TtJ^'  ^^  ^"'^  ^  '""fa 
wto  it.  It's  a  great  thin.  \^°"  t  °^^P'^  ««*  ^  break 
grapes  a  whole  W  dtv  ani  7^'°.^' *  '«"™«d  *»  pick 
with  that  tired  haly  1^1^  ,W  ^"'"f  u**  *^«  ^^^  ^f  it 
of  physical  ooUapse^^That  i^el  '^  .°.^  ''"'"8  ^°  "  «*«*« 
I  was  soft,  then   a  i,tfl»      '^'^^P  ace-those  big  stones— 

with  the  «pun^  ;f  a  SbiranTab''?'^"""  ^'^'-^^^' 
much  stamina,  and  some  of  thnf  ?  "J  °"^  ^^  "^nt.  ai 
»y  back  and  my  helT  Buf  I  !i"^  '*°T  "^^^'^  ^''"ke 
body  in  the  way  Nature  in^J  P^.^evered,  and  used  my 
bending  over  a  dfsk  and  Sn^  tu^T^^  **«  "««d-not 
bere  I  am,  a  better  man  foHt  a^nJ^Jf''^/  \  '^''d'  ^«U. 
fine  and  dandy,  eh  «  '    "'^  *^'""«  «  tbe  fireplace. 

tu^^X^Fra^i:  upsTde  t  """"f^'  ^^  ^'^  ^oj 
yoars.  you're  a  bM±,fZ,T^  *^^*i^^*  '-^'^  »* 
my  imagination,  though  mfcooierrLT' ^^^  y°»  ^"'"'b 
are  a  lunatic  like  the  H^  ThtrT"  *«"« '"e  that  you 
dreadful  affliction.  W^y  didn^  '"'*  {°'  P''^^'  •'  1*'^  a 
dike  ?  Or  why  donT^u  cfearCt  1'^  I"  ^°"  ^°«- 
bfe,  for  instance,  like  mine  "  You  see  T  ^'7  "  ^*»™' 
toa    Now  you  talk  and  let  me  hsten  for  ^  *'^  '^T^'"'^' 

It  was  not  until  ten  n'nLi\{..V°'^"^"^^''- 
Ferguson.    As  he  r^de  at  tw  ^e^il^'^*  P-^'^^d  from 
Idea  came  to  him  of  buvin^^f  *?  °"?^  *^«  starlight,  the 
the  valley.     There  wrf^f  Jt     T^  °"  ^^^  °tber  side  of 
intending  to  iTve  onT  "x?,- *'^°"«1>*  *•»  bis  mind  of  ever 
But  he  hied  the  ranch  aS  afZ'  ^*V"  ®^»  ^^"■'^co 
office  he  would  open  up  ntot,„T°  *'  ''^S^*  ''^"^^  t°  the 
sides,  the  ranch  included Ef'°"!  "^^^  «^"^^d.     Be- 
bim  the  whip-hand  over  K^W«  ^1'*'  -^""^  '*  ^""'d  give 
cut  up  any  didoes  Holdsworthy  if  he  ever  tried  t^ 


CHAPTER  X 

were  many  men  in  San  PVo^  •  '*^'"  ^  ■"evenge.  There 
registered  Wk  mart  a^drrar''"*  "'^"^  ^^^  ^ 
his  lightning  strokes,  he  erased  2l?  ^^'f'"'  ^^^^  »««  of 
quarter  ;  he  gave  no  quarter  Me„  f  "'^'i^'  ««  ^'^^^  "o 
and  no  one  loved  him,  excent  t!^  I^^''  '"''*  ^ated  him, 
who  would  have  laid  down l^t  ^  ^egan,  ^'  '-^wyer 
the  only  man  with  whom  DatltL  >  ^"*  ''^  ^*« 

though  he  was  on  terms  of  frSL?'  '"^"^  ■'>«'»«te, 
the  rough  and  unprincinled  foM^  •  ^^a'aderie  with 
ruted  the  Riverside  cLb  "^'"^  "^  *^«  bosses  who 

On  the  other  hand   Sftn  Wr.     ■      , 
Daylight  had  undeZne  a  fh         ''''I  *"'*"de  towards 
«^shing  buccaneerTethods  ''^^f  a  J'f'}^'  -*h  £ 
the  more  orthodox  financial  Imhll^  distmot  menace  to 
fo  grave  a  menace  thaTthef  we 'f^',  ^"  ^^«  "^^^^rtheless 
h.m  a  one.     He  had  already  tZL^f  '"?«^  *°  l«ave 
of  lettmg  a  sleeping  dogTe^jH'**^«°>  the  excellence 
that  they  were  in  dange?'  of  hK  ^  '"'°'  ^'^^  l™«w 
reached  out  for  the  honey  vat,    JS  ^'''T^  ^^en  it 

pacatehim,togetonthefrield!'sid?^fr''"  '^""^  *<>  " 
Pacific  approached  him  conS.    .f    *^'°-     TheAlta- 
remstatement,    which  1   prSnf/ ^  ^  ^  *^  "*"  °ff«r  of 
after  a  number  of  men  in  fW^P^"-^  declined.    He  was 
tunity  offered,  he  rSed  out  f     .^.'  ^°'^'  ^^«"«^er  oppT 
Even   the   newspaSf^'^th  one '""  ^"'^  "''^"^'^d  them, 
exceptions,  ceased  abusi^s  him       a  u^°   "ackmailing 
In  short,  he  wa5  ip^i    "    "«  him  and  became  re<,De„*f,,f 
was  iOOiiua  upon  as  a  hoM  c        i  '        PCCciul. 
1§3  bald-faced  grizzly  from 

13 


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ft 


and,  to  use  another  of  his  nhrasp*   tl,,.,  ^"^''.f^fy  "w, 
Messrs.    Dowsett     iTLn     «n^  p  t^  'P°*'  °"*  °* 

-ore  «».,  ™,,  <ii„.,„a  „»."  booS  SS  1'""  ~ 

•new  w„  co„u„.d  1„  ,h.  ,.dl»„  Hmfi^ZS,  t 


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sTx  ^r.'"''  '^  ^«'  *^°-  "ade  K  T'  'T  ^S"'"* 
SIX  months  or  so  apart  he  hari  i,,„^  j',  ^^eral  times, 
now  she  was  receivin^^l^^^T"^^^  *«"■  «<»lary,  unti 
this  he  dared  not  ^o^  tSl  t  .«  ,"  '""''*''•  beyond 
making  the  work  ealier  S  he  ha?.  *°*  "'"""'^  '*  ^v 
her  return  from  a  vacation  bv  retw''"TP''*^«d ''««' 
a«  an  assistant.  Also,  he  had  c  W«^{!?  ^'i  substitute 
that  now  the  two  girls  had  a  room  bv  Jh^!^  °?"'  ^"''«' «° 

His  eye  had  become  quite  oriH^iu'"'*'^^*- 
was  concerned.    He  had  W  1     ''^*''^"'  ^^e  Mason 
carriage.    It  was  u^obtrui",^^ ^^^'t  Tt""''  ^^^^  ^^ 
cided,  from  the  way  she  carried  it   thif  '^^'T    ««  d«- 
body  a  thing  to  be  proud  of  f^t     '      ,*.  *''«'  deemed  her 
and  valued  possession     In  th°  .IT'fJ"' '''  "  ^eautifu 
her  clothes,  he  compared  he?wi^fC  "''•^^^^^'''^"-d 
stenographers  he  encountered    *  oth-'^*^"*'  '"'^^  the 
women  he  saw  on  the  sidewalks      '  Sh  °^''''  ""'^^  'he 
up,"  he  communed  with  h3f'-  "f^^V""^  ^«"  Put 
how  to  dress  and  carry  it  off  3 '  *  k  ""^  ^^^  ^'"•e  knows 
and  without  laying  it'on  tSJ^°"*  ^«'°«  «*"«k  on  hersel? 

Ihe  more  he  saw  of  her  anrf  f^„ 
knew  of  her,  the  more  unapproachaW«T;\^'  *^°"«ht  he 
But  since  he  had  no  intention  nf      '^''' '^«  ««««>  to  him 
was  anything  but  an  unSactorXr^^Jr^^  ""'''  *h« 
atS-''^^°«--^Ho;a.X^--^d 

life'^SSSSrr'*''  ^'^^  P--g  years.     The 
and  there  ^as  unJoZd  flabbTn:  ^'""r^  ^^*°»*  ««d  soft! 
more  he  drank  cocktai  s   the  morriTe  w'  '""^'"^^-     ^he 
drink  m  order  to  get  the  design  r      ,r*\«°mpeUed  to 
that  eased  him  down  from  the  col  T'^  f"  '^hibitions 
tions^    And  with  this  we^t  wine   t^!^  '"/"^  °^  ^'«  "P^-"^ 
long  drinks  after  dimier  of  ScTch  «^H  **^'°'^'«'  ^"^  the 
side.     Then,  too,  his  body  suffered  f^l'f^^*  '^«  K'^er- 
and,  from  lack  of  decent  human  a 'n      f-'^  °*  "^^^^'^^  ; 
fibres  were  weakening.     Never  a  Ca  to  H'  ^  "^"'^^ 

-laa  to  hide  anything. 


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IP 

I  Mmt 


companions  distinctly  lortvin^,*"  ^^^  •^°«*  ^^^ 
rated  as  good  fun  and  ooS]:T„,r*'  *^**  ^«"'  "•■ 

Nor  was  there  anytS  ?o  sl^  K^^'^gl'P*"'- 
pas.  a  him  by.  "  AloTm  j*^!  ,?"»■  ^^gion  ha, 
that  phase  o^f  specuSon^f  "^  ^^^  ^s  epitome  o 
humanity.  AcooE  „  his  ^„nT.''°*  '«t«re«ted  i, 
was  all  a  gamble  Gbd  w«^  '^°".8'>-^e«'n  sociology,  i, 
thing  called  Luck  Astoh^J'  ''^J^^'"'^'  abstraot^ma 
whether  a  sucker  or  a  robbl°"' ^"PP^''^'*  *°  ^e  bora^ 

with;  Luck  dealt  out  the  tr^ld  f^^•'^*°  ''««'" 

picked  up  the  hands  al  otted  th 'm  "''p*^«  ''"'«  '"'Wos 

Those  were  their  cards  and  th«v  h.^  ♦  ^^**'"  ""^  ^"'n. 

niUy,  hunchbacked/or  straiM  f  ^^  P'?^  *'»«"'•  '^"ly- 

imbed.    addle-pated    or   cSr  L»^^'  "IPuP^"''  "'  "'«««- 

fairness  in  it.    The  ca°d8  mnt^  •  .^f '    ^^"^'^    ^a«   no 

the  sucker  class  ;  the  l^r  of  Tf"'^  "P  P";'  *''«'°  '"to 

become  robbers.     The  pTa^n:r  If  ,/^''  T""'^  ^^^"^  t" 

crowd  of  players.  socL?^?L tlfe  la  V^  '*  ^  ^^a 

the  earth,  in  lumps  and  chunks  7mm  Tl'  ^^  %^^^ '  '"'<* 

big  red  motor-cars,  was  the  stake  *'T  i°*^«^  "^  bread  to 

toLlTrotJhrs^A^t'^tlreirn*^^^^^^^^  -PP«-«i 
the  apparent  winnera  'th«  li    ?    ®  ^^  '"'^  °*  ^be  others. 

had  an^hing  to  bmg'atout  Thrr^  *°  ^"^  ^J^"*  tb^ 
dead,  and  their  livin|S  not  amoL  ?'  '^"1'' '°««  ««•« 
wild  animal  fight ;  the  stron.;  fr?^  ?  i?  J"""^'  I*  was  a 
strong,  he  hadllre'ady  dSred  t^rt  ''^^^'  """^  '^^ 
Letton,  and  GuggenhammJr  tl^f"  '^^  ^°'^«««' «nd 
best.  He  rememberedT?™'  "^  °°*  necessarily  the 
They  were  the'sTupSowrth^;  did?h'".°'.*^^  ^'""^ 
were  robbed  of  the  fruit  of  thek  toif  W  ^"''^  """'^  """^ 
woman  making  wine  in  th/^n!,  ^",?*  ^  "^^  the  old 
had  finer  qualities  o    truth    and"  In     u  '  ""'^  ^'^  ^W 

-eked  ones.    ^^  ^^^^^^^1:^-^^^^^^^^^ 


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'i^r^'^'i^^^^^^^^  ;  and  I.r 

"hebang,  looked  on  andgrSed     It  T^T  °^*''«  ^''''le 

'^^^•pSSyllu^Zt    ^^  "«'e  „e„  that 
wanted  to  try  a  flutter  af/h!"        *  "°*  "^^^  "^J^ed  if  thev 
Luck  jerked^hemlt  We  :if*r  „  .?''^  '"'^  "°  "h^i"" 
jostling  table,  and  toW  Them  -v'''^"?  "P  against  the 
pay!"    And  they  did  their  Z;f    ^'"^'.P'"'^'  ''«">'>  vou, 
play  of  some  led  to  «team  yaciTts  an*!?"'  "*"^  '^•'^''«-     The 
to  the  asylum  ,.r  the  p^uS^rll'^T'"'^  =  "^ '"'""■«• 
one  same  card,  orer  and^er  Th       t"""  P'^^^d  t'le 
dys  in  the  chaparral  hopLkt^h      "^^  '''""  ""  ">eir 
se    of  false  teeth  and  a'^X      Sh"'"'  *°P""  ''°«°  " 
early,  having  drawn  cards  ?kI^'     n  '^^'^  ^"'*  t^e  game 
or  famine  i^  the  Ba'reS    or  l^ath^  '"'  "'°^«"<  ^'afh 
disease.    The  hands  oi  somi  loathsome  and  lingering 
irresponsible  and  unmerited  L^S      I'J  ^'"««hiP  and 
for  ambition,  for  wealth  n  un^M     '  ^^f'  ^'"^'^^  «a"ed 
shame  or  for  women  and  wiT  '"''  ^°'  '^''^'^'^  and 

co^d  tt'rV^,i1a'rr%^  ^^^^  ^-''  ^^o««i^  he 
anight  get  him  yet.  The  ^  J^T'"^'*^  °'-  ^"'"^'hinJ 
'^  him  along  to  some  sucTen^  '  f'"'''^' '"ight  be  trict 
circumstances,  and  in  T^nl^t  ^  "nfortunate  set  of 
might  be  war-danc1n«aro^nTh  %*"""  '^«  ^"''^er  gang 
very  day  a  street-ca?St  "n  \  "'T'''^  '"*^'=»««-  TlSf 
from  a  building  and  smfh  ^n\  '".''r'^'  °'  "  «'gn  fall 
d^ase,  ever  rampant  one  o?  Wk^"''- •  ^^  '^'^  -as 
Who  could  say  «    To  m^l  ^^  gnmmest  whims 

ptomaine  bug,  ^r  some"  of  u"'i  °'/°'"«  °th«r  day  « 
iump  out  up';n  h!ranfdL°/^mT"'^  '^"««'  -^g^t 
Doctor  Bascom,  Lee  Basl^  f .  f"'^"'  ^here  was 
a  week  ago  and  talked  and7au2V''''^  ■^*°°'^  "^«'de  him 
cent  youth,  and  strength  and  b- if  ^  "  ^a"'"''*'  °^  '"agnifl- 
he  was  dead-pneumoni^   rh  ^     ^^  '°  three  days 

heaven  knew  4a~-at  tleTn.''"  "'  '^'  ^"^^t-  «nd 
that  could   be   heard   a   blefe   -  v    '"''^?'°S  '"^  ^go«v 
"■ock  .rtay.    That  had   been 


lOS 


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terrible.    It  was  a  fresh,  raw  stroke  In  DavW^hf.  ««« 

rut.»Xi:trrdri„tirhr.:s  ta  "^  "^ 


CHAPTER  XI 

Ph?h!""'*?K'  ^^  J"  *''"  ?fternoon,  found  Daylight  acres, 
the  bay  m  the  Piedmont  hills  back  of  Oakland     As  usual 

of  S^fl"  'l^'«'T?!?*°/"r,'  ''*''"8''  ""*  *>'"  "^n-  the  guest 
of  Sw^twater  Bill,  Luck's  own  darling,  who  had  come 

do^vn  to  spend  the  clean-up  of  the  seventh  fortune  Wi-un« 

ZTJ  ,  "^^  ^''''.  S'"^^''  A  notorious  spender,  liis 
latest  pile  was  ah-eady  on  the  fair  road  to  follow  the 
previous  six  He  it  was,  in  the  first  year  of  Dawson,  who 
had  cracked  an  ocean  of  champagne  at  fifty  doUars  a 
quart ;  who,  with  the  bottom  of  his  gold-sack  in  sight. 

dnlrr*'"^''/^''  «88-'"'''''«'-  «»*  twenty-fcur  dollars^,; 
dozen,  to  the  tune  of  one  hundred  and  ten  dozen,  in  order 
to  pique  the  lady-love  who  had  jilted  him  ;  and  he  it  was, 
pay'ng  hke  a  prince  for  speed,  who  had  chartered  special 
trains  and  broken  aU  records  between  San  Franoiscrand 

^  Ln°'  n"*^  ,-T  ^^  """^  "''"^  '^°^«'  th"  "  luck-pup 
of  heU,  as  Daylight  caUed  him,  thro>ving  his  latest 
fortune  away  with  the  same  old-time  facility 

It  was  a  merry  narty,  and  they  had  made  a  merry  day 
of  It,  circling  the  „ay  from  San  Francisco  around  by  San 
Jose  and  up  to  Oakland,  having  been  thrice  arrested  for 
speeding,  the  third  time,  however,  on  the  Huyward, 
stretch  running  away  with  their  captor.  Feari^  that 
a  telephone  message  to  arrest  them  had  been  lished 
ahead,  they  had  turned  into  the  back-road  through  the 
hUls,  and  now,  rushing  in  upon  Oakland  by  a  new  route 

Tk^o?  thTcSat"^  ^^^^*  ^P°^"^-  *^«y  ^^-'^ 

"  We'll  come  out  at  Blair  Park  in  ten  minutes,"  one  of 

the  men  announced.     "  Look  here,  Swiftwater,  there's  a 

cross-road  right  ahead,  with  lots  of  gates,  but  it'll  take 


fi 


200  BURNING  DAYLIGHT 

us  back-country  clear  into  BerkHl*.T7     tv,^ 

tainly  cou  d  ride     AnHsitf.v^      "  "ds,  ngj^      bhe  cer- 
fect.     Good  for  Del  i     TW®    '*"'^^'  '■='  '^'^'^  ^»«  P^^- 

thing  sure.  "gnt,  that  was  one 

On  Monday  morning,  coming  in  for  dictation,  he  looked 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  201 

aid* tho'I^^T  ^"T"-'  *^°"Sh  he  gave  no  sign  of  it ; 

tav      R^^  f^^?^?  ''"''"T  P^'""'^  °« ^°  ^^'  stereotyped 
way.     But  the  following  Sunday  found  him  on  a  horse 

£r  C;^"''."'','"^'^  T''  "''"g  ^''^"gh  the  Piedmont 

of  ™      f  ^^T'  *>"8^  ^'  «^«°  took  the  back-road 
of  many  gates  and  rode  in  into  Berkeley.     Here,  along 

down  ™%^^  multitudinous  houses,  up  one  street  and 
down  another,  he  wondered  which  of  them  might  be 
occupied  by  her.  Morrison  had  said  long  ago  that  she 
the  l2^/^''^'  "'^'^  '^^  ^^  "^^^  ''^^ded  that  way  ^n 
retrntghomr"  "'  *'^  P'^^'°"^  Sunday-..ideLy 
It  had  been  a  fruitless  day,  so  far  as  sli?  was  concerned  • 

aTr  a'^d  "the  tt"'^  '""h^'T'  '°'  '^^  ^^^  enjoyed  The  o^'n 
mLT  u  ^T  ""^^""^  ^"^  *°  8""^  purpose  that,  on 
Monday  his  instructions  were  out  to  the  driers  to  ook 
for  the  best  chestnut  sorrel  that  money  could  buy  At 
odd  times  during  the  week  he  examined  numbL  ] 
chestnut  sorreb,  tried  several,  and  was  unsatisfied.  It 
was  not  till  Saturday  that  he  came  upon  Bob.     Daylight 

too  W  t  f-  ^°'''  {°^  ^^'^^S  animal,  he  was  none 
d?tion  *rI'  "  f"^^  ''^^  ^"^y^^Sht.  In  splendid  con- 
dition Bob  s  coat  in  the  sunlight  was  a  flame  of  fire  his 
arched  neck  a  jewelled  conflagration 

the  ^«L^  '"'■*'  T'""*""'"  '^*'  I>aylight's  comment ;  but 
the  dealer  was  not  so  sanguine.  He  was  seUing  the  horse 
on  commission,  and  its  owner  had  insisted  on  Bob's  trw 
character  being  given.  The  dealer  gave  it 
„»r.  '^''''Vn"'?  "*"  **  '•e^l  ^'"io^s  horse,  but  a  dan- 
wi  hout°''lr^""  f  ^r^^' """^  ""-^""^"d  cussedness,  bat 
DlaS  s^  r/-  '^"'*  ^'  '?"  ^^^  y°"  *«  "^"t'  but  in  a 
a  ill  Zl  T^'/°"  ""^^■•'^t'''^''-.  without  meaning  to 
at  all.     Personally,  I  woulan't  think  of  riding  him.     But 

lees  "  NoT/hl  ""^l  ^'^^f"^  '™g^-  ^'^  l°°k  at  them 
tegs.  Not  a  blemish.  He's  never  been  hurt  or  worked 
Nobody  ever  succeeded  in  taking  it  out  of  him  S- 
ia.n  horse,  too,  trail-broke  and  all  that,  being  rai;ed Tn 


202 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


«euf  tn^\Z\  Sure-footed  as  a  goat,  so  long  as  he  don't 
get  t  into  his  head  to  cut  up.  Don't  shy.  Ain't  reaHv 
afraid,  bu  makes  believe.  Don't  buck,  but  ^rs  S^ 
to  nde  him  with  a  martingale.  Has  a  bad  trick^f 
whirhng  around  without  cause.  It's  his  idea  of  a  joke 
on  lus  rider.  It's  all  just  how  he  feels.  On^  day  S 
ride  along  peaceable  and  pleasant  for  twenty  miles.  ^Next 
day  before  you  get  started,  he's  weU-nigh  unmmageable 
&10WS  automobiles  so's  he  can  lay  dowS  alongside^of  one 

without  batting  an  eye,  and  mel  be  the  twentieth     ust 

o^vur  ^r"  ''''l^^  ^"^^y-  ^«'"  "^^  "P  over  hkTa  kC 
cayuse.     Generally  speaking,  too  lively  for  a  gentleman 

Tnl,  7  ""^fP^^^^d.  Present  ownef  nicknfmedTm 
Judas  Iscariot  and  refuses  to  sell  without  the  buw 
knowing  all  about  him  first.  There,  that's  about  X 
know  except  look  at  that  mane  ^nd  teU.  Ever  L 
anything  like  it  ?     Hair  as  fine  as  a  baby's  " 

and  found  rfi'''''.C'8^'-  ^^y^S^^  "^^""'ned  the  mane 
and  found  t  finer  than  any  horse's  hair  he  had  ever  seen 
^o.  Its  colour  was  unusual  in  that  it  was  almost  auburn 

2oiT  ^'  -'ff'^  *^°"g^  '*'  ^°^  tu^d  his  held 
"  1^^    L^  ""^^'•'d  Daylight's  shoulder. 

"  I  wonrfir  ■^.!"'"P'  '."^  ^'"  *'y  *^'»'"  he  told  the  dealer 
GivZe  «  f.n^  \r^  *°  "P"''^-  N°  ^""Slish  saddle,  mind 
sX  as  hf St™..'"'  '  ^"^^  ''^*--*  »-  — 
rSh^!'^^^  superintended  the  preparations,  adjusting  the 
He  «ht?.^"'l*'''.  '""""P  length,  and  doing  thi  cSng 
He  shook  his  head  at  the  martingale,  but  yielded  to  Jhe 

spTrSd  IVr  '"''  ""T^"  *°  S°^°-     An^Bob  beyond 
tmubl  X^^''''"'ll  '«?d  a  few  playful  attempts,  gave  no 

some  nP.^°''M  '^^  ''°"''''  "^^  'l^'^*  foUowed,  slve  for 
some  permissible  curveting  and  prancing,  did  he  mis- 

medlir.  ""^^^^^  ^r  ''""S'^'^d  ;  the  pu?;ha  e  wasl^- 
mediately  made  ;  and  Bob,  with  riding  gear  and  persoZ 
equipment,  was  despatched  acro.ss  the  bay  forthw[th  to 
itde"^y'"'  ^""*'"  '"^  *^^  ^*^"-  °f  '^^  Oakland  Sing 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  203 

The  next  day  being  Sunday.  DayUght  was  away  early 
crossmg  on  the  ferry  and  taking  with  him  Wolf,  the  leS 
hrin^  w-f^  v^'^V'^'V""?  ^°«  ^^'"^  ^^  'I'^d  selected  to 
thZf  VV"'^  "^^^^  ^^  '"^*  ^*^'^^-  Q™«t  a«  he  would 
through  the  Piedmont  hills  and  along  the  many-gated 

M«t"'°^'^/^  ^'^'^'y'  ^^y'-e'^*  Baw  nothing  of  C 
Mason  and  her  chestnut  sorrel.  But  he  had  little  tir-e 
for  disappomtment  for  his  own  chestnut  sorrel  kept  him 
wL  ^°^Pf°7d  a  handful  of  impishness  and  con- 
trariety and  he  tned  out  his  ri  ,r  as  much  as  his  rider 
tried  him  out.  All  of  Daylight's  horse  knowledge  and 
horse  sense  was  called  into  play,  while  Bob,  in  turn 

marwTVi"*  '".^  '^^^•'°"-  discovering  that  Ws 
martingale  had  more  slack  in  it  than  usual,  he  proceeded 
AfffrT  ''I  exhibition  of  rearing  and  hind-leg  walking, 
^-tln  1  ^°P«'«««  ^^'^V**'  °*  "•  ^^yl'ght  slipped  off  and 
.%htened  the  martingale,  whereupon  Bob  gave  an  exhibi- 

Xl  enf  nf  ^^'''1,  "'  1°°^'^  ^^^^^S^'  completely. 
At  the  end  of  half  an  hour  of  goodness.  Daylight  lured 

c?.Z?"fu'  r^i  '■!'^'"S  "^'""S  ^t  a  walk  and%olling  a 
cigarette,  with  slack  knees  and  relaxed  seat,  the  reins 
^mg  on  the  animal's  neck.  Bob  whirled  abruptly  and 
with  lightning  swiftness,  pivoting  on  his  hind  legs,  his 
IZilf  ^."^V-^^d  "'?'■  °^  *^'^  8'-°"'^^.  Daylight  found 
SiZnH  2  ^''  'f  ^°°,*  °"*  "^  '^'  «t'^^»P  «nd  his  arms 
around  the  animal  s  neck  ;  and  Bob  took  advantage  of 
the  situation  to  bolt  down  the  road.  With  a  hope  that 
he  shodd  not  encounter  Dede  Mason  at  that  moment 
Daylight  regained  his  seat  and  checked  in  the  horse 

ThtT  ^  V  f  *^  '™''  'P°*'  Bob  whirled  again. 
This  time  Daylight  kept  his  seat,  but,  beyond  a  futile 
rem  across  the  neck,  did  nothing  to  prevent  the  evolution 
He  noted  that  Bob  whirled  to  the  right,  and  resolved  to 
keep  him  straighfenea  out  by  a  spur  on  the  left.  But  so 
abrupt  and  swift  was  the  whirl  that  warning  and  accom- 
plishment were  practically  simultaneous 

Well,  Bob  "  he  addressed  the  animal,  at  the  same 
time  wiping  the  sweat  from  his  own  eyes,  "I'm  free  to 
confess  that  you're  .„r«  the  blamedcst  ali-fired  quickest 


204 


mi. 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


g.)lop.    No  iomer  lSi°  •?'"?  "»  ™<1  «»gnl«c»iil 

steedfneckTitf  ctsped  Stndtt  th'  "'  '""'"*  ''^ 
w,th  fore  feet  clear  of  the  'To^nd  Bnh  x^vTl  '"'**''*' 
Only  an  exoeUent  rider  could  h«;  ^*i¥  *''°"'^''- 

horsed,  and  as  it  wis    Dav^lf  ^'"T**  ^^^S   un- 

By  the  time  he  recovered  &eL''nL'''^'''7  Tf^'  *°  "*• 
bolting  the  way  he  had  rL!  '  ^  ''f '  '"  ^""  "^''^er, 
jump  to  the  buJhes  '  ^"'^  '"*''''>«  ^olf  side- 

iTof  n.-^  baciao.  youTure  wilf  ^X^^,- H 

J;a;e''r;urs*ind  ^1^'''^'^^  ^  -*  down  the 
undiminishenm  and  «ut  l^f  ""*"  '^™  ^«^'"  ^^^h 
when,  at  last,  CSt^^^eciZ)  'iTT't  '*^°^*'  ^^^ 
enough,  he  turned  Tm  „  ^  ^'^^^  ^''^  ^"'■^e  ^ad  had 
into  I  gentletnt  ortCSardnS  ^2"^  t'^"" 
be  rexned  h,m  in  to  a  stop  to  see  i^lfwert'tatSg' 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  205 

painfully  Standing  for  a  minuU  Bob  turned  his  head 
and  nuzzled  his  rider's  stirrup  in  a  roguish,  impatient 
way,  as  much  as  to  intimate  that  it  was  time  they  were 

"WeU  I'll  be  plumb  gosh  darned!"  was  DayUght's 
comment  "No  ill-will,  no  grudge,  no  nothingiand 
after  that  lambasting  !     You're  sure  a  hummer.  Bob  " 

Once  again  Daylight  was  lulled  into  fancied  security. 
For  an  Lour  Bob  was  all  that  could  be  desired  of  a  spirited 
mount,  when,  and  as  usual  without  warning,  he  took  to 
whirhng  and  boltmg.  Daylight  put  a  stop  to  this  with 
spurs  and  quirt,  inning  'd  n  several  punishing  miles 
in  the  direction  of  his  bo...  But  when  he  turned  him 
around  and  started  forwa-rl,  Bob  proceeded  to  feign 
fright  at  trees,  cows,  bushes,  Wolf,  his  own  shadow- 
in  short,  at  every  ridiculously  conceivable  object.  At 
such  times.  Wolf  lay  down  in  the  shade  and  looked  on, 
while  Daylight  wrestled  it  out. 

So  the  day  passed.  Among  other  things.  Bob  developed 
a  trick  of  making  believe  to  whirl  and  not  whirl^g 
This  was  as  exasperating  as  the  real  thing,  for  each  time 
Daybght  was  fooled  into  tightening  his  leg  grip  and  into 
a  general  muscular  tensing  of  all  his  body.  And  then, 
alter  a  few  make-believe  attempts.  Bob  actuaUy  did 
whirl  and  caught  Daylight  napping  again  and  landed  him 
m  the  old  position,  with  clasped  arms  around  the  neck. 
And  to  the  end  of  the  day.  Bob  continued  to  be  up  to  one 
trick  or  another  ;  after  passing  a  dozen  automobiles  on 
the  way  mto  Oakland,  suddenly  electing  to  go  mad  with 
tright  at  a  most  ordinary  little  runabout.  And  just 
before  he  arrived  back  at  the  stable  he  capped  the  day 
with  a  combined  whirling  and  rearing  that  broke  the 
martmgale  and  enabled  him  to  gain  a  perpendicular 
position  on  his  hind  legs.  At  this  juncture  a  rotten 
stirrup  leather  parted,  and  Daylight  was  all  but  un- 
norsed. 

But  he  had  taken  a  liking  to  <he  animal,  and  repented 
not  of  his  bargain.  He  realized  that  Bob  was  not  vicious 
nor  mean,  the  trouble  being  that  he  was  bursting  with 


206 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


And  to  the  stableman,  that  night  •— 
him^^  W  ^•"'*  '^^^•"•'ker  !     Ever  see  anything  like 
iX^Ln^.l^V/tLT"'^^'^  '  ''^'  stradVind 
his^laj^^l^ntjg"..-'  ^^^^-^  "^  ^-"^  -<^  --  «P  to 
next^nn;^^^'  ^"^  '^*^'^'''*  "^  ^"  "g''*-    See  you  again 

rLrtri^Coroir  xs^  ^^-^  --  -'°^ 


I 


CHAPTER  XII 

Throuohoitt  the  week  Daylight  found  himself  almost  as 
much  interested  in  Bob  as  in  Dede  ;  and,  not  being  in 
the  thick  of  any  big  deals,  he  was  probably  more  in- 
terested m  both  of  them  than  in  the  business  game 
«ob  s  trick  of  whirUng  was  of  especial  moment  to  hin 
How  to  overcome  it,— that  was  the  thing.  Suppose  he 
did  meet  with  Dede  out  in  the  hills  ;  and  suppose,  bv 
some  lucky  stroke  of  fate,  he  should  manage  to  be  ridinc 
alongside  of  her  ;  then  that  whirl  of  Bob's  would  be  most 
disconcerting  and  embarrassing.  He  was  not  particu- 
larly anxious  for  her  to  see  him  thrown  forward  on  Bob's 
neck.  On  thr  other  hand,  suddenly  to  leave  her  and  go 
dashing  down  the  back-track,  plying  quirt  and  spurs, 
wouldn't  do,  either.  ^ 

What  was  wanted  was  a  method  wherewith  to  prevent 
that  lightning  whirl.  He  must  stop  the  animal  before 
It  got  around.  The  reins  would  not  do  this.  Neither 
would  the  spurs.  Remained  the  quirt.  But  how  to 
accomplish  it  ?  Absent-minded  moments  were  many 
that  week,  when,  sitting  in  his  office  chair,  in  fancy  he 
was  astride  the  wonderful  chestnut  sorrel  and  trying  to 
prevent  an  anticipated  whirl.  One  such  moment,  toward 
the  end  of  the  week,  occurred  in  the  middle  of  a  confer- 
ence with  Hegan.  Hegan,  elaborating  a  new  and  dazzling 
legal  vision,  became  aware  that  Daylight  was  not  listenine 
His  eyes  had  gone  lack-lustre,  and  he,  too,  was  seeine 
with  inner  vision. 

"  Got  it !"  he  cried  suddenly.  "  Hegan,  congratulate 
me.  It  8  as  simpl-.  as  roUing  off  a  log.  All  I've  got  to 
do  is  hit  him  on  tne  nose,  and  hit  him  hard  " 

Then  he  explained  to  the  startled  Hegan,  and  became 
207 


208 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


a  good  listener  again,  though  he  could  not  refrain  now 

andde'i^St  T).7'^"«,.""''V"^  "^"""^^  »*  satiZSon 
ana  aelight.    That  was  the  scheme.    Bob  alwavs  wi„vi«j 

Ms  t  nf  an/T.f  "^";  «^  ^^^  doSfelTqSt'lJ 
his  hand,  and,  the  instant  of  the  whirl,  that  doubled 

lIvfaTte^tt  hrd^°'  T  *'^^"°^«■  '^^  WBe  diSnl 
»I!:i  •  ^1  r  ^*d  "P^e  'earned  the  lesson,  that  would 
whirl  m  the  face  of  the  doubled  quirt. 

HiH  n  r^!^^  ^v*"  f^*""'  ''""■"8  that  ^eek  in  the  office 
did  Dayhght  reabze  that  he  had  no  social,  nor  even  human' 

couMt/'i\''"'i'-  ^^'  ^'*"^«°°  ^-  sucrrarh^ 

could  not  ask  her  the  simple  question  whether  or  not  she 
was  gomg  riding  next  Sunday.  It  was  a  hlrdshTp  of  a 
new  sort  this  being  the  employer  of  a  pretty  gW  He 
looked  at  her  often,  when  the  routii..  work  We  dav 
was  going  on,  the  question  he  could  not  ask  her  ticklS 

An?alTe,n  .:T\^~^'^/*^''°''«^ "■*■»<' »«^'««X^^^ 
what  love  passages  she  had  had,  must  have  had  with 
those  college  whippersnappers  with  whom,  according  to 

.1  ?l  u  *^°'^  '*^  ''^y'  ^«t^«en  the  Sundays,  and 
one  thing  he  came  to  know  thoroughly  weU  ;  to  w;nted 
her  And  so  much  did  he  want  her  that  his  ^Id  tSy 
of  the  apron-string  was  put  to  rout.  He,  who  hTd  run 
away  from  women  most  of  his  life,  had  now  grTwn  so 
courageous  as  to  pursue.  Some  Sunday,  sooner^orlSr 
he  would  meet  her  outside  the  office,  somewhere  inThe 
hdls,  and  then  if  they  did  not  get  acquaintedTt  would 
be  borause  she  did  not  care  to  get  acquamted. 
hST  ,^\^°™d^°°ther  card  in  the  hand  the  mad  god 

hed?dt-.t?-  H°^T"'i"°***''^*'"'''i^^«t«  become 
he  did  not  dream,  yet  he  decided  that  it  was  a  prettv 
good  card.  In  turn,  he  doubted.  Maybe  it  was  a  tr  ck 
of  Luck  to  oring  calamity  and  disaster  upon  him.  Suppose 
Dede  wouldn't  have  him,  and  suppose  he  went  omE 
her  more  and  more,  harder  and  harder  ?  All  his  oW 
generahzed  terrors  of  love  revived.  He  remembered  the 
disastrous  love  affairs  of  men  and  women  he  had  known 


\ 

I 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


SXn '"■ "  »»t«  ito  SfV'7.""''  «»  Cow." 

•Ppened  along  and  nuLi  ^'  ^^-^''ght,  because  he  h^W 
Stene?^-    ^^  thet>gS.'  °"*  ^^  -- ^  i-  a\1 

all  their  W^'  afd'^rfuer  ''r^^'tS'Ckt 

f r;rni!-nr 'f         ''  -- 

behaved  lite  an  angel     flis  ?„ J''  *^"  ^'^dmont  hilla 
the  sp,nted,prancini  order  bufni""'"'  "'  «•"««.  waTof 

acffltatL^-l^^^^^^^^^^ 

eellenceof  colductrf  ""^  '''^'•^'  ^h'«l^  Bob  wffh   ^'"^' 

-   .  L  Wl  rcMl,,  „,  ,„  ^  «-,.  J- J>-»« 

14 


210 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


steep  grade  oyer  the  divide  of   the  second  range  and 
dropped  into  Maraga  VaUey.    Just  after  passing  the  foot 
of  the  descent,  he  heard  the  hoof  beats  of  iTcanterinB 
horse     It  was  from  ahead  and  coming  toward  him 
What       It  were  Dede  ?    He  turned  Bob  around  and 
started  .o  return  at  a  wallt.    If  it  were  Dede,  he  was 
bom  .0  luck  he  decided  ;  for  the  meeting  couldn't  have 
occurred  under  bettor  circumstances.    Here  they  were 
botli  gomg  m  the  same  direction,  and  the  canter  would 
bring  her  up  to  him  just  where  the  stiff  grade  would  compel 
^■A-:,.  t-        '*'°"''^  ^  nothing  else  for  her  to  do  tlmn 
ride  with  him  to  the  top  of  the  divide  ;  and,  once  there, 
the  equally  stiff  descent  on  the  other  side  would  comoel 
more  walking.  '^ 

The  canter  came  nearer,  but  he  faced  straight  ahead 
untU  he  heard  the  horse  behind  check  to  a  walk  Then 
he  glanced  over  his  shoulder.  It  was  Dede  The 
recognition  was  quick,  and,  with  her.  accompanied  bv 
surprise  What  more  natural  thing  than  that,  partly 
turmng  his  horse,  he  should  wait  till  she  caught  up  with 
mm ;  and  that  when  abreast,  they  should  continue 
abreast  on  up  the  grade  ?  He  could  have  sighed  with 
relief  Ihe  thing  was  accomplished,  and  so  easily. 
Ixreetmgs  had  been  exchanged  ;  here  they  were  side  by 
side  and  going  in  the  same  direction  with  miles  and  miles 
aneact  oi  them. 

He  noted  that  her  eye  was  first  for  the  horse  and  next 
tor  Dim. 

"  Oh,  what  a  beauty  !"  she  had  cried  at  sight  of  Bob. 
*rom  the  shimng  light  in  her  eye.s,  and  the  face  fiUed  with 
dehght,  he  would  scarcely  have  believed  that  it  belonced 
to  the  young  woman  he  had  known  in  the  office  the 
young  woman  with  the  controlled,  subdued  office  face 
^_  1  didn  t  know  you  rode,"  was  one  of  her  first  remarks 
machineT'"'"^    ^°"    '^^''*'    ^''^^^^    ^    get-there-quick 

"  I've  just  taken  it  up  lately,"  was  his  answer.     "  Begin- 
mng  to  get  stout,  you  know,  and  had  to  take  it  off  some- 


BURl^iNG  DAYLIGHT  m 

regular  rip.«„3 Cl  was  a  voun„  °  '^'"^  l""^  «* 
Oregon,  sneaking  away  from  clmo  to  rt^  "f'"  Eastern 
and  break  cayul  an^  thaUorroVthli;?.."'*^  *^«  "''"'•' 

tricks,  and  of  the  wMH^n*.'  .,•       u"'''  ''*'"  "^^^  B"b's 

andshea^^eelttttltdt^^tXrhT'V' ^ 
rational  severity,  no  matter  how  much  o„e  love/^r"'" 
There  was  her  Mab  which  a},o  i,o7i  i.  j  r  ''"  *''^'»- 
and  which  she  lad  hid  to  brLk  of^tall  °.'  t^^'  ^^"^ 

1  really  can't  remember  the  fir<it  f';r„     t 
■  orse,"  she  told  him.     "  I  was  bo™  on  a         J  "^"^  °°  " 
and  they  couldn't  keep  r  a^Z TromTh«' T" ''"°'^-' 
must  have  been  born  ^ith  the  Kor    Km   Tv,  i 
my  first  pony,  all  mv  own    wJinr,   t  "'     '^  ^'^'^ 

I  was  eighfl  Lew  wha";  it  was  to  be  aU  2y  in'the  "^^H? 
akng  with  Daddy.  By  the  time  I  Is  ^leve„  .t  '^^^ 
taking  me  on  my  first  deer  hunts  TM \  .  ?  .  ^^^ 
a  horse.  I  hate  indoors,  and  Sout  Mab  L^t  ^"''''"' 
I'd  have  been  sick  and  dead  long  Z  '^^      ""  ^  '"PP°'^« 

You  like, the  country?"  he  aueriprl    „f  *u 
moment  catcliinK  his  first  el.m^L^fv',.**  **®  ^^'ne 
other  than  grey.  ^      ^'^  °^  *  ^«^t  io  her  eyes 

"  As  much  as  I  detest  the  city,"  she  answ»r.^      .<  t, 
a  woman  can't  earn  a  livine  in  tL?    ^f  wered.        But 
the  best  of  it-alonVwith  Mab  "  °*''^-     ^°  ^  '^^^^ 

And  thereat  she  told  him  more  of  her  ranch  l.f    ■    .u 
days  before  her  father  died      An^lT    r  ^f      '^®  '"  *''« 
pleased  with  himself     They  t^t  .3^^'  '''^'  ^""^ely 
The  conversation  had  not  lL„  J' „^!'  ."«  .rq^amted. 
they  had  been  tot^ethe 


„       ---  e--    "s  »t:iiuamtea. 
lagged  m  t^e  full  half  hour 


na 


BURNING  DAYUGHT 


"  We  come  pretty  close  from  the  same  part  of  the 
country  •  he  said.  "I  was  raised  in  Eastira  Or;goS 
and  that  b  none  so  far  from  Siskiyou  " 

The  next  moment  he  could  have  bitten  out  his  tomnie 
for  her  quick  question  was  :—  ^ 

"  How  did  you  know  1  came  from  Siskiyou  ?  I'm  sure 
I  never  mentioned  it."  ^  m  sure 

"  I  don't  know, "  he  floundered  temporarily.  "  I  heard 
somewhere  that  you  were  from  thereabouts.'^ 

Wolf,  sliding  up  at  that  moment,  sleek-footed  and  like 
a  shadow,  caused  her  horse  to  shy  and  parsed  the  awk- 
wardness off    for  they  talked  Alaskan  dogs  until  the 
conyersatmn  drifted  back  to  horses.     And  horses  it  wm! 
aU  up  the  grade  and  down  the  other  side 
.n  *i*°  she  talked,  he  listened  and  followed  her,  and  yet 
all  the  while  he  was  following  his  own  thoughts  and 
mpressions  as  well.     It  was  a  nervy  thing  for  her  to  do; 
this  riding  astride,  and  he  didn't  know,  after  all,  whethe^ 
he  liked  It  or  not.     His  ideas  of  women  were  prone  to  be 
old-fashioned  ;  they  were  the  ones  he  had  imbibed  in  the 
early-day,  frontier  life  of  his  youth,  when  no  woman  was 
seen  on  anything  but  a  side-saddle.     He  had  grown  up 
to  the  tacit  fiction  that  women  on  horseback  were  net 
bipeds.     It  came  to  him  with  a  shock,  this  sight  of  hur 

sT^M^f  H°  ^Z  '^^°-  .  ^"^  ^  had  to  confe^  that  thl 
sight  looked  gt  od  to  him  just  the  same. 

F.ir^i?*^*'"  ™°»«diate  things  about  her  struck  hiir 
First,  there  were  the  golden  spots  in  her  eyes.     Queer 
ithtSffh^nffl'^'j;  noticed  them  before.    Perhaps  the 
light  in  the  office  had  not  been  right,  and  perhaps  thev 

onfffr^H^'",'!  "t"  i'^y  ^«^«  «1°^^  of  cdour-^a  sort 
of  diffused,  golden  light.  Nor  was  it  golden,  either,  but 
It  was  nearer  that  than  any  colour  he  knew.  It  certainly 
was  not  any  shade  of  yellow.  A  lover's  thoughts  are 
ever  coloured,  and  it  is  to  be  doubted  if  any  one  else  in 
the  world  would  have  called  Dede's  eyes  golden.  But 
I^yhght's  mood  verged  on  the  tender  and  melting,  fnd 

tty^trrgoir'^'^  °^  ''"''^  '^  ^°"^-'  -'^  '•^-f- 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  213 

And  then  8he  wm  go  natural.    He  had  been  prepared  to 

^llt    ^K,?  '•'  "»'  proving  HO  simple.    There  was 

by  tlus  homely  phrase  that  he  differentiated  thi«  Dede  on 
horKeback  from  the  Dede  with  the  office  raannerVwhom 
he  had  always  known.  And  yet.  while  he  «rdelijhted 
«„H  w>t.''*T"°}'^'l'^***'  ^•^"h  everything  was  going 
t^Jt  ^^  '*"'  ^^^  ^^'^y  ^  f«""d  plenty  to  talk 
about,  he  was  aware  of  an  irk  under  it  all.  '^Aftei-  all  tWs 
telk  was  empty  and  idle.  He  was  a  man  of  ac  ion  and 
he  wanted  her  Dede  Mason,  the  woman  ;  he  waZd  her 
to  love  him  and  to  be  loved  by  him  ;  and  he  wanted  al 
this  glorious  consummation  then  and  there.    S  to 

£nZ.Thr'."t'*  *«..r;PP-K  »»«"  and  things  and 
bendmg  them  to  his  will,  he  felt,  now,  the  same  com- 
pulsive prod  of  mastery.    He  wanted  to  tell  herThat  S. 
loved  her  and  that  there  was  nothing  else  for  her  to  dS 
but  marry  him.      An-  yet  he  did  not  obey  the  S,5 
Won^-m  werr  flattery  creatures,  and  here  mere  masted 
wouiu  prove  a  bungle.     He  rememboied  ail  W.  huS 
guile,  the  long  patience  of  shooting  meat  in  famine  wW 
J^%°/  \'""f  '"''*'^*  "f«  °'  'J^at^.     Truly,  though  tWs 
^.,i1 "  V  ^'*  '°"*°  ''"•*«  *•«**•  nevertheless,  she  meant 
much  to  him-more,  now,  than  ever,  as  he  rode  Se 
her,  glancing  at  her  as  often  as  he  dared,  she  in  her  cor! 

and  reveau  gly  woman,  smiling,  laughing,  talking  W 
eyes  sparkhng,  the  flush  of  a  day  of  sun  and  summer 
breeze  warm  in  her  cheeks.  summer 


CHAPTER  XIII 

Anotheb  Sunday  man  and  horse  and  dog  roved  the  Pied 

But  Si.  .f  '^"'"  ^"^y^'S^*  ^"^  I'^'e  rode  together 
^ut  this  tiMo  her  .surprise  at  meeting  him  was  tir"tured 

So  «,™r,l  houB  h«  .pent  In  h,,  oompnnv,  in  which  .h« 

£l':&'^-nSS=:  3Sf £.?'s 
ir£Si.fti"L?e„'n.s;s..^H 

turn  except  his  worst  enemy.  ^ 

"You  think,  because  I'm  a  sirl    that  T  ri^v,'*  i 
anything  about  horses."  she  flashed  bak      "But^""" 

doesn't  buck."  ^'^  ^'°"  ^^^  y°«'-««'f  that  Bob 

214 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  215 

DayStcCieT"   "*'°   ''"   """^^   "^   •^''^-^'" 
"But  you  must  remember  I've  seen  a  few  :>  i„  >.   and 

to  efeotno  cars,  locomotives,  and  automobU.   .     She  waf 

Zt  JaTf n""  R^ -r  '^/ *="■"" *°  ">«•     Brobn  o  saddle. 
that  .vas  aU.     Besides,  I  won't  hurt  your  horse." 

Agaiast  his  better  judgment.  Daylight  gave  in,  and 

on  an^unfrequented  stretch  of  road,  changed  saddtes  and 

l^^^Z^LZoi^r'''"  "«*'*-°8'"  1^«  -™d,  as  he 

She  nodded,   while   Bob  pricked  up  his  ears  to  the 

knowledge  that  he  had  a  strango  rider'on  his  ba  k     The 

inlTr  T'^^  enough-too  quickly  for  Dode,  who 

Ind  bolL'n''  .'«n"Jf*  ''"'''^  "^"'^  ^'  he  pivoted  around 
and  bolted  the  other  way.  Daylight  followed  on  her 
horse  and  watched.  He  saw  her  check  the  aiJmal  quicX 
to  a  standstiU,  and  immediately,  with  rein Tcrossneok 
and  a  decisive  prod  of  the  Ir  ft  spur,  whirl  him  back  the 
way  he  had  come  and  almost  as  swiftly 

light^alkd'''^  *°  '"^  ^"^  ''''  '^'^''  '«'  '"^^  -^'"  D-y- 
th,w*'  *°\1'^'''^y  for  her,  Bob  wWrled  again,  though 

Tf^^^  Pw  T  ^8«nst  Ws  neck.  His  bolt  was  more 
determined,  but  she  pulled  him  into  a  prancing  walk  and 
turned  him  roughly  back  with  her  spurredZeT  There 
was  nothing  feminine  in  the  way  she  handled  himfher 
method  was  imperative  and  masculine.  Had  tUs  not 
been  so    Dayhght  would  have  expected  her  to  say  she 

t^  .  .Tu^^*'-  ^"*  *h^*  ^'t"«  preliminary  exWbit  on 
had  taught  him  something  of  Dede's  quahty^    And  if  i? 

Sbn;  ^f  ^''!?  ^*  ^''  ry  ^y^''  J»«t  perceptibly  angrV 
h^t  t  f '  ^?S  ^*  ^'^  firm-set  mouth,  would  have  told 
him  ..le  same  thing.     Daylight  did  not  suggest  anything 

pationof  hat  the  fractious  Bob  was  going  to  aet  And 
Bob  got  It,  on  his  next  whirl,  or  atteipt,^at£' for  he 


6  'li 


t 

(    Mi 


216 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


bewildTi"  iS''a!:r-  -^^'^  "^-^  *''«''■  '»  ^« 
fix  Mm      H«?f^^^*  applauded.     "  A  couple  more  will 

around  when  the  do.Twi  T  ^^^""^  ''^'•ely  quarter 
WmtodrpZsforewfi^"'  S"  ^''  "°^"  compeUed 
rein  nor  spur  but  brh  '  '°^u  ^^""'  ^^^^  °«»her 
straightened  lu-mou^^         "•"■"  *^''"*  °^  *^«  l"^'*'  «he 

Dede  looked  triumphantly  at  Daylight. 

Da^llr  ^'^?»  *  ^""  •"  ^'i«  asked. 

waSfheAl'Sstft  '^'  ^^"V'T'^  ^'^^  -^d-  H« 
till  she  cameTnto  sfl^     I*'™'^  *''^''"'^^'  ^"^  watched 

sitherhor^  ;rhStou:irri-  ,^^^  "'''^'^y  -"Id 

hummer  r^-1  i,  t^nought,  and  she  was  a  sure  enough 
of ThZiook  p;ett  Ilim* V!fV°^".  '"^^  •'  Made  mo'st 
ing  all  weekafa  t^iter  Th^t'''"''  °'  ""^  '^^'"'»^^- 
She  should  be  a  ml^^l  tJ^  7^  °°  P'*"«  '  ''  Ji^''- 
satins  and  di™d^  IJ'!'   t^°8  '*  ®^*y'  ^*l»  ^^U^s  and 

"  You'U  do,  Miss  Mason  :  vou'U  do     T»,<.^„'        i..- 
too  good  in  horseflesh  vou  don't  11;^  *  °°*'"''S 

can  ride  like  .hat     No     =f  -^fT^®'  *  '^°™»'»  ^l»o 

along  to  theVarry.-.'^'HethLS  '^"s  '^  "^'"  ^^^ 
gave  just  the  leasfmitf  of  a  aSl"  th^ff' h-^'*"^"^ 
fetched  him.  Did  voihear  it^  LJ^^IJ'"'*  *""^  y°" 
way  he  dronned  hi«  W  t?!  fu  '*  '  ^  ^^  did  you  see  the 

a  Stone  waT  iS  tt  "t  pv''''^""^"'*^ ^"  ^''^  «*^»«k 
now  on  thflt  tw  ^?     *'^'^^*'  ''"""gh  to  know  from 

readyTor  httlam'ln't:*^"'^  "^"  ^'^  *'^  '''^^  *^- 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  217 

watched  her  out  of  sight.     Then,  turning  to  ride  back 
into  Oaklands,  a  thought  came  to  him  that  made  him 
grrn  rue^^uUy  a.='  he  muttered  :  "  And  now  it's  up  to  me  to 
naake  good  ana  buy  that  blamed  quarry.     Nothing  less 
the^e  hiUs  "*"  ^'^*'  '^^  *"*  ^^"^^  ^°'"  """^P'^g  B.Tonui 
But  the  quarry  was  doomed  to  pass  out  of  his  plans 
for  a  time,  for  on  the  foUowing  Sunday  he  rode  alone. 
No  Dede  on  a  chestnut  sorrel  came  across  the  back-road 
trom  Berkeley  that  day,  nor  the  day  a  week  later.     Day- 
light was  beside  himself  with  impatience  and  apprehen- 
sion, though  in  the  office  he  contained  himself.     He  noted 
no  change  m  her,  and  strove  to  let  none  show  in  himself 
Ihe  same  old  monotonous  routine  went  on.  though  now 
It  was  irritating  and  maddening.     Daylight  found  a  big 
quarrel  on  his  hands  with  a  world  that  wouldn't  let  a 
man  behave  toward  his  stenographer  after  the  way  of 
all  men  and  women.     What  was  the  good  of  ownins 
miUions,  anyway  ?  he  demanded  one  day  of  the  desk- 
calendar,  as  she  passed  out  after  receiving  his  dictation 

As  the  third  week  drew  to  a  close  and  another  desolate 
Sunday  confronted  him.  Daylight  resolved  to  speak,  office 
or  no  office.  And  as  was  his  nature,  he  went  simply  and 
directly  to  the  point.  She  had  finished  her  work  with 
turn,  and  was  gathering  her  nofe-pad  and  pencils  together 
to  depart,  when  he  said  :—  r  & 

"  Oh,  one  thing  more.  Miss  Ma.-on,  and  I  hope  you 
won  t  mind  my  being  frank  and  straight  out.  You've 
struck  me  right  along  as  a  sensible-minded  girl,  and  I 
don  t  think  you'll  take  offence  at  what  I'm  going  to  say 
You  know  how  long  you've  been  in  the  office— it's  years' 
now,  several  of  them,  anyway  ;  and  you  know  I've  always 
been  straight  and  aboveboard  with  you.  I've  never  what 
you  call— presumed.  Because  you  were  in  my  office  I've 
tned  to  be  more  careful  than  if— if  you  wasn't  in  my 
office— you  understand.  But  just  the  same,  it  don't 
make  me  any  the  less  human.  I'm  a  lonely  sort  of  a 
fellow— don  t  take  that  as  a  bid  for  kindness.  What  I 
mean  by  it  is  to  try  and  tell  you  just  how  much  those 


I  w\ 


218 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


-„'f«irly?"'^-«.  «»-"*•    And  now  I  hope  yo. 

forehead.  SheS^f*°  i,  "5-"'  ^^^  ^^"^^8  on  his 
aero,  th^  r^^''^^:Z\^lS'AZ''''''^' 
tions  ^"^  been  nding,"  she  answered  ;  "fn  other  direc- 

yoSde  int  pL  JitUT  rf  r-,   WJ^rdMn": 
where."  '' ™amont  hiJs  ?     I  hunted  for  you  every- 

He  shook  his  head  glumly, 
long  sho°t  *  tI,/  'J'";!*-     ^  ^'""'^  """^^  t°  city  ways  by  a 

this  ^ffirnfatloV'^va,  'It'te'^'*  ^^  ^'-l^'  with 
amending  the  stat^meS  • ''"'11,^^  if  f  '««*?°t  he  ^^ 
what  gets  me  is  the  tJ,;^„  '  ,  "mostly  do.    But 

rii-^p-^^^wr;^£^X 

You  are  m1  iJ.S,  {L*°mn^L"nair?-l_^°^  '"^^  -^'^• 
Gambler  "  he  broke  in  harshly 
She  nodded  acceptance  of  his  term  and  went  on 
"  You're'"a't^°''«'"."P'^''^  ^"  ^""^  office^!!!""- 

atte5ted%o%XTat\r  '''""/^^"  -«— "  ^e 


as  if 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  219 

!of  ^rrdlS'^^t't""^*  be  considered.     I  work 
be  told  any  more  about  that.     You  knC  yoursel?  '^ 
the  rounded  lines  of  her  fio-nr^    +^    I   ^^""'"nene.ss,  at 

tfcit     I  h„,  no  fear,  of  t.kio,  „„  „(     "°|',  h.,.Ti. 

«h  on.  o,  z  o,iL-  s?«t.i,rb./.rjoS 

ho  c  Jrf  "•  '"'""'  *"■'  '""  "■>  ■>"■•  -d  to  k.o»,.. 

"To  go  to  lunch  with  me  on  a  week-dav  "  n„  i-  t.^ 
^l-^n^dtr^^  '-''  °^  '-  unconjSdX^':^'* 

withasmile;"but'?^°sutyoru^ndl°,S^^^ 

the  Srr' il  uted'^  ^P^"  ^'^'^  aboveboard^^^tTSn 


220 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


faints  oSet^ndT'"*  ""'  ''^''^^  --  i-t  the 
maddeningly  hvSy  for  ht     '''''*  '""^^'"^y  and'almost 

part  of  the  whole  th&  1  ^°  Trr.  "**'.''  '^°  ^-  ^''^ 
talk  anything  but  Seef w  th  ITf  *'°  *  '""^^^^^  *» 
you  ride  with  me  next  SundTv  I  «*«n°g>-apher.  Will 
thorougUy  then  and  r!lu^'  "'"^  "^^  «*«  *»«£  it  over 
Out  in%he  hXis  theXc/T  '°''*  "^  '^  conclusion 
thing  besides  business   t  guel^"„C  "'"  *^"^  ^°«'- 

pull  himself  to.-,tIer      ■' 5  ^   ^'T'^'^^^;   ^e  strove  to 
anything  ever  in  my  life  before     ?°T   *t    ^^','^'"-  **»«"> 

myself,  but  I  do/thft's  an  wir™ur"*'"p'"''^ 

Sunday?    To-morrow?"  you  ?— Just  next 

as  muefasX'^^^eSe  t  Ih"  b^'TT'^''^  ^^  '^-■ 
forehead,  his  tremK  hand  ^^f '  °^  '^"'**  ""^  hi« 
general  distress^         ^  ^'''"^'  ^"^  ^  a"  too-evident 


CHAPTER  XIV 

"Op  course,  there's  no  way  of  telling  what  anybody 
wan  s  from  what  they  say."    Daylight  rubbed  Bob's 

facttrA,'"'  ^^^  ^'  r^  ^'"'  P««'l^^«'i  ^"h  dissatis! 
taction  the  words  he  had    ust  uttered.     They  did  not 
say  what  he  had  meant  them  to  say.     "  What  /m  drivrng 
at  IS  that  you  say  flatfooted  that  you  won't  meet  me 
again,  and  you  give  your  reasons,  but  how  am  I  to  know 
they  are  your  real  reasons  ?    Mebbe  you  just  don't  want 
to  get  acquamtcd  with  me,  and  won't  say  so  for  fear  of 
hurting  my  feelings.     Don't  you  see  ?     I'^  theLrman 
m  the  world  to  shove  m  where  I'm  not  wanted.    And  if  I 
thought  you  didn't  care  a  whoop  to  see  anything  more  of 
m^'f^r  smoke.'"'"'  °"*  '"  """'^^  '^"^''^  y°"  «°"Wn't  see 
Dede  smiled  at  him  in  acknowledgment  of  his  words 
but  rode  on  silently,    .^d  that  smUe.  he  thoughrwa 
the  most  sweetly  wonderful  smile  he  had  ever  seen. 
There  was  a  difference  in  it.  he  assured  Wmsell,  from  any 
smile  she  had  ever  given  him  before.     It  was  the  smile 

?,L  .t  "^  ^^Z  ^"^  J"'*  **  '""«  '''*'  °f  °oe  who  was 
just  the  least  mite  acquainted  with  him.  Of  course  he 
checked  himself  up  the  next  moment,  it  was  unconscious 
on  her  part.  It  was  sure  to  come  in  the  intercourse  of 
any  twD  persons.  Any  siranger,  a  busmess  man,  a  clerk 
anybody  after  a  few  casual  meetings  would  show  similar 
signs  of  friendliness.  It  was  bound  to  happen,  but  in 
her  case  it  made  n.ore  impression  on  him ;  and,  besides 
It  was  such  a  sweet  and  wonderful  smile.  Other  women 
^^had  known  had  never  smiled  like  that ;  he  was  sure 

It  had  been  a  happy  day.    Daylight  had  rP"*  h^r  f>n 
221 


222 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


She  began  her  a^e    ?"  k?  *^  important  subject, 
listened  gratefuUy^"""'  *°  '^  ^^'^  contention,  and  he 

gi-n^l'tKy'terra/rr  '"^^  ^«'^«°-  ^  »-- 

my  not  wanting  to  Wy7u  "'  ^'''  ''  °°  ^"«^«°'»  °f 

folks  that  incline  to  Invthin^  T  """"^^  ^^'^i 

hearing  the  case  stated^Bu^lf"'"  T^K"^"'"  °P««  *» 
reason  up  your  sleeve   if  von    r^°".  '^'^  '^^^^  *'^'**  ^'^er 
^-if,  weli:  if  you  th^ulht^,   f  r  ""^"^  *°  ^"^  «>«. 
hurt  just   because  you  had  ?^     f'^^t  °"«^*"'*  *»  ^e 
Here,  his  calm  contidTrationnf  ®       i°.    ^"^  ">«  ■  •  •" 
by  the  fear  that  Zas  an  actull^^"'"'^'^*^  ^^'  ^^^"'P^d 
of  his  reasoning.    ^  WeU   anl   ^'  ^n"*  ^^  '"'*  *^«  ^^r^d 
to  say  the  word  and  FU  cle^  ofi't      /°^  ^l^  *°  ^^  '« 
feelings  ;  it  would  be  just  a  cal  „f  k  ^^  ^^'^  °°  ^''^'d 
be  honest,  Miss  Masor^l!  ^.''^^  ^""'^  fo-"  me.     So 

reason    I^lo^/^J^^^^^^^^^^  if  that's  the 

mS  £:^rrlSi  i--^P^^^  -^  «%Htly 

the  o'^ict^t;^^ir  ;r  L?ir^  "  ^°u  give  me 
protectmyself  byittinndof  ,  ""^71"  '»  °^der  to 
my  protection  by  telSvou  t>.r^  ?.'  1  ^^^^^S  '^^^y 
you  said  yourself!  Sls^^^  aJd  urgf'-'"^  *''«''  ^-'  - 

"  SfeL'ld  a! """^  "'*^  ^atisfac'^ion. 

"  They  can't'^serve  you  "'l  S "  ^,  ^1*  ^'^  l^^^^ly- 
our  last  ride  and  .  ^ere  ifth^gSe'''  '''^"-  ™«  ^^ 
and^lo^ednL'^-^JrgTaJ.  ^he^en,  slid  the  catch, 


T 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


—  223 

foliow'=  P'"^''  "*»•"  «^«  ^-d.  as  Daylight  started  to 

Humbly  acquiescent,  he  nullfirl  Ttr.h  »     i 
swung  shut  between  them  ^  But  ^    ^''^'  ""''  ^^  8"^ 
and  she  did  not  ride  on  '^*'  ""'^^  *»  say. 

sh;:?aSe^°-'i^sv';'' '°-  ^-'^  ^^^^^ 

thing.  I'm  not  just  trvL^Tt  ,  •'""'®  >'°"  "^  ""e 
I  like  you,  I  want  you  ffi"!""'  '*''°"°''  ^"^  J'ou- 
in  my  life.  There rn^twiu?  "^''"'  '"°'"''  '°  «a™e*t 
an^_hmg.like  that.   "^^^^aV •   XSr^r 

^^iS="-5i^tr:a-i-^-  - 

•'Itf  lL'??aConSf  '"-^-"■""e  cried, 
honourable  ;  objeTt^^ri'rBut  "■rno"'"  ^'^'f  ^ 

pLtm':t'ttni?eitt  iSf  ^'^^V'^"  --  *^« 

Wood  showed  redly  as  "torent^'T-  '°,*''^*  ^''^  ""^h  "f 
and  overspread  hi^  fLe  Nor  Pn  V  "'"^  P*^*  *^'«  "^""^r 
fort  did  he'^dream  that  she  was  lont  ™''''*'"S  discom- 
moment  with  more  WndnesHhantj"^  "^f"  ^'^  ^*  ^^^^^ 
It  was  not  in  her  exMrience  tn  hVL^I"^  *""«  *hat  day. 
who  blushed  like  boyranda'rladvsj;  "^  ^'«  «''''^"-"P  «>«« 
ness  into  which  she^ad^nTu'^rtd""^"*^'' *^^  ^^^^P- 

utteranoe^LtVafallltrcS'?.  ^V  "  ''^"^'^  ^' 
of  a  man,  I  know  timtlr^TiTi     ^  ™  "  ''""gh  sort 

of  anything.  I've  nelrh^/.^T  ^  '^°"'*  ^now  much 
IVe  never  iadeTovTreorfanlrt''""8  'Y'''^  *h.""g«- 
before  either-and  I  don't  t'n^  J  "  "^"^^"^  ^«'««  in  love 
more  than  a  thunderi  °  idio"  Wh';  '°  «°  '*''°"*  '*  ^"^ 
get  behind  my  tomfool  wni?)  \^^  ^""^  ''ant  to  do  is 
that's  behind^ht^'°°i:°':t:°^i«*j  m"""  °^-  *^\"- 
I  aon  I  know  how  to  go  about  it.'""  **"  "«f^*'  ''" 


I 


224 


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i 


Dede  Mason  had  quick,  birdlike  ways,  almost  flitting 
from  mood  to  mood  ;  and  she  was  all  contrition  on  the 
instant. 
_   "  Forgive  me  for  laughing,"  she  said  across  the  gate. 

It  wasn't  really  laughter.  I  was  surprised  o£P  my 
guard,  and  hurt,  too.  You  see,  Mr.  Hamish,  I've  not 
been  .  .  ." 

She  paused,  in  sudden  fear  of  completing  the  thought 
mto  which  her  birdlike  precipitancy  ha  i  betrayed  her. 

"  What  you  mean  is  that  you've  not  been  used  to  such 
BOTt  of  proposing,"  Daylight  said  ;  "  a  sort  of  on-the-run, 
Howdy,  glad-to-make-your-acquaintance,  won't-you-be- 
mine  '  proposition." 

She  nodded  and  broke  into  laughter,  in  which  he  joined, 
and  which  served  to  pass  the  awkwardness  away.  He 
gathered  heart  at  this,  and  went  on  in  greater  confidence, 
with  cooler  head  and  tongue. 

"  There,  you  see,  you  prove  my  c  u.  You've  had 
experience  in  such  matters.  I  don't  doubt  you've  had 
slathers  of  proposals.  Well,  I  haven't,  and  I'm  like  a 
fish  out  of  water.  Besides,  this  ain't  a  proposal.  It's  a 
peculiar  situation,  that's  all,  and  I'm  in  a  corner.  I've 
got  enough  plain  horse-sense  to  know  a  man  ain't  sup- 
posed to  argue  marriage  with  a  girl  as  a  reason  for  getting 
acquainted  with  her.  And  right  there  was  where  I  was 
in  the  hole.  Number  one,  I  can't  get  acquainted  with 
you  in  the  office.  Number  two,  you  say  you  won't  see 
me  out  of  the  office  to  give  me  a  chance.  Number  three, 
your  reason  is  that  folks  will  talk  because  you  work  for 
me.  Number  four,  I  just  got  to  get  acquainted  with 
you,  and  I  just  got  to  get  you  to  see  that  I  mean  fair 
and  all  right.  Number  five,  there  you  are  on  one  side 
the  gate  getting  ready  to  go,  and  me  here  on  the  other 
side  the  gate  pretty  desperate  and  bound  to  say  some- 
thing to  make  you  reconsider.  Number  six,  I  said  it. 
And  now  and  finally,  I  just  do  want  you  to  reconsider." 
And,  listening  to  him,  pleasuring  in  the  sight  of  his 
earnest,  perturbed  face  and  in  the  simple,  homely  phrases 
that  but  emphasized  his  earnestness  and  marked  the 


: 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  225 

not  repulsive  to  her     On  f L        *        He  wan  certainly 

had  always  Uked  htfrom  ttdrS^d  fir«^'  T' 
and  looked  upon  Ms  lean  imifoTf  nad  first  seen  him 
ing  Indian  eve,  «»  1  T  ^""^  "'''*  '«*''  Ws  flash- 
wavs    thn^  T       ^  "^^-^  "^  ^^fe  of  a  man  in  more 

^J^estle  andfiSL^mS  -— h°;  -  Arctic 

&^r;tL^:rs^5%Km--^'^'^^^^^ 
s:iu-^^ris^£=Sr 

ot^otaSn'ieT  touc'htnTT  ''"^^^''  ^^^  ^  ^S^" 

IS 


I 


326 


* 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


»nd  unguewed,  subtJe  and  notent  fh«  .  •  •. 
essence  of  life  that  iinH«,  .  .i,  P°'*",''  t™  spirit  and 
for  ever  makes  for  l^fe  It  l^T*^  '^'^"''^  ""^  "«»^ks 
to  ride  with  ZnZli]n  ttl  wC  Tt'^  t«»Ptation,  juHt 
and  nothing  more  for  Hhn  w^.  fl  ,  *°"''^  ^  ""'*  «% 
way  of  life^oo^Id  it  C ^1^' 0?^^'""^  '^'  ^' 
she  was  vexed  by  none  ^th^rZ^^'  ,"  *'"'  "'^•""  hand, 
timidities.  Tha(sho  col  t»L  ""'^/t'"''^"''  f«»rs  and 
andaUcircumsUneiZlS:u\rd ''-^^ 
It  was  such  a  little  thing,  aft^r  all  ^^^  ^^^  ""^  ' 

an?l';fanr;„^Ha;Srwaf^^^^^^^^^^^ 

back  and  fortrtnTe  errv  ?h  '.  ""''  '"  J°"™«ying 
bedtime  for  snatches  of  sSt  h«  ""■'  f "'"^  ^^"'^ 
own  special  laundering  o^  ^IS!  C'  '°^^°'"8  ^'' 
casting  up  of  meagre  amounts  T/twn  "''°''"'8  and 
of  social  diversion  she  perSd  £47- 'JrT  "  TT^ 
hours  and  Saturday  afternoonr^nlr^  lu  l  °^'"""  **°'e'> 
the  hospital ;  and  the  seventh  T     ^""'^  ^^'  ^""^^^^  »* 

quaintance  rode.  Several  girls  ft  th«  TT-  ^'"  .*'*'■ 
been  persuaded  into  tryins  it  b„t  „ff  ^mversity  had 
on  hired  hvery  haoksXy  ht]  1„  f  7  "  ^""''"y  '"'  ^""^ 
Madeline,  who^  bought  her  S,  h  "'*^''!f*-  '^^«^«  ^"^ 
asticaUy  for  -  Jlir^nlyXeTlTw:/^^^^^^ 
away  to  live  in  Southern  Califofni^  AfS!  ^  *°^  «" 
one  did  get  tired  of  this  eternatrTng  al^nJ  ^""  °'  "' 

haf  haTthT  ri^h'S^n^'j  s'llT *  "^  "  '^""°--  -l"" 

-b^boy,  sL'Ct-.^—",--;^^^;. 

numE"o£':Kertlb'  \  ""^r-«•  "  ^y- 
looks  ;  number  tC,  git  ^^^ZilT'^'f  '^^u  "^^^'^ 
get  married  or  not,  a^cfrdi^^^^o  W  tC  1""'"''^  dr- 
after getting  acquainted,     lut^o^  Si Jn^te?  ^ 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


227 

liove  ohanoe  to  find  out  whether  we  like  eaoh  nf».«, 
enough  iB  beyond  my  «awee.  unleTrT  S^  Tke  tLt 
chance  ourselvoB.  I'd  come  to  see  you,  call  on  Jou.  onfy 
I^      -y  you're  jUBt  rooming  or  boarding,  and  tL  Wt 

peS^LI*  w/  "^T  ?'  """'^'  *'>"'  """"tion  ap- 
peared to  Dede  ridiculously  absurd.  She  felt  a  desir«  tn 
laugh-not  angrily,  not  hysterically,  but  ju  t  Ulv  U 
wa«  so  funny.  Herself,  the  stenographer  ^he  the  notori 
ous  and  powerful  gambling  milnaire  and  the  Late 
between  them  across  which  poured  his  argument  of  pcoo  e 
getting  acquainted  and  married.     AIsoSF  was  a^  iC 

Mh  if  Tv"  ''"  '""^  '""''  "'  ''■  ^^^  -  "d  not  go 
hm  *.•  J^^  programme  of  furtive  meetings  in  the 

hdls  would  have  to  discontinue.  There  would  never  be 
another  meehng.  And  if,  denied  this,  he  tried  to  woo 
her  in  the  office,  she  would  be  compelled  to  lose  a  very 

It  waF^nt"*"'  "f  '^"^  ^°"'^  ""'  «"  «"d  °f  the  episod/ 
It  was  not  mce  to  contemplate  ;  but  the  world  of  men' 

n  ce  She  had  not  worked  for  her  living  for  years  witt 
out  losmg  a  great  many  of  her  illusions.  ^  ^ 

it  "  bIXV  ''°  ""^  ?"^'^'^°8  or  hiding  around  about 
boH  «y^  7"'  ^^P'^'ning-  "We'U  ride  around  as 
bold  as  you  please,  and  if  anybody  sees  us,  why  let 
them  If  they  talk-well,  so  long  as  our  con^cfe'ncl 
are  straight  we  needn't  worry.  Say  the  word  anT^h 
will  have  on  his  back  the  hap'piest  man  aC"  ^  ^'^ 
She  shook  her  head,  pulled  in  the  mare,  who  was  im 

rhXttXihaitr '  -' ''--' «-— ^ - 

; j;^^:t^^hS^£;  r  &t^-to^ 

Sunday,  anyway-that's  not  asking  much-to  settTeit 
"  We've  had  all  day,"  she  said 
'  But  we  started  to  talk  it  over  too  late.     We'll  tackle 

witn  me,  I  can  tell  you.     Saj,  nest  Sunday  ?" 


228 


BUENING  DAYLIGHT 


% 


Sunda^."  -^    "*^*  S^'Jay    you  mean  many 

startLI'^*'^""  *^^  '^'-  -*°  I'-  hand  p.Iiminary  to 

;;  Good-night,''  she  said,  "and " 

i  Wvene'ss'^'P^'^'''  "^*^  i"«*  ^''^  *«-»««*  touch  of 

At^th;"«!?l!  '**'^'  ^*'"  "'"'"^  '°^  •'"t  distinct. 

intentonanaMlvsisof  hprn  ^rt*  backward  glance, 
made  up  toVaTn^and  to  f ^  f ''J'°^;  ^"'^  ^^'"^^^ 
80  resolved-her  L  nevl Vh  ,  ^''^ V"?*^"*  «''«  ^'^'^  ^een 
least  it  seemed  the  LTs^^r".  ^^^.  '^^  ^^^  ^'  »* 
sent.  Then  "Khe^  K«^r  ff°.*  '°*^"^''*  *°  ''°'>- 
wiJdennent  at  so  whont  L         ^I-^  ''"^^^  ^^^  ^e- 

^aytoconsternatiofasfhecoS^rf*!'*  '"^  "^*  ^''^^ 
She  knew. that  Burning  DavS  t?  ■*«/°'>««q»ence8. 
trifled  with,  that  3pif  hll  •  ®  ,*  ^^^  °°*  *  °»an  to  be 
was  essenU;Uy  a  San  Z?'""*^.""'*  '"'^'^'^^^^  ^e 
had  pledged  CeU  Ta  fut^r«  T'^^T'uf ""^  *^^  «he 
storm.     And  aeSn  «h„  ^  ^"*"e  of  inevitable  stress  and 

said  yes  a^  th'^Xv  moZ„T''\^  °^-^"r"  ^^^^  «»>«  l^^d 
from  her  intention  ''^'''  '*  ^^  ''^°  f^^hest 


CHAPTER  XV 

Life  at  the  office  went  on  much  the  way  it  had  alwav« 

thrrth«  T%^^  ""'"^  °'  '""J^-  d'd  theVactaowlIZ 
?f  t,i    ,     *"*i!°°  ^'^  •"  *"y  ^^^^  different  from  what 

toSdlt^n^  ''^*'°°  I'i'y  ^«^^'°g  «^t^*  work  tha^ 
would  detam  her  longer  before  his  eyes.     But  over  and 

farlrVi'""'  "^'^^^^^  °f  -°dLt  was  hiXve  of 
vanta?eTnf?i?  -^""f  to  utilize  the  accidental  ad- 
IhthZ  !  ■  «**''^t'°n-  Somewhere  within  him  was 
a  higher  appraisement  of  love   than  mere  possession 

SCidS'  *°  *"  '""^^  '°'-  '^--"'  -"^  aU  fie~r 

seh^B^«!!f  ^°*''^'  ^l"**'  ^^  ^^  ^^^"^  *J^«  °'°«t  artful  of 
SdZ  .•n\"°'^,**  ""^'^^^  P"^^"«d  a  wiser  poUcy 
Birdhke  in  her  love  of  individual  freedom,  thVlast 
woman  m  the  world  to  be  buUied  in  her  aff^tiot  she 
keenly  appreciated  the  niceness  of  his  attifX  Sto  lid 
this  consciously,  but  deeper  than  all  coiscio-isnoss  and 
unrt«f  K,^'  ^°''T'''  ^^'^  ^^^  effect  of  tC  Ml 
web  of  DaviiX^  '"'  ""T  ^"P^^'"^  moment,  did  tt 
Mamen?  W,«T'r°.t*y  "'"?  ""^^  ^"^^  around  her. 

botTle^  beSn^IbliS.  Tht  riant S^« 

^^ir^r-^sTSES^-^^S 

crisis  of  greater  moment,  might  she  noi.Tn  vTlaS  o1 
229  " 


:4i| 


230 


> 


V      'I 

HI 


/ 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


annotates  of  .ober  j„dg.,ent,  give  another  unintentional 

so  much  as  formeriy  tL™  l^  ?  °°*  "^""8  *"  drini 
alcohol  of  whiKen  W  w''.^''"'^°8^°'J««'^«for 
way,  she  herself  was  the  needed^  J.^v-'"'  "''*'"•  ^"  » 
of  her  was  like  a  cocktaU  Or  "*,^^'*'°°-  The  thought 
tuted  for  a  certai^  percentage  of  ^"l/^*^'  '^^  «»''^«- 
strain  of  his  unnati,™?  f^t  ^^  °^  cocktails.    From  the 

gambling  opeS^t  L^drlfr^  '"l  °'  *^«  ^"^^ 
'•oute.     A  waU  must  for  e^er  ttu^t  *°  *^"  "'^^^^^ 
ment  from  the  high  Sh   and  n^^    k*°  ^'^^  ^"^  «^««- 
this  wall.     Herpereonalitt'  W  ,      1^  ''^''^^^  *  P^^t  of 
of  her  voice,  the^'mSwe  ^oL^^'^t**''  f^  «tonations 
I'ght  on  her  hair,7er  tm    £  °  f  ^  °.*  '^"^  ^y^"'  ^^e 
horseback,    her  merest   nf,-    ,    '^'^®^^'  '^^'^  actions  on 
turedoveran^overlnhrs^'"!'   mannerisms-aU,   pic 
to  take  the  placH  ma^  Ti'tal  ^T  T'^'  ^^^^^ 
soda.  ^  ™^"y  ^  cocktail  or  long  Scotch  and 

abf^dtt^of  t'  a;:TnTheS^-  T  ^  ^^^  — 
these  meetings  were  stolen  tLT'hT-  ^^  ^^^ence, 
brazenly  together  in  the  fer«  ^i  ^./       "°*   "<*«   °"t 

contrary,  th^y  met  alw^irbs^LS'sr''.-  ^"^  ^'^^ 
the  many-gated  back-road  frn^  ^  i '  ,^®  "'^''«  across 

halfway,  kr  did  they  rWe  on  «^'  '''^  *°  '"^^t  J^«» 
roads,  preferring  to  cros,  TjL  Z  '^"^^  unfrequented 

travel  among  ^  cLrch '  ?n„  T°'''*  '''"^e  of  hills  and 

scarcely  have%ecognTzedS  nTTl/'i^^  ^^°  ^°"ld 
paper  photographs  Daylight  from  his  news- 

in5di:rStttai^--:r"-r^  -*  -e'y 

covered  sixty,  seventv  anrl  J  ^f  ®  "^^^^  ^l»en  they 
I>ede  ever  claim  Iny^day  too  Z.''^''*^  "^"^  '  »°^  did 
recommendation  to  DavlU?  '°?/'  """l-another  strong 
see  the  slightest  chafe^„f.r'^''u*''"  ^'^^''^  day  eve? 
"A  sure  enough  hummer  "  "^'''*°"*  sorrel's   back 

but  ever  enthufiasfrvTrdk  rhiS^''^  ^^^'-^^P^d 


BURNING  DAl^IGHT  231 

They  learned  much  of  each  other  on  these  lone   un- 
mtern.pt«d  rides.     They  had  nothing  much  to  talk  about 
mit  themselves,  and,  while  she  received  a  liberal  educa- 
tion concerning  Arctic  travel  and  gold-mining,  he.  in  turn, 
touch  by  touch   painted  an  ever  clearer  portrait  of  her. 
bhe  amphfied  the  ranch  life  of  her  girlhood,  prattling  on 
about  horses  and  dogs  and  persons  and  things  until   it 
was  as  if  he  saw  the  whole  process  of  her  growth  and 
her  becommg.     All  this  he  was  able  to  trace  on  through 
the  period  of  her  father's  failure  and  death,  when  she 
bad  been  compeUed  to  leave  the  university  and  go  into 
office  work     The  brother,  too,  she  spoke  of,  and  of  her 
long  struggle  to  have  him  cured  and  of  her  now  fading 
hopes      Dayhght  decided  that  it  was  easier  to  come  to 
an  understanding  of  her  than  he  had  anticipated,  though 
he  was  always  aware  that  behind  and  under  aU  he  knew 
ot  her  was  the  mysterious  and  bafflinp  woman  and  sex 
Ihere,  he  was  humble  enough  to  confess  to  himself,  was 
a  chartless,  shoreless  sea,  about  which  he  knew  nothing 
and  which  he  must  nevertheless  somehow  navigate 

Eis  lifelong  fear  of  woman  had  originated  out  of  non- 
understandmg  and  had  also  prevented  him  from  reaching 
any  understanding.  Dede  on  horseback,  Dede  gathering 
poppies  on  a  summer  hillside,  Dede  taking  down  dicta- 
tion m  her  swift  shorthand  strokes— all  this  was  com- 
prehensible to  him.  But  he  did  not  know  the  Dede  who 
so  qmckly  changed  from  mood  to  mood,  the  Dede  who 
refused  steadfastly  to  ride  with  him  and  then  suddenly 
consented,  the  Dede  in  whose  eyes  the  golden  glow  for 
ever  waxed  and  waned  and  whispered  hints  and  messages 
that  were  not  for  his  ears.  In  all  such  things  he  saw  the 
ghmmermg  profundities  of  sex,  acknowledged  their  lure 
and  accepted  them  as  incomprehensible. 

There  was  another  side  of  her,  too,  of  which  he  was 
consciously  Ignorant.  She  knew  the  books,  was  pos- 
sessed of  that  mysterious  and  awful  thing  called  "  cul- 
rr!.!.-  7  y"*'  ^■^**^  continually  surprised  him  was 
that  tins  culture  was  never  obtruded  on  their  intercourse 
bhe  did  not  talk  books,  nor  art,  nor  similar  folderols 


^^*    ^  BURNING  DAYLIGHT 

out-of-doors,  the  horses  and  th^hP,  ^!u'""P^«  "''^  *»>« 
the  flowers.  He  found  hi  »  •  *"  ^*'  '^^e  sunlieht  and 
which  she  was  the^Jd^Tn"  ?  "  P*'"^  °«^  Aom,  to 
varieties  of  the  oaks  m-fv-^  "?*'"«  °"*  *»  him  all  the 
madrofio  and  the  iS^^^^^<'^»'»i«ted  wiS  m 
habits,  and  habitatronnl^d-^^^'^S  ^"^  the  namr 
shrubs,  and  ferns      hLT"'''°«  ^'^^^  ot  wild  &m 

de  ght  to  him.™It  h?d  be'ertr*!:  -^^^  "''^  -^""h^i: 
httle  escaped  it     nr,„  ^  trained  in  the  onen    nn^ 

which  cou!^  dlscov?rth?L:r  **^\*''«y  «t-rto'^ 
■^d  he,  who  had  «i  ^^^^^  number  of  birds'  Z^ 
acutely  train:d'oteS:r„  Pf'^'^i  !?!"-«  "  ot 
keep  his  score  ahead  At  th^  ^"^  .^T^^  hard  put  to 
three  nests  in  the  Wd  ^°i^  °^  **>«  day  he  was  but 

stoutly  and  of  ScKen "'  °'  T^''^  «»»«  °haZged 

He  conip,i^,„tedZr  and  told  h"°'f^'^'*  ^"°"«  douft 
hf  due  to  the  fact  that  X^    ^^''^^t  her  success  must 

b^rd^s  keen  ^sion  and  ,£,-1:1^' w  '^^""'  ^'"^^^^ 

The  more  he  knew  her  fL         ^  ^^y^- 
of  tlus  birdlike  quahtyTn  her^^T.^"  '^''*'»«  «°»vinced 
to  nde,  he  argued     If  Jit  ♦u       ^^^t  was  why  she  likpd 
A  field  cf  po?p>  a  gC;  tr''''*"PP'°^<'^  to  flS* 

sunT^^  '«™.  the  ta^;Vo^Tf  \T.°^  Poplarsd 
sunhght  on  a  distant  pLt  ^  "*  I  ^^ide,  the  shaft  of 
quick  joys  which  seemed  t^SLT?  ^^''^  Provocative  of 
°f  «ong.     Her  joys  were  in  litf^  ^°  '"  ""^"y  outbursts 

These  cfuirt  Utt-i„  •  . 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


—  233 

vLTo::\J^KZ'^  "1-^  -d  brown  was  i„st 

longer  b^oTn^^^itTda^w""'"''^.'^  "  --  "» 
something  like  bbod  until  I   t    T  l!9^&r>ed  was  red. 

they  rodf  out  on  a  S  tn  k''^^*  H"*  '^**«^-  O'^oe 
poppies  blazed  aCt  SrforS VeSr  Tt'"°^ 
in  an  ecstasy  over  the  lines  of  t^I  T'  '^^^  ^^^  "^^^ 

she  counted,  and  he  "ho  Lh^"'''"/'^'^*?"'''^-  S^^^n, 
liis  life,  for  the  first  time  i^L^T'^v,""  ^""^scapes  all 
was.     After  that   AnH  .?         T*^,  '^''**  "^  "distance  " 

of  naturel^ith'a'itS'et:  Y""'^  "P°"  ^'^^  ^^^ 
his  own  in  survevimTtl-f       ?  ^®'  l«anung  a  delight  of 

ranges,  andTn'^rt^tlttiorSh  '  *'^  T* '""^-g 
mists  that  haunted  the  Wuid  !.r»        the  purple  summer 

But  through  rXran T«  "  W  ''*u*  ^^^  '^'«*''«*  ^^^ 
first  he  had  Len  content  tsf^t^  "^  '^^^^  °*  ^''^^-  At 
be  on  comradely  ^^^J^l  u^^  V^^  ^^e  and  to 
need  for  her  fnoreS  The  L'  'J!  *?'  '^"^'^^  ^"^  the 
higher  was  his  appraisal  hT.  \^'^  °^  l"*^'  ^^e 
haughty  with  him^C  been  Sllv  ^  ^^^^ '^^-^^^  and 
creature   of  a   woman    H-wrfi^,?  ^'^^i'^^'  «™P«ring 

Instead,  she  aml^d  Wm  wir  ir  «  '"^-  ^^^  ^'«^««t 
someness,  with  her  ereTtTtnr«  .f  ""^''^i^y  ^"'^  ^^^^'o- 

prised  him  in.  Aid  thrn,m^  vas  what  Dede  had  sur- 
themoreardentlX  oveTu^n.^  ^^'''  ^""^^  ^^ile, 
his  voice  with  cL^erJ6SZ:^:^^'y^i^-^m 
flarmg  up  signal  fires  in  hi,  »™.  -3  "noonscjousness 
it.  yet.  like  E:r.,ny  women  bp^^t  J.  ^°u  ""T  '^^  ^lind  to 

-th  the  pretty  L  rd-^aS^i^X^ttnl^^ 

anixrocX^rrred'^t^^^^^^^^ 

be  any  more  riding."  °  ™ere  won't 


234 


*      II 


I)  i 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


She  shook  her  head 

your  fooLsh  argument  for  .«ff^^^''-      ^  remembe; 

it  won't  lead  to'^n^^^ng' ft  St'^r*^'''  *"°  =  ^"* 
well  to  be  mistaken  •■     ^ '"''*'' *■    I  know  myself  too 

hu?;;7he?;rs"r;  rr^"  ^n^  ^"^  ^--  -*  *« 

b-ght,  golden  and  gTo^-„T!th!  ^«'  •">*  ^  ^^^e' '  ^as  the 
he  was  now  unafraid  to  faTe         ^"^  **^  "^^  ''^*^  ^^i^h 

you?? terftKirr.  "^ '-- ^^ *» 

you^  You  just  think  it  o^r^i^oto""^'  t^'  ^  "^"^  *«" 
word  about  love  to  you  and  m.^-  ""^  ^^^  ^  ^^id  a 
That's  going  some  for  ;  man  thl^^^  ^^  ^"  *^«  «•"«• 
own  way.  I'ni  somewhat  of  „u  "^^  *°  ^*^^°«  his 
travelling.  J  reck^Fd  lul  (Lf  I, J-'^^k?  "/""^^^  *" 
to  a  race  over  the  ice  And  w  t  ^^^hty  if  it  came 
guess  this  fact  is  an  indication  nVv,''"^''  *  T^  y°"-  I 
you.  Of  course  I  want  vou  t„  °^  '''""  """"''  ^  do  love 
a  word  about  i,  ttoZirZ^ZlT-.^^'^'^ J  .-d 


what yo^ Z4Z"V^:ir  "^r  ^h-  -^ ^» 

me.  But  how  about  mvseU%  T  ^°"  ?  *^«  ^'^^  ^or 
enough  to  know  your  own  min?°"^°^  ^"^  ""^  ^«" 
shoulders.  "J  don't  know,  Tnd  I  ainv'  '^'""S^"'^  ^'« 
chances  on  it  now.  You'vlcmf  f.  i  r  «°'°8  to  take 
you  think  you  could  get  IlofAStfT  ^"^  ^'"'^  ^^«*h«^ 
playing  a  slow  conse?^a«te  |ame  7°'^°''  ^""^  ^''^ 
lose  for  overlooking  my  hand  "  '"  *  ''"««°g  to 

enc?^  ^rtdTh^^::  Ver/:rf  r-'-  -^'^- 

Furthermore,  its  lack  of  ardour  1  ^^"yth-ng  like  it. 
which  she  could  overcome  SybvZ''  T^-  ''  "  '^""^ 
h.  hand  had  trembled  in  tS^p^i^.r^^SbeS 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  238 

S'h^TveT  Thi'i  ^'S*^**  ^'^y  ^y  ''^^  "very  day 

time^he  and  Ehjah  Davis  had  starved  on  thf  Stewlrt 
"  So  yon  see,"  he  urged,  "  just  for  a  square  deal  we've 

mvseirto*  r„V  '^^  '''*«""Pted-     "  I  wouldn't  dare  permit 

It's  because  you  don't  like  my  way  of  bVincr  "  h^ 
mTL''''^,  '"  ""^  ""'^  ""'"d  o^f  theVr^atSi  joy! 
naa  cremted  hm— thinking  this,  and  wonderine  whether 

.^  To  his  surprise,  her  answer  was  flat  and  uncompromis- 
1' No;  I  don't." 

.rJ'^  ^'°.u  ^'■^^  ''^^^  *""^'»  °n  some  of  those  rides  that 
got  into  the  papers,"  he  began  his  defence    ""nd  lilt 

I  ve  been  traveUing  with  .  lively  crowd ■" 

H  ti       i  '"^^''  ^^^^•"  ^^  ^^'^'  "  though  I  know  about 

«.^.T:  J     V        ?^y  ^'^  *"''  ""ix^fs-     Tterfi's  nothinr. 
u»*rLi«d  .boui.  ,t,  „hi,h  .„.i  be  ..y  „,  „<„ 'b'^g 


236  BURNING  DAYLIGHT 

^aje,  «a.e.  ana  I  in.  Ce^  L^SSra^i- 

"  In  ancient  GreT^e/'  thTCT *^,*°  !?«f^  ^^^  ""i^d- 
^«8  judged  a  good  citizen  wfr.  rMf"^'"'"^'  "»n»an 
trees-  ..  She^id  not'^jj",,^"''*  ''""r^  P'''"**'' 
drew  the  conclusion  hurS  ^'l'  quotation,  but 
have  you  buUt?  How  manv /L  i,  '^  """^  *»°"8e8 
He  shook  his  head  non^n  trees  have  you  planted  V 

grasped  the  drift  SlTrS™''"^'  '"^  ^«  ^'^  -* 
coal^H^    «»»«  --*  on.  "  two  winters  ago  you  cornered 

An^tfoiraajTtt'^t""*'^^  "  J-*  i-aUy. 
in  British  ColumWa  "        ""  '""'  '^"'^^^^  "nd  the  strike 

yol' tl^°'Jt^5"L%Ss°ir  "°^h'  ^""-"-  ^et 

nioney.  That  ^Tas  your  busLss  Vn"''  '"!.^"  **  '°*  °f 
people  pay  more  for  their  coal  y„,57  '^^f  *^«  P""^ 
said,  but  you  put  your  hanl  ,i„       "  f'^^^^  fair,  as  you 

and  took  their^mon'^^Iwr^tmXm  fl  *^"^  P°«^«*« 
a  grate  fire  in  my  sitting-rW^^t  R^r^'  i  ^°°'^-  ^  ^"n 
of  eleven  dollars  a  toni^^^^ty\  And  instead 
dollars  that  winter  You  Tnf^  ^^^'  ^  P^'d  fifteen 
could  stand  it.  But  £e  ±f,r  °^  ^°"  'l""""-  I 
poor  who  could  not  stand  i?  V  "^1^"  °*  ^^^  ^^^ 
gambling,  but  to  me  it  was  dow.^    .f '^u.*  "''"  i*  %«! 

Daylight  was  not  abated     St   '°'"'''^" 
lum.    He  remembered  the  old  Z  \"°  revelation  to 

S^bfrTbTr---'^^^^^^ 

^lighSrigtnt'^^t^I.^-  ^ouVe  got  me  there 
t«me  now,  and  you  know  I  don"t  T  '"'''°"««  »  '°ng 
'a.d,ng  the  poof  peo^  J  go  afteT^b  \?^"^*'''«  °f 
They  re  my  meat.    Th^  rob  fhe  pot  and  f 'fob Iw" 


BURNING  DAYUGHT 


237 


TTiat  coal  deal  was  an  accident.  I  wasn't  after  the  poor 
people  m  that,  but  after  the  big  feUows,  and  I  got  them. 

got  hurt'VTwraff  "'^^'"'  *°  '''  '"  *'"'  ""y  '^^ 

a.ilS*'"'*  J°"  T'l'  *"*  ''*"*  "o-  "  *'^  "liole  game  is  a 
gamble.  Everybody  gambles  in  one  way  or  another. 
Ihe  farmer  gambles  against  the  weather  and  the  market 
on  his  crops  So  does  the  United  States  Steel  Corpora- 
tion The  busmess  of  lots  of  men  is  straight  robbery 
of  the  po^  people.    But  I've  never  made  that  my 

nJbber"  *^**'    ^'^^  "''"'y'  8°°«  ****"  ^^^ 

"I    missed    my   point,"    she    admitted.     "Wait    a 
nunute.  ' 

And  for  a  space  they  rode  in  silence. 
I  see  it  more  clearly  than  I  can  state  it,  but  it's  some- 
i^t.w  ,-,  P^'^  ^  legitimate  work,  and  there's 
work  that-well,  that  isn't  legitimate.  The  farmer  works 
the  soil  and  produces  grain.  He's  making  something 
that  IS  good  for  humanity.  He  actually,  in  a  way 
creates  something,  the  grain  that  wiU  fill  the  moutla 
01  tne  hungry. 

"  And  then  the  railroads  and  market-riggers  and  the 
broki"-'"'^    *°  ''"''  ^"^  °^  ^^*'  ^^™®  S'*"'"  Daylight 

Dede  smiled  and  held  up  her  hand. 

"  Wait  a  minute.  You'll  make  me  lose  my  point  It 
doesn  t  hurt  if  they  rob  him  of  aU  of  it  so  that  he  starves 
to  death.  The  point  is  that  the  wheat  he  grew  is  still 
m  the  world.  It  exists.  Don't  you  see  ?  The  farmer 
created  something,  say  ten  tons  of  wheat,  and  those  ten 
tons  exist.  The  railroads  haul  the  wheat  to  market  to 
the  months  that  will  eat  it.  This  is  also  legitimate  It's 
like  someone  bringing  you  a  glass  of  water,  or  taking  a 
cmder  out  of  your  eye.  Something  has  been  done,  in  a 
way  been  created,  just  like  the  wheat." 
"  But  the  raikoads  rob  like  Sam  Scratch,"  Daylight 

•■  Then  the  work  they  do  is  partly  legitimate  and  partly 


238  BURNING  DAYLIGHT 

JuBt  lace  the  ooal.  You  JS^f^  fe^'*h  your  businel 
It  to  market.  You  didn't  deUvef  t  ^"^^idn't  haul 
That  8  what  I  meant  by  pUntiZthl\  "^  *  y**"  •*«  ' 
the  houses.  You  haven't  nlan^^i  *'**"'  »"'»  ^"»'dmg 
single  house."  P'*"****  ""^e  tree  nor  built  a 

couid  ?aTbS,^sjx-.rr "  ■-  ^''^  --'<>  -j'o 

"And  you've  got  me  on  th^t  ^T™^"'*''  admiringly, 
to  be  said  on  my  ^de  Lhi^'"''    ^"*  *^«'«'»  »  lot 

one  :  We  live*a  Xrt  time  The  8-^.  ^^"^^    ^"'-ber 
long  time  dead.    Life  fea  hi!         m.  "''  *'''l  ^^'^  a 
are  born  lucky  and  some  are  borf-l^f'T  S^'ne-    Some 
Sits  m  at  the  table,  and  evervbod  v  tr     f^'    ^'^^'ybody 
else.     Most  of  them  VJrlhJ  °,^  l7^*  *"  '"l"  everybody 
A  fellow  like  me  com^,*aT„^'^^-     ^^^^'^^  born  sucker/ 
tion.     I've  got  two  chores     f  ZCT  "^u  *^.«  P'°P°«^- 
or  I  can  herd  with  the  robbern      /      "^  ^'^^ '""''e^. 
nothing.    Even  the  crusts  of  b'«ri        "  '""''^''  ^  ^'n 
my  mouth  by  the  robbers       T^'*'*."!*  snatched  out  of 
and  die  worldng     A^d  I  «;n'f    ''^'K^^'^  all  my  days 
had  nothing  bu't  wtk/^k    woTk  ^"1"  «"*^'     ^^e 
the  dignity  of  labour.    I  tell  'I  lu'     ^^^  ^Ik  about 
m  that  sort  of  labour     Mvii      *^^  '*''''*  °°  dignity 
the  robbers,  and  I  herd  wfth  tt ^"^  I'  *°herdlith 
wide  open  to  win.    I  get  the  autoTnVi    P'*^.*^"*  ''''"'"e 
house  steaks,  and  the  soft  beds  '''''  ''"^  '^^  P^^ter- 

Pia3.^;t:i5r;  Jc  £'\hTi?"rr  ^^-^ 

farmer's  wheat  to  market    and  nl^..'*'^°«  '^''* 
robbing  the  robbers  like  I  do    ^in^"l  *^/°»'''«'  «nd 
robbery  is  too  slow  a  gaLe  for  „,«  f       ^'"^**'  ^^^^-ay 
win  quick  enough  for  me^'         ^^  *°  ''*  ">•    ^ou  don't 
But  what  do  yon  want  to  win  for  ?"  r^-i    .. 
You  have  millions  and  miuTonH  .i.    T^^^  demanded, 
ride  m  more  than  one  automobint  a  ti^'*^'  ,  ^""  ''»'^'* 
than  one  bed  at  a  time."  *  '™®'  ^l«ep  in  more 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


"Number  three  answers  that,"  he  said    " ^r,^  i, 

SrVht  aTd-r:  o?hS^feCr  hSftlrbl  ^""^^^ 
One  man  thinks  horse-racinc  is  It  ,^th  .\^  ^t^""**.' 
another  man  finds  the  biKcef  t  satis'C  i  •  '^  /'  ^""^ 
They  can't  help  these  likes  ThevW^^^^^  '"  ""^"■"T"' 
are  they  going^o  do  aLt  itrNow  I  S' ^If  "* 
I  like  to  play  the  game  I  want  fTJ.  I  t5  8'"»l'J">«- 
it  q^ck.  'li  iust'rZe  tLr;*^  'iZ'iX'^i'''' 
Bright  [augLr"  '"  "^'  ^^"^  ^"  ^-'--y  '■• 

Go'dS  ff  as^ihTto^°S  t2hSontr« 
how  to  run  his  world  and  that  yoS  Kch  oblled°« 
he  11  stand  out  of  the  way  and  give  you  a  chance     TMnt 
ing  about  God  doesn't  keep  mtsitdng  up  Zhts  so^J 
got  another  way  of  looking  at  it     Ain't  it  fnnn^,. 

mg?  I  leave  It  to  you.  That's  what  doing  cood^fh 
money  amounts  to.  Every  once  in  a  J^a^  ^  ^*'* 
turns  soft-hearted  and  takesT  dri^ing^nrbu?''"' 
That's  what  Camogie  did.  He  smashed  heads  i^n/tT!." 
battles  at  Homestead,  regular  wholesale  hlZl  h  ^  t^ 
was  held  up  the  suckers  ir  aTew  hSdred  mS'Ind 
TZ^^:^'  ""^''^^^  "  '-^  -  tfem"^'"'Fury1 

heSef;oir  ''''"--''^'  -'^  '^^  -- s  t1 

matter  how  right  a  woman  is,  men  have  such  a  way  about 


240 


BURNINO  DAYLIGHT 


t 


wiU.  but  jSt  the  H^me  U  £e^„,?o  ''  «'""''"°«  "  y"" 
to  create  gomethiiv?.  mato^Z^v  me  more  «»t«fying 
dice  out  of  a  dicX^STcSTLtr'^'wr  ^"^^  *°  '°^ 
for  exercise,  or  when  I've  «?♦  *•  ^y-  •"metime., 
coal,  I  ourry  Mab  and  till  W  fY  P*^"  'J""*™  fo; 
ing.    And  when  I  s^f  C  .n  .  ''^'''  '"»If-hour'8  brush- 

'"'tiny;  I  f,^l  a  itWacUon  in  Jirr?''''.'*"'^''*  ""^ 
must  be  with  the  man  «».!.  k    ij      .  *  ^ ^®  done.    So  it 

He  can  look  a^  7 "  He  ll'^t' 'T  T  ^'t" ^  "^  ^'"^ 
Even  if  somebody  like  vou  .^ J      ^*'  *""  handiwork. 

tree  away  fromh^mstuTrifrr  "^T^  ^^  ^^^^  ^ 
'*•  You  can't  rob  hS  of  th^r V"!/'"'  ^'^  ^«  °'»k« 
yourmiUions.  It's  th«  «r„»t-  •'  ^"^  Harnisb,  with  all 
than  n.e«,  gamW,^^' HrvenV?' "'"'' **'*  * '''^her  joy 
yourself,-a1og  ca^n  up  i^  the  CoT'  ""^«  *''•»«« 
raft    or  something  ?     lid   da«'f  '  °'"  *  '"">"^-  <»• 

satisfied  you  were,  how  good  v^*  Uf   remember   how 

''°{^.*«?d  after  you  had^SeTr-'*'  ^^'^  ^°"  ^•""^ 

bank  by  the  KlondSra^d'he  .'aTlT  ""  't  "^«'- 
warehouses  spring  up,  knd  all  thl  7      .  '°«  ''*''ina  and 

£^  and  his  -^n.v:is.xifstTo^\^: 

wa;.'^^'^Sin„i*iM^«  Ma.on,  you're  right-in  a 

remember  I  was  proud  and  din  .""^^  V  *'»«''''  ^^d  I 
proud  now    when  T  r»       ^u     ^  ^  *^em  go  up.    I'm 

Ophir-thl  most  God-SkenVo'^'"-    ^'^^^^  ^^ 
you  ever  laid  eyes  on     l^ll^uT'-^'^^'''^  "^  »  <"'eek        | 
Why,  I  ran  the  water  in  theTe Irom  t^  '  «°  ^^l  ^'^  ^phir.         ' 
mJes  away.    They  aU  saS 7  couTdn't  I'^t^^' ■''^'"'y 
I  did  It  by  myself     TJi»  ,7„      ^""'"n  t,  but  I  did  it,  and 

million.  'fi^t'Tu  sh?^d  hav^''  "'^?"'"«  ""«*  ^-  f^^ 
plants,  electric  lights  S  trffr  f^^  <"phir-power 
-.  wor^ng  nigh^t  and^XlV^  dTgeran'^e 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  ,41 

didn't  mean  to  CUM.    But  S^t  J^u*^*  T"' P"""""-    I 

mere  moMv  "  SScfe  Tnl^  ^  there  that  was  more  than 
what  I  wo^d  d?l?  I  Td  K-  Now  do  you  W 
to  go  on  pJaying  at  busii?"'  "7"^  .fl.  "''"P'^  ^^ 
and  westerly!"*  ,  ofCu,^  JJ;  ^dt  -"therly 

and  make  money  out  of  the'tSf  AnnV.'  '"f'  *^«  ^'»'» 
pomt  again.  I^tead  of  rftisinTti.  ■  *''®'*  *  ""y  other 
adding  an  ou^oe  o?  coal  to^  ^^^  ^'^  °^  *'°'^  ^"h°»t 

nialdng  thousands  and  tLuiT^'^/^PPiy'  ^'^  ^ 
making    something    wheT«ott„    ""'''*  ?^  ^^^^ood- 

-£  ^.^  by  your  aSnX^  dXrs^f  t,  J^^k 

waild^^^^'Ji*'  *"™  *°  "^  «"-*  f-  «» time  while  she 
at  1^°"^'  ^°"  "'*''-  I  d'd  t/.,.^  Uke  that  ?"  he  asked 

^Jiisirdtn'Joti:;^;--'''-  -<^  ^t.«rforyou," 


16 


CHAPTER  XVI 

All  week  everyone  in  the  office  knew  that  something  npw 
and  b:g  ^vas  afoot  in  Daylight's  mind.  Beyond3eak 
of  no  importance,  he  had  not  been  interested  in  anvtS 
for  several  months.  But  now  he  ..ent  about  in  an  JS 
unbroken  brown  study,  made  unexpected  anrieZhv 
trips  across  the  bay  to  Oakland,  or  s^  at  his  desk  Xt 

a^rtt:jp- r-mSrTtiiCs"^^^^^^^^^^ 

and  conferred  w^h  him-a^iitht w^esTnd  Sin^ 
in  type  from  those  that  usually  cace  to  see  Mm  ^ 

On  Sunday  Dede  learned  aU  about  it 
I've  been  thinking  a  lot  of  our  talk, "  he  began  "  and 
I  ve  got  an  idea  I'd  like  to  give  it  a  flutter  ^2d  I've 
got  a  proposition  to  make  your  hair  stand  up.    It^s Vhl? 
you  call  legitimate,  and  at  the  same  tin's  it's  th^  I  t 
dangdest  gamble  a  man  ever  went  i^to.'  Ho^aCt" 
planting  mmutes  wholesale,  and  making  t^  ITute  * 
grow  where  one   minute  grew  before  ?  ^  Oh   yr^and 
planting  a  few  trees,  t«o-say  several  milhon  ^T'th 
You  remember  the  qur-rry  I  Ide  beheS  was  Ufe 
at?    Well,  I'm  going  to  buy  it.     I'm  going  to  buy  tH 
Mis,  too,  clear  from  here  around  to  Berkelev  aTJ^ 
the  other  way  to  San  Leandro.    I  oW^a  lot  o^  t'^ 
already,  for  that  matter.    But  mum  is^e  wJrS     iS 
buying  a  long  time  to  come  before  anything  much  is 
guessed  about  it,  and  I  don't  want  the  market  TIL^ 
up  out  of  sight.     You  see  that  hill  overTw     ifi  m^ 
hiU  runnmg  clear  down  its  slopes  through  Piedmont  .^J 
halfway  along  those  rolling  hills  into  OaHand     And  v 
nothing  to  all  the  things  I'm  going  to  buy '•     '  ' 

He  paused  triumphantly. 


212 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


243 
befort"r'^i°  make  two  minutes  grow  where  one  grew 
a^^  m^affe^rnT^t  *J^ --«  *^- '-^^«^  •'-^^^^ 
He  stared  at  her  fascinated.     She  had  supV,  «.  fro„i 

a^Se^ra&^l;S£^^ 

fi^-tee^ofte-^^^^^^^^  ^^^i^ 

to  coItouT  """'  """  '""«''*""■  ""^  °^«--  '^'  J^"  --«  able 

is  Z  wnt7^  '^l**'"  ''^*'^^^''  ^'^^''n'l  and  San  Francisco 

crcS  ilevlr;     ''' "T'™  '"  ^''^  United  States.   ^"° 
cross  It  every  day,  six  days  in  the  week     Th»f'=  .„ 
twenty-flve  days  a  month,  or  three  huL     eda  Sr     How 

Tf  fW     ■^.^""^^.  *°  P"*  y°"  a^'-oss  in  twenty  ,uinuter 
If  that  ain't  making  two  minutes  grow  where  one  Zt 
be  ore,  knock  off  my  head  with  little  apples    Tu  sZ 
you  twenty  minutes  each  way.     That's  fortv  minnf!t 
day,  times  three  hundred,  equa'Js  twelve  thoidmii 
a  year,  just  for  you,  just  for  one  person.     Let's  see    thlft 
two  hundred  whole  hours.     Sup^pose  I  save  two  hundred 
som;!  l^^V'  *'°"'°'^  °'  "'''''  folks.-that's  faS' 
Dede  could  only  nod  breathlessly.     She  had  caught  fK» 
contagxon  of  his  enthusiasm,  thou^  she  had  no  fSe  S^ 
'^Cle  of  "'^  time-saving  was  to  be  accomplish  d 
Come  on,     he  said.     "Let's  ride  up  that  hiU    and 

?stiir„r  °"*  "'^  *°p  ^^^^«  ^-  -'  -  --tC'L 

oAT^V'^^r^^  dropped  down  to  the  dry  bed  of  the 
canon  which  they  crossed  before  they  began  the  climb 
The  slope  was  steep  and  covered  with  matted  brushTnd 
bushes,  through  which  the  horses  sUpped  and  Wed 
Bob,  growing  disgusted,  turned  back  suddenly  and 
■nt^^j?*!?  *"  Pr  ?^^^-  The  mare  was  thrust  sWewSe 
mto  the  denser  bush,  where  she  nearly  fell.     R^overT^ 


244 


BUBNING  DAYLIGHT 


eiugft'the'SiS^*^''-    ^°*^  "<!««•  legs  were 

threw  his  horse  on  to  itet        u^  ^'^^^^  ««•    Dayliiht 
dragged  CTba^k  int^r^''''^!,?"^  **  *»>«  same  time 
and  leaves  feU  up^n  them  and'^r '^'-    ^^°^'''  »*  *^g« 
dicament,  until  ^v  «m;,  ^  predicament  followed  pre- 
fer wear'bThiJ;^  Z  Sited  ^'^^"P  *^^  "°^^ 
structed  the  view     Th»  „  ?    ,       ^^""^  "o  trees  ob- 
were,  out-jutted  from  ^11^/1^*'^^"  °°  ^'^"'^  they 
that  the  sweep  otth^^   ^"'*'  '^^  °*  *h«  '-"^e.  so 
quarters  of  Z^circeRllJ""'"  .T*^""^^^  over Xee- 
the  bay,  lay  oSnd    In  '  °°  ^'^^  ^*  '^''^  bordering 
IVanoisca    BetwSn  fheTw   "^-1°''  ^^  ^^y  ^«-"    S^ 
white  ferry-boatHS  £  llLr"    "^  ^^'"^  """'^  «««  **>« 
was  Berkeley    and  tn  tl,^^  i.  ^'°'^"*  *°  t^eir  right 
between  Oakl'and  and  SaT  t'"  i'^"  '*'***«'«'^  ^'"^es 
foreground  was  Kedmont   wK'^H    ^^^^  ^  "^« 
and  patches  of  farmZ  LT    '^  .^^^^^'^y  dwellings 

land  roUed  down  kiTuXZw-  ^^'^'"°°*  *^« 

"  Look  at  it  "  7aM  n^rir''**  "P*"*  Oakland. 

sweeping  gestte  '^A  htti  f^*^'''*^  his  arm  in  a 
and  no*  feason  thert  A^J^T^^^^°P^^  *»»«'«' 
There's  the  chance  tomatefiS  L",  ^  "  .'^«''- 
grows  now.  Here's  tdtiT  ^^^'^  ^"""^  '^^'ei*  one 
don't  more  peo^fe  U'VSSLd"  '^C^^'^i?'  ^^^ 
with  San  Francisco    and    kI-j       V^  ?^  8°°<*  service 

It's  a  whole  lot  bett^;£t^i—'  9.^^"""^  ^  <^i^P- 
Now,  suppose  I  bu7[/Sfth°^"  f  ^^'^  San  Francisco. 

Berkeley,  Alamed/  Lf  t  ..  *^*  '""^^^''y*  »*  Oakland, 
them  ifone  head  ^t?a"f "'  "f  ^''^  'est,-bring 
Suppose  I  cut  tl^  timTto  S»nT*^"*  management? 
building  a  big  pier  ouWhpl  I  ^'■*«««°o  one-half  by 
establiSi  iaVr^temwftb i^T  *°  ^**  ^^'''"d  and 
Why,  folks  wiuTant  to  Hvi^  ^™''P:*°-'^''**''°»ts  ? 
good.  They'll  n^d  Lnd  o^  Jv^l  ?  1^'  «'^«-  Very 
I  buy  up  the  land  But  the  W^  ^  ''""'*•  «°'  ^'^^ 
Because  it's  in  the  country  i^^^trir^  T'  ^^^  ^ 
communication,  nobody  AZi'Z^^t.-,:^  £' 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  245 

will  want  Jbny  Caui  of    t'  •*°'^  "'  ^51  **  *''*'  ^''^^ 

roads     T^k^tn.^.^^'r  *^  *^*'  '■*»•*  ^^  ^uUding  the 
aftir  t  JXref  t£  i„T^  »'';^  «^*  tJ*.^*  value  back^nd 

forth  and'olSn^  Sg  moneV'^rL'nW  '°"T  '^^  ^"'^ 
all  sorts  of  milhSns  inT     Pn,  ^"      ?^'    ^'^  *•*«'«'« 

crossing  to  San  Francfa^o  ^.7  ^T  "^^^'^  "^ 

Thaf  ,«„o„  /rancisco.     Ihat  means  factory  sitfi<j 

»o»  Una.  ^  t£t"~™^i°nirr,.  T  "S 

more  banks,  more  evervthinc      AnH  +^'11  stores, 

I'll  bfl  rifrhf  +v„^^„  _  ;.t  u    .  ^'    ^"  *™*  "  Mean  me,  for 

j;^rS^'UtTd?^oS"=o^fT^^  -  -^  -  ^-e 
eye^ed'witrtv'*"'^"'''  **"  ^"^  "«  «g*^'  ^b  mind's 

prunes  and  raisins.    Sri^ Holt'^  ^''^ 


246 


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outside  ^apitaJ  wm^t  -^^'l  '^^  begin  to  hum. 
'Gentlemen,'  I  sav    'hJI':    uJ  ""  "^  ^^^'t  >*  going. 

for  a  great  meL^^iis.^rod  Smtht"''*^!.''''"^'*'*^- 
tageshere,  andhe  out  m«  W  f    ^'^^J  P"*  them  advan- 

to  land  your  tea  and  sTk  frl  7"^  '^'T  .  ^°  y°"  ^''n* 
East  ?    Here-rthfi  HrT^  V  ™  ^'*  *°^  »hip  it  straight 

the  railrSdr  S  ^  Jnt  CTo '-'^T"'  '*'''*  '^-^^ 
can  ship  direct  by  Cd  or  wlte  °"h  ^'?'^,,^^°^  you 
here's  the  modern   un-to  dl^!    •/    ^f^«8  the  site,  and 
provementsfory™urXes"an^  "^  ^'  '^'i*^  ^''^  ^**««t  *«- 
"  Then  therer^e  wTter     ^^ZZ"'^'"''  *°  "^«  '''•' 
owning  the  watershed     Sy  not  fT'  ^f  "^  f'°««  ^° 
There's  two  water  cn^r.     ■  ^  ?ot  the  waterworks  too  ? 
like  catsTnd  ?oJ°ZT«'°  ?*'^^°^'  »°^'  fighting 
metropolis  needS  a  soodw  .*'""'*  '"■°^^-    ^iat  f 
give   U.     They're   st.v/^n  1      ^^'l,  'y***'"-     They  can't 
»P  and  delf^Vthe  ritht"i^M"t-   i'"   ^"''"^   tJ^^"* 
money     there,     too-mon^v  '       *°  .*''"  ""^^     there's 
-orks    in    with    eyeVCg^elT'^Ear-  ■  ^^'^'^S 
makes  the  value  of  eyery^hina  I?!'  •       °^   'mproyement 
that  are  behinj  L^afue     Th^b  """^  "tl'    ^*'«  P«°P'« 
herds  in  one  place   thTro™  I  ?    kP-'"  ^^  "^"^^  that 
And  this  is  the  yery  plirf^r  T'^^^'j'f  Jhe  roal  estate, 
it.     Just  look  Z  It'    Yon, 17°^^  *°>^'*-     ^^  »* 
for  a  great  city.    M  itZdstf^T^^^  '   ^'  «'*« 
pede  a  couple  of  himdred Th„nf»  ^    ^^'■'?'  """^  ^'^  «**«- 
two  years.     And  Xt'sm^rf''  P*??'''  '"»  •>«'«  i°«ide 
wild4t  land  booms     irwmbeTV^  ™«  °^  *^««« 
years  from  now  thMe'lI  Z  T    •,,•     '''^'*™'  *«•     Twenty 
the  bay.     Anoler  t^^:  hoS"\r^'^  °.°  ^'^^  ^'^^^ 
one  in  the  town     I'll  ^,  m  „  .^f®  *^°  *  *  decent 

that'll  make  them  si    up  Ind  tT^^"  ,*?*  "PV^^'date  ones        , 
if  they  don't  pay  foT years      Th^v    ff '? '    -f,  ^""'^  ""^^ 
give  me  my  money  baJk  out  nf  .^    effect  will  more  than        ' 
oh  yes,  ri  goin7f ^fant  euL,     f^""  ^?}^^'-    ^d,        i 
on  these  hills  "  "'*"*  ^"^a'yptus,  millions  of  them,        | 

"But  how  are  you  going  to  do  it  V  Dede  asked. 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


247 

plSi"d."*^^°''    '°°"^^    '"°°'^'   *°'    *"    *hat    you've 

on 'fl'r/'^j*^  '?'"'°,'''  ^""^  "  I  "^eed  more  I  can  borrow 
on  the  land  and  other  things.     Interest  on  mort~ 

I^AiTiT^r  ""r'  ^^*  ^P  *»>«  ^^o'^<^  in  land  S 
and  1 11  be  selling  land  right  silong."  ' 

nJ^sil"^^  *^.*  ^"i.  °^"^'  ^^yl^S^*  ^»«  «  bu^y  man. 
the  S      H«     ,  '"^  *r/  '"  °^'^'*«'^'  ''^^e'y  ^o'ning  to 

but  ashe  ^^^^^7"^u°  """^^  *^^"  °ffl««  ^°  Oakland, 
out,  as  he  told  Dede,  the  secret  preliminary  camnai™ 
of  buying  had  to  be  put  through  first     SundL  bv  S„n 

aown  upon  the  city  and  its  farming  suburbs  and  Iia 
pointed  out  to  her  his  latest  acquisitiols  A  fl^t  "t  wts 
patches  and  sections  of  land  here  and  there  but  as  The 
rTrf  u^K  V.V'  rr^'^  P°'«°-  that  le  am: 
D^iigTSfand    *  ^^''^  '*°°^  ^  '^'^"-^^  ^"^-'J-d  by 

and  thr?H-^"^"^  '^°'^  °°  "•  ""'"^^l  ^''^'e-  ^^^  Oakland 
and  the  adjacent  country  was  not  slow  to  feel  the  tre 

^ndlrha/T^-  \"*  ^t^"S^*  ^'^'^  ^J^^  ready  cash, 
Sore  the  otW  ^  ''f^  'i*'  ^^''^  *°  ^^"ke  Jiickly 
iietore  the  others  could  get  the  warning  of  the  boom 

ttr^  UZ"P"^^''  "^T^  ^'^^es.  A?  the  saL  tfrne 
blocks  in  ZT«jr'f  f^'f^^  corner  lots  and  entire 
uTrTt      .     ^^*'^*  °^  *^^  business  section  and  the  waste 

tCr.^"*"^^  '^'''  ^^y"8^*  ^^  rushing  fmnchlt 
through  the  city  council,  capturing  the  two  exhausted 

ZZlZlfZr^  ^  ^'?^*  "^  ^  independentstrS 
rauways  and  getting  his  grip  on  the  Oakland  Creek  and 

the  Wn«  K  ^  °  for  years,  and  he  took  the  bull  by 
the  horns-buying  out  the  private  owners  and  at  the 
same  Uaie  leasing  from  the  city  fathers. 
H.?/i  V-*"-!  *^"*  °**^*"'l  ^*«  '^roused  by  this  unprece- 
SS:  t'h?^  '°  every  direction  and  wL  quesSg 
excitedly  the  meamng  of  it,  Daylight  secretly  bn„aht 


i.i 

:4 ' 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


248 

building  th»no™d^^  LJ^f"?""  *^«  town-the  only 

ment,  a  score  of  them  an^  Ln/T*^??*  ^^*^'  depart! 
graphers.    As  he  told 'Ce  -!.         *  °^  "'^''^  *«d  «teno- 

at."'te  z'Az^^^t  ctroT  r^'^  '^  ^^^'^ 

Cute,  the  Consolidated  StLt  r  m  *  *^***  ^^and  Syndi- 
Perry  Company  the  ui^trd  W '^"'T'  *^^  ^^^''a  B"ena 
mont  Realty  O^mpanv  tt^?**-'  ^'""Pany-  the  Ked- 

Company.  a^d  hTa^^doL^  ^.72^1'  '''"■*°'''  ^^^^^ 
to  a  notebook  to  rememb«T  t1  .  ^ ''T  «***  *° 'efer 
Ifundry  Farm,  andTdtol  ^-^"L.^.  ««dmont 


V ,  -  j^o„  nojji,  a-gome  til] 
got  a  n^merr"y;r%'e:rt^T  W^,- W  I  ain't 
I  decided  to  bid  them  Zelf-  Th^nl^'i""^-'"'**^' 
tune  the  pier  is  readv  fZ  ,u  ^^Z  "  ^  <^°'»  »>y  the 
beate  pofeP^.  Id  ite  had  the  f^'^'"/  ^*  *"  «"^« 
robber  gangs  as  weU  The  waw  °  °*  «°"«'"«  t^e 
squealing  yit.    I  sure  JtthT      u  """"Pany  bunches  are 

They  Zl  iust%rufTr;£;T:a'"''r  ^'^"^^ 
fimshed  them  off."  ^  "a™®  along  and 

;;  But  why  do  you  hat«  them  so  ?"  Dede  a^kerf 
..  ^f,f  "*  *W'>-e  such  cowardly  skuX  " 

her  tho:;ghtfuSy  ""fc""!?^"  ^^^ylight  regarded 
niean  jusl  that,^owSyM;^  ''S'\'^'  I 
lot  of  gamblers,  and  there  AinV  '  •  ^  ^*  "P  f*""  a 
them  that's  go  the  neZ  to  h  '  '"  a  thousand  of 
four-flushers,  if  you  k^or^h^f  .t  !  «*'"'''«'■•  They're 
lot  of  little  cotto^tea  rZil  mi^*  f?"^'     they're  a 

rip-snorting  timber1iC's''\ry'"se"fou^^^^^^  'V''  '''^ 
eat  up  some  proposition,  but  at^h^  fi  "!  *^  ^^^'^^^'^g'^ 
they  turn  tail  a^d  stampede*  foVlt^u^  SoktS 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  249 

tb^ox^UHu'r      "^^^"f  ^°'  *^«  bru8h,  they  were 
tfirovnng  L.ttle  Copper  overboard  at  forty-five  and  even 

a8  Zt^  mh  ff '^T  ^°'  *^  ^'«  ^^H''^^-    Almost  as  fast 
as  they  rob  the  suckers,  the  big  feUows  come  alone  and 

?o  lb  "°  7-  .?'  '^  *^"  '''«  f«"°^«  «^  them  in  or^r 

cUandTrnn^r^'"'-    ^^*'^  *•"«  ^»y  *he  Chattanoja 
coal  and  Iron  Company  was  swaUowed  up  by  the  trust 


f 

■ 

■ 

CHAPTER  XVII 

lis  Z^^^  PT^f"'  ^^'  ''""^'^  ^  ^"'J^-     The  outlay 
was  ternfio   and  the.e  was  nothing  cominc  in     Bevond 

tedged  lus  irruption  on  the  financial  scene.  The  citv  wis 
wa  t,ng  for  him  t,   .how  what  he  was  going  to  do  and  he 

ine  work  Initial  misUkes  he  had  no  patience  with  and 
h*  was  determined  to  start  right,  as  when  he  enLCd 
Krfrom  r^  "":"'"?  "^""^^  -'-y-  -d  3fht 
orgamzation.    Night  and  day  the  road  gangs  toiled  on 

Lted  th?b-  "^f  T^*  '""^^^y  '^'  pile-drivel  ham" 
mered  the  big  piles  down  into  the  mud  of  San  Francisco 

W  Vl.         P'*,""  ^^  *°  ^^  *^'^^  "niJes  long,  and  the  Berke- 

t^s  S'rXig"'^'  "'  "'°'^  '''^''  ° '"^'^*"«  --'^- 

ouf  *th,^^,^n^  "vn  ^'iu*  ^'  ^'«''*™  ™»ds  were  buUding 
out  vhrongh  the  hills,  the  hay-fields  were  being  surveyed 

acct£ToZr°  f^  ^'^"^r'  ""h  '^-^  -dXS 
accordmg  to  best  modern  methods,  winding  boulevard^ 

rl«   "^!,,°^  ^^'^-     ^'°^^  «*'««*«.  well  |raded,^oS 
made    with  sewers  and  water-pipes    ready  laid  In^ 
macadamized    from    his    own    oSarrL     rJm!^.      a 
walks  were  also  laid,  so  thaHu 'thrpurchaserTd  to  dt 
was  to  select  his  lot  and  architect  "Lnd  start  buUding 
Sklln      ^«,^'«?.°f  Daylight's  new  electric  roadS 

s-i  r=.  Tr.-  s  is- «:  - 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  261 

had  turned  open  fanning  country  into  one  of  the  best 
residential  districts  of  the  city. 

But  this  money  that  flowed  in  upon  him  was  immedi- 
ately poured  back  into  his  other  investments.  The  need 
tor  electric  care  was  so  great  that  he  installed  his  own 
shops  for  buUdmg  them.  And  even  on  the  rising  land 
market,  he  continued  to  buy  choice  factory  sites  and 
buJdmg  properties.     On  the  advice  of  Wilkinson,  prao- 

rS  ^TJ  v^t^^''^.?^^  "^'^""^y   '"^   operation   was 
rebuUt     The  Lght,  old-fashioned  rails  were  torn  out  and 
replaced  by  the  heaviest  that  were  manufactured.  Corner 
lots,  on  the  sharp  turns  of  narrow  streets,  were  bought 
and  ruthlessly  presented  to  the  city  in  order  to  make 
wide  curves  for  his  tracks  and  high  speed  for  his  cars. 
Xtxen,  too,  there  were  the  main-line  feeders  for  his  ferry 
^stem,  tapping  every  portion  of  Oakland,  Alameda,  and 
Berkeley,  and  running  fast  expresses  to  the  pier  end. 
Ihe  same  large-scale  methods  were  employed  in  the  water 
system,     {service  of  the  best  was  needed,  if  his  huge  land 
mvestment  was  to  succeed.     Oakland  had  to  be  made  into 
a  worth-while  city,  and  that  was  what  he  intended  to  do. 
In  addition  to  his  big  hotels,  he  built  amusement  parljs 
for  the  common  people,  and  art  gaUeries  and  club-house 
country  mns  for  the  more  finicky  classes.     Even  before 
tliere  was  any  increase  in  population,  a  marked  increase 
in  street-railway  traffic  took  place.     There  was  nothing 
fanciful  about  his  schemes.     They  were  sound  invest- 
ments. 

"  VlTiat  Oakland  wants  is  a  first-class  theatre,"  he  said, 
and,  aft«r  vainly  trying  to  interest  local  capital,  he  started 
the  building  of  the  theatre  himself ;  for  he  alone  had  vision 
tor  the  two  hundred  thousand  new  people  that  were 
commg  to  the  town. 

But  no  matter  what  pressure  was  on  Daylight,  his 
bundays  he  reserved  for  his  riding  in  the  hills.  It  was 
not  the  rainy  wintry  weather,  however,  that  brought 
these  rides  with  Dede  to  an  end.  One  Saturday  after- 
noon in  the  office  she  told  him  not  to  expect  to  meet  her 
next  day,  and,  when  he  preaaed  for  an  explanation  : 


282 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


I    :i( 


"  I've  sold  Mab  " 

classify r  irnaaSZoTol'^r  .**"**  ^  ''^^^'^ 
have  met  with  finandal  HuL.       *;'«<'l»ery.    She  might 

of   letting   himTnow  «f  tTJ-  J?  "'«''*  '^  ^'  '^"^ 
Qj.  6  Know  8j      had  seen   enough  of  him 

dollars  a  ton""  iSJellSd^  '"  ^^'^  ^"^^  '-^^-fl- 

at  he7slXTK'rerrJ"  ^''^--ded.  looking 
how  she  had  brought  the  mare  /hr  ^'i  """"  *«"'"«  ^^^ 
years  before,  when  hay  ha^Ze^TV"^  ^''^'-  ^^o 
a  ton.  ^  '^**'  8"ne  as  high  as  sixty  dollars 

wei'^rnd^CKrtrtr  't>''"  ^^j*"-  - 

could  not  afford  b^tM'dttterlenh"''°°  *^'  «^<'«  ^ 
the  brother. "  ^^^"^  '^*  *he  mare  go  and  keep 

be  without  DedeT&w  ^ha*  would  a  Sunday 
her  ?  He  drummed  ™ii^f^  '^*^°"*  «nd  without 
fingers.        """""^^  perplexedly  on  the  desk  with  his 

"Who  bought  her?"  he  asked. 

him  wheUCwttgr?  '""^  "^'^  '-«  --  ^''-iliar  to 

"An?£n'rd:n?tlf'JL'wa'''t^^  ■"«'"  ^^e  cried. 
"No.  I  won't  deny  it  It  1'  ''^''*.r"  '^'^  »  "^d." 
I  wouldn't  have  done  *  t  iith^.'^^u'?"*  *°  "^  <««•  B"* 
seeing  how  you  feel  abouT^  t  '*"?«  y°"  ««*.  and 
But  you  thought  a  hean  of  ttJ  ''°°  '^"°  ^"'^  y""" 
hard  on  you  to  lose  her  r^  '^'^'  *"''  '*'«  ?«•«% 
«orry,  toof  that  you^on't  b«  rS"  '"*•  f  "y-    ^d  I'm 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  283 

"  But  I  havei't  any  sewing." 
I,«^^^!'^i' r'  iT^  w«^  whimsically  plaintive,  but  secretly 
iLTmnf  ^•'^^  r**}  ^''  confession  of  loneUnese.    I^ 

W  Ttlr^^  *^  '*^  "^  ^^'  '^"^  *°  8«*  that  out  of 
ner.  At  any  rate,  he  meant  something  to  her  He  was 
not  utterly  unliked.  * 

softll''''^^."  would  reconsider.  Miss  Mason,"  he  said 
!!ly'  nr  *'°*  "■lon«  fo--  the  mare's  sake,   but  for  mv 

L^n  ,^*'^^°"Wn  t  »ean  as  much  as  it  does  to  most 
men  to  send  a  bouquet  of  flowers  or  a  box  of  candy  to  a 

^:^1^%  .u"^  ^'^'  "T'  ««"*  y°"  fl'^^^r^  or  candy." 
He  observed  the  warmng  flash  of  her  eyes,  and  hurried  on 
to  escape  refusal.  "I'll  teU  you  what  we'll  do.  Sup 
pose  I  buy  the  mare  and  own  her  my^lf,  and  lend  her  to 
you  when  you  want  to  ride.  There's  nothing  wrong  n 
k^ow."^       ^'  ""  "   ^°''^  ^'""^   "^ny^ody,   you 

Again  he  saw  refusal,  and  headed  her  off. 
Lots   of   men    take  women    buggy-ridine     Therp'a 
nothing  wrong  in  that.    And  the  m!f  alwl^s  furSes 
the  horse  and  buggy.    Well,  now,  what's  the  diCnce 

fuSnJYv.  ^t""^  you  buggy-riding  to-morrow  and 
furmshmg  the  horse  and  buggy,  and  taking  you  horse- 
back-ndmg  and  furnishing  the  horses  «" 

She  shook  her  head,  and  declined  to  answer,  at  the 
^ma  tame  looking  at  the  door  as  if  to  intimate  that  it 
was  time  for  this  unbusinesslike  conversation  to  end. 
He  made  one  more  effort. 

w."i?°  you  know.  Miss  JIason,  I  haven't  a  friend  in  the 
world   outside   you  ?     I   mean   a   real   friend,    m^   or 

glad  to  be  with  and  sorry  to  be  away  from.     Hegan  is 

frrT'*r."i  «f  *°'  """^  ""'''  ■»  "^"lio«  mite  away 
IT  ru'  °"*f  J*^  business,  we  don't  hitch.  He's  got 
a  big  hbrary  of  books,  and  some  crazy  kind  of  culture 
and  he  spends  aU  his  off  time  reading  things  TnFrerh 
and  German  and  other  outlandish  lingoes-when  he 
am't  wntmg  plays  and  poetry.     There'.,  nobody  If  S 


284 


BURNING  DAVLIGHT 


IfZnrJ^^  Of  to  4enr„f;o;%- «-t«>^ 

-1'",  no  ,  i  tell  vou  no  "  ti^a^ 
her  eyes  were  moist  with  mJ^  ??  "Jipatiently,  but 
don't  mention  her  o  me  aJSn  7^  "^  ^tl^''  "  «««^ 
to  part  with  her,  you  arS«t  >'"' ^^""^  i*  ^as  easy 
last  of  her  and  I  w^ant  tofo^  tr°"  ''"*  ''^«  «-"  ^^^^ 
^^Dayh,ht  made  no  an^wer.UtL  door  Cosed  behind 

-^teiSt^tdTabTd^^^^^^^  -"^  ^"-^  ti.e 
l;ght  long  before  hadVubstaked  Pf*^lf  "T  '"'«"»  D«y- 
The  resulting  novel  hid  b^n    to  literature  for  a  year, 
publishers  would  not  ffk  aT?t  "JfT,-  ^''^^'  ""d 
using  the  disgruntled ^thor  ik  a  lifH^^^^^*  ^^^  ""^ 
service  system  he  had  bTn  .i        ,'*]'*  P"^*t«  secret 
lumsolf.  ■'jones,  who  affe^d  tr^""*  *.°  ^'"^^^^^  fo' 
after  his  orushiM  ex^rW«  ^♦^  surprised  at  nothing 
on  firewood  ani'  Eoal    blJ  « J'^'''°'"*  ^'''«^'  '"tef 
when  the  task  was  given  t  to  t^  *   Tu  ""^^^^  «°w 
a  certain  sorrel  mare  '""^^^  *^«  purchaser  of 

Drive  a^sCp'baSrso':  1^* '^^^*'«  *^«  Point. 
get  her.  Then  you  dehver  Her  \  ^T*^  suspicion  but 
Sonoma  County      The  mlv  !l  *°  *^"*  ""^dress  up  in 

ranch  I  have  thie.  Tell  Wmh«v/r^^"  °"  "  little 
care  of  her.     And  after  fWf       ^^  ^^^^  whacking  good 

tell  me  the  name  of  tt  ^  voTb  "".'^'T*  '*  »'«'t 
teU  me  anything  about  ItTxcenttha^  ^^'  ^"'"'-  ^°'t 
dehvered  her.    Sawee  ?"      ^   ^*  y°"  '^^  got  her  and 


I  BURNING  DAYUOHT  j,06 

boldly       "■*"  l^"  """«-'"••"'•  I"  h.  vkM 

luy  neaa  about  her.    She  was  your  mare  an.l  .♦     , 

lL'7  '"!t'°r  ^'^"t  you  did^with  her  YoV ,:  "'.r' 

go    her,  that's  sure,  and  worse  luck     And  r     /';/. 

we're  on  touchy  subjects.  I'm  going  to  open  /"<! 

wjthyou.     And  yoi  needn't  get  touchraK.;    ?' 

It's  not  really  your  business  at  all"         ^  '  "'       ' 

fehe  waited  in  the  pause  that  foUowed    ew,  „ 
almost  suspiciously.  louowea,  eytiug  ..n 

"It's  about  that  brother  of  yours.    He  needs  i  ■ 
than  you  can  do  for  him.    Sellkic  that  m«.™    r 
won't  send  him  to  Germany.    S  that'sTh^.  K-^°"' 

many  and  give  that  crack  a  flutter,  that's  all  " 

!?„,, -^  """'*•'<'«?*  money  from  you " 

ilold  on,  now,"  he  interrupted      "Wn„w„'* 

^_  But  that's  different,"  she  began. 


256 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


them     Thfiw'ro  „«  '""'—Boores   ot   them— hundreds  of 

^^ioh  Zl\Ze7XTy^  *^'y  •"«*  "^«  St- 
andi goon  buSrWhvTv/°"T*'  """^s  *'»«'". 
single  Sght  on  Sy  tYa J  woKftrb"  T"'^  }?  "^ 

morpa^tjSr'  '''^'^  ^^^"^'^^'^  -«  took  a 
"  I  can  onJy  guess  that  you're  standing  in  your  brother's 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  257 

w»y  on  account  of  some  mistaken  idea  in  your  head  that 

^'?i^^wt°*"°""''8-  WelJ.  it  ain't.  You  might 
M  weU  think  I'm  courting  aU  those  convicts  I  buy  bridles 
from.  I  haven't  asked  you  to  marry  me,  and  if  I  do 
1  won  t  come  trying  to  buy  you  into  consenting.  And 
SLwnT""  anything    underhand    when    I    come 

Dede's  face  was  flushed  pnd  angry, 
i,"?,^*'^^®^  ^°^  ridiculous  you  are,  you'd  stop" 

fort»ble  than  any  man  I  ever  knew.  Every  little  while 
yon  give  me  to  understand  that  you  haven't  asked  me 
to  marry  yon  yet.  I'm  not  waiting  to  be  asked,  and  I 
warned  you  from  the  first  that  you  had  no  chance.  And 
yet  yon  hold  it  over  my  head  that  some  time,  some  dav 
you  re  going  to  ask  me  to  marry  you.    Go  ah8»d  and 

dbMTrith*^'  ^**  ^°'"'  '^'^^'^  *°'*  ®**  '*  °^*'"  "°<* 

He  looked  at  her  in  honest  and  pondering  admiration 
I  want  you  so  bad.  Miss  Mason,  that  I  don't  dast  to 
ask  you  now."  he  said,  with  such  whimsicality  and 
earnestness  as  to  make  her  throw  her  head  back  in  a  frank 
Aoyish  laugh.  "  Besides,  as  I  told  you,  I'm  green  at  it 
I  never  went  a-courting  before,  and  I  don't  want  to  make 
any  mistakes."  "ioj^d 

"  But  you're  making  them  all  the  time,"  she  cried 
impulsively.  "No  man  ever  courted  a  woman  by 
holdmg  a  threatened  proposal  over  her  head  like  a 

"I  won't  do  it  any  more,"  he  said  humbly.  "And 
anyway,  were  off  the  argument.  My  straight  talk  a 
nmiute  ago  stiU  holds.  You're  standing  in  your  brother's 
way.  JVo  matter  what  notions  you've  got  in  your  head 
yon  ve  got  to  get  out  of  the  way  and  give  him  a  chance! 
WiU  yon  let  me  go  and  see  him  and  talk  it  over  with  him  »  • 
111  mato  It  a  hard  and  fast  business  proposition     I'll 

tatiest^   *°   ^^*   '^^"'    *^*'*    *"'    *°^    •'*'^'«^    *"°' 
She  visibly  hesitated. 

17 


V* 


:!*i| 


2S8 


BUENING  DAYLIGHT 


leg'^t^yiS  ^'"''^^"  ""^  *^'  "^  Mason  =  it's  Ms 
uiiib  around.    1 U  go  over  to-morrow  afternoon." 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

on  the  one  ha™d  on  ie  o&r"' w.'^"^''^^^^  '^^^ 
San  Francisco  bLeshln  hi  ^'  '^'**'°'^  ^"J*  the 
pediency  than  t^^tl^^'^TZZf '''''''  t'^' 
ship  for  the  franker  brutaUtv  nf  ft  1  "^"'^  °*  ^^«- 
captains,  but  they  had  faaedLnl,  °''T  """^  ^^^^ 

They  were  too  prLe  to  crSeL  rBoYd'^''^  "'l^'' 
than  men's  word  in  thi^Zr^A  ,f  "nds  were  better 

look  carefuli;  to  the  Snr  In  tll'/v^""^  ^^  *° 
had  been  different     BoS"  didn't  L      a  "^^^"^^ 

a  ISapoIeon  of  the  law  witl,  »  ^^  ""S"  geJ^ius  tHat  he  was, 
exceeded  Daylight's  C  had  CT"*  ^'"°°'''8  that  far 
Daylight  outlidfthe  officf   He'lpi^hTr"  "i*? 

%ht  only  sensed  the  secret  taint  ol  it  t'J^confi^^A 
but  temperate  eater  of  hasheesh.     HegrhVed"S"ws 


m 


260 


BUBNING  DAYLIGHT 


We  cloistered  with  books  in  a  world  nf  ,™.  ■    ^- 

d»i  of  .u  u„  .tr.z.»t^;i" '^jp^ww" 

came  for  his  first  pre-Iuncheon  cocktail  to  be  sS^phT 
him  m  his  rooms,  he  did  not  take  it     F  ii»^    •♦u  ^    •  ^ 

SSTof^^'^'H''^  gIanoed*a?^f ■  noSoknor'Sde"! 
telephone  number,  and  called  for  the  switch. 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  261 

At  first  it  was  her  landlady's  daughter  who  was  ra,-««H 
but  m  a  mmute  he  heard  the^oioe  hf  had  bL°„T„g,^to 

you,    nesaid        I  djdn  t  want  to  break  in  on  vou  with- 
out warning,  that  was  all."  "'"uyouwitn- 

;;  Has  something  happened  ?"  oame  her  voice. 
I  U  teU  you  when  I  get  there,"  he  evaded. 

f^^^.Hl*  *^*  ""^^  ""^  ^'^^  Wooks  away  and  arrived  on 
foot  at  the  pretty,  three-storied,  shingled  BerkeleXuse 

but  the"^!:f  °'^^' "":  r'^  "^^'^  °* '-  inwStsii;; 

but  the  next  moment  he  rang  the  beU.  He  knew  that 
and  that  he  was  setting  her  a  difficult  task  to  ^ceive 
eUhT.'*^.''^''  '^'  «^«l«millionaire  and  notorious 
thllftv  .,°!.-"f'^'P*P^''  ^^'"«-  0«  the  other  hand 
the  one  thing  he  did  not  expect  of  her  was  what  he  would 
have  termed  "  silly  female  capers."  ^ 

^d  in  this  he  was  not  disappointed 

haSs  wUh  Jfr"w  ^  ^°2'  *°  '^^«'^«  l^"*  "^"^d  shake 
rh«  ™->r  •    TI        -^^  ^""8  ^«  mackintosh  and  hat  on 

SfSirTctS.""'"^**"^  ^'^"'^'^  ^'^^  -'I  *--5  to 
r.arl^*'^^*  ^^  '',!'.'^  '"  *•*«■■«■"  »>ie  s^id,  indicating  the 
people  and  through  the  open  door  of  which  he  co  Jd  see 
mr^om" "'^  ^""*^-  "  ^  ^'^  -"  »--  toVome  i^to 
hi^L'tt  *^-  Z^^  *V°''8b  the  door  opening  out  of  the 
?old  to^K^^^'  ^°'''  .°«««.^'>«ide,  he  stood^wkwarS 
th«  tlr  the  floor,  gazing  about  him  and  at  her  and  aU 

f^.HT\  ^^°^/°*  ^°  S^"«-  I"  J^«  perturbation  he 
failed  to  hear  and  see  her  invitation  to  a  seat  So  these 
were  her  quarters.     The  intimacy  of  it  and  her  maS 

f„  nn«  ft.  '  'i^"^^  °^  ^^'•-  I*  ^««  ^l°io«t  two  rooms 
n  one,  the  one  he  wa^  in  evidently  the  sitting-room  and 
the  one  he  could  see  into,  the  bedroom.    Beyond  an 


282  BURNING  DAYLIGHT 

sign  of  iXTlJdTTl^:^'^^-  i^"'  ^'^  "» 

with  a  cover  of  old  ror«nH  K   ^"^^  u-^^^  '"'"'"l  """"h. 
he  decided  -tt  t^^beTb;:tw  AES  f"'"'^"'"' 

motnt  of  siU::  H?gellSJ°  ^''^^  '^^^-''^ 
warmth  and  comfort  and  befu^  Th?r  °"  ""^  ""^  °* 
and  on  the  hardwood  flnorT«  ^'  ^^"^,7^^^  no  carpets, 
wolf  and  C03X Tli  m!."^**  *l'™P««  °f  ««^«1 
held  his  eye  fo?  a^„,«^  "'^*'^'^  """^  perceptibly 
stood  on  a  SteLLTr°\T*'  *  Crouched  Venus  that 
mountain-lion  tTn  tKu  ''"'"^'  "^  '«'<'^--''  "^ 

clad  in  some  flowine  clin^inJ^  „^^  lu  ^^"^  .""^  '""nis- 
was  starthng.     H^had^n^  ^"^2  ^^^^nphasis  of  sex 

trim  tailor  s^uite  and  sJiSaiste'T^r  •.*"  ''''  ""'^  '° 
velvet  corduroy,  and  Wm  ^nV  :^r  ndmg  costume  of 
revelation.     She  seemed  I         t  Prepared  for  this  new 

hef ;£•^;^S^  anTheT'  ^^d  ^'^  ^^^^  ^- 
dainty  morsd  befor^'  Um  %C'^^  ^  "  wolf  "  the 
diplomacy  The  stmiXTV  ?  ^  "'*'  ""  patience,  no 
quick  for  Wm  and  hln  ^  t  ^"^^'^  ^^^  ^"^  none  too 
ful  way  he  c^ulSavt'hoLn""""  '*'  *'^  '^-^^  "~- 

passS'-fc;;  t^S;,^"i  :oS''do*'**Hr'?  ^*^ 

pose  to  you  in  the  office      Th^°      i,'t*"'1  *'^*»  ?'•>- 

Mason,  /want  you.  ifu^s't  wJn'T^L^- ^  '  "  '*^^^-     "^^^ 

Whde  he  spoke  he  advanced  upon  her.  his  black  eyes 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  263 

burning  with  bright  fire,  his  aroused  blood  swarthy  in 
hjs  cheek.  -^ 

So  precipitate  was  he,  that  she  had  barely  time  to 
ory  out  her  involuntary  alarm  and  to  step  back,  at  the 
same  time  catching  one  of  his  hands  as  he  attempted 
to  gather  her  into  his  arms. 

In  contrast  to  him,  the  blood  had  suddenly  left  her 
cheeks.  The  hand  that  had  warded  his  off  and  that 
BtiU  held  it,  was  trembUng.  She  relaxed  her  fingers,  and 
ms  arm  dropped  to  his  side.  She  wanted  vo  say  some- 
tkng,  do  something,  to  pass  on  from  the  awkwardness  of 
th«  situation,  but  no  intelUgent  thought  nor  action  came 
mlo  her  mind.  She  was  aware  only  of  a  desire  to  laugh. 
This  impulse  was  partly  hysterical  and  partly  spon- 
taneous humour— the  latter  growing  from  instant  to 
irstant.  Amazing  as  the  affair  was,  the  ridiculous  side 
01  it  was  not  veiled  to  her.  She  felt  like  one  who  had 
suffered  the  terror  of  the  onslaught  of  a  murderous  foot- 
pad only  to  find  out  that  it  was  an  innocent  pedestrian 
asking  the  time. 
Daylight  was  the  quicker  to  achieve  action. 

"  Oh,  I  know  I'm  a  sure  enough  fool,"  he  said.     "  I 

I  guess  I'll  sit  down.     Don't  be  scairt.  Miss  Mason.     I'm 
not  real  dangerous." 

"  I'm  not  afraid,"  she  answered,  with  a  smile,  slipping 
down  herself  into  a  chair,  beside  which,  on  the  floor, 
stood  a  sewing-basket  from  which.  Daylight  noted,  some 
white  fluffy  thing  of  lace  and  muslin  overflowed.  Again 
she  smiled.  "  Though  I  confess  yon  did— startle  me  for 
the  moment." 

_^  "  It's  funny,"  Daylight  sighed,  almost  with  regret  • 
'  here  I  am,  strong  enough  to  bend  you  around  and  tie 
knots  in  you.  Here  I  am,  used  to  having  my  will  with 
man  and  beast  and  anything.  And  hero  I  am  sitting 
in  this  chair,  as  weak  and  helpless  as  a  little  lamb.  You 
sure  take  the  starch  out  of  me." 

Dede  vainly  cudgelled  her  brains  in  quest  of  a  reply 
to  these  remarks.  Instead,  her  thought  dwelt  insistently 
upon  the  significance  of  his  stepping  aside,  in  the  middle 


f 


''■V-\ 


264 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


VaH&r  l^r^;^?  -'^e  relevant  remark, 
he  doubt  that  he  T^ld  WeTTJ'!'^"-  ^  J^*««  ^d 
PauBe  and  generalize  u^n  love  I^d  ?h  ^'^"^^  »*"«'  *» 

iai"°A^t  tt£^ir4-S;!^"^^e 

^  He  withdr^w'SLnd^'^ltr'  't'"  ^^«  «'^''- 

the  ^ket  had  stun^^p  '***  "  '''^-  "^  ^^  something  in 

of  you"'  teVmS"^  1''  f  •  I  ^^  thinking 
but  a«k  her  to  mL^'Sim  .%";t  ^n  Y^'^  ^^^ 
\  can't  do  it  in  style  i  t„f  •*!/^  *"  that  I'm  doi™ 
straight  English,  and^atlS^J  '^"K  ^"*  ^  «an  Z 
^ant  you  Schtv  hpri  m-  f^*^  *"°»8h  for  me  I  8,u« 
'most  all  t^^e  no;^  ^^T'  Y°»''«  in  my  Jx^ 
-U.  do  you  wam'CT-  Tt?'s"irt;  -nt  to  CwT^ 

that  the  answer  had  alreadv  hi?  ■     '  '«n°""g  the  fact 
after  a  woman  before  in  m  v  Hf»    n  ^'^*'''     "  ^  "e^*"-  went 
notwithstanding.    The  S  tn     '"^J"^  ^°  ^^^  "ontrZ 
papers  and  books,  aboutlT- '"*'^  ''''°»*  me  in  t^ 
J'-ong.     There's  nit  an  iotHf  tn^^f.  *  lady4uller,  is  aU 
done  more  than  my  share  of  L^*^"'  ""    ^  g^^ss  I've 
dnnking,  but  women  I  Ve  lefalo'    ^1^'"^  *«d  whisky! 
that  killed  herself,  but  I  d  dn't  tnn     ^J^'^  ^^  «  wom^ 
bad  or  else  I'd  have  m«.rt-  ^  i,      '^  ^^^  wanted  me  tha? 
keep  her  from  M^ZS  ^Sh^""*  '":  Jo-,Tu    to 

tet?'y^"Us5rsS  ^ '  — -^^^^^^ 

^^■''L^^-SlfrV^-ShTfrr  ^''-  ^*.  and"? 

don't  miid  telling  yl'uZT^,  ''Why,  Miss  Mason.  I 
f^  my  life.  You'rt  the  first  Ine  I V^'''^.^''*  °*  ^°men 
That's  the  strange  thing  abouM.     ?°°*  ''^^  ^f^aid  of. 

-. "  3,.  r„  ,0.  K^s  ■;., '  a«  Es 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  268 

you're  different  from  the  women  I  know.    YouVe  nev«r 

frirfr  L^'Jy:^^*"  Why.  I've  been  S^ar; 
from  ladies  ever  since  I  can  remember,  and  I  Ztl^ln 

llvir^l  7  '''"  *^\*  ^  r'^  ^*™°«  ^  '^^  ^«d  and  that 
"Jfyer  fell  down  and  broke  a  leg  or  anything. 

vou  an!??.l-7*''>''*"t*°  «**  '"*™'^  "ntil  after  I  met 
you,  and  until  a  long  time  after  I  met  you.  I  cottoned 
to  you  from  the  start ;  but  I  never  thought  it  wotddeet 

Th^nZr"^^%-  ^y-  ^  «'''^'*  get  to  sll7Sght 
thinking  of  you  and  wanting  you."  f     8  "». 

He  came  to  a  stop  and  waited.    She  had  taken  the  lace 

fi^  aT  Wm^«  ^"^  '^T!  "P°°  "•  ^  «!>«  ^««  n°t  look- 
ing at  tam,  he  devoured  her  with  his  eyes.    He  noted  the 

S^Bof 'tW^^.r'"''''^  *^*  ^°'^<^  contrTa  horse 
a  Ln  c^uld  Jit'^l^'J''  *  fyPe^ite"-  almost  as  fast  as 
a  man  could  talk,  that  could  sew  on  dainty  earments 
and  that,  doubtlessly  could  play  on  the  piTno  oCTere 
in  the  corner.  Another  ultra-feminine  detail  he  noticed  ' 
-her  slippers  They  were  smaU  and  bronze  He  had 
never  imagined  she  had  such  a  small  foot.    Street  shoes 

f^?  aShe^t  7^'^  ""  *^*  ^«  ^^d  everll" 
teet,  and  they  h^d  given  no  advertisement  of  this     The 

!:^ted  "af  th:U:Xne""^  *''  ""'^"^*'°"-    '^«  '^^^ 

her  r^v  '^J^H*?!.''*"  "P  T™  ^  *^°  minutes,"  he  heard 
fl!l  ■^'/^  ^^%  masculine  pronoun  caused  in  him  a 
flashmg  twinge  of  jealousy.  WeU,  he  decided,  wWer 
^  was,  Burmng  Daylight  would  give  liim  a  n^  for Ts 
money.  The  marvel  to  him  was  that  a  girlie  Dede 
hadn't  been  married  long  since 

sei  'T  ^''"^'  '°f"«  *°  ^'"'  ^''d  'e»"°»ed  her 
bewing.     His  eyes  wandered  from  the  efficient  hands  to 

bimself  that  there  were  mighty  few  stenographers  like 
her  m  existence.     That  was  because  she  mit  have  come 


^^■'1 


BURNINQ  DAYLIGHT 


NottKureipfieJl  ^  P-%  «ood  raiding 

She  shook  her  head 

""nJe  of  amusement  to  ptvonT'     ""^  ""°^'"«  »!»« 
amusement  without  contem/t     rtV'^''    ^"*  '*^« 

'•voXg:jrmr:*^.^,ro  «^  ?"  ^«  -^—ed. 

you  at  first,  and  look  whattt -«„«**  '*''**•*•  ^  i««t  liked 
you  said  you  didn\  jZ  I  «  ^"^  •''*°:.  You'recoUect! 
changed  it  a  heap.  I  ato't  Z.W*^  ,°f  '^^^  Well,  IVe 
gone  into  what  vou  cX!i^ff  ^""^  ^^^  ^  "sed  to.  IVe 
minutes  grow  wCe  "^L'^^g  J;  ¥««-*«.  making  JJ: 
thousand  folks  where  o^/a  hunH  !'  ^t"^"  ^""^red 
before.  And  this  timo  «  *  nundred  thousand  erew 
-oaIypt„3  groX^n  ?hf  l^--  f  !,'^  *^°  -^"- 
more  than  the  littlist  bit?"  ^'  ^°  y°»  I^ke  me 

as.sh:  rClY:5^^  ^'""^  h-  -rk  and  looked  at  him 
ni  ^?/°"  a  great  deal,  but '■ 

I  am.t)^Snrsr4°pSi^:i'"^^^ 

husband.  You'd  find  l^HV^'}^  »  P'««y  good 
fault-finding.  I  can  guess  wL^"/^''^,  ?*  ?^«k4  and 
iJ^e  you  to  be  indepefdent  WeU  T"t^^  ^"^  "  ^""'an 
as  my  wife.  No  st^gs  on  vou  v  ^  ^  mdependent 
own  sweet  will,  and  no  CgTould  b«  r*^*^  ^"""'^  ^"^ 

sharply.  P    ^°"^««Jf'     «he  interrupted  suddenly,  almost 
Daylight's  astonishment  was  momentary. 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  267 

«,h'  i,v°^'*  ^"°T  5''°?*  *^'*'  ^'"^  ''«  "t'^ght  and  square, 
•nd  Uve  true.  I  don't  hanker  after  divided  afiFeotiL." 
1  don  t  mean  that."  she  said.  "  Instead  of  eivina 
fhrT^  *°  yo"r  wife,  you  would  give  yourself  to  t£f 
sfrZ  iTwf  •*  ^^T"'^  P^^P'"  °^  0»"''''d.  to  your 
on^L  ^r^.*""^  ferry-routes,  to  the  two  million  trees 
that^that^merr^..^^^-^^^^  business-and-^nd  to  all 

beyoi^::eomm;nd!:^*."  ''''  '^'^'^'  «^"«^-     "''^ 

Rhl^.ZJ'^'^^\^°'  ^"*  '*  ^""''^  t"™  °"t  differently." 
Ult  *",  .«°^  became  nervous.  "We  must  stop  this 
'How  LZh°" T°^  ^^  attempting  to  drive  a  bargain. 
How  much  will  you  give  V  'I'll  give  so  much.'  'I 
want  more,'  and  aJl  that.  I  like  you^ but  not  enough  to 
marry  you,  and  I'll  never  like  you  enough  to  marry 

''^  How  do  you  know  that  ?"  he  demanded. 

iJeoauso  I  like  you  less  and  less." 
Da,ylight  sat  dumfounded.    The  hurt  showed  itself 
plainly  m  his  face. 

"Oh,  you  don't  understand,"  she  cried  wildly,  begin- 
ning to  lose  self-control.     "It's  not  that  way  T  mean. 

lik^H  fn  ^°A  '-^^l  T'^  ^'^*  ^'''^  y°»  ^^^  '""^  I've 
™^  flfT'  ^"i,»V''^  """«  *•"»«  *•»«  °»ore  I've  known 
you  the  less  would  I  care  to  marry  you." 

lexif  ®'"8™*t>«   utterance  completed  Daylight's  per- 

"  Don't  you  see  ?"  she  hurried  on.     "  I  could  have  far 

tT!.%T?^'^.:S''^  ^^"^  H*'™*  ^'^^  fr°°>  Klondike, 

sX'bSe  me  7^^  "^^  ""^  ^^°'  ''''"'  ^"^"^  ^^ 

He  shook  his  head  slowly. 

"  That's  one  too  many  for  me.  The  more  you  know 
and  hke  a  man  the  less  you  want  fo  marry  him. 
iamilianty  breeds  contempt— I  guess  that's  wlukt  you 
mean.  •' 

"No,  no,"  she  cried,  but  before  she  could  continue  a 
knock  came  on  the  door. 


MICROCOI>Y   DESOtUTION   TBI   CHAdT 

(ANSI  and  ISO  TEST  CHART  No.  2) 


A  -APPLIED  IM/1GE     In 

^S^  1653  EoM  Main  StfBot 

S^S  Rochesler.   New  York         14609       USA 

■■^—  (^16)   482  -  0300  -  Phone 

^S  C^IS)   288  -  5939  -  Fox 


268 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


darted  a^outtirroorwhiIesrr"°°  "'^«  *"  ^^d^' 
of    warmth    and    comW     ^^f° "*•     Theimpres 

though  he  was  unabrtoanal^,^   •^'^''1^    V^^^o^^ 
delighted  liim-^xpensiv«  .  ^  ^'^ '  '^'^^  *!>«  «mpL, 

mostofitlefto^r?S,mthe'rP\'^'>  ^^^'^ed^  ' 

and  died.     He  had  neveT  be^r     '  ^'  ^**'''''  "'^nt  br 

wood  floor  with  a  c^uj  e  of  woS"'"*".'*  "  P^"^'"  ^ 

the  carpets  in  creation     He  sw!,"', '  '*  '"^«  ^^^t 

c-.e  containing  a  coup  e  ff  hu^^t  /f  T^^  ''^  «  ^'^ 

^yBtsry.    He  could  not  und"f!?^u°^-    ^here  v 

«o  much  to  write  about     WritiZ  ,:?*"'  ^°P^'  '°^ 

things  were  not  the  sam^  .7a^^  *^°8^  «nd  readi 

primarily  a  man  of  aS    ,  ■'^°"'?  *^'°g«'  and  hims, 

prehensible.  ''"'"'  ^°'°g  things  was  alone  coi 

to   a    shining   copper   fettle   anH^""'*' ^'''"^°"««' ""^ 
Chafing-dishes  werenot  ,,nt  ""PP^'   "hafing-dis] 

dered  if  she  concord  JpSs^Z  tv ""''"'  '^"'^  ^«^°^ 
those  University  young  men  hTh^.,""'  one  for  some  o 
One  or  two  water-co^au^"     ,h   "^  ^^^  ^^'^P«^«  ^bouf 
ture  that  she  had  paLled  th     ""f  '^^^  ^"^  «°'>Jec 
photographs  of  horses  and  of  in       ^'^^^-     There  wer, 
purple  of  a  Suriau/ctflttl^T'^'^'  ^"^  '^  '^^^^l 
ever  his  gaze  returned  to  twl    "I  ^5\^  *^«>«-     »« 
P'ano.     To  his  homely,  fronfer  f'°''°^^<^  ^enus  on  the 
cunous  that  a  nice  vnnn^  "'"'^'*  ™ind,  it  seemed 

bold,  if  not  sinf^    oWecWn^T"?  '^"""'^  ^^^  ^  a 
But  he  reconciled  Csel?  to^t  h'^^"^  ^  ^"^  °^°  room 
It  was  Dede,  it  mus^be  er^' enH,'^'',^*  'i^  ^^^'^-     Since 
such  things  went  along  wlS^  cu^J  ^  ^^  "S^^*'     Evidently 
^nular   ca^ts    and   photogLhI    •'"•  .^"^  ^egan  had 
quarters.     But  then  Larrfw         "    ^    book-cluttered 
was  that  hint  of  u^alth  7h     !^u"  ^*'  different.     There 
ably  sensed  in  his  prTset'  whil^  n  '^'  '"'y'^S^'  ^-^r  " 
seemed    always   so^  Stlv    wh  ^"^''  °"  *^'  «°«trary, 

atmosphere  compounded  of  Vsun"""^'"    ""^'^'^   ^^ 
the  sun  and  wind  and  dust 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  269 

of  the  open  road.     And  yet,  if  such  a  clean,  healthy 

woman  as  she  went  in  for  naked  women  crouching  on  her 

piano,      TOMS«  be  all  right.     Dede  made  it  aU  right     She 

could  c,  me  pretty  close  to  making  anything  all  right 

Be-sides,  he  didn't  understand  culture  anyway. 

She  re-entered  the  room,  and  as  she  crossed  it  to  her 
chair,  he  admired  the  way  she  walked,  whUe  the  bronze 
shppers  were  maddening. 

"I'd  like  to  ask  you  several  questions,"  he  becan 
™reK"'  "^^  ^"^  thinking  of  marrying  some- 
She  laughed  merrily  and  shook  her  head. 
"  Do  you  Uke  anybody  else  more  than  you  like  me  «— 
that  man  at  the  'phone  just  now,  for  instance  ?" 
11 "  ^'^f/®  ^°'*  anybody  else.  I  don't  know  anybody  I 
like  weU  enough  to  marry.  For  that  matter,  I  don't  thhik 
1  am  a  marrying  woman.  Office  work  seems  to  spoU  one 
tor  that.  ^ 

DayUght  ran  his  eyes  over  her,  from  her  face  to  the  tip 
ot  a  bronze  slipper,  in  a  way  that  made  the  colour  mantle 
in  her  cheeks.     At  the  same  time  he  shook  his  head  scep- 

"  It  strikes  me  that  you're  the  most  marryingest  woman 
that  ever  made  a  man  sit  up  and  take  notice.  And  now 
another  question.  You  see,  I've  just  got  to  locate  the  lay 
of  the  land.  Is  there  anybody  you  like  as  much  as  you 
uke  me  V  •' 

But  Dede  had  herself  well  in  hand. 
"  That's  unfair,"  she  said.    "  And  if  you  stop  and  con- 
sider, you  will  find  that  you  are  doing  the  very  thing  you 
disclaimed— namely,  nagging.     I  refuse  to  answe?  any 
more  of  your  questions.    Let  us  talk  about  other  things 
How  18  Bob  ?"  ""^=>. 

Half  an  hour  later,  whirling  along  through  the  rain  on 
Telegraph  Avenue  toward  Oakland,  Daylight  smoked  one 
ot  his  browD-paper  cigarettes  and  reviewed  what  had  taken 
place.  It  was  not  at  all  bad,  was  his  summing  up,  though 
there  was  much  about  it  that  was  baffling.  There  was  tlmt 


270 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


l^i 


But  the  fact  that  The  had  r«f?   Tt-*  P^'^^''- 

a  pertain  elation.     In  reSn^  i        ^^  ^^^^d  wit 

tlurtymiUion  dollars     Thatwl  ''^'^  '^^"^^ 

doUar-a-month  stenograSer  who  ffi  '"""^  ^°'  **  '^''^ 

She  wasn't  after  money  that  wi,«      *  °  *'^"*'' "° 

ie  had  encountered  had  iemed^'ir'"*-.  ^^^^y  ^oa 

down  for  the  sake  of  his  money     m^",?  to  s.vallow  h 

fortune,  made  fifteen  rS^JsJI^l  ^I  ^""^^  ^"""ed 

to  work  for  him,  and  bXold  ^nv  "  in?"^  ^^^  '^^  ^''i"^' 

she  might  have  possessed  had  Z^thT^'l*"  """^'y  ^^ 

increased.  "*" '^'^""shed  as  his  money  hi 

"  Gosh  !"  he  muttered      "  Tf  t    i 
Sr^«  land  deal  she  won?;.:^  Z  t^S^^^ 

more  easily  have  mlrrfed  the  ^r  tt°^  ^^■"^  ^^''^  «he  coul 
Klondike  than  the  Sent  eS  W^^'T ^  ^^^^^  ^ ^""^  th 
eluded,  the  thing  to  do  was  for  h^^  ^«"'  ^^^  eon 
that  oid-time  clylight  who  had  n^  °  ^'°'"^-  """'^  1^^, 
North  to  try  his  luck  at  The  S.r  '^"""'^  °"'  °f  t^, 
impossible.  He  eould  not  sSlf  .T'  .^"*  *^^t  ^^^ 
Wishing  wouldn't  do  it,  and  W«"  ^^  ^^ht  of  time 
might  as  well  wish  him;el?a  bt  ar^n""  °'^"'  ^^^^     He 

i^t^et^  rSta^Vof  sf  "V"  ^-  their 
refused  their  employers  Ind  ^1^'^^^'"'  ^^'''^'  ^ho 
pos  tzonsimmediatelfafterwL  VTrf^y  *3"i*  '^^^ 
iunted  at  such  a  thing.  N^mf  tter  ^  f 'J'^'^  °"*  «^en 
there  was  no  nonsensical  sU  W  *t  ^T  ''^^'^S  ^^^^^  ^a^. 
headed.     But,  also,  he  had  b' "  ?      ''>''  ^^^^^^^^^e' 

partlyresponsiblefortL    Heji^^^^f^       '''  *'"*  ^*« 
her  m  the  office.     True    he  Lh  ?  •  *''^°  advantage  of 

bounds  but  he  had  not  folii' ed  ft ,  .""''"/^^''^'''PP-d  the 

of  It     She  knew  she  oo.Jd  trust  hinT  *°P  T^'  ^  P^^'^t'^e 

this  he  was  confident  that  most  vo^^.    ^"*  '"  ''P"^  °f  a" 

been  silly  enough  to  resign  rpt&lIKrttyt^ 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  271 

turned  down  And  besides,  after  he  had  put  it  to  her  in 
the  right  light,  she  had  not  been  silly  over  his  sending  her 
brother  to  Germany.  ^ 

V.  r  P^".:  Tr^^*'°°.'''"^^'*'  "^  ^^^  «*■•  drew  up  before  his 
hotel.  If  I  d  oiJy  known  it  as  I  do  now,  I'd  have  popped 
the  question  the  first  day  she  came  to  work.  AccordinR 
to  her  say-so,  that  woula  nave  been  the  proper  moment 
hhe  hkes  me  more  and  more,  and  the  more  she  lilies  me 
the  less  she  d  care  to  marry  me  !  Now  what  do  you  think 
ot  that  ?     She  sure  must  be  fooling." 


V 

'iii. 


fiJ 


CHAPTER  XIX 

himself  until  his  hun.or  for  hfr  „  "  u"'^  ^« '^^t'^in 
swept  him  away  in  Ws  red  I„7n^  ^n'^^*''"^'*  him  ai 
left  the  maob-ne'^Beveral  b  ockfaTv  IV"  ^'^'^^y-  ^ 
houseonfoot.  But Dede  was ouHL ,  ffi^'^^d  *°  « 
told  h.m,  and  added,  on  seTond  tL  \!"'l'^'^y  «  taught, 
walking  in  the  hills.  Furthermore  thf*'  *^^f  «^«  ^^«  <>, 
lum  where  Dede's  walk  was  most  htrr^'''''^*^««te 

Daylight  obeyed  the  rirl  Wr^    /=^  *°  ^^*«"'^- 
street  he  foUowed  pas^d  the  C  r*'""^'  ^"'^  «o°n  th 
where  began  the  firft  ste^  skifof  fhT  ^"^1^^"  ««^«e< 
was  damp  with  the  on-comi^rof  1*^  °P^°  *^8-  The  ai 
not  yet  burst,  though  theS^tiTJ"^  *^«  ^'^''^  hac 
nence.    As  far  as  ho  could  Z^twf  P'°"'*"ned  its  immi- 
on  the  smooth,  grassy  4s     To  ^  TJV'^"  "*  ^e^e 
mto  a  hollow  and  risiZagain   Z.   ^^  *PP«g  down 
eucalyptus  grove.     Here^aC'^Z  T.^^"'  '"""S^"^ 
lofty,  slender-trunked  trees  swavwt,!   '^T'"^"*'  the 
wind  and  clashing  their  branchSih      ''°/  ^°^^  i"  the 
above  aU  the  minor  noises  of  iStn-l         ^^'^  '^"*"«' 
a  deep  thrumming  note  as  ofTm^^u^"^'^'  ^^o^e 
Cede  as  he  did,  Daylight  was  con^d^n^^^fP-     knowing 
her  somewhere  in  tL  grove  where  th«  ^'  ^'  ^""^^  ^^ 
so  pronounced.    And  find  heThe  dM^      ™  ^^^''^  ^«re 
and  on  the  exposed  crest  ofTlL  ■'  ^"''"^  the  hollow 

gale  smote  its  fiercest  Wow!        °PP°'"^«  ^^''P^  where  thi 

or  subterfugefhe  Ss  St Tnd  IT'^"  ?*  '"P^^-S 
He  had  time  neither  for  gre^ti^g  noTaSgy  '  '""'  """ 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


273 

I've  come  for  you.  You've  W  t^'  *  I  ^°*  y°»  """^ 
for  the  more  I  think  about  it^T  ^  *°  ''^'^^  '"«•  ^«de, 
you've  got  a  sneS  lf]° "t  f„  "^f  >""*'*'«  ^  "^"^  t^at 
than  juft  or<Wy  S  *  t7'  '^f'  f°^<^thins  more 
it  isn't ;  now  da^t  you  r  ■  ^°"  '*°''  *  •^'*^'  ^^^  t^at 

He  had  shaken  hands  with  Hrf  of  +i,„ 
speaking,  and  he  had  coXued  to  hnMl!°T"'>*  ''^^an 
when  she  did  not  anLer  she  felt  a^^ih^r^'^"'^-,  N°^' 
tent  pressure  as  of  his  dra^nJw  ,  !  ''"r*  ^"^^  ^«'«- 
she  half-yielded  to  hhnhlT?^-  I  *°  ^'^-  I^^oluntariiy, 
than  her  wm  itn 'suddtT'  ^^  *^  "^°™''°'  «t'°'»g«^ 
though  permittingTr  htd'S  to^LiiLJr"  ^^'^■ 
comp^°n"  ao"  ""^  *  '"'^'^  °*  -  ^"  '^^  -i^ed.tith  quick 
myce'S:""  ^^'  ''"""'*  ""^"^'y-  "^ot  of  you.  but  of 
encoSgit"'*  *'*''"  "^  ^^^^'"  '^^  "««d  under  this 

so "ao'^:Zt ^uSLS ''^«^^'^-   " ^' "- -- --y. 

no;T  ^sZr  r;  Jl^Xter^-as  al^^^^^ 

Td^r^heltfSL^-U^^*^^^^^^^ 

Hand,  wen  enoSfh  t\-lTXJl^l^l^'Z 

She  shook  her  head. 

inr°ihl  fi  'fP°'^'^^^-     You  would  lose  your  bet  " 

bay,  you  ain't  been  let  in  for  some  onp  nf  th 
marriages,  have  you  ?"  **^^^  ^^'"'e*' 

The  consternation  in  his  voice  Tnrl  n„  i,-    t 

-en  ner  and  the  .viad  and  drew  her  so  that  she 

18 


274 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


and  both  paused  to  iistr^L  ^  ^".'^J''  *^«  *^««-' 
veloped  thorn,  and  hard  on  thttTLt^  ^^"8  leaves 
ing  drops  ot  rain  He  IooLh  ^  ^'  °^  *>  ^^^^  '"»'°e  d 
wind-bfown  about  tor  S  a^^  "^  ""''  °"  ^''  '^ 
to  him  and  of  a  fresher  and  2r  ^'"^"'^  "^  ^«'  ^'o^ei 
what  she  meant  S  ifo  tZbf-?™*"'''''  realizatioi 
of  it  in  the  hand  that  hdd  h^     '^ '°  '^'  '"^  ^^'"^  ^^ 

another  squaU^  with  flvinJZte^^  '°  *^^^  '*°°d  wl 
rain,  rattled  past  With  L?T  ^"f  scattered  drops 
head  and  looked  at  him     ^       ^"ddenness  she  hitedl 

y^^'lZXi^:'^,^^;-^  night  abc 
everything-everything  "  '  ^^^  y°"  ^^°"ld  !« 

"  SSutSr  Taf  ^*  ^'^.^."^"^  "«-- 
depth  with  women   and  vouVrZ  ''^''^  ^  ^ot  out  of  n 

no..^^WVyouwantm^eroree-^?tU^^^ 

"I  never  said  so." 

;■  You  didn't  dast  say  you  didn't  Sr.  „  t 
hking  me,  why  you'd  want  m»  t„  u  ,'  ^^  ^  "^^^  raying 
my  simple  uLLtanZg  ^^t^s  ^?  J^°^' r ''''^"  ^^"^ 
other  puzzler  of  yours  thf  moi  ^v,  '"  ^"'^  ^^*h  tha 
want-to-marry  Je  on;  V^,°'«-y°J'-I't«-me-the-less-you 
that's  aU."     -^  •     "^^"'  y°"  '^e  just  got  to  explain 

His  arms  went  around  hpr  an,i  i,„ij  i. 
time  she  did  not  resist      Her  >,     ^   *""' ''i"'*^^' ^'^d  this 

could  not  see  her  fa^e,  yet  ?rhad"nr  ^°^''''  ^""^  ^"^ 
was  crying.     He  had  learned  th!    ^  P'^^'^'nition  that  she 

waited  her  will  in  the  matter  Tb^  "t  °i  '"*'"''«'  ^^<^  ^e 
pass  that  she  was  bound  to  t«ll  V  ^'  ^  """"^  *°  ^'^"h  a 
that  he  was  confident  ^"^  something  now.     Of 

as  IhetpokT  "Tm  jk  tb'e^n  ^^^^'^  ^°°^°«  ^^  1^- 

I  could  make  a  fool  ofmleif  ^nd^b       T  '^  ^  ^^''^^  Then 

or  myself  and  be  unhappy  for  the  rest 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


276 
got  to  show  me,  and  yL  ain'I  hownre'yet     YouT°"  "" 

^zriASizz'  S^°  '"^^  ^^^^^ 

want  you  to  mlrry  1   ^  Thir?  T"  T'^^'^  ^"^'1'  «°d  I 
right  o'ff  the  bat.  '"T^iryoSa^r^r'^  ^""^  ^^^'^  ^^ 
one  shook  her  head  slowlv   anri  tj,  „ 

womanly  manner  ?"  """^  ^^«  an  un- 

bult  dL"nr;tk'"  ^"^-  P^^^^''^  -ouragement, 

Ia;^rJ^aSt^JS:rCs?meTme't^  '.  ^"^  ''^^^^^■ 
you  should  care  for  me      Bi,7vnn  i!       f  *^**  ^  ""a"  ^'^^ 

«.rgy,  ...rrthing.  bidding  ,T,o  iZ^TX'  'T 

you  to  give  me.  ^  ^^  ^°"''^  P'-^rniit 

"  And  your  money  destroys  vou  :  it  maj,^,  ,„..  ,- 
less  mce.     1  am  not  ashamed  to  say  tiat  I  l^^e"  J^Tu.Te" 


m 
"if 


276 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


M! 


cause  I  shall  never  marry  you.  And  I  loved  you  m 
when  I  did  not  know  you  at  all,  wJion  you  first  came  d< 
from  Alaska  and  I  first  went  into  the  office.  You  were 
hero.  You  were  the  Burning  Daylight  of  the  Z 
d.ggm^,,  the  danng  traveller  and  miner  And  you  loo! 
It.  X  don  t  see  how  any  woman  could  have  looked 
you  without  loving  you-then.    But  you  don't  lool 

"Please,   please    forgive   mo   for  hurting   you      \ 

wanted  straight  talk,  and  I  am  giving  it  to  you     All  tl, 

last  years  you  have  been  living  unnaturally.     You  air 

wi*V.  nll'^t";  ^t^^t  ^^^"  ^°°P'''«  ^""'^elf  up  in  the  cit 
w  th  all  that  that  means.     You  are  not  the^^same  man 

^L^t^  aT^'^V^  destroying  you.  You  are  becomi 
something  different,  something  not  so  healthy,  not 
clean,  not  so  mce.     Your  money  and  your  way  of  life  t 

&n  J7.^"^'^  You  haven't  the  same  body  n 
that  you  had  then.  You  are  putting  on  flesh  and  it 
not  healthy  flesh.  You  are  kind  and  gen/al  wi*h  me 
know,  but  you  are  not  kind  and  genial  to  all  the  worid 
you  were  then.  You  have  become  harsh  and  cruel  A) 
i^T  ,,^«'"«'»^f'  I  ^^^^  studied  you  six  days  a  wee 
month  after  month,  year  after  year;  and  I  kiow  mo 
about  the  most  insignificant  parts  of  you  than  you  Sc 
of  all  of  me.  The  cruelty  is  not  only  in  your  Crt  a 
houghts  but  it  is  there  in  your  face.  "^  It  has  put  to  ifn 
there.  I  have  watched  them  come  and  grow  Yo, 
money  and  the  hfe  it  compels  you  to  lead,  have  done 
this.     You  are  being  brutalized  and  degraded.     And  th 

Srojer^"^^  ^°  ""^  """  °"  ™"'  >'°"  '''  1»°P«'-' 
He  a,ttempted  to  interrupt,  but  she  stopped  him,  heise 
breathless  and  her  voice  trembling. 

"  No,  no  ;  let  me  finish  utterly  I  havn  lir.^^  ^„*i,- 
but  think,  think  think,  all  thes^moX^veT  inTe  yo 
came  ndmg  with  me,  and  now  that  I  have  begun  to  spea 
I  am  going  o  speak  aU  that  I  have  in  me.  I  do  loveTo" 
but  I  cannot  marry  you  and  destroy  love.  You  are  err,™ 
ing  into  a  thing  that  I  must  in  the  end  despi^      KTn' 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  277 

help  it.  More  than  you  can  possibly  lovo  mo,  do  you  love 
this  business  game.  ThLs  business-and  it's  all  porfectl- 
useless,  so  far  as  you  are  concerned— claims  all  of  you  '. 
sometimes  think  it  would  bo  easier  to  share  you  equitably 
with  another  woman  than  to  share  you  with  dds  business. 
1  might  have  half  of  you,  at  any  rate.  But  tliis  business 
would  claim  not  half  of  you,  but  nine-tenths  of  yoi,  or 
ninety-nine  hundredths.  ^ 

"  Remember,  th<,  meaning  of  marriage  to  mo  is  not  to 
get  a  man  s  money  to  spend.  I  want  the  man.  You  sav 
you  want  me  And  suppose  I  consented,  but  gave  you 
only  one-hundredth  part  of  me.  Suppose  there  was  some- 
thing else  m  my  life  that  took  the  other  ninety-nine  parte, 
and,  furthermore,  that  ruined  my  figure,  that  put  pouches 
under  my  eyes  and  crowsfeet  in  the  corners,  that  made  me 
unbeautiful  to  look  upon  and  that  made  my  spirit  un- 
beautjful.  Would  you  be  satisfied  with  that  one-hun- 
dredth part  of  me  ?     Yet  that  is  all  you  are  offering  me  of 

th^t  I  can'??'"''''"'  '^°°'^'"'  ^^^  ^  '^°'*'*  '"^"'y  y'"'  •-- 

Daylight  waited  to  see  if  she  were  quite  done,  and  she 
went  on  again. 

"It  isn't  that  I  am  selfish.  After  all,  love  is  giving,  not 
receiving.  But  i  see  so  clearly  that  all  my  giving  could 
not  do  you  any  rood.  You  are  like  a  sick  man.  You  don't 
play  business  h^e  other  men.  You  play  it  heart  and  sovl 
and  all  of  you.  No  matter  what  you  believed  and  in- 
tended, a  ^e  would  be  only  a  brief  diversion.  There  is 
that  magnificent  Bob,  eating  his  head  off  in  the  stable. 
You  would  buy  me  a  beautiful  mansion  and  leave  me  in  it 
to  yawn  my  head  off,  or  cry  my  eyes  out  because  of  my 
helplessness  and  inability  to  save  you.  This  disease  of 
business  would  be  corroding  you  and  marrying  you  all  the 
time  You  play  it  as  you  have  played  everything  else,  as 
in  Alaska  you  played  the  life  of  the  traU.  Nobody  could 
be  permitted  to  travel  as  fast  and  as  far  as  you,  to  work  as 
hard  or  endure  as  much.  You  hold  back  nothing  ;  you 
put  all  you  ve  got  into  whatever  you  are  doing -" 

Limit  is  the  sky,"  he  gnint«d  grim  affirmation. 


f(i 


278 


BURNING  DAYUGHT 


ua'yf!!!.-  ^"^  ""'^'^  "'">'  P^<^y  the  lover-husband 

arS^TborZeS- ^.  ""'^  ''''['y-  '"  »»>«  shelter  c 

rain  had  not  yet  come  W  TL  ^^■,..       ^'8  downpo 
frequent.     CliRhT  wL  „^nr''''''''f  '"'•"'"«  ^""^  ■ 

gastod'A^tsXliin"",'.*'*^-  I'"  *"-'>  flab 
that  n^me  vTf^oIlf'  'fu''"f  ^  '°^«  *»  "all 
in  what  you  sa  v.  As  I  undtu^r  "  ''  '"'«''*y  •"«  ' 
that  you'd  ma^  me  if  I  Sadn^^f  "'  y""  "onclusio 
getting  fat.-Nonrrmn.?-.  '"'°'  ""^  '^  ^  «'» 
corn,  and  that's  iu,tm^  J°.h!"*^-  ^  ""knowledge 
and  Humming  iV"p  7f  rLlt°'"°«  "^^  »■***«' ^c 
living  a  healthy  lif?with  all  th^-  ^"'"'^  '*°'^  "  ^  ' 
you  and  be  your  husband  "^^^  ''"Vu"  ^^^  ^°'^^  to  L 

back  teeth  in  buLZ  S  aU  thel^t^^^^  '^'t  *° 
me.  "  'n®  rest — why,  you'd  ma 

But  f'm  stuck.  What^anTdo'?  °^"'k''  '"^  ^^^^  ^  ^^ 
roped,  thrown,  and  brand«H ^  t-^^  ''""""^^  has  si 
and  I  can't  ge  up  and  mea„^  ^  ""  ""'^  ^^^^^  ""^  f"' 
like  the  man  that  eo^ tf,«  k  I  °T  ^'^^  pastures.  I 
and  I  want  you  and  r™  ^'??^  '^'  *''"■     ^  ««n't  let  g. 

"  I  don't  know  whatTo^Hn  K  'f '  «°  *°  ^et  you.        ^ 
happen.     I  ean'I  kse  you'"'  nusTS°^'l  T?.«°* 
going  to,     Why,  you're  running  K     •      *'     "^"^  ^  ™  "' 
right  now.     B^ness  never  S       ''""'.'  "  •='°^''  ««««' 

"  You've  left  m«  n?  P'  ™®  ''^'^'^^  nights. 

«amemanthatcamefromlrr-  r'  ^°^  ^'^  «°t  tl 
with  the  dogs  as  I  didin  f»,  **■  / '=°'^dn't  hit  the  tra 
-Ces.  animy  LSsVird^^I  ^^^.^r^sp:; 


r-husband  that 

lush  showed  in 

5 added.  -'I've 

B  shelter  of  hi« 
lat  rushed  past 
g  downpour  of 
alls  were  more 
.  and  he  wtut 

Jlean  flabber- 
^■e  to  call  you 
ghty  big  heap 
conclusion  is 
d  if  I  wasn't 
nowledge  the 
matter  down 
and  if  I  was 
world  to  love 
iwash  to  my 
you'd  many 

recter  than  I 
r  eyes  a  few. 
less  has  sure 
nd  and  foot, 
istures.  I'm 
ian't  let  go  ; 

'OU. 

sure  got  to 

nd  I'm  not 

lose  second 

;hts. 

'm  not  the 

liit  the  trail 

soft  in  my 

to  respect 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


270 

men     I  despise  them  no« .     You  see,  I  spent  all  my  life 
in  the  open,  and  I  reckon  I  m  an  open-air  man     VVhv 

m  wen  Ellen.  That  s  where  I  got  stuck  for  that  brick- 
ZviJT.  ''*°i'r'  ^''?'"'"K  '^^  """espondence  I 
We  wi  h  it T^,^^*'{f  'T}"-  *•"?'  ""^  "'"''•  *"d  I  so  feU  in 
around  th«  h^f  r^*"*  't  ^^"'^  ""^  t''""-  '  J»«t  rode 
I'd  be  I  L^  •  ""'*  r*.  •'^PPy  "«  "  kid  out  of  school 
d^«n'f      ^"'""  T"  "^'"8  '"^  *'i«  «"untry.     The  city 

andT'dL  ^      T^"'^  ^°"'  P™>'"  «'»""1'J  •>»  answered 

urgTco^ent''""'"' *'""«'' '*"*'»«''"'^^"f''---d  to 

was  SK  f  ^"^  ""^'^''^  '"/*  ''"'  **>»*  ""1"  ^^nch,  and 
somehow  ,f  ""^  "  ^*'*  '''^'''""'*  ""d  scratch  a  1  ying 

somehow-would  you  marry  me  then,  IJede  1"  ^ 

"  fc'H\    ^«  ^K^tl^^'  a»  the  time  !"  she  cried. 

he  warned   "o71-°r!  P'^^gJ^ing  """e  in  a  while," 
ne_  warned,     or  driving  to  town  to  get  the  grub. " 

But  there  wouldn't  be  the  office,  at  any  rate,  and  no 
man  to  see  and  men  to  see  without  end/^  But  it  U  M 
foolish  and  impossible,  and  we'll  have  to  be  sfar  ing  back 
now  if  we're  to  escape  the  rain  "  *' 

thJH«ir,^  the  moment,  among  the  trees,  ere  they  began 
her  ctselv \o  .  -^^  hiU.  that  Daylight  might  have^dra^^ 
ner  closely  to  him  atd  kissed  her  once.  But  he  was  too 
toirj  ""^  ''''  ri  *'"'"8hts  she  had  put  into  Ws  head 
to  take  advantage  of  the  situation.  He  me.-ely  caught  her 
by  the  arm  and  helped  her  over  the  rougher  footing 
said  mLltaT-  P-i^^y^^^ntry  up  there  at  Glen  Ellen,"  he 
said  meditatively.        I  wish  you  .o.Ud  see  it." 

beft^rtrtlo^Tr;^  ^"^^^^^-^  *^^*  "  '^«'^*  •>« 

bII  'SZ  "f  «^^"":;h°°d.  and  folks  is  liable  to  talk." 

house  ^^  ^^■^°°'P'^"y  her  as  far  as  the 

the'?oroUhe'sl°p" '"'"  ^'^  ''''^'  '^'''^'^^  '"^^  "^-^  -' 


■t 


280 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


Do  you  know,"  he  s»,Vl    "  *'  i  • 

the  happiest  day  of  my  hfo^'.    ^^,'*  by  and  large,  i< 

^nd  rippled  a^d  tSd  his  ^fa  fc  k  °    ""' ^*' ""'^  « 

solemnly,  "And  I'm  sure  .ZteW  f „  r '^  *'  ^^  ^«°*  ^ 

whatever  is  responsible  for  vo,^  K  •      ^°^'  °'  ^^°«^er  ( 

you  do  like  me  heaps     K!'  *'^'"S.on  this  earth.    Fc 

«o  to-day.     Tt's_if.-    SeieUthTl'''^'''^'>^^yo^s^ 

1"B  face  assumed  the  famaia/ wh^-'^^T'**  '''^^^^^d,  ani 

murmured  :  "Dede,  BeXZ^^ZtlJT''''°''  <»«  h, 

It  s  tl.  only  way,  and  trust  t:  ffiXt£S3 

asSe\toSrrd*tdtS^orJ^^^^^^^^^ 


CHAPTER  XX 

When  the  ferry  system  began  to  run,  and  the  time  be- 
rfn  £rfr?^^""  f  ""r """  ^^'  demonstrated  to  be 
startidS  *\*i'lt°/v^^^^S^*'«  ^"'^'  expenditure 
went  mto  further  mvestmr- fs.  Thousands  of  lots  in  his 
residence  tracts  were  sold,  and  thousands  of  homes  were 
bemg  built.  Factory  sites  also  were  selling,  and  business 
properties  m  the  heart  of  Oakland.     All  th  s  tended  To  a 

StsToldTh'n  I^^^  "'  ^^^8^*'^  hugTholdiny 
riadv  L  LJ1:  ^  ^t^  ^^  ^'^''^  ^""^  ^^  "ding  it.  Al- 
Sfn?  i^fi.  ',? ""  borrowing  from  the  banks.  The  mag- 
So  ^or^  if.'  •  r*^"  ""^^^^  '''"'*  ^  «°ld  were  turned 
Da4iToff  ^T^'  ""^^"'^  development ;  and  instead  of 
paymg  off  old  loans,  he  contracted  new  ones.  As  he  had 
pyramided  in  Dawson  City,  he  now  pyram  ded  in  Oak 
land  ;  but  he  did  it  with  the  knowledge  that  it  was  a  stable 
enterprise  rather  than  a  risky  placef-mining  bTom 

in  a  sma    way  other  men  were  following  his  lead,  buy- 
ing and  selhng  land  and  profiting  by  the  improvement 

irritate  MrTh'^  ^''■'  '""'^"8  at  his  e^nse  did  not 
irritate  him  There  was  an  exception,  however.  One  Simon 
Dolliver  with  money  to  go  in  with,  and  with  cum^ng  and 
courage  to  back  it  up,  bade  fair  to  become  a  sev3imes 

SrT  ^^-^-^ylf^'^  -Pense.  DolUver,  too  pVT 
mided,  playing  quickly  and  accurately,  and  1.  .p  ng  Ws 
money  turmng  over  and  over.  More  than  o:.ce  DaXht 
found  him  in  the  way,  as  he  himself  had  got  in  the  v^ay  of 

Work  on  Daylight's  dock  system  w-at  on  apace  ;  yet  it 


m 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


ferry  system.     The  nna^-n      ."''<'°mpl'shed  as  quioklv 

piling  was  anythini  buTsSfll  A  '  7^^  '"^^^  i^, 
the  tjme  it  was  deUvered  on  th«  «°<«J  average  pile 
dollar  gold  piece,  and Xse  „iW  ^'■°"°"^'  ''°«*  <»  t^e, 
thousands.  All  accessiM!  ^  '^^'*  "^d  in  unenc 
were  used,  and.  as  ^X'tt*;:;?  f  "'**'"«  ■«"<"^S 
down  the  coast  from  PuSXnd      P'"'  ^''-^^  ^«'«  *^ 

^treet'rX*:?!  Sl'-o^^tr ^"^f  *^^  «'-*^-*^  ^or 

Dayhght  orgLzed  the  SitSrnd%T'i"P°'^-hol 

Pany.    This    immediately  "ss^J^V'*''"'  ^°^«^  Co 

Crossing  the  San  Joaquin  VaUern    lf«^   P'oportioi 

mountains,  and  plunginrthr3  ^  ^^  "^^^  f^"*"  t 

there  were  manvtowM  l„^°^    the  Contra  Costa  hil 

be  supplied  ,vith  powT;,  al  I-fhVt"'* '''t^'  ^^atcou 

etreet-and-house-h-ghting  proilf     ^^V  *°^  '*  became 

purchase  of  power  fite^fn^h^^  «•     '  '^*"-     ^  «oon  as  tl 

tbo  survey  p^lrties  were  out  and  K  ""'  '"^'""^  *^°"g 

And  so  it  went.     There  wer«iu^ ''P^'^*'"'^^  beg"' 

which  he  poured  unceasing  stTea^f  1^°"'^"'^  "^^^  ^t 

*^1  so  sound  and  legitimate  th^^n    J^f'^'    ^ut  it  wa 

that  he  was,  and  ,vith  Ws  r wt      P*^''S^*'  born  gamble 

softly  and  safely,    ft  wLrw'^'''°"'''°'^dfotpt 

there  was  only  one  wav  to  „l      °PP°'"t'«^ty,  and  to  hin 

^.^i-    NordidhisoreLnfifc'  '  T^  ^^-^^  ^-«  tbe  bk 

aid  him  to  cautior.      On  th«       .  ^'  *'^^'««'''  I-ari-y  Hegan 

was  compelled  to'  veto  the    °-  r^^'  '*  ^^^  Dayl^gRo 

basheesh  dreamer.    NotoSvS'  TT"^  "^  ^bat  Twe 

from  the  banks  and  ti^ust  .omt'^^^^'gbt  borrow  heavSy 

oorporations  he  was  ™  mSe^d  To  ' ''"*  °°  ^«^«^^1  of  ^ 

tbis  grudgingly,  howeve7a„'     'L?''"«  ''*°''^^-     »«  did 

enterprises  wholly  his  own      .-     °     u"""'*  °^  ^«  big 

which  he  reluctantly  allowed  til     "^  .*>  companies  if 

were  the  Golden  Gate  K  ^^^ '°^««*'«g  Public  to  join 

Parks  Co„,p         the  United  WaC?.^"^'  ^"'^  Ree^eation 

Shipbuilding   Company,    and    the    ^7^^°^'  ^'^^  E'^^'nal 

•^  *''^   S'^^a  and   Salvador 


money  dread- 
's quiokly  as  a 
cere  great,  the 
'  mere  item  of 
erage  pile,  by 
ost  a  twenty- 
l  in  unending 
•e  eucalyptus 
is  were  towed 

ricity  for  his 
ower-houses, 
Power  Corn- 
proportions, 
ty  from  the 

Costa  hills, 
',  that  could 
it  became  a 
soon  as  the 
ed  through, 
ions  begun, 
maws  into 

But  it  was 
■n  gambler 
Id  not  play 
nd  to  him 
as  the  big 
ry  Hegan, 
flight  who 
that  able 
w  heavily 
iral  of  his 
He  did 
f  his  big 
sanies  in 
0  to  join 
icreation 
'  Encinal 
Salvador 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  283 

Power   Compftny.    Nevertheless,    between   himself   anrl 
e'irrji."*^'''^'  *^^  •'°"*"-°''^«  «^-«  -^  eacrof"t£ 
His  affair  with  Dede  Mason  only  seemed  to  languish 
Wlule  delaying  to  grapple  with  the  strange  prowfTii 
presented,  his  desire  for  her  continued  to  |row     In  m's 
gamb Img  simJe,  his  conclusion  was  that  L^ck  had  dea^t 
^  Tf  '«°>'*rkable  card  in  the  deck  and  that  for 
years  he  had  overlooked  it.     Love  was  the  card   and  "t 
beat  them  all.     Love  was  the  king  card  of  trumps   the 
wa^^'  t^  f^^V''  ^  ^'^'"^  of  tenderfoot  S'     It 
when  tL  n     °*  '"''^''  ^°^  P'^^y  "  ^^  ^°"Id,  to  thL  limit 
vet     Til?     ""!  "'"""•    ^"  """^-l  °°t  «««  that  opeS 

^f  a  co^irfitr^  """^•^  '^^^  *°  ^'^y  *°  -- -'^ 

Yet  he  could  not  shake  from  his  brain  and  vision  t},« 

rr  '::fT'z  f  *'°^^  "^t^  siippersXrZgSj 

Smiday,  he  telephone^d  that  he  was  cCng     AHI 
a^  tT/t^  ever  since  man  flr.t  looked  upon  woman 

desperate  with  weakness  and  at  the  same  time  with  W 
better  judgment  hating  her  weakness,  cried  out  •- 
tn,  f  r  r^f  ^^  *°  *'y  ^  '='^ance,  to  marry  you  now  and 
trust  to  luck  for  it  to  come  out  right.     And  Hfe  is  a 
gamble    you  say.     Very  well,  let  uf  gamble        ake  a 

you  Tf^itZ  *  Jf  ''''  ^"-  ,  "  ''  --es'ha'ds  I'll  ma^rxj 
'r^VL^^V^^i::,'-^'^^  ^°  >—  -  alone  a^ 

cameTn.:'  SSt-Hytf  f^VP-f"  "^  «-bling 
x^n.-u-in.H    eyes.     Involuntarily    his    hand 


284 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


started  for  his  Doeknf  fn,  *i. 

Little   woman  "     w;=     ■    •,  ®  '''^^  chance. 

there  was  no  humour  in  A  .'"""^^^  ^^le  humorous 

as  solemn  as  iTv^ce    '^f^^f^'^^S-    His  though 

the  way  from  Crea^L'^  to^'ZT^^- r''^  ''^"^ 

gamble  a  golden  ham  a^«;ZT"K.  °*  Judgment 

to«s  for  penmes  on  tS  frlnt  «.      °^^^l  '"*'''«  ^^^lo 

or  set  up  a  faro  fayout  iu.t      f  m*  *^.*  ^^^  J«'"« 

but  I'll  ?e  everlaSSy  damneTfl'^  ^'^f'  «» 

Love's  too  big  to  me  to  tX        I      "  S^™'''®  °n  1 

to  be  a  sum  thing  ^nd  betw        "^^'''"'  °°-    I'°^«'« 

thing.     If  theZI;  ta,  Th    T  r"  *°<J  ""o  it  »  a 

this  lip,  just  thetmrnLyrflr;""*"  °"^  "^  ^^  ^ 

Tii"£  Sg°lS\S  tt-b^T  K^'''^''  -- 

their  unprotected  loanr  ?.«,i-  if"^  *'^«''°  "a^inj 
tot  several  of  ^  peTonal  S'  hr""^"^  ^^'^ 
then  he  divined  that  theTe  Tr^LT'u  '^®'*  P'^^^nt- 
way  the  wind  was  goinfto  h^.  ^  ''J'*  indicated 
terrific  financial  Ifms  he  haft  ^f  k^*  °"«  "^  t^^' 
sweep  over  the  Ui^ted  Statt,  ^^  ''''°"*  ^''^  «°on 
ticular  storm  was  To  be  he  Sd  n^^  ^"^^^  *^  P^ 
theless,  he  took  every  ~ni°  f.«t-^ipate.  Nev, 
no  aniiety  arout  CZS^^lZ^  P°"^''  ''"^  ^ 

tightness  spr.ad,'S  LSytrnk  rn"^."«  '^°''^««'  « 
calhng  in  its  credits.  DavSht  ^  ^^  '''"^^'^  w, 
because  of  the  fact  that  for  the  fi^rr^^*'.""'*  ^^"^^ 
playmg  the  legitimate  businesTl  T  ^  ^^^  bee 

such  a  panic,  tith  thp  iZ^       ^^^®'     ^°  ^^'^  old  day, 

of  valuelwoldThav^beena^oW^'lf  '"*"'"«  ^^^nka^ 
As  it  was,  he  watched  the  gaSt^^'T'l*  ^^^fo'hi^ 
wave  of  prosperity  and  made  rZ.^'  T^°  ^/"^  "•^''«°  'b, 

getting  out  from  Lder  Td'Sr^i.^^Vo'^  ^^'""^ 

'     --i--„-!jg  to  cover  0. 


lien  it  stopped, 

n't  delay,  or  I 
le  chapce." 
humorous,  but 
[is  thought  was 
I'd  gamble  all 
Judgment;  I'd 
an's  halo  ;  I'd 
^ew  Jerusalem 
Pearly  Gates  ; 
mble  on  love. 
I.     Love's  got 
ae  it  is  a  sure 
Q  niy  winning 


nic  came  on. 
An  calling  in 
Uy  paid  the 
e  presented  ; 
ndicated  the 
one  of  those 
was  soon  to 
So  this  par- 
ite.    Sever- 
er, and  had 

le  crush  of 
liouses,    the 
ountry  was 
and  caught 
8  had  been 
3  .old  days, 
>  shrinkage 
ne  for  him. 
ridden  the 
the  slump, 
o  cover  or    , 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  286 

proceeding  to  reap  a  double  harvest.    Nothing  remained 
for  him  but  to  stand  fast  and  hold  up. 

He  saw  the  situation  clearly.  When  the  banks 
demanded  that  he  pay  his  loans,  he  knew  that  the  banks 
were  in  sore  need  of  the  money.  But  he  was  in  sorer 
need  And  he  knew  that  the  banks  did  not  want  his 
coUateral  which  they  held.  It  would  do  them  no  good 
In  such  a  tumbling  of  values  was  no  time  to  sell.  His 
collateral  was  good,  all  of  it,  eminently  sound  and  worth 
wniie  ;  yet  it  was  worthless  at  such  a  moment,  when  the 
one  unceasing  cry  was  money,  money,  money.  Findine 
him  obdurate,  the  banks  demanded  more  collateral,  and 
as  the  money  pinch  tightened  they  asked  for  two  and 
even  three  times  as  much  as  had  been  originaUy  accepted 
Sometimes  Daylight  yielded  to  these  demands,  but  more 
olten  not,  and  always  battling  fiercely. 

He  fought  as  with  clay  behind  a  crumbling  wall  All 
portions  of  the  wall  were  menaced,  and  he  went  around 
constantly  strengthening  the  weakest  parts  with  clay 
Ihis  clay  was  money,  and  was  applied,  a  sop  here  and 
a  sop  there,  as  fast  as  it  was  needed,  but  only  when  it  was 
direly  Meded.  The  strength  of  his  position  lay  in  the 
Verba  Buena  Ferry  Company,  the  Consolidated  Street 
Kailways,  and  the  United  Water  Company  Though 
people  were  no  longer  buying  resic^  ;nce  lots  and  facto% 
and  business  sites,  they  were  compelled  to  ride  on  his 
cars  and  ferry-boats  and  to  consume  his  water.  When 
all  the  financial  world  was  clamouring  for  money  and 
penshing  through  lack  of  it,  the  first  of  each  month  many 
thousands  of  dollars  poured  into  his  coffers  from  the 
water-rates,  and  each  day  ten  thousand  dollars  in 
dimes  and  mckels,  came  in  from  his  street  railways  and 

Cash  was  what  was  wanted,  and  had  he  had  the  use 
of  all  this  steady  river  of  cash,  all  would  have  been  well 
with  him.  As  it  was,  he  had  to  fight  continuaUy  for  a 
portion  of  It.  Improvement  work  ceased,  and  only  ab- 
solutely essential  repairs  were  made.  His  fiercest  fight 
was  with  the  operatmg  expenses,  and  this  was  a  fight 


k 


286 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


stamps,  he  kept  the  th"-K  ''*»t«»»eiy  and  postaj 
superintendent^  and  heads  IJT  'T^^'  ^^^"^  1^ 
prodigies  of  cuttin7down  he  JteH'^r"*"  P"*™« 
and  demanded  more  When  ^th«*f*""  "'^  ^^  ^"^ 
hands  in  despair,  h^  showed  th^j,*^''"^  ^°'"'  ^^ei 
accomplished  ^"^  *^^™  ^°^  "lore  could  b 

told  MaU:vvf:"'"^.S*b:trn"'  T'''  '  y«- •"  ^' 
in  your  life  before.  Your  fortL^  ^  *^^°/°"  «^«'  8°' 
with  mine.  You've  got  to  SfnH  ?  ''  '"  *^^  '^'^^  ^^^^ 
and  risk.  YouVo  ffnfrl  t^  ^°''  ^°'^^  ^  the  strair 
it.  Stand  off  ZfctefarV'';^'''''^*^^*"^-  '^« 
Sawee  ?  You're  dra win.  r,  "■  "'^^  ^"  ^^e  rest, 
hundred  and  six"ydoC«,t]l^/7«tl^ng    like    si^ 

From  now  on,  stand  everybodv  Iff  Ti**  *''**  ''^^■ 
hundred.  I'll  pav  vouJ^ST.^  1  '"^^  ^'^^  down  a 
over. "  P^  ^°"  "'*«^«*  on  the  rest  tiU  this  blows 

^Jwo^  weeks  later,  with  the  pay-K,U  before  them,  it 

nepht1^Th:uS°':o*'^^He' °''?r''  «°«-  ^  ^o- 
a  month.  Mt.rZM^Zlt^.^r''  ^'^^'^-^^^ 
can  ride  with  me  at  intere^r-  ^^'^J'-fi^e.     The  forty 

Impossible  !"  Matthewson  cried      "  w 
ends  meet  on  his  salary  as  it  is   ,^  i,    P  ""*"  *  "la^e 
two  kids "  ^       '*  '^'  *nd  he  has  a  wife  and 

Daylight  was  upon  him  with  a  mighty  oath 
Cant!    Impossible!    What   in    jTii    i 
I'm    running  ?    A   home   Z.t    u,  ^^"  ^°  y°"   think 
and  dressing  and  wiSthllfH^^''"'"'''^''  "     ^««ding 
that  can't  fake  carf  of^£^  ^es^^^  °^^ 
Im  hustling,  and  now's  thZT       !,    ^°*  "^  your  We. 
works  for  m'e  h^s  got  To  hurtle     I  ''^\''^^7^°<iy  that 
birds  holding  down  my  offi.!     ,  ^  .^'*°*  n°  ^air-weather 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  287 

got  to  buck  into  it  just  Uke  me.  There  are  ten  thousand 
men  out  of  work  in  Oakland  right  now,  and  sixty  thou 
sand  more  m  San  Francisco.  Your  nephew,  and  every- 
body else  on  yoar  pay-roll,  can  dc  aa  I  say  right  now  or 
quit.  Sa^ee  ?  If  any  of  them  get  stuck,  you  go  around 
yourself  and  gt.arantee  their  credit  with  the  butcher 
and  grocers.  And  you  trim  down  that  pay-roll  accord- 
U3gly  1  ve  been  carrymg  a  few  thoust^nd  folks  that'll 
have  to  carry  themselves  for  a  while  now,  that's  all  " 

You  say  this  filter's  got  to  be  replaced,"  he  told  his 
chief  of  the  water-works.  "  We'U  see  about  it.  Let  th^ 
people  of  Oakland  drink  mud  for  a  change.  It'U  teach 
fil7fl,n  "PP'^"^*^  g«°d  water.  Stop  work  at  once. 
^LI^T  T,!"  °^^^^  P^y-""""-  Cancel  aU  orders  for 
material.     The  contractors  will  sue  ?     Let  'em  sue  and 

street  hT''-  ..^''"  ^'  '""*«^  ^'S^^^'"  "^  ^^  VoL^ 
street  before  they  can  get  judgment." 

And  to  Wilkinson  : — 

"Take  off  that  owl  boat.     Let  the  pubUc  roar  and 

that  connects  with   the   12.45    boat  at   Twenty-second 
and  Hastings.     Cut  it  out.     I  can't  run  it  for  two  or 

^w.rrf''-     ^*  .*^''"  ^^^  "°  ^»rii«^  ^oat  home 
or  walk.     This  is  no  time  for  philanthropy.     And  you 
might  as  well  take  off  a  few  more  cars  in  the  rusThou^ 
Let  the  strap-hangers  pay.     It's  the  strap-hangers  that'll 
keep  us  from  going  under." 

And  to  another  chief,   who   broke  down  under  the 
excessive  strain  of  retrenchment :— 

"  You  say  I  can't  do  that  and  can't  do  this.  I'll  iust 
show  you  a  few  of  the  latest  patterns  in  the  can  and 
can't  hne.  You'U  be  compelled'^to  resign  ?  Ill  n>hTlf 
you  think  so^  I  never  saw  the  man  yet  that  I  trs'hard 
up  for.  And  when  any  man  thinks  I  can't  get  alon^ 
without  him.  I  just  show  him  the  latest  pattern  in  that 
line  of  goods  and  give  him  his  walking-papere  " 

And  so  he  fought  and  drove  and  bullied  and  even 
-  leedled  his  way  along.  It  was  %ht,  fi<,ht  fi-ht  Iml 
no  let-up,  from  the  fir.t  thing  in  the  momirTg  till  ^ht^aU 


li 


mmm 


288 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


His  private  office  saw  throngs  every  dav     All  mo„ 

Ss;?rop^or/t£7l:~;£ 

t^uScLci'^H^  saw  him  at  his  desk  each  morning 

was  the  ten  thousand  an1'Ur.*5dir St  h'nN 
earned  by  Ws  ferries  and  railways  the'ay  before  ' 
was  for  the  weakest  spot  in  the  financial  d^"     " 

e'tteT  T?  ^""^''^*  ^'^  ^"°*^-  «Sr  scenes  v 
enacted  They  were  paralyzed  with  fear,  and  firsf 
all  he  played  his  role  of  the  big  vital  optii^st  tI 
were  improving.  Of  course  thev  were  Tin?!- 
a  ready  in  the  air.  All  th^t  anyboriiaJ  to  T^  "" 
sit  tight  a  little  longer  and  hoi  J  oT  That  wa,  alf  T 
was  already  more  active  in  the  East  Look  at/h  *  J 
on  Wall  Street  of  the  last  twenty  four  hou,^*  '^^^^^ 
the  straw  that  showed  the  wind"^  HacS^t  Ryan  ^aid 
and  so  ?  and  wasn't  it  -.ported  that  MorZ  was  c 
panng  to  do  this  and  that  ?  ^"^gan  was  p 

As  for  himself,  weren't  the  street-railway  earn,, 
increasing  steadily  ?  In  spite  of  the  pamTVo^ 
more  people  we,  >  coming  to  Oakland  right  alon^  Mo 
meats  were  already  begimiing  in  real  estat^*  nf  ^ 
tt:"^t7^  *'''".  *°  ^"  °"^^  ^  ^^""^^'•d  of  Ss  suburb 

tl^^railnXflC^^nVbS^^p  ^L^^*  Tr^  ^ 
That  was  the  trouble-the  faiSwf.  '"sartLtt 


All  men  came 
<ow  it  was  an 
tory,  a  serious 
e-it  blow  from 
slieve  him.  It 
ilone  could  do 
day,  while  the 
nd  house  after 

n  every  morn- 
hat  he  passed 
he  was  in  the 
persons  and 

morning.    By 
ly  for  a  round 
ine  with  him 
hat  had  been 
before.     This 
'  diite.    And 
ii  scenes  were 
and  first  of 
mist.     Times 
le  signs  were 
to  do  was  to 
*  all.    Money 
it  the  trading 
3.    That  was 
Syan  said  so 
;an  was  pre- 

ay  earnings 
'',  more  and 
ong.  Move- 
e.  He  was 
liis  suburban 
i  would  ease 
lint-hearted, 
i  there  beeu 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  289 

no  faint-hearts  there  would  have  been  no  panic  TJ.««. 
wa«  that  Eastern  syndicate,  negotiatinr^trhim  now 
to  take  the  majority  of  the  stock  in  the  Sierra  and  Salvado^ 

rCL?r?"°^  °^  ^"^  ^^'^'-  That  showed  confiSe 
that  better  times  were  at  hand.  ""ueuoe 

^r,f^t^  '*  u^^  ]'°*  "^^^'V  discourse,  but  prayer  and 

DaS  .^  !?7  '^°^°  ""'^  ^^^^  "'^  '^^  P»rt  of  the  bante 
Uaylight  had  to  counter  in  kind     If  th«v  ^n„i^  k  n' 

he  could  buUy.     If  the  favour  he  asked  wL  refused  ft 

became  the  thing  he  demanded.     And  Xn    Han, 

down  to  raw  and  naked  fighting,  w1^  thL  kst  ve^tof 

sen^jment  or  illusion  torn  ol,  he  f  ^uld  take  t£ir  bre'at£ 

But  he  knew  aUo,  how  and  when  to  give  in  When 
he  saw  the  wall  shaking  and  crumbling  irretrievably  at 
a  particular  place,  he  patched  it  up  with  somof  Lh 
from  his  three  cash-earning  companies     Tf?L  If 

:T'  U  r'  *°°-  J'  -^^  a  cas^oTZr  having  to  hS 
^f  >,'.•«  ^J  smashed,  and  all  the  coUateral  they  hed 
end  Z/^™r  °"  *'>«/'l^a°«<'  market,  it  wodd  be  the 
end.  And  so  it  was,  as  the  time  passed,  that  on  occasion 
h^  red  motor-car  carried,  in  addition  o  the  daUy  clsh 
^e  most  gilt-edged  securities  he  possessed  ;  namei  t^ 

l^    sThT'H^'"^.'^  ^^I*"-^'  """^  Consolidated^S 
ways.     But  he   did   this  reluctantly,   fighting  inch   by 

As    he    told    the    president    of    the   Merchants   <5»., 

J.J  ™.  |.  ^ ...  .u.  „„uV,.,  ~JSS;p- ,  £;;; 

And  it  was  Daylieht.  also,  in  tbw  tim?  H  fi-,      •  i 
anarchy,  who  sized  up  Simon  Dollit'sTlaii  !TZI 

19 


290 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


th»  hand  that  sent  that  rival  down  in  utter  faUu 
The  Golden  Gate  National  was  the  keystone  of  Dolhv" 
strength,  and  to  the  president  of  that  istitution  DayUj 

♦I," ?*T y^'l  ^««'.'' 'ending  you  a  hand,  and  you  now 
the  last  -^  ch,  w,th  DollJver  riding  on  you  and  me^ 
the  time  It  don't  go.  You healle.  it  don'go  B 
hyer  oouldn  t  cough  up  eleven  dollars  to  save  you  I 
him  get  off  and  walk,  and  I'll  tell  you  what  I'll  do  I 
give  you  the  railway  nickels  for  four  days-that'sfor 
thousand  oa«h.     And  on  the  sixth  of  the  month  you  o' 

Zv  •  °u  T  ^  ^^T""^  '""'*  ^^^  *•»«  Water  Co, 
pany  He  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "  Take  it  or  leave  i 
Them  8  my  terms."  ' 

thrt'^y*^?  *"*  '^°^:.^?1^  "'"'*  overlooking  any  me: 
that  s  floating  around,''  Daylight  proclaimed  tha«^  afte 
noon  to  Hegan;  and  Simon  Dolliver  went  the  way  , 
the  unfortunate  in  the  Great  Panic  who  were  caught  wil 
plenty  of  paper  and  no  money." 

Daylight's  shifts  and  devices  were  amazinp  Nothin, 
however  large  or  small,  passed  his  ke-;  sight  unobserve 
The  straon  he  was  under  wa^  terrific.     He  no  longe^a 

iTnffl.  ^^'  ''''^*?  '^°'*'  """^  ^  "^"O"  hours  an 

his  office  were  as  crowded  as  at  any  other  time.  By  th 
end  of  the  day  he  was  exhausted,  and,  as  never  befor, 
he  sought  «lief  behind  his  wall  ^f  alcorolbllwS 
Straight  to  his  hotel  he  was  driven,  and  straight  to  hi 
rooms  he  went,  where  immediately  was  mixed  for  hir 
the  first  of  a  senes  of  double  Martinis.  By  dinner  hi 
bram  was  well  clouded  and  the  panic  forgotten.  '  B^ 
bedtime  with  the  assistance  of  Scoteh  whisky,  he  wa 
full-not  violently  nor  uproariously  full,  nor  stupefied 

Next  momiiig  he  awoke  with  parched  lips  and  mouth, 
and  with  sensations  of  heaviness  in  his  head  which  quickly 
passed  away.     By  eight  o'clock  he   was  at  his   desk 

round  of  the  banks,  and  after  that,  without  a  moment's 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  201 

oewation  till  nightfall,  he  waa  handUng  the  knotty 
tangles  of  industry,  finance,  and  human  MTuiTtfi 
crowded  upon  him.  And  with  nightfall  it  ^  bLk  to 
the  hotel,  the  double  Martinis  and  the  Scotch  and  t£ 
Z\^  P^gramme  day  after  day  untU  the  day   r^n  into 


CHAPTER  XXI 

the  b^d^'th    ■  °°\"'8^*'  .^»>«°  ^  ««t  on  the  ed, 

If  I  had  a  hundred-quart-cooktail  thirst,  ifd  be  differ 
But  one  quart-^ne  measly  little  quart  -     Here  I 
a  thirty  times  over  millionaire,   sLinV  harZ   ev 
day   than  any  do^e„  men  tnat  work  "or  me    and 
qufrt  of  MartSrtd'"*H^°\*'*^*«  good,"one  W 

t'o   look   at   o^the  wall  ■  ""^e  T  ^*^  "^"^  "^ 
me  wau.       He  stared  around  at 
292 


fellows  hearty- 
h  energy  anil 
ry  man.  And 
hes  of  wisdom 
ober  moments, 
on  the  edge  of 
meditated  on 
Id  not  sleep  in 
ding  the  shoe, 
i  on  the  walk, 
smnly  counted 
•ooms  to  corn- 
ad  and  gravely 

led  at  a  time, 
nothing  doing 
iaie  !    I  can't 

I'd  better  be 
Q  dollars,  and 

what  have  I 
'  money  can't 
It  can't  buy 
lions  when  I 
ktails  a  day  ! 
I  be  different. 

Here  I  am, 
larder  every 
me,  and  all 
,  one  bed,  a 
r  hair  bridles 
■ound  at  the 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 

'Mr.  Shoe,  I'm  siMled. 


393 
Good- 


array  disoonsolatelv 
night."  ' 

Jur^zxr:^  rs'fhisVai  ?rr.r  '^^ 

developi^into.    He  LTy^,:,^  stlbJ^ifLr 
out  in  his  own  room,   by  himself     n^t.t^i^  ' 

ma^vTth??.;^'"'^  ""'•  o'ptimisticTut  priS 
many  of  the  utterers  were  in  desperate  straits     tt^I 

wmwm 

As  I  sa.'d  before,  Jou Wt  to^l     1  nC^f  ^''^■^°'  ' 

Z Sh  hTr^'^^B^t  i7^  ^P^^'^  -  loSis  ^o  * 
sure  7o}^L  "^  ^°"  ^^"^  *°  ^«»^«  ^^^-  do4  you'U 

rgo^rto'tmeHh^^salf..*"  ''■'''■     ^^'«  -~" 

hotet  andtjrtr^"  supply  houses,  the  caterers  for  his 

'-paid    had  fh      '       '^  *h*  '°''«'^»n«V  demanded  to 

-  paid,  aad  ihmr  aot  naif-hours  with  him.    He  sum- 


i  i' 


294 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


moned  them  to  his  office  and  displayed  his  latest  pa1 
ot  can  and  can't  and  will  and  won't. 

«  t)  ^^  ^'  /""'■^e  got  to  carry  me  !"  he  told  1 
It  you  think  this  is  a  pleasant  little  game  of  pa 

whist  and  that  you  can  quit  and  go  home  whenevei 

want    you  re  plumb  wrong.     Look  here,  Watkins, 

remarked  five  minutes  ago  that  you  -Youldn't  stan 

It.     Now  let  me  tell  you  a  few.     You're  going  to  s 

tor  It  and  keep  on  standing  for  it.     You're  going  to 

tmue  supplying  me,  and  taking  my  paper  until  the  i 

IS  over.     How  you're  going  to  do  it  is  your  trouble 

mine.     You  remember  what  I  did  to  Klinkner  and 

Altamont  Trust  Company  ?     I  know  the  inside  of 

business  better  than  you  do  yourself,  and  if  you  tr 

^""P  ^f^JJi-jrnash  you.     Even  if  I'd  be  going  to  sr 

myseil,  Id  find  a  minute  to  turn  on  you  and  bring 

down  with  me.    It's  sink  or  swim  for  aU  of  us,  ai 

reckon  you  U  find  it  to  your  interest  to  keep  me  on 

che  puddle."  *^ 

Perhaps  his  bitterest  fight  was  with  the  stockhol 
ot  the  United  Water  Comoany,  for  it  was  practically 
whole  of  the  gross  earnings  of  this  company  that  he  vt 
to  lend  to  himself  and  used  to  bolster  up  his  wide  ba 
iront.  Yet  he  never  pushed  his  arbitrary  rule  too 
Compelhng  sacrifice  from  the  men  whose  fortunes  v 
tied  up  with  his,  nevertheless  when  any  on«  of  tl 
was  driven  to  the  wall  and  was  in  dire  need,  Daylight 
there  to  help  him  back  into  the  line.  Only  a  strong  n 
could  have  saved  so  complicated  a  situation  in  such  ti 
of  stress,  and  Daylight  was  that  man.  He  turned  f 
twisted,  schemed  and  devised,  bludgeoned  and  bull 
the  weaker  ones,  kept  the  faint-hearted  in  the  fia 
and  had  no  mercy  on  the  deserter. 

And  in  the  end,  when  early  summer  was  on.  evervthi 
began  to  mend.  There  came  a  day  when  Daylight  did  i 
uriprecedented.  He  left  the  office  an  hour  earlier  ti 
usual,  and  for  the  reason  that  for  the  first  time  sir 
the  panic  there  was  not  an  item  of  work  wait! 
to    be    done.     He  dropped  into  Hegan's  private  offi, 


latest  patterns 

he  told  them, 
ime  of  parlour 

whenever  you 

Watkins,  you 
Idn't  stand  for 
joing  to  stand 
>  going  to  con- 
mtil  the  pinch 
ir  trouble,  not 
akner  and  the 
inside  of  your 

if  you  try  to 
oing  to  smash 
md  bring  you 

of  us,  and  I 
ep  me  on  top 

1  stockholders 
iractically  the 
that  he  voted 
is  wide  battle 

rule  too  far. 
"ortunes  were 
one  of  them 
Daylight  was 
a  strong  man 

in  such  time 
i  turned  and 

and  bullied 
n  the  fight, 

1,  everything 
flight  did  the 
earlier  than 
b  time  since 
ork  waiting 
rivate  office, 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  296 

K^d'*- ''^'  *°^  *  ''^*'  ""^^  **  ^^  ^^°°^  "p  ^ «°' 

"Hegan,  we're  all  hunkadory.  We're  pulling  out  of 
the  financial  pawnshop  in  fine  shape,  and  we'll  get  out 
without  leaving  one  unredeemed  pledge  behind  The 
woi-st  is  oyer,  and  the  end  is  in  sight.  Just  a  tight  rein 
for  a  couple  more  weeks,  just  a  bit  of  a  pinch  or  a  flurry 

hln^  """^  ^""^  "^^  ''''°  '*'*  S°  ""^^  ^P'*  °°  ""^ 

For  once  he  varied  his  programme.  Instead  of  goine 
directly  to  his  hotel,  he  started  on  a  round  of  the  bara 
and  cafes,  drinking  a  cocktaU  here  and  a  cocktail  there 
and  two  or  three  when  he  encountered  men  he  knew 
It  was  after  £-.1  hour  or  so  of  this  that  he  dropped  into  the 
bar  of  the  Parthenon  for  one  last  drink  before  goin,  to 
dinner.  By  this  time  all  his  being  was  pleasantly  warmed 
by  the  alcohol  and  he  was  in  the  most  genial  and  best  of 
spints.  At  the  comer  of  the  bar  several  young  men 
were  up  to  the  old  trick  of  resting  their  elbows  and 
attempting  to  force  each  other's  hands  down.  One  broad- 
shouldered  young  giant  never  removed  his  elbow  but 
put  down  every  hand  that  came  against  him.  Daylight 
was  interested.  ''  ^ 

"It's  Slo.*son,"  the  barkeeper  told  him,  in  answer  to 
his   query.        He  s  the  heavy-hammer  thrower  at  tl.« 
r'      I-       '^^  "'oords  this  year,  and  the  world's  record 
on  top  of  It.     He's  a  husky  aU  right  all  right." 

Daylight  nodded  and  went  over  to  him,  placing  his 
own  arm  m  opposition. 

he's^'d  '"'*'  ^^  ^°  ^°"  ^  flutter,  son,  on  that  proposition," 
The  young  man  laughed  and  locked  hands  with  him  ■ 

and  to  Dajlight's  astonishment  it  was  his  own  hand 

that  was  torced  down  on  the  bar. 

"Hold  on,"  he  muttered.     "Just  one  more  flutter. 

1  reckon  1  wasn  t  just  ready  that  time." 
Again  tiie  hands  locked.     It  happened  quickly.     The 

offensive  attack  of  Dayliglit's  muscles  slipped  instantly 

into  defence,  and,  resisting  vainly,  his  hand  was  forced 


M 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


296 

if     wTI  iij?    .,     ,''*'*ngth,  sheer  strength   had 
«»,»  Ihtog.    H.  did  no.  W  £ '™     I,T^ 

the  hammer-thrower.    ^  ^^  «^''^-    A  leaned  toi 

^ti^""^'"}^  ^^'•^'  "1^*  me  whisper  a  secret      rw.t 
of  here  and  qmt  drinking  before  yJ^  begto  '^       ^* 

steldn/r^  ^^"°-  ^'^^^'^  -^'y.  ^-''Daylight  i 

Slosson  looked  his  incredulity,  whUe  the  ntJ,»r»     • 
and  d^tered  around  Dayhght'^;3r,^i^°;''«-  «"" 
Son,  I  am't  given  to  preaching     TMs    «  th.  fi 

I  ain/fastidLtIs  you^lTnoLtTt  "s'l/r  ^ 
you  right  now  that  /m  wortrthe  devil  It  ^ 

rbtre^n^^frzn^^r*"™^^^ 

the  hen-clps^^/S To^Hn^  '\fT  ^""^  """"^  i'' 
feet  and  ride  Son  th«M  ^^  «°<=l^tails  and  lift  up  n 
that's  the  way  Ffek  aboutt  T^  matter  with  me%r 
candle       You  iuTtV  ^J^  ^ame  ain't  worth  tl 

J   ."'•      ^°"  just  take  care  of  vour«ifi1f    ar^A  w,u 
advice  over  once  in  a  while.     GoodSt  "  "  "" 


[t  had  been  no 
ig,  the  superior 
igth,  had  done 
and  pondering, 
8  at  some  new 
I.    It  certainly 
ith  him  all  the 
ave  been  play 
this  arm — he 
'  perplexity  as 
men. 

in  it  at  first, 
leaned  toward 

ret.     Get  out 

I) 

Daylight  held 

T  a  few.    I'm 

me  tell  you, 

down  would 

)attery  on  a 

thers  grinned 

is  the  firet 
you  put  me 
ly  time,  and 
it  let  me  tell 
ilone  knows 
U.  right  here 
li  means  I'd 
ick  where  I 
3  come  into 

lift  up  m/ 
ith  me,  and 
t  worth  the 
id  roll  my 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


w^  so  patently  fuU  whUef  e^uSS^  *^^  '"^^  *^*  "^ 
^^iV^^F-^-P-^^^^^  Hotel,  aeeom- 

''I^.TXSdoC?as:tTo""rp^'• '  ''^  ^-'^^■ 

He  held  up  the  ofendS^'^J°K  ^'^^ "  ^^  ^^^  '■" 
stupid  wonder.  xKnlt^r^r/'"*  ""^^^  ^'^  '*  ^tJ> 
The  hand  that  had  madf  fl«.  r^  ?  °^-^^''  ^^^^  ''«**«'»  •' 
And  a  kid  from  iTtith  „  ■  ""i"  ^'1^  ^^""^  ^<^^  '■ 
it  down-twicerXe  wts  S  "V"'  ''""'  ''^'^  P^* 
Bame  man.  The  situatioTwSd  W^  T  '"''  '^' 
ooking  mto  than  he  had  everSn  it  rJ^  '""""* 
the  time.    In  the  mominir  ItfZ  ^    ,    *•"*  "^^  not 

give  it  consideratior       ®'      ^'  *  ^°°^  '^^''P'  ^^  ^o^^d 


CHAPTER  XXII 

Daylight  awoke  with  the  familiar  parched  mouth 
aps  and  throat,  took  a  long  drink  of  water  from  the  piu 
beside  his  bed,  and  gathered  up  the  train  of  thought  wl 
he  had  left  it  the  night  before.  He  reviewed  the  easem 
of  the  financial  strain.  Things  were  mending  at  1 
While  the  going  was  still  rough,  the  greatest  dam 
were  already  past.  As  he  had  told  Hegan,  a  tight  , 
and  caref  dl  playing  were  aU  that  was  needed  now  Flur 
and  aangers  were  bound  to  come,  but  not  so  grave  as 
ones  they  had  already  weathered.  He  had  been  hit  ha 
but  he  was  coming  through  without  broken  bones  wh 
was  more  than  Simon  DoUiver  and  many  another  co 
say.  And  not  one  of  his  busmess  friends  had  been  ruin 
He  had  compellel  them  to  stay  in  line  to  save  himsi 
and  they  had  been  saved  as  well. 

His  niind  moved  on  to  the  incident  at  the  comer  of  l 
bar  of  the  Parthenon,  when  the  young  athlete  had  tun 
his  hand  down.  He  was  no  longer  stunned  by  the  eve 
but  he  was  shocked  and  grieved,  as  only  a  strong  man  c 
be,  at  this  passing  of  his  strength.  And  the  issue  ^ 
too  clear  for  him  to  dodge,  even  with  himself.  He  kn 
why  his  hav  had  gone  down.  Not  because  he  was 
old  man.  He  was  just  in  the  first  flush  of  his  prin 
and,  by  rights  it  was  the  hand  of  the  hammer-tW 
which  should  have  gone  down.  Daylight  Knew  that 
had  taken  liberties  with  himself.  He  had  always  look 
^J'°u  t^'t^trength  of  his  as  permanent,  and  here,  for  vea 
It  had  been  steadily  oozing  from  him.  As  he"  hi 
diagnosed  it,  he  had  come  in  from  under  the  stars 
roost  m  the  coops  of  cities.  He  had  almost  forgott. 
how  to  waiK.  He  had  lifted  up  his  feet  and  been  ridd, 
L>9S 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


299 


d  mouth  and 
im  the  pitcher 
hought  where 
the  easement 
ding  at  last, 
itest  dangers 
,  a  tight  rein 
low.  Flurrie.'i 
I  grave  as  the 
'een  hit  hard, 
bones,  which 
nother  could 
been  ruined, 
save  himself, 

comer  of  the 
6  had  turned 
y  the  event, 
ong  man  can 
le  issue  was 
f.  He  knew 
B  he  was  an 
f  his  prime, 
mer-thrower 
new  that  ho 
ways  looked 
re,  for  years. 
As  he  had 
the  stars  to 
9t  forgotten 
been  ridden 


around  in  automobiles,  cabs  and  carriages,  and  electric 
cars.  He  had  not  exercised,  and  he  had  dry-rotted  his 
muscles  with  alcohol. 

And  was  it  worth  it  ?  What  did  all  his  money  mean 
after  all  ?  Dede  was  right.  It  could  buy  him  no  more 
than  one  bed  at  a  time,  and  at  the  same  time  it  made 
him  the  abjectest  of  slaves.  It  tied  him  fast.  He  was 
tied  by  it  right  now.  Even  if  he  so  desired,  he  could  not 
he  abed  this  very  day.  His  money  called  him.  The 
office  whistle  would  soon  blow,  and  he  must  answer  it. 
The  early  sunshine  was  streaic"  ?  throujrb  his  window— 
a  fine  day  for  a  ride  in  the  hills  on  Bob,  'Ato.  Dede  beside 
him  on  her  Mab.  Yet  all  his  millions  could  not  buy  him 
this  one  day.  One  of  those  flurries  mj^iht  come  along, 
and  he  had  to  be  on  the  spot  to  meet  it.  Thirty  millions  ! 
And  they  were  powerless  to  persuade  Dede  to  ride  on 
Mab— Mab,  whom  he  had  bought,  and  who  was  unused 
and  growing  fat  on  pasture.  What  were  thirty  millions 
when  they  could  not  buy  a  man  a  ride  with  the  girl  he 
loved  ?  Thirty  millions  !— that  made  him  come  here  and 
go  there,  that  rode  upon  him  like  so  many  millstones,  that 
destroyed  him  while  they  grew,  that  put  their  foot  down 
and  prevented  him  from  winning  this  girl  who  worked 
for  ninety  dollars  a  month. 

Which  -was  better  1  ho  asked  himself.  All  this  was 
Dede's  own  thought.  It  was  what  she  had  meant  when 
she  prayed  he  would  go  broke.  He  held  up  his  offending 
right  arm.  It  wasn't  the  same  old  arm.  Of  course  she 
could  not  love  that  arm  and  that  body  as  she  had  loved 
the  strong,  clean  arm  and  body  of  years  before.  He  didn't 
like  that  arm  and  body  himself.  A  young  whipper- 
snapper  had  he-m  able  to  take  liberties  with  U.  It  had 
gone  back  on  him.  H'j  sat  up  suddenly.  No.  by  God, 
he  had  gone  back  on  it !  He  had  gone  back  on  himself! 
He  had  gone  back  on  Dede.  She  was  riglit,  a  thousand 
times  right,  and  she  had  sense  enough  to  know  it,  sease 
enough  to  refuse  to  marry  a  money-slave  with  a  whisky- 
rotted  carcass. 

lie  got  out  of  bed  and  looked  al  himself  in  the  long 


300 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


of  vision  of  r  mind  We  t?H  01^''"'''^^''^^  *^«  ^^^ 

oTiariri„,-L??:rdV'^  ^  -^- 

then  with  seven  yoingste^."  '  ^  ""^^  ^  ^^'""y  '«'^' 

Next  he  remembered  tho  old  woman  nf  +!,„  v. 
pressing  grapes  in  her  mnnnto-  ,  "^^^  °'  ^^^e  chaparral, 
thelittfe  man  whohadrut?S  f^^^  '  ^""^  ^^'S^^on, 
the  onetime  mana^fn/pdifi  f°  *^'  '■°^''  ''"^^  ^  '^bbit, 
was  contertnvSh^fhTr,!!,^^'*  newspaper,  who 
of  mountain  water  aVJ^l^^Ket^^^f^^-S 


pretty.     The 
were  heavy, 
t.     He  looked 
and  he  found 
38  as  well,  the 
cktails  of  the 
I  before.     He 
showed  under 
up  the  sleeve 
thrower  had 
98.    A  rising 
pped  off  the 
time  by  the 
Ban  stomach 
of  chest  and 
rolls  of  flesh. 
Mind  drifted 
lardships  he 
and  dogs  he 
g  days  and 
rength  that 
ersmen. 
)ss  the  field 
ad  encoun- 
hrough  the 
ed,  eighty- 
in  his  face 
nimer  day. 
and  spryer 
"And  I 
IS  with  an 
imily  man 

chaparral, 
Ferguson, 
e  a  rabbit, 
aper,  who 
his  spring 
Qanicurcd 


BURXING  DAYLIGdT  301 

fruit  trees.  Ferguson  had  solved  a  problem.  A  weak- 
ling and  an  alcohoUc,  he  had  run  away  from  the  doctors 
and  the  chicken-coop  of  a  city,  and  soaked  up  health 
like  a  thirsty  sponge.  Well,  Daylight  pondered,  if  a 
W^  TT  ^^"""/^^  doctors  had  given  up  could  develop 
into  a  healthy  farm  labourer,  what  couldn't  a  merely 
stout  man  like  himself  do  under  similar  circumstances  ? 
He  caught  a  vision  of  his  body  with  aU  its  youthlui 
excellence  returned,  and  thought  of  Dede,  and  sat  down 

^A  I'^l  uV^^  ^'"^'  '**'^*'«'l  ^y  ^^  greatness  of  the 
idea  that  had  come  to  him. 

He  (iid  not  sit  long.  His  mind,  working  in  its  customary 
way,  like  a  steel  trap,  canvassed  the  idea  in  all  its  bear- 
ings. It  wt^  big-bigger  than  anything  he  had  faced 
before.  And  he  faced  it  squarely,  picked  it  up  in  his  two 
hands  and  turned  it  over  and  around  and  looked  at  it 
The  simplicity  of  it  delighted  him.  He  chuckled  over  it' 
reached  his  decision,  and  began  to  dress.  Midway  in  the 
dressing  he  stopped  in  orc'3r  to  use  the  telephone 
Dede  was  the  first  he  called  up. 

']  Don't  come  to  the  office  this  morning,"  he  said 
1  m  coming  ouo  to  see  you  for  a  moment." 
He  caUed  up  others.  He  ordered  his  motor-car  To 
«Tw  u  P^^,  '°«t^°«o°8  for  the  forwarding  of  Bob 
and  Wo  f  to  Glen  Ellen.  Hegan  he  surprised  by  asking 
him  to  look  up  the  deed  of  the  Glen  EUen  ranch  and 
malie  out  a  new  one  in  Dede  Mas-on's  name  "  Who  «" 
Hegan  demanded.  "Dede  Mason,"  Daylight  reolied 
.mperturbably_"the  'phone  must  be  indltincT  to 
mormng.     D-e-d-e  M-a-s-o-n.     Got  it  ?" 

Half  an  nour  later  he  was  flying  out  to  Berkeley. 
And  for  the  first  time  the  big  red  car  halted  directly 
before  the  house.  Dede  offered  to  receive  him  in  the 
pariour,  but  he  shook  his  head  and  nodded  toward  her 
rooms. 

"  In  there,"  he  said.     "  No  other  place  would  suit  " 
As  the  door  closed,  his  arri^s  went  out  and  around  her. 

then  he  stood  with  his  hands  on  her  shoulders  and  lookina 

clowi    nto  her  face. 


I! 


liJi;;:: 


V 
L 


302 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


a  cent  with  me  tC  I'm  „  •  ?"®°'  *^**  ^  ain't  t 
I  eat,  and  tC'  I  ^n^liT?  *°r'''**'^  ^^^  «^«r^ 
business  game  Lain  wilf,,  *  *°  ^^Y  "'y  »  ««rd  « 
She  gave  a  BiRtu  y°"  ""T  "'""S  ^"1^  me  V 
But  the  ne^t^moment  Z'  T^  ^t  "^^"^'l  ^«'  «  "l' 
Him  to  the  old  p'oSatiVJX  '^'^^^  °"* 

"  td  you  ain? Iw''''^^  ^"'  breathlessly, 
guess  no  ^.71    ^^sS  %P,"^P-'«°-.  t^ou, 
married  right  away  and Ttart'     F™""  J?*  S^i-^g  *" 
along  ai^ady.    wLn  wiU  ^u  be  reVdv   •?"'  ''"'^  ' 

Wn;t  explafned  ^  wo^d'toC"""""  '''''■    ^^ 
Daylight  smiled  responsively  ' 

«bow':dotn'''ljo  mor^  Sand  ""'**  ""^^^"^^^^^  -^ 
distance  spamW  b^?wee^n  vo  "."^  ^"^  ^""«  ^^^  1° 
to  talk  straSft  out  In  r  .-^"'^  '^S'  ^^''^  J"^*  8° 
truth,   and  n'otlin"  but  The  T/u7h  ^^*™*^'  *^«   '^ 

some  questions  for  me,  and  then  rn^n"^  ^°"  ^"^^ 
paused.     "Well    IV«  TrTf       i  ^'^^^''yours." 

Doyoulo.emtUulhrm°a%r.3"""°"  "^^'^  •* 
But-—"  she  began.  ^ 

No  buts,"  he  broke  in  shamlv      '  tu-    ■ 

down.     When  I  say  marrv   T^^^-    ^  This  is  a  shoi 

anttltiradr^^^^^^^ 

t.  Jd^n^XSylVhf ;  "'^r "-'-  °^  '"^^  ^«S 
tbedoo,  ''Myal's^liS^g'o^lfd^VhV'?'  'if  ' 
to  delay  excepting  getting  on  four  hat '"  '  ''°*^°' 

He  bent  over  her      "  T  «.„i  ^    i,' 
as  he  kissed  her  ^°^°°  '*  «  allowable,"  he  said 

It  was  a  long  embrace,  and  she  was  the  fi«t  to  speak. 


that  I'm  going 
it  I  ain't  taking 
»  for  every  bite 
■  a  card  at  the 
irith  me  ?" 
I  her  in  closely, 
irseli'  out  from 

'hlessly. 
ion,  though  I 
'  going  to  get 
Bob  and  Wolf 

what  a  hurri- 
'y-    And  you 


sharps  call  a 
Us  and  long- 
're  just  going 
1.  the  whole 
you  answer 
yours."  He 
n  after  all : 


is  a  show- 
told  you  at 
Do  you  love 

is  dropp-id, 

of  his  legs 
ead  her  to 
s's  nothing 

'    he  said, 


BURNING  DAYUGHT  303 

Pollbr?*'Tnw*  '"^'^^"'^  /"^  questions.  How  is  this 
possible  ?  How  can  you  leave  your  business  ?  Has 
anything  happened  ?"  uBiuess  s    iiaa 

quil?"'  "'vf  tll^P*'*"*^  y^*;  >*  '*'"  ^''■■"K  t°.  blame 
Z^  ;  J  ■  y*"""  preaching  to  heart,  and  I've 
come  to  the  penitent  form.  YouTre  my  Lord  God  and 
I  ve  sure  going  to  .erve  you.  The  rest  can  go  to  thunder 
You  were  sure  right.     I've  been  the  slave  to  my  money 

Slide     Id  sooner  have  you  than  all  the  money  in  th« 

arms.        And  I  ve  sure  got  you,  Dede.     I've  .ure  got 

last  dnnk.  You  re  marrying  a  whisky-soak,  but  your 
husband  won't  be  that.  He's  going  to  gr«w  into  another 
man  so  quick  you  won't  know  him^  A^^ouple  0°  monS 
from  now,  up  '>ere  in  Glen  Ellen,  you'll  wake  un  ko^ 
morning  and  hnd  you've  got  a  peCtstT^ngeMn  t^e 
aHZa^  ^°"''^''  T,?"'ll  J^-^-  t°  g«t  introduc'e d  to  l^m 
SuT'3  T',7°""  '^l'  ^"^  '^^«-  Harnish,  who  a" 
IZl  T?  "  '"y-  ^"^  ^''■^  Hamish's  younger 
brother     I've  just  arrived  from  Alaska  to  attend  the 

■"Cv  tb  r^*  /"ri!-'  y°"'"  «*y-  And  ni  sly! 
wV Y'  i¥/."'>eral  of  that  good-for-nothing,  gambling 
wh^ky-dnnking  Burning  Daylight-the  man  th^  dfed 
of  fatty  degeneration  of  the  heart  from  sitting  in  S 
and  day  at  the  business  game.'     '  Yes  ma'am  '  I'uX 

he  8  sure  a  gone  'coon,  but  I've  come  to  take  his  plaJe 
and  make  you  happy.  And  now,  ma'am,  if  you'll  allow 
Tw  Jlr  '^'^^nder  down  to  the  pasture  and  milk  the 
cow  while  you're  getting  breakfast.'  " 

Again  he  caught  her  hand  and  made  as  if  to  start  with 
her  for  the  door.  When  she  resisted,  he  bent  and  ki3 
her  again  and  again.  " 

mnir   <"v  ^""^7  ^°l  y°"'  ""^^  woman,"  he  mur- 
mured.       You   make   thirty   millions  look  like    thirty 


Do  sit  down  and  be  senaiblp."  Rho 


urged,  her  oheeks 


304 


BURNING  DAYUOHT 


fCS  h^H  *"'''''"  "«^'^°  ^'  ^y""  burning  more  g 
tnan  he  had  ever  seen  it  before  * 

up  his  legs  and  quit  walking  and  workinc  anrlfJ 
though,  he  loved  you,  ma'am,  and  ho  did  his  best 

got  a  cocktail  thirst,  and  all  the  money  I  goTis  ad 
S    maC  r  '"""*•  ''.^  y°"^  fi«*  hulba'^d  Z 

o^ceTfrt'oSmr'Vndni:^!;-  ^"^  *.^^-  ''-'* 

you,and  say.  'M^r::  H^^li^  Z7,Xt^^o:. 
beu^  mamed  to  that  old  fat  moneylardo  ™ 
mind  marrying  a  slim  young  fellow  like  me T  ^d^v 
e^n  7^  ^*^*'  ^""y  ^°'  P°°'  °W  Dayligh  ,  and  kin 

ind  tCl'll'^W  t*^  "  r"'°«  «^P«^-°  i«  your 
and  then  111  blush  maybe  some,  being  a  voune  fel 

then^'riT/""/'"""'*  ^°"'  '^«  that^nrth?n-w 

out  and  do^r**  r"y  "^y  ''^°*'^«''«  ^idow,  and 
out  _and  do   the  chores  whUe  she's  cooking  a   bit« 

reTOherbi,r.^^'"i.*  ^"^"""^^  "^y  questions,"  , 
the  eSmce  thkf  \„'^'  '""''«'^'  "'^y  """^  ^^^iani,  fr 
hi' narrative.  ^^  'accompanied  the  culmination 

asklJ"""    ^""''    '"^''*    "^^    y°"    ^^''t    to    know?" 
"  I  want  to  know  how  aU  this  is  possible  ?    How  y 


ng  more  golden 

y,  and  when  he 
his  arm  around 

'aylight  was  a 
le's  gone.    He 
leeping  in  the 
op.     He  lifted 
;,  and  took  to 
1  whisky.     Ho 
1  his  best,  but 
s  money  more, 
Ise  more  than 
you  just  run 
am.      I  ain't 
got  is  a  dollar 
'  axe,  the  last 
'■ou  just  about 
nd  did.     You 
lere  ain't  ary 
leve  and  show 
:perience  with 
8,  do  you-all 
And  you'll 
;,  and  kind  of 
in  your  eye, 
jfoung  fellow, 
i  then — why, 
iow,  and  go 
ig  a   bite   to 

stions,"  she 
adiant,  from 
Imination  of 

know  ?"    he 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


308 

are  able  to  leave  your  business  at  a  time  like  thi»  ?    wu  * 

aUeL  your  questi'o^yotiTw^  '"''    '""''-'•  ^^ 

caiit^of  f^s^StetnrTiii'atvrhi:" ''''  '^^T- 

know  I've  got  to  make  wavC^W  I  i  "^^^  Y"" 
of  mine,  a'nd  I  aTn-rgK^gt^W'^S"" ''"*''»' 
impatent  moue  anrf  ho  „!!  .-  J  ^^  ™«d  »» 
see^fs  likTtWs  £ie  rv«  i!!!!'"^  'T'^'y-  "  Y°" 
horses  ever  since  this  bkmed  JL^t  rS'  ll^t  '"''>' 
Bome  of  those  ideas  vou'd  mV«n  mo  '    "'^.*"  *''®  *'«"' 

sprout.  Well  thev  snmS  f^-  ""^  «''"'"8  ^'"ly  to 
1  started  to  get  up  ex™S  f  ,«»°™ing.  that's  all. 
But  I  didn-f  go  r^troS  I?l*thl^;  °'«^^!'-^  --'• 
place  there  and  then  Thesunw.Tlh-  '.P^^^'ng  t"ok 
and  I  knew  it  was"  n^^:y7n£mrZ''l''^''''' 
I  wanted  to  ride  in  the  hills  with ?n.-\  ^^  ^  ^"®«' 

STkSeTan;:  ^t^  « -  -  "^«'  -- 

Because  of  t  office  Th«  "«  ™P°^?''''«-  And  why  ? 
my  money  reared  n^ht?;  on  Us  WnK*  ''*  ^^  ^' 
the  way  and  wouldn't  let  me  It's  a  wif.w'^Kf  *  '° 
money  has  of  getting  in  the  wav  Y^,  t**  ''^^T'* 
yourself.  **  ^"y-     ^o"  know  that 

divic^g  ofthe'wZ''  oL""^  T^  *'>'**  I  -»«  to  the 
other  way  led  toXrketev  Tnnl  °  ^ /'«'''«•  ^he 
"'ad.  iZ  never  gStTset^ootin°^h  *•>«  ^*«l«y 
That's  all  gone   finishfd   n^f       a^     *^^  "^'^^  ^gaii- 

-IT,  with  a  capital  I-T  "  "«  ^-T.  that  s  what  it  is 

20 


tot  BURNINO  DAYLIGHT 

doUars  stood  up  to  my  face  and  said  I  oonldn't  g 
with  you  in  the  hills  to-day,  I  knew  the  Ume  had 
for  me  to  put  my  foot  down.  And  I'm  putting  it  ( 
I've  got  you,  and  my  strength  to  work  for  you,  am 
little  ranch  in  Sonoma.  That's  all  I  want,  and 
all  I'm  going  to  save  out,  along  with  Bob  aud  Wolf, 
ca.se  and  a  hundred  and  forty  hair  bridles.  All  th( 
goes,  and  good  riddance.  It's  that  much  junk." 
But  Dode  was  insistent. 

"  Then  this — this  tremendous  loss  is  all  unneccssa 
she  asked. 

"  Just  what  I  haven't  been  telling  you.     It »«  neoet 
If  that  money  thinks  it  can  stand  up  right  to  my 

and  say  I  can't  go  riding  with  you " 

"  No,  no  ;  be  serious,"  Dode  broke  in.     "  I  don't  i 
that,  and  you  know  it.     What  I  want  to  know  is, 
a  .standpoint  of  business,  is  this  failuia  necessary  ?" 
lie  shook  his  head. 

"  You  bet  it  isn't  neaessary.     That's  the  point  < 
I'm  not  letting  go  of  it  because  I'm  licked  to  a  8tan( 
by  the  panic  and  have  got  to  let  go.     I'm  firing  it 
when  I've  licked  the  panic  and  am  winning,  hands  di 
That  just  shows  how  little  I  think  of  it.    It's  you 
counts,  little  woman,  and  I  make  my  play  accordingl 
But  she  drew  away  from  his  sheltering  arms. 
"  You  are  mad,  El  >,m." 
^  "Call    me    that   again,"    he    murmured   ecstatic 
"  It's  sure  sweeter  than  the  chink  of  millions." 
All  this  she  ignored. 
"It's    madness.    You    don't    know    what    you 

doing " 

"  Oh,  yes,  I  do,"  he  assured  her.     "  I'm  winning 
dearest  wish  of  my  heart.     Why,  your  little  finge 

worth  more " 

"  Do  be  sensible  for  a  moment." 

"  I  was  never  more  sensible  in  my  life.     I  know  m 

I  want,  and  I'm  going  to  get  it.     I  want  you  and 

open  air.     I  want  to  get  my  foot  off  the  paving-stones 

my  ear  away  from  the  telephone.     I  want  a  little  rai 


ottldn't  go  out 
time  had  come 
uttiiig  it  down, 
r  you,  and  that 
mt,  and  that's 
md  Wolf,  a  suit 
I.  All  the  rest 
junk." 

unnecessary  ?" 

It  is  necessary. 
;ht  to  my  face 

"  I  don't  mean 
know  is,  from 
essary  ?" 

le  point  of  it. 

to  a  standstill 
a  firing  it  out 
!,  hands  down. 

It's  you  that 
accordingly." 
rms. 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  j^, 

house-mUk  oTws  and  chnn"*'""':  """""•  '♦"»»  """oh- 
and  plough  the  g^'und  anft  ^^'rfr"^  '»<»«<'. 
you  there  in  the%anoh:hol  with  me  vl '  T^  I  ^'"'' 
of  evetything  else,  and  ol^n  wore  ^ut  ^^d  r  "^  ''"^ 
the  luckiest  man  alive   for  ivl      *     ^    ■^"  ^  •»  »"«» 


ecstatically. 


QS.' 


bat    you    are 

1  winning  the 
ittle  finger  is 


I  know  what 
you  and  the 
ng-stones  and 
I  little  ranch- 


the  ^'r  S  tdoK^tt"^"''-    '\'"^^  -ith 
anything."  ^  ''^"°*  '"  ''ear  anything  about 

A  minute  lat.r  ^'.,  wr..s  ',,,.k  again 

Unwfnri;.7hrore"r/.«SUt  r  '°  ^"  r  ^'^'^^ 
son,  too.    Mr.  Hegan  said  th^TJ    T   y°"'  ""^  Harri- 

are  in  trouble.     #hat  ft  loofa  as'SlC  ""'^  "°^«'^'" 
break.    And  he  said  someW  about  ^Z  V  «^^8  *° 

It  was  startling  informaton  Both  fr*"."*'""- 
«on  ^presented  big  baSrmm  ^  "'^"'  ''"'^  "arri- 
knew  that  if  the  houL  of  "  riS  ''*'°?V'''^  ^^^y^h* 
it  would  precJitaH  nu^W  o7f'*?''  «°^«"^'«^ent 
flurry  of  serious  dimeL^rV/ r.r.'  ^^'^  «**rt  » 
shook  his  head,  and  r^Sed  thf  ..^''^l'^^*  r'^'^'  '">d 
of  voice  as  he  said  -  stereotyped  office  tone 

^  n^^^Z^H!^  ^^  ''^-  «^«-  ^^^^  there 

"  WatJr  '^'J'u  "^^  *"^'"  «he  pleaded. 
u£^^„««'    he  grimly  answUd. 


Hi  ■•■■ 


308 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


He  caught  her  by  the  hand  and  drew  her  to  him 
You  let  Hegan  hang  on  to  that  line  till  he's 
We  can  t  be  wasting  a  second  on  him  on  a  day  Hi 
He  8  only  in  love  with  books  and  things,  but  I've 
real  hve  woman  in  my  arms  that's  loving  me  aU  th 
she  8  kicking  over  the  traces." 


er  to  him. 
e  till  he's  tired. 
1  a  day  like  this. 
1,  but  I've  got  a 
;  me  all  the  time 


CHAPTER  XXIII 
iV"i:  Z^:^y.  °'Jt  flg'^*  yo"  W  been 


making,"  Dede 


If  you  stop  now,  all  the 


work  you  have  done,  everything  wlllVrstro: 
have  no  rieht  to  do  it,     v„.,  „„_u  j'  "? ,'?estroy( 


id.     You 


have  no  right  to  do  it.     You  can't  d^  it".'' " 
smuffiantalTii?'""*^-     ««    ^"^^^    ^^    ^^ead    and 

do:'f °sls  'This^tsi  g^:^:  ^7  ^- 

EikerUrit-ntrr^Fr^'^i- 
watches,  in  wedSn^T^tSl^P'"'''^^"'"^ 
the  twenty-dollar  ^pieces;  tt  Z  cheJ  anf  tT"  !?r' 

r^lftZt'dt^L^  r  ^:^"  "  wSnl 
present  situation  in  ^^T  '^^  '^""^  ^^^  ^^' 
the  paper  .or  thousaL.  ofacrir  of  Cr  .n"^-  f* 
Bum  up  the  paper,  and  burn  meTlong  w^^hlt  ^h.T', 
remains,  don't  it  i    The  ™in  foil!       •7.,  ^'^^  ^^'^^ 

in  it,  th;  tr^s  grow  ouLTt  t^  ^     '  *^^  '""'^^  ^P"'"* 

ning   to   pour   in     W     ,     ".t.^^^nd.     People  are  begin- 

ThL  is  nrstopiing  Ltlide     N^n  ^""^f '"«  J°'^   ^«^'»- 

to  me  or  the  S  tVm  tW-f  matter  what  happens 

I«per,  tn..m  mrr.  Lunarea  tnousand  folks 


310 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


are  coming  just  the  same.     And  there'll  be  cars  to 

ine  honk  of  it  come  in  through  the  open  window 
lt7J^^I^  '*°P  "'""S^''^^  *^«  big  red  macCe  ] 
chauffZ.''"""  '"'  ^'*™^°"'  ^^^«  J--  -t  wi! 

„„"w"  !?  Hegan,"  Daylight  told  Dede.     "There 
need  for  the  rest.     They  can  wait  in  the  machine  " 
door  "^  ■     ^'«^°  ^^^P'^^^d   to   Dede  a, 

She  shook  her  hoad  and  showed  him  in 
^Oood- morning,    Lany,"    was    Daylight's    gree 
a  flutter"''  '"''  ■*'*  ^°"^'  ''''■     Y°^  ™r^  seem  to 
"I  am,"  the  little  Irishman  snapped  back      "C 

don:a"ck''°lih'".Tr"«  *°  ^-'^^f  -"'thi-g 

.XTgtngno'StTn'^""'^  *° '''  ^^-  '■ ' 

th;m''^i:';g^,:S:!^„''--'«^  ^-%-     "Except 
"But " 

I  don'row«l"°  ''^^^.u^'  "^""^  Grimshaw  and  Hodgl 
1  aon  t  owe  them  anythine.     Besidp«  T'«i  ,,«;„„  * 

myself^    Look  here.^^rr?.,  yotti'Lrf^rk 

when  I  make  up  my  mind  I  mean  it      WeU   I've  , 

made  up  my  mind.     I'm  tiied  of  the  whole  ImJ 

J^^Toivio'*"^^  ^^^*  -^ '  «^-  -^  ^  --^  i«  tr^icl 

Hegan  stared  at  his  chief,   then  passed  his   ".or 
stnckengaze  on  to  Dede,  who  nodded^in  s^pa  hy 

you've  i^otfod^'f'  ''';'^'  ■  ^''y""'^*  wCt^n^-" 
you  ve  got  to  do  is  to  protect  youiself  and  all  our  frier 
Now  you  Lsten  to  me  while  I  t^U  you  what  to  do  Evp 
thing  is  in  good  shape  to  do  it.  ^Nobody  mus?  geS 

SZS^^aS' thf  b°?^  "^  '""^*  cme'thZgVwith 
aamage.     All  the  back  wages  and  salaries  must  be  p 


be  cars  to  carry 
and  good  water 
;ive  them  light, 

an  automobUe, 
in  window,  and 
achine.  In  the 
es  sat  with  the 

•     "There's  no 

lachine." 

'   Dede  at   the 


?ht'8    greeting, 
seem  to  be  in 

Jack.  "  Grim- 
lome thing  isn't 
office  ?     What 

"Except   let 


>nd  Hodgkins. 
;oing  to  smash 
•  You  know 
'"ell,  I've  sure 
e  game.  I'm 
s  the  quickest 

i  his  "iorror- 
mpathy. 
nt  on.  "  All 
11  our  friends. 
'  do.  Eyery- 
ust  get  hurt. 
5ugh  without 
nust  be  paid 


BUENING  DAYLIGHT  311 

pronto.     All  the  money  I've  switched  away  from  the 

r^^L-fTST'  ,^^^  '*'*^*  '^'^'  »°d  the  ferries  must 
be  switched  back.  And  you  won't  get  hurt  yourself 
throu  h— -^   company  you  got  stock  in   wiU    come 

w?th  vo,T^  V  ''"^'abbhng  lunacy.  What  is  the  matter 
tWng  r  ^^*°  *  ^^"^  ^*""«  "  ^""S  or  some- 

"I  sure  have,"  Daylight  smiled  reply.  "And  I'm 
now  coughing  it  up.  I'm  sick  of  living  in  a  city  and 
playmg  busmess^  I'm  going  off  to  the  sunshine^  and 
the  country,  and  the  green  grass.     And  Dede,  here,  is 

EnSfuSte  mt"^""'^^  «°*  '''  "'^^"^  *°  '"'  '^^  ^^^ 
''Congratulate  the-the  devil!"  Hegan  spluttered. 
I  m  not  gomg  to  stand  for  this  sort  of  foolishness  " 
hicc..  y**"' y°''/^e  :  because  if  you  don't  there'll  be  a 
bigger  smash  and  some  folks  will  most  likely  get  hurt. 
You  re  worth  a  milhon  or  more  yourself,  now,  and  if  you 
Zt\l  "^  you  come  through  with  a  whole  skin.     I  want 

Innt?l  f  •  ^°lf  *  ^r^  *°  *^^«  """i*-  That's  what  I'm 
botong  for,  and  there's  no  man  or  bunch  of  men  can  get 
between  me  and  what  I'm  looking  for.     Sawee,  Hegan  ? 

Ded^^''^*  ^^^^  ^°"  '*°°*  *°  ^™  ■"  ^^S*'*  «°''''«d  »* 

LvL?"'"^-""  ^''^T'  ^'^■"  ^o''  tl»e  first  time  Day- 
hghts  voice  was  sharp,  while  all  the  old  lines  of  cruelty 
m  his  face  stood  forth.  "  Miss  Mason  is  going  to  be  my 
wife  anc  while  I  don't  mind  your  talking%o  her  all  you 
want,  you  ve  got  to  use  a  different  tone  of  voice  or  you'll 
be  heading  for  a  hospital,  which  will  sure  be  an  un- 
expected sort  of  smash.  And  let  me  tell  you  one 
Gather  thing.    This-all  is  my  doing.     She  says  I'm  crazy, 

tinuXoSre.  '"  '"'  '"^  ■^P*'^^'^'''^^  '^''^^'^  -^  "- 
"There'll    bo    temporary    receiverships,    of    course," 


312 


BVRmm  DAYLIGHT 


?ot%£rX  U'lo'^^^  T'*  ^^^r  none  < 

with  me,  aU  the  c  Jitts  i^,,« It"*  *^''  ^''^^ 
stood  by.  There's  the  wad  of  ,  ,*'T''™  *hat 
crowd  has  been  dickering  for  rV'^^n/?'**  ^«^  J 
of  thousand  acres  and  wlj  c'ose  i'Z  *'*^'  ''^  "^  '^  <= 
a  chance.  That  FaiJount  ^.?°'^'*^°"g'^«  then 
and  they'U  dig  up  as  S^h  «„  .f  °  ''  *^«  «i«am  ' 
for  a  part  of  it^  That'll  hL  "l  *''°"'"'"^  '^°"'»'^  an 
acre  tract  beyond  y^^u^i^feVifT.  ^^atfive-hur 
an  acre."  '^  ® '"''^•^ '^  tW  pay  two  hun 

to^i;?;  £?  ^^vrdtt^j^Tf  —-^  «"- 

confronted  the  two  men     Hert'^P'**  ^°"^*''''  ^1>«^ 
determination,    so  ThTt    tS,  .  \f  ^  ?*'«' but  set  ^ 

reminded  of  the  day  wWhIff*'    '^^''S   ^^   «- 
Wait, "  she  said      "  T  ""'^  ^°b. 

|f  you  do  this  insane  thingT^on'Hr'^'^^''^-    ^^ 
to  marry  you  "  ^  "  '  marry  you.     J  rei 

^^  Hegan,  in  spite  of  his  misery,  gave  her  a  quick.  grat< 

"Sit  r%hj 2:^-7  tbat  V^ayiight  began, 
do  this  thing,  r^Ca'y^^^'^-     "^d  if%„  do 
with^eL^;eS*4^^C^^^^^^^  ^^3^%bt  spc 

affirmation.     ^       '°°  ''^  P'^^^d'  ^Me  she  nodded  , 
;:  ^d  you'll  many  me  right  away  ?» 

"To-day?    Now?" 
"Yes." 

He  pondered  for  a  moment. 


ler  none  or  Jast 
'  to  save  eveiy- 
lieir  wages  ride 
oerns  that  have 
at  New  Jersey 
e  all  of  a  couple 
give  them  half 
®  cream  of  it, 
dollars  an  acre 
It  five-hundred 
y  two  hundred 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


313 


3ined  abruptly 
ird  where  she 
5,  but  set  with 
?  at  it,    was 

b. 

iing.    Elam, 
'ou.     I  refuse 

nick,  grateful 

3egan. 

if  you  don't 

ylight  spoke 
on-  "As  I 
siness  game, 
f  I  keep  on 


work,  and 
u  :  and  to 


CSe^f^yTefforr"  *:'  "^"1%^"'^  *''-'»  "« 
business  game  Why  11^11).^^'  t^^^  ''''^  '^^ 
me.  I'm  fur.  of  yo7-S  of  it,^^"  °«  ^^^^  --i  with 
anyway.  You  can  talk  wiU  or  won't  alZT"^  °!  ^,?"' 
you're  sure  goine  to  marrv  m^  1,1*  *i,  ^°"  ^*"*^'  ''"* 
Larry,  you'd  better  be  S^^nT  Tu  hf  ^^'^f "  .^"^^  '^°^. 
httle  while,  and  siuce  I'm^n?'  !"''««■*  t^e  hotel  in  a 
again,  bring  all  paper,  ZTj°'''l  ^J^^  '''*°  *^«  "^^^ 
rooms.  And  j^ucaT^Pt  T  """^J^^,  "***  •'^«'-  *«  °iy 
time.  This  smash  ?«^1-  ?u  ^'^^  P''"^^  ^^^  any 
quit  and  done"  «°'"^    *^°"g'^-     Sawee  ?     I',^ 

S~H»  — -'*•-  = 

a  bigger  dr^Ler  tharyou  L   th  J^'tr^^^^S  it.    ^'^ 

dreaming  what's  cor^Jg  t^"^'  S%f '  k"*^  ^  °»  ^"'^ 
dream  I  ever  had  and  F^  •  '^^  '"8S®^*'  ^'^st 
it "  "'   ^""^   ^™   going   after   it    to    get 

him.^^  lo-ng  all    you've    got,"    Hegan    exploded    at 

I'm'  tngTng'^of^f  tl''^^  ^°*  T  '  ^on't  want.  But 
just  the^Ze'^^^^^'lZ^T^l^  t\'r^'  ^^'^  ''"'>^- 
and  Harrison  and  geLn  down  t^  huste  out  to  Unwin 
and  you  can  call  m'f  u^X'tir^:^?'     ^  "  "^  -'  ^^^  hotel, 

toothfr'S'the\^nJ  "  ^°°"  ^^  ^^^^  -«  ^-e,  and 
offic;1;°L^"'V;°^'*°'  y-  needu't  come  to  the 
«member^°;°a^yo~Lr;"'"  ''?'=^-^S^^-  And 
to  me  for  a  lecommendat^n  InH  ',°  ^°"  ^^  8°*  *°  ''°'n« 
I  won't  give  you  one     1°  the ll^r"  '^  "°*  "'"'  8°°^. 

^paudthir^kioutwhatSrSTyr^^ffi-^ 


|., 


314 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


we'll  just  about  have  to  set  up  housekeeping  on  i 
sti^ff— leastwj,y8,  the  front  part  of  the  house." 

"  But,  Elam,  I  won't,  I  won't !  If  you  do  this  i 
thing  I  never  will  marry  you." 

She  attempted  to  take  her  hand  av.-ay,  but  he  oh 
on  it  with  a  protecting,  fatherly  clasp. 

"  Will  you  be  straight  and  honest  ?  All  right,  1 
goes.  Which  would  you  sooner  have— me  and  the  moi 
or  me  and  the  ranch  ?" 

"  But "  she  began. 

"  No  buts.     Me  and  the  money  ?" 
She  did  not  answer. 
"  Me  and  the  ranch  1" 

Sti'l  she  did  not  ansv.'er,  and  still  he  was  undisturb 
"You  see,  I  knov  your  amwer,  Dede,  and  the 
nothing  more  to  say.  Here's  where  you  and  I  quit  i 
hit  the  high  places  for  Sonoma.  You  make  up  your  m 
what  you  want  to  pack,  and  I'll  have  some  men 
here  in  a  couple  of  days  to  do  it  for  you.  It  will 
about  the  last  work  anybody  else  ever  does  for  us.  'i 
and  I  will  do  the  unpacking  and  the  arranging  o 
selves." 

She  made  a  last  attempt. 

"  Elam,  won't  you  be  reasonable  ?     There  is  time 
reconsider.     I  can  telephone  down  and  catch  Mr.  Het 

as  soon  as  he  reaches  the  office " 

"  Why,  I'm  the  only  reasonable  man  in  the  bunch  rij 
now,"  he  rejoined.  "  Look  at  me— as  calm  as  you  plea 
and  as  happy  as  a  king,  while  they're  fluttering  arou 
like  a  lot  of  cranky  hens  whose  heads  are  hable  to 
cut  off." 

"  I'd  cry,  if  I  thought  it  would  do  any  good,"  s 
threatened. 

"  In  which  case  I  reckon  I'd  have  to  hold  you  in  i 
arms  some   more   and  sort  of  soothe  you   down," 
threatened  back.     "  And  now  I'm  going  to  go.     It's  t 
bad  you  got  rid  of  Mab.     You  could  have  sent  her 
to  the  ranch.     But  I'll  see  you've  got  a  mare  to  ride 
some  sort  or  other." 


pmg  on  your 
e." 
do  this  mad 

but  he  closed 

11  right,  here 
id  the  money, 


undisturbed 
and  there's 
id  I  quit  and 
ip  your  mind 
me  men  out 
It  will  be 
for  us.  You 
panging  our- 


re  is  time  to 
h  Mr.  Hegan 

I  bunch  right 
s  you  please, 
iring  around 
liable  to  be 

'  good,"  she 

1  you  in  my 
down,"  lie 
;o.  It's  too 
sent  her  up 
?e  to  ride  of 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  315 

^^As_he  stood  at  the  top  of  the  steps,  leaving,  she 

"You   needn't  send   those   men.    There   wiU   be   no 
paoW,  because  I  am  not  going  to  many  youT 
the  st^s''     ^        ""''^^'"  ^  *'^^''«™d,  and  went  down 


% 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

Three  days  later,  Daylight  rode  to  Berkeley  in  hi 
car.     It  was  for  the  last  time,  for  on  the  morrow  th 
machine  passed  into  another's  possession.    It  had 
a  strenuous  three  days,  for  his  smash  had  been  the  bi 
the  pamc  had  precipitated  in  California.    The  pi 
had  been  fUled  with  it,  and  a  great  cry  of  indignatior 
gone  up  from  the  very  men  who  later  found  that 
light  had  fully  protected  their  interests.    It  was  l 
facts,  coming  slowly  to  light,  that  gave  rise  to  the  w 
repeated  charge  that  Daylight  had  gone  insane     It 
the  unammous  conviction  among  business  men  tha 
sane  man  could  possibly  behave  in  such  fashion 
the  other  hand,  neither  his  prolonged  steady  drin 
nor  his  affair  with  Dede  became  public,  so  the  only 
elusion  attainable  was  that  the  wild  financier  from  Al 
had  gone  lunatic.     And  Daylight  had  grinned  and 
lirmed  the  suspicion  by  refusing  to  see  the  reporters 
lie  halted  the  automobile  before  Dede's  door  and 
her  with  his  same  rushing  tactics,  enclosing  her  in 
arms  before  a  word  could  be  uttered.     Not  until  ai 
ward,  when  she  had  recovered  herself  from  him  and 
him  seated,  did  he  begin  to  speak. 

"I've  done  it,"  he  announced.  "You've  seen 
newspapers,  of  course.  I'm  plumb  cleaned  out,  and 
just  caUeJ  around  to  find  out  what  day  you  feel 
starting  for  Glen  Ellen.  It'll  have  to  be  soon,  for 
real  expensive  living  in  Oakland  these  days  My  bo 
at  the  hotel  is  only  paid  to  the  end  of  the  week,  and  I  ct 
afford  to  stay  on  after  that.  And  beginning  with 
morrow  I  ve  got  to  use  the  street  cars,  and  they  sure 
up  the  nickels." 

316 


eley  in  his  red 
norrow  the  big 
It  had  been 
een  the  biggest 
.    The  papers 
idignation  had 
uid  that  Day- 
It  was  these 
)  to  the  widely 
isane.     It  was 
men  that  no 
fashion.    On 
Bady  drinking 
the  only  con- 
ir  from  Alaska 
med  and  con- 
reporters, 
ioor,  and  met 
ng  her  in  his 
>t  until  after- 
him  and  got 

Ve  seen  the 
out,  and  I've 
you  feel  like 
soon,  for  it's 
i.  My  board 
k,  and  I  can't 
ing  with  to- 
they  sure  eat 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  3^^ 

He  paused  and  waited,  and  ooked  at  her.  IndecigfcJn 
and  trouble  showed  on  her  face.  Then  the  smile  he  Sw 
so  well  began  to  grow  on  her  lips  and  in  her  eyet  untU 

askl?^^"  *"*  *^°*'  ™^°  """""^  *°  P""^  ^°'  ™e  r  ,h6 

And  again  she  laughed  and  simulated  a  vain  attemnt 
to  escape  his  bearlike  arms.  attempt 

.tl^^u  ,^*'?'"/*«'  whispered;  "dear  Elam."  And 
of  herself,  for  the  first  time,  she  kissed  him         "'       ^^ 

6he  ran  her  hand  caressingly  through  his  hair. 
I     L.-tl  ^^'®^  "^  ^"  8old  right  now,"  he  said      "  I  can 
look  m  them  and  t«ll  just  how  much  you  love  me." 

tim«     7iT  ^^°  "",S°'''  ^°'  y°"'  Elam,  for  a  long 

Sold "       °"  ""^  '*"'  '"""*'■  *^"y  ^'"  ^•^''y^  bf 

wJ'  ^''"'■i' u""  ^T  ^°^^  '"  '*'  *°°'  «■  sort  of  fiery  gold  " 
He  turned  her  face  suddenly  and  held  it  between  his 
hands  and  looked  long  into  her  eyes.     "  And  voreves 

She  nodded  and  laughed. 

T  l^lT'^^"^^  ^^^^  y°"''  '^^'"  «t«  confessed.  "But 
I  couldn  t  be  a  party  to  such  madness.     All  that  money 

S'n  t^  -frV^'!  ^°y  y°"  ^'*'  *'«'^ki'»g  the  thirty! 
nulhon  toy  with  which  you  had  grown  tired  of  playSg 
And  when  I  said  no,  I  knew  aU  the  time  it  was  yes.^  A^^d 
I  am  sure  that  my  eyes  were  golden  all  the  time.  l1Sd 
only  one  fear  and  that  was  that  you  would  fail  to  lose 
everything.  Because,  dear,  I  knew  I  should  ™  °Z 
anyway,  and  I  did  so  want  just  you  and  the  ™^  and 
Bob  and  Wolf  and  those  hoJsehair  bridles  sSl  I  t^3 
rwhomT^ld  tr""  -  ^-  '-''  '  -'eP'^onSrnSn" 


tou  see,  Elam,  in  spite  of  what  my  lips  said, 


my 


318 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


mind  was  made  up  then.  I-I  simply  had  to  niairy  y 
iiut  I  was  praying  you  would  succeed  in  losing  eve 
thing  And  so  I  tried  to  find  what  had  wcome  of  Mi 
i3ut  the  man  had  sold  her  and  did  not  know  what  li 
become  of  her.  You  see,  I  wanted  to  ride  with  you  o^ 
the  Glen  Ellen  hills,  on  Mab  and  ygu  on  Bob,  just  a. 
had  ndden  with  you  through  the  Piedmont  hills  " 

The   disclosure   of   Mab's   whereabouts    trembled 
Daylight's  lips,  but  he  forbore. 

'»/!'  promise  you  a  mare  that  you'll  like  just  as  mui 
as  Mab,    ho  said. 

But  Dede  shook  her  head,  and  on  that  one  noi 
refused  to  be  comforted. 

"  Now,  I've  got  an  idea,"  Daylight  said,  hastening  i 

get  the  conversation  on  less  perilous  ground.     "We' 

running  away  from  cities,  and  you  have  no  kith  nor  ki 

so  It  don't  seem  exactly  right  that  we  sJ.onld  start  o 

by  getting  married  in  a  city.     So  here's  *he  ■   ea  •  I'll  ru 

up  to  the  ranch  and  get  things  in  shape  around  the  hous 

and  give  the  caretaker  his  walking-papers.     You  foUo' 

me  in  a  couple  of  days,  coming  on  the  morning   trail 

111  have  the  preacher  fixed  and  waiting.     And  here' 

another  idea.     You  brin„  your  riding  togs  in  a  suit  ca.s€ 

And  as  soon  as  the  ceremony's  over,  you  can  go  to  th 

hotel  and  change.     Then  out  you  come,  and  you  find  m, 

waiting  with  a  couple  of  horses,  and  we'll  ride  over  tb 

landscape  so  as  you  can  see  the  prettiest  parts  of  th( 

ranch  the  first  thing.     And  she's  sure  pretty,  that  ranch 

And  now  that  it's  settled,  I'll  be  waiting  for  you  at  th« 

mormng  train  day  after  to-morrow." 

Dede  blushed  as  she  spoke. 

"  You  are  such  a  hurricane." 

"Well,  ma'am,"  he  drawled,  "I  sure  hate  to  bum 
claylight.  And  you  and  I  have  burned  a  heap  of  daylight 
We  ve  been  scandalously  extravagant.  We  might  have 
been  married  years  ago." 

Two  days  later,  Daylight  stood  waiting  outside  the  Httle 
Wen  Ellen  hotel.     The  ceremony  was  over,  and  he  had 


0  marry  yon. 
jsing  every- 
ome  of  Mab. 
iw  what  had 
ith  you  over 
)b,  just  as  I 
lills." 
rembled  on 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  319 

loft  Dode  to  go  inside  and  change  int..  her  riding  hMt 

Ti^Mab  a;°7''*.,*^^^'*■  "«  •^"''^  the„rno"f  Bob 
lavan,!  l'  1^'°  'to  shadow  of  the  watering-trough  VVolf 

DavhZw„  «'*''  "*""  "'''"'  ^^  »"'''«''*  bronze  in 
i^ayiights  face.  But  warmer  still  was  the  irlnur Tv^f 
come  into  his  cheekS  and  burned  in  It  eZ  f  he  saw 
Itedo  corning  out  the  door,  riding-whip  in  hand   dad^n 

montTa'"  Th'""^  ^'''*  ""^i*  ''««'"'«  "^  the  old  Kei" 
mont  days.     1  here  was  warmth  and  glow  in  her  own  faPA 

zt:  ''^hrsh'^'  ^''vr'^  ^i'^^^'^^'  -  p-t  w.n  tVr 

ioTh"  man         ^'  *""  ''"'■     ^"*  ^'^  Saze  leaped  back 
"  Oh,  Elam  1"  she  breathed. 

fhi*  "^'^A  "'™°'*'  ''  P^J"''  but  a  prayer  that  included  a 
thousand  meanings.     Uaylight  strove  to  feign  shoenth 

T^^""'  ^'  ^^nV'-'"'  «'"^"S  too  wild  a  soTg  for^:^' 
playfulnes.s.  AU  things  had  been  in  the  nan^nV  ofhi^ 
name-reproach,  refined  away  bv  eratitii,r  !ni  n 
compounded  of  joy  and  love.         ^   e^^'t^'le,    and   aU 

Sbe  stepped  forward  and  caressed  the  mare  and  aeain 
turned  and  looked  at  the  ma  ^  and  breattod  1-       ^  '° 
Uh,  Elam  ! 

Again  he  strove  for  playfulness  of  speech,  but  it  was 

n  S^  '"°r'^*  t  ^"^"^  ^°^«  face«ousnesso  enter 
n„  l^r.  " '?°^f -,  ^'^^ gathered  the  reias,  and,  bending 
Dayhght  received  her  foot  in  his  hand.  She  spraneas 
he  hfted,  and  gained  the  saddle.     The  next  momenf  b« 

ahead  in  his  own  t^y-pical  wolf-trot,  they  went  unthe  hill 

hat  led  out  of  town-two  lovers  on  two  chestnut  sorS 

steeds,  nding  out  and  away  to  honeymoon  through  the 

ZT  'T'^'^^'^y-J'^y^-^S^^i-^tinrZeli  drunkenaTwSh 

th.n%K       ''^  ^*  ^^°  ^"P""'^*  P'in'*«Ie  cf  life.     HiKher 
than  this  no  man  onni-i  «i;~,i,  -f-  t-- -,  ..    .  ^^B'ler 


'  chmb  nor  had 


ever  climbed.     It 


sso 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


s  t 


wa.  hi«  day  of  days   his  love-time  and  hi.,  mating 

naa  said     Oh,  Elam !"  as  she  had  said  it,  and  lool 
him  out  of  her  soul  as  she  had  l,«,ked 
They  cleared  the  crest  of  the  hiU,  and  ho  watche 

He  ^^fil''  ^rJr"  ""  "^^  8"^'' ""  the  sw^t  fresh 
He  po  nted  out  the  group  of  heavily  wooded  faiolb  « 
the  rolling  stretches  of  ripe  grain 

'They're  ours  "  he  said.     "  And  they're  only  a  s« 

of  the  ranch.    Wait  till  you  see  the  big  cafioV   ' 

are    coons  down  there,  and  back  here  on  the  Soi 

there  are  mink.    And  deer  !-why,  that  mountoin^s 

thick  with  them,  and  I  reckon  we  can  scareTp  a  mo„n 

lion  If  we  want  to  real  hard.    And,  say,  t Ws  a 

meadow-weU.  I  ain't  going  to  tell  yo^u  anoXrv 

You  wait  and  see  for  yourself."  "lotner  v 

They  turned  in  at  the  gate,  where  the  road  to  the  ( 

pit  crossed  the  fields,  and  both  sniffed  with  deStht  a 

warm  aroma  o    the  ripe  hay  rose  in  thefmSs 

on  his  first  visit,  the  larks  were  uttering  their  rich  n 

and  fluttering  up  before  the  horses  untU  the  wooi 

the  flower-scattered  glades  were  reached  when  th«  I, 

gave  way  to  blue  jays  and  woodpecker  '''  '' 

Were  on  our  land  now,"  he  said   as  thAv  utt 

hayfield  behind.     "  It  nms  right  acS  counWover 

roughest  parts.    Just  you  wait  and  see  "     ™^^ '"'^'^ 

As  on  the  first  day,  he  turned  aside  from  the  rl«.v 

and  worked  through  the  woods  to  the  1^  ptsi"^ 

first  spnng  and  jumping  the  ho^es  over  the  rCneTn 

nants  of  the  stake-and-rider  fence.     From  here  on   n 

was  ,n  an  unending  ecstasy.     By  the  sorin^Zf 

among  the  redwools  grewLoth^r  greaT"fd  Sy  Z^ 

waxen  beUs%h*'r  '""l  PJ"°/'«'°"«  outburB^of  w 
waxen  bells     This  time  he  did  not  dismount,  but  led 
way  to  the  deep  canon  where  the  stream  had  cut  a  oal 
among  the  knolls.     He  had  been  at  work  here  and  a  s^ 
and  shppery  horse  trail  now  crossed  the  creek   so  tt 

S  Ztt'^""''  *.^"«^  *^«  «°'"»'-  redwood  t^lig 
and,  farther  on,  through  a  tangled  wood  of  oak  a 


lis  matinjf-time, 
I  of  a  mate  who 
,  and  looked  at 

lie  watched  the 
ifoet,  fresh  land, 
'd  knolls  across 

5  only  a  sample 
cofSon.  There 
n  the  Sonoma 
lountain's  sure 
>p  a  mountoin- 
there's  a  little 
another  word. 

td  to  the  clay- 
delight  as  the 
nostrils.  As 
leir  rich  notes 
be  woods  and 
hen  the  larks 

they  left  the 
ntry  over  the 

I  the  clay-pit 
.  passing  the 
>  ruined  rem- 
ere  on,  Dede 
that  gurgled 
lily,  bearing 
ret  of  white 
,  but  led  the 
!ut  a  passage 
,  and  a  steep 
Jek,  so  they 
lod  twilight, 
of  oak  and 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


where  the  g«*n  stoo7.ai:;fi  "'""""«  "' '«""'«'  -"s. 
g^®"^-"^n»ylight  said.       * 

«--£-f  «i"bl!^  u  i^ent'ttV"'"'  "'  '^"  "P« 
likes'"'"*  '"°-"''-  Hay,..shccr!:f -..The  kind  Mab 

4£5a'::f^::;d^S--"-c- 

And  you  never  told  me  nil  .i,-  T"     l 
lj>n,  as  they  looked  across  the  Utn?       "^  «Proachcd 
descending  slopes  of  Cdl  to  1^^       !"«""'' °^''^  *•>« 
"f  Sonoma  Valley  °  *'**'  «•*"'  """^'ng  «weep 

.h^SirthitcTt'i^rci^^^^^^^^      -nt  "-i^ 

(o  the  lUy  by  the  spring  ""'"'  ^""^  """'^ 

hiiSC.?:- :j,-r  ;ed  up  ^^--«ie  of  the  steep 
•™y  up  the  zigzags,  they  caLhf  .r  ^  ^^^^  ^"""^"^  '^eir 
'hrough  the  sea  of  foliage      YS,wiv"P'''  °f  ""''  ^^^n 
glimpses  stopped  by  the 'nln:;n„    •  ?^'^  '?"*  their  farthest 
^hvays,  as  they  climbed  did  th^f^^'^'f  °^  ^reen,  and,  yet 
"ith  only  he.^  and  the,2  ri  fs    w    ™°*""''^°"«^'>«»d- 
f'afts  of  sunlight  to  pen  trafe     And  K"f  .^^""^'^'^ 
t'Tns,  a  score  of  varfeties  Zn,  Vh^,^    ^"l'*  *'>^™  ^''e"' 
maidenhair  to  huge  brakl:    fv       ,  *•  V"^  g°ld-backs  and 
•hem,   as  theyTounted    l^v     l''*^*  ^''"^  *^»-     ^^^^ 
trunks  and  branTne"  of  ancSf  f '"^'^'^  ^"'^^  S«*ried 
were  similar  great  glrLTathr-  ^"'  '^''°^«  *»>- 
of  Si  ^'°PP«<^  ^-  l>o.e  and  sighed  with  the  beauty 

-4  the  sun.  buf  this  ^T^  an^^  tt°r  .^oS 

^■-W^H^roniif [J-Tde^'^*   a   dog-tooth   violet, 
made  her  rein  in  again      °'^"^"'^'*"^'  «'^"gln  her  eye  and 
Thev  -^         '    - 


-  -  ■■  .  .m  crust  auu  emerged  from  the 


pool 


21 


as 


322 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


If  into  another  world,  for  now  they  were  in  the  tM 
ot  velvet-trunked  young  madrofios  and  looking  d 
the  open,  sun-washed  hiUside,  a^jross  the  noddine  eras 
to  the  drifts  of  blue  and  white  nomophUs  that  carp, 
the  tmy  meadow  on  either  side  the  tiny  stream.  I 
clapped  her  hands. 

"It'i  sure  prettier  than  office  furniture,"  Davli 
remarked.  •' 

"  It  sure  is,"  she  answered. 

And  Daylight,  who  knew  his  weakness  in  the  use 
the  particular  word  sure,  knew  that  she  had  repea 
It  dehberately  and  with  love. 

They  crossed  the  stream  and  took  the  cattle  track  o 
the  low  rocky  hill  and  through  the  scrub  forest  of  m 
zamta,  till  they  emerged  on  the  next  tiny  valley  w 
Its  meadow-bordered  streamlet. 

"  If  we  don't  run  into  some  quail  pretty  soon,  I'll 
surprised  some,"  Daylight  said. 

And  as  the  words  left  his  lips  there  was  a  wild  sei 
ot  explosive  thrummings  as  the  old  quail  arose  from 
about  Woh,  while  the  young  ones  scuttled  for  safe 
and  disappeared  miraculously  before  the  spectato 
very  eyes. 

He  showed  her  the  hawk's  nest  he  had  found  in  f 
lightning-shattered  top  of  the  redwood,  and  she  discover 
a  wood-rat's  nest  which  he  had  not  seen  before.  Ne 
they  took  the  old  wood-road  and  came  out  on  the  doz 
acres  of  clearing  where  the  wine  grapes  grew  in  the  wir 
coloured  volcanic  soil.  Then  they  foUowed  the  co 
path  through  more  woods  and  thickets  and  scatten 
glades,  and  dropped  down  the  hiUside  to  where  the  fan 
house,  poised  on  the  lip  of  the  big  caiion,  came  into  vie 
only  when  they  were  right  upon  it. 

Dede  stood  on  the  wide  porch  that  ran  the  length  i 
the  house  while  Daylight  tied  the  horses.  To  Dede 
was  very  quiet.  It  was  the  dry,  warm,  breathless  calr 
of  Cahforma  midday.  All  the  world  seemed  dozinf 
From  somewhere  pigeons  were  cooing  lazily.  With  i 
deep  sigh  of  satisfaction,  Wolf,  who  had  drunk  his  i 


in  the  thicket 
looking  down 
dding  grasses,  j 
that  carpeted  I 
tream.    Dede  I 

e,"   Daylight 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


—  321 

itt'ShTp^^^rvi-^^ 

«t"niing,  and%aught  her  breath  i°f°>.*^^^  °f  Daylight 
He  took  her  hand  in  his  and  ««  h»  ^^f  5'^*'^  "take, 
felt  her  hesitate.  S  he  nut  hi  "'^  *^^  door-knob, 
door  swung  open.  anZiCtty^p™  ~<i  ^' :  the 


Q  the  use  of  I 

liad  repeated  I 

le  track  over  | 
irest  of  man- 
valley  with  I 

soon,  I'll  be  I 

a  wild  series! 

■ose  from  all! 

i  for  safet)[ 

spectators'! 

ound  in  the  I 
e  discovered  I 
!fore.  Next  I 
n  the  dozen  I 
in  the  wine- 1 
d  the  cow- 1 
d  scattered! 
re  the  farm- 1 
le  into  view  I 


'.'tf'l 


le  length  > 
To  Dede  ill 
thless  calm  I 
led  dozing.  [ 
V-  With  a  I 
unk  his 


CHAPTER  XXV 

skmmsm 

wandering,   who  had  m^I^  \    P^'^°'^'  after  fa 

was  less  ouLunexpeTedfn?W%''T  ^^"^^    ^^^^ 
while  theirs  was  Tu  Th«^      k.    ^  ''^*''°«^  ^'t^i  "^^^^ 

when  he  had  calc^ted'  ^S^**  Aoh*''"'"^^'^ 
no  less  achievement,  while  thTnm^;  ^''^^^^"'ent  was 
rational  and  .ceivad  ffsln^LToTLltr"^'^  '^'"' 

324 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


I      o  be  of  no  less  paramount  mLt  r'"Pa«'«ve  standard, 
-n  the  field  o/fina~tS 7n   ""^^^^'^^'^^Klinkne; 

I    "^'ons^  The  hawks  Vd^^l,^/^"*  him  for  several 
many    Dowsetts,    Lettons    Tnd    ^  u°°'^  ^""^  «° 

struck  at  him  secretly.  The  sea  J"Sgenhammei^  that 
tOMsed  its  surf  against  the  bonf^  •  ^^  ^«getation  that 
and  that  ^ometiLs^Lot  ^n  "  d  flon'^  °i  .^"  ^'  "'^^rings 
was  no  mean  enemy  to  contend  I  ?^"^  'J"  ^  ^'°S'«  ^^ek 
fat-soiled  vegetable-garden  in  tl!.  *'?'^  '"'"^"«-  His 
fa.led  of  its  be.t  wa^a  probfem  nf ''°°''  °^  ^'  '^^* 
ance  and  when  he  had  solved  it  bvn  Z^"'''''^  ™P°rt- 

it:erUefinit^:~j^^^^^^^ 

-able  Without  e^^irl^- ^^  -  -P-^cl  ^and 

Jbt^fpUtseXLatiS^S'-^,  ««  - 
of  a  number  of  his  hair  briZs  t-  T^  *  '""^^^  «ale 
though  more  than  once  he  was  fn  T*  ^^  ^^'^  himself, 
hold  tight  w:th  a  pipe^^^,  ^X^  *°  !?:"  '°  ^-^^  *° 
the  bath-tub  and  the  stSSv  t^  '"  *''"  '''^'  ^^^^ 
m  working  order,  he  could  If     ,     ^^"^  installed  and 

from  the  contemplatL  ofwhirr^^h  ^'T  !?'"?^«"  ^^^^^^ 
The  first  evening,  missinc  ZT t,^^^""^^  ^"^  brought 
him,  lamp  in  h^ndSJ^^kf'.'""^^^  «»d  found 
He  rubbed  his  hank  over  !h2»  "it  S'""  ^*  "^«  t»bs. 
laughed  aloud,  and  wal  aVter°^^  ^°°'^'''  "P«  '^''d 
»he  caught  him  thus  seot7/!:"l^' """^ ''"^  ^'^^^ 
prowess.  secretly  exultmg    in    his    own 

that  ^rV£:  £T^  ZS-r^m  and  plumbing 
where  he  slowly  gathered  l""    -  ^orkshop^ 

And  he,  who  in  the  old  days  of^T^-  °^  '"^^^  ^°°^ 
purchase  immediately  whSevl/h!  -^l  ?'"'°"^'  ''""Id 
the  new  joy  of  the^p^S^tf  ^Lff)^  ^^'i^e,  learned 
economy  and  desire  10^1^=^  ^?^°^"  "P°°  rigid 
months  before  dan^g  iSf  e^T'^'  ^^  ^^'^^^  three 
'ng  tne  extravagance  of  a   Yankee 


326 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


Borew-dnver,  and  his  glee  in  the  marveUous  li 
mech^msm  was  bo  keen  that  Dede  conceived  forthr 
a  great  idea.    For  six  months  she  saved  her  egg-mo, 

presented  him  with  a  turning-lathe  of  wonderful  s 
phcity  and  multifarious  efficiencies.  And  their  mu 
debght  m  the  tool  which  was  his.  was  only  equaUed 
then-  dehght  ,n  Mab's  first  foal,  which  was  Dede's  "S 
pnvate  property.  o  =  =i«> 

thl^^^"'^  «°*  ?*"  ^¥  ^""''^  ^"nimer  that  DayUght  bi 

n»,i- V.  "  ^^^^^  ^'""Ss  took  time,  and  Dede  t 

Sk«  nf'T  °°*  '"^  ^.  ^"""y-    Theirs  was  not 
m^take  of  the  average  city-dweller  who  flees  in  uJt 

Zir"  TT'"'l}°  **»«  '°^-    They  did  not  essay 
much     Neither  did  they  have  a  mortgage  to  cleat 

o  fnn7  ^Tlt  ""u^f-  They  wanted  little  in  the  w 
of  food  and  they  had  no  rent  to  pay.  So  they  plami 
unambzt.ously.  reserving  their  lives  for  each  other^ 
tor  the  compensations  of  countiy-dwelling  from  whi 
the  average  eountiy-dweller  is  barred.  From  Ferauso 
example,  too  they  profited  much.  Her«  waTa  mfn  w 
asked  for  but  the  plainest  fare;  who  ministereTto  1 
wvn  simple  needs  with  his  own  hands  ;  who  worked  o 
as  a  labourer  only  when  he  needed  money  to  buy  boo 
and  magazines  ;  and  who  saw  to  it  that  the  major  porti, 
W  '  r  ^"^  *™*'  V'  ^"^  enjoyment.     He  loved  to  lo 

v>h  f^^T°'^  '"■  ^^^  '^'^^  '^'^^  his  books  or  to  be  , 
with  the  dawn  and  away  over  the  hills 

On  occasion  he  accompanied  Dede  and  Daylight  c 
deer  hunts  through  the  wild  caiions  and  over  th™ 

Dayhght  were  out  alone.     This  riding  was  one  of  the 

^^nf  ^T  /r'^  ""'^^  ^"'^  "'^^^^  in  the  hills  th 
explored  and  they  came  to  know  every  secret  spring  ar 
hidden  dell  in  the  whole  surrounding  wall  of  the  vflle 

I^tJhf^?^  *"  ^^'  i'""^  ^"'^  cow-paths  ;  but  nothir 
dehghted  them  more  than  to  essay  the  roughest  and  mo" 
impossible  ndes.  where  they  were  glad  to  crouch  an 


rellous  little 
red  forthright 
>r  egg-money, 
I  his  birthday 
jnderful  sim- 
their  mutual 
'■  equalled  by 
3ede's  special 

)aylight  built 
I's  across  the 
id  Dede  and 
^as   not   the 
ees  in  ul  tra- 
ct essay  too 
to  clear,  nor 
I  in  the  way 
hey  planned 
h  other  and 
from  which 
1  Ferguson's 
1  a  man  who 
tered  to  his 
worked  out 
3  buy  books 
ajor  portion 
oved  to  loaf 
or  to  be  up 

Jaylight  on 
'  the  rugged 
1  Dede  and 
)ne  of  their 
e  hills  they 
:  spring  and 
the  valley. 
)ut  nothing 
't  and  most 
crouch  and 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  327 

crawl   along   the   narrowest   deer-runs     Bob   an^    m  k 

of  wMd  flrXlat  In  I  "-"^ht'the  -eds  and  bulbs 
Along  the  fo^t  traU  whi^h  ?Tf  "^  T"^  °"  **»«  ^'^noh- 
caiion  to  the  intlke  of  f  K  f""^"  ^^^  "'^^  °^  ^^  »>ig 
their  femej  It  lU  nS  «  7  'T P^'  ^^'^  established 
were  left  7o  themse  ves  id?"'  !fT'  ?'l*^«  ^'^ 
introduced  new  oTes torn  tS^e  to  1«  t'^'^*  "^T^^ 
from  one  wild  habitatTo  «^Ll  tJ  "^^^g-ng  them 
with  the  wHdLcXhL^^hfv;  7*  "^^  *^«  «'^°»« 
Mendocino  Countv     ^f  >,      ^  S''*  ^^  '^°*  '"  ^'^  f^^m 

the  rancrand!  aLr  beiSrh'Ln'  °'  ''''  "^^^''^  ">' 
to  its  own  devices      'PW??    JK       "f  *  ^®^'°°'  ■"'^b  left 

California    f^';;'  .i^'l^ttr'^SV^t  S°^  '""^ 

and  declared  war  ir'       !nv  ,L   ,    ^^^ter-cress  garden 
wedding  day  Dede  had  din7  "^Y'^^l^S  ^attaU.     On  her 

t2'.\ti;\l'lZi:'  t"  '''''\  ^°^  ^--  they 
time,  and  lent  a  hand  t  ?  P^"'"'^'  ^""^  time  to 
shrubs  grew  of  ?hemSv  ^  "and'Lir"'  ^""^'^  ^"'^ 
violation  of  the  naturlrenvflme"  o  ^'^ThT'  ""'  "^ 
the  woman  made  no  effort  toTX™  a  I^'  "'^^  *°f 

ii-L..!,,,..o  a  Hoover  or  shrub 


328 


BUENING  DAYLIGHT 


the  cows  and  theSs  raJat  n^'  """^  ^^^  '°^^'  «^ 
over  them,  and  flower  or  sLk  ?"!,*'"*  '"^'"'e  them  . 
But  the  blasts  wernotnoSw"^/"/"^"  "«  "h'*"'" 
wew  few  in  number  and  th«.^i.T"^«'  ^°^  ^^e 
other  hand,  DaZht  oSd  LI  f  ,  ^^.  '"""S^-  0«  ** 
hordes  to  pastu^TLh'Jould  half'"  'Vi^^^  "^  ''"^^^ 
and  a  half  per  head  per  l^^^ZtT^^'^ .^  '^°"'* 
d.J.ec.u.eofthede4statieh"o^Ut^^^^^^^ 

thaUrwedTeVCement^r  '"^^  ^°— «« 
Daylight  had  ridden  acZs?hevl^f«*^'*  T ^""P^"' 
confer  with  him  about  T.  ,i^  . !!  ,  ^  '"°'^  ^^"^  °nce  to 
only  other  preLt  at  f)!     "°'^^':taking,  and  he  was  the 

Venus,  the  chafing-dish  ^ZJL^r^^'  ■  ^^^  Crouched 
Already,  in  addition  to  Cm  '*^«lltt«^ng  accessories, 
those  of  deer  and  cotoianr^  ^^'^'^'^^  ^^^,  were 
Daylight  had  kiUed  ^ThP  Tit  ""^"'^ntain-lion  which 
Blo.^«and  ,ahS^^  done  himself, 

hg?:dntr%rc'4  ^s-  r '^^-^  ^*  -'^ 

as  the  flames  leaned  ,m  Ilf  »aiizamta   wood  crackled 

largerlogs     TSslte^anedin?.   \^  f"'  ^^^  ^^'^  °f  the 
arm,  and  the  tCe  stood  and  It  !,'^'^'°*^^^  husband's 

When  Fergusr  give  jSmetit'^l'*"*^^^^^^^^ 

face  and  extended  hand    ^'  '*  ^^  ^'^^  beaming 

L'':hot%,jLrh'Yd  tt'n- ■  ^^^  ''^^'■ 

shook  has  w.-th  e'iuil  fervour  and  S^'  "?''  ^^^^^^ht 
on  the  lips.     ThevvvplV.        ?.  '  bendmg,  kissed  Bede 


BCROTNO  DAILIOHT  ™ 


I 

I 
I 


f 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

Daylight  had  made  no  assertion  of  total  abstinenc 
though  he  had  not  taken  a  drink  for  months  after  the  d< 

irnv^  k'  *,°.  '!*  ^''  ''"'^'""^^  «°  t°  ™«'h-  Soon  1 
proved  lurnself  strong  enough  to  dare  to  take  a  drii 

without  takmg  a  second.  On  the  other  hand,  with  h 
IT^f  *?  'T  ^V''i',^°™*''>''  ^'^  V<^^A  all  desire  ai 

thn  f  Zt""?^^  ^'  ft  ""^  y^^™"e  ^°^  "■  -^nd  even  forg, 
that  It  existed.  Yet  he  refused  to  be  afraid  of  it,  and  i 
town  on  occasion,  when  invited  by  the  storekeene 
would  reply  :  "  All  right,  son.  If  my^taking  a  drinT^ 
make  you  happy,  here  goes.     Whisky  for  mine  " 

But  such  a  drink  begat  no  desire  for  a  second     ] 

made  no  impression      He  was  too  pr^foundl--  strong  t 

be  affected  by  a  tWmbleful.     As  he  had  prophesied 

f .      ^Tfu^  Daj^ight,   the  city  financier,   had  die 

a  quick  death  on  the  ranch,  and  his  younger  brothe, 

he  Daylight  from  Alaska,  had  taken  his  place     Th 

threatened  inundation  of  fat  had  subsided,  and  all  hi 

old-time  Indian  leanness  and  litheness  of  muscle  ha, 

returned.     So   likewise,  did  the  old  slight  hollows  In  W 

cheeks  come  back.     For  him  they  indicated  the  pink  o 

physical  condition     He  became  the  acknowledged^Z,n 

man  of  Sonoma  Valley,  the  heaviest  lifter  and  hardes' 

winded  among  a  husky  race  of  farmer  folk.     And  one, 

a  year  he  celebrated  his  birthday  in  the  old-fashionec 

hTf^\r^'  ''\^"«"f  "g  ''•l  *he  vaUey  to  come  up  th 
hill  to  tho  ranch  and  be  put  on  its  back.     And  a  fair 

ard  c°b1ld      ''/'"'^  '■t'P°"''f  •  ^^""^J"*  '^'  women-foT 
and  children  along,  and  picnicked  for  the  day 

Feranwl  ^^^"^  'f  "?''  °\  "^^^^  «^«'>'  ^^  ^ad  followed 

lerguson  s  example  of  working  at  day's  labour  :  hnt,  h. 

33U 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


331 

shook  his  head.     FurtWmon,    h       ^''^^  "^^"^  ^«'' 
the  breaking  of  J^ai^ZiZ^lJi:::'^^''!^^}^: 
sure  not  going  to  die  from  ovenvork J-  he  a.rred  T)^ 
and  he  accepted  such  work  onlv  ^v>,-.„  !,     u  7       f''®  ' 
money     La^r  hn  fcLTi    a  ^     ''®"  **''  ^^^d  to  have 

where^froffllf^ie  to  H^    f  ".  "T^-   '"°  '"  *^«  ?'*«*"'«■ 

foldero's,  with  forty  doling     ^Tf   ''**^'''    ""'*    «»"»» 
can't  buV  Wk  fo/„„  "^""j  ^nd  torty  million  doUai^ 

youlToodtointaTn  .°°'  '^^  ^''^^  ^  ^'""'^  "^e  with 

totditri-ttrfnfis^^^^^^^^^^^ 

never  overdone.     Nevertheless    tw   "''  ''^  ,^^^  ^rmself 

bothheandDedewerrnorabovI  /'■"'^  *""''  '^^^^ 
bedtime  after  sevrtv  or  Z  '"""^^'^ng  tiredness  at 
SometiLrwheThe  b-H  ^^  ^  i™''"'  '"  ^^^  ^^^dle. 
and  whefthe  seaso':  favou^T" W  1  h""'^  "T^' 
horses   with  saddle  bap,  beS.S  raw^vert' 


night  fell,  they  put  up -^rthrS^t^^S^Sr-fa^ 


or 


9SS 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


to  return.  On  such  trh,«  tv,?  *°V.''f^  "'*'*  e°nipell« 
from  a  week  to  ten  S  or  two^w  t'*  «°T  ''">'"^« 
managed  a  three  S'tn^  rf  '  ""''  """f  '^' 
ambitiously  some  day  when  ^k«v^  *T  P'"""^ 
prosperous,  to  ride  all  fh«^!  they  were  disgraceful] 
homfin  E;;tera  oin  hTo  ^  "^  *°  daylight's  boyhoo 

you  didn't  live  hereabouts   but  thJl'  ^antod  to  know  ii 
in  a  huny.    So  he  3  tn..  V  T''  '^'*''  ''™  ^^' 

the  hammer-thrower     He  nnt  ,^,  »,  ^  j  ^"**  ""'^*  "'e 

j^»,  «™p"  H.'  ..S,§^s^';l<"ss,"'".^si"• 
nearer  that  way  "       •>' ^^'"^"  Galley,    he  said.     "It's 

J?4"siron"*He2w^'   T\'^  «-*^  «°-'   "^ 
Oberlin   Hot^t  and   DavfcT"^^  ^^'^  '*S"*«^«''  »*  th« 

hamme.throw;rwLKt:offiT"^*'«''    '""^   ^°™« 

had^it^dTe'd^^lt^rr'-  -^^  ^"""^  <-  "^^ 
flutter  at  that  hand  game.'  Here'H  it^J^  '• '^°*'" 


on,  without 
.  day  after 
B  compelled 
e  anywhere 
1  once  they 
n  planned 
isgraoefully 
;'s  boyhood 
'  at  iJedo's 
>f  anticipa- 
itemplated 

Glen  Ellen 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


"""**  333 

e.c^ThVtl'l:^:'„rth:rf ,/»•«  »-  men  faced 

td^r;-r-'"^^^^ 
'"^^'^^^^--—^---^ 

that  you'.,  the  fftT'Thl.    "^''  ^°'''*  ^"-^^t'  -n. 
why  I  lit  out  after  you  to  dly"  P"*  """'  ^°^-    Thaf»' 

wenfdri^^^Ts'att  t"' ,r'"  «'-«-'«  ^-^ 
young  giant,  at  Ct  hJlT  a  £?  f  .T'^' .^^'*^y-»»«'"«d 
and  he  frankly  exD«,«»!i  f •  ^  **""  *han  Daylight, 
third  trial.  This  Cehl  r  r'^fl""  """^  a«ked  for  a 
and  for  a  moment  tC-  **"'*''  ''™'«"  to  the  efloit 
face  and  s^teth  he  met  Z  "l.'^"^'*-  '^"''  ^^^^^ 
crackling  muscles  faSedW^Th^:-'  ''fT^  «»  ^i^ 
from  his  tensed  lung"  as  h«  «.i  J  !  ^"^  ^''P'^'ded  sharply 
hand  dropped  limpTdmvn  '"  '""'"'''''  *"'»«'« 

hope^ouTl  keepZr„f'r,'  T"  ^'  """^^-^d.     "J  only 

olass^r sLn^ri-^  ^^°'''^*^^  •»  '"•^  -n 
turning  down  hands  """""^^^'''^g'  '^''d  I'"  «o  on 

"S*av"Tl(T'^*°^'="«P*  defeat. 

theirToJ,%;tt  ";!'„::  ?:^^^^^^ 

mind  if  I  look  von,,  n^?/      T''v,      ^ay-do  you 
you  again."         ^       "^'  "^^*  y"^'  ?     I'd  like  to  tackle 

ThougTi  ^i^e  ylut^riS  that  '"^^,7.''"^  «-■ 
some.     You'll  ha™  ft  t  ^frmng  (hat  you'll  have  to  eo 


334 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


tion  1"  worth  as  much  as  one  arm  like  that  when  it'« 
a  swoot  htt  e  woman  like  thi«  to  go  around." 

h^ih         ^.^/.''P'ained  to  her  more  than  ono^ 

fo  fiS^  h  A""'  °*  'r^."".  ^'■''  "f«  ""'y  '•>  the  end  to  c 
to  find  It  the  greatest  thing  in  the  world     Not  al 

would  n^  ^"^  ''?'"''^?^  ^''^  ^'  «°«  •»  ^hich  their  1. 
wl  fnT'P*"  u  "  "P'**  "^  ''"^  ^"^^  "nd  music,  th 
was  in  her  a  wholesome  simplicity  and  love  of  the  oi 

lentSl';"'*'  »»3"8ht.  in  e'^ery  flbro7him. 
essentially  an  open-air  man. 

Of  one  thing  in  Dede,  Daylight  never  got  over  marvelli 

Se  had'fll  '"*  "":  t''  '"^''"''  '''"'ds-the  ZZt 
Z.A*\  *"  **^"8  '^"^n  flyi"8  shorthand  no, 

fi^n  to  rf/""^^  **  .^^  typewriter  ;  the  hands  that  w, 
flr^n  t^  hold  a  magnificent  brute  like  Bob,  that  wond 
fully  flashed  over  the  ke.v.s  of  the  piano,  'that  wZ  u 
hesitant  in  household  tasks,  and  that  we^  twin  mi>ac" 

Bu  Daylight  was  not  unduly  uxorious.  He  Ced  1 
ma,,  s  We  just  as  she  lived  her  woman's  life.    Thire  w 

f^tlTft  ■  r  ^^^  Y*"'"  ^««  entwined  and  wov« 
mto  a  fabric  of  mutual  interest  and  consideration  F 
was  as  deeply  interested  in  her  cooking  and  her  mus 
as  she  was  in  his  agricultural  adventures  in  the  vegeTb 
garden.  And  he,  who  resolutely  declined  to  die  of  ove 
woij,  saw  to  It  that  she  should  likewise  esca^  so  dii 

In  this  connection,  using  his  man's  judgment  an 
putting  his  mans  foot  down,  he  refused  tiaflow  her" 
be  burdened  with  the  entertaining  of  guests.  F^r  guest 
they  had  especially  in  the  warm,  long  summers^  an 
usualy  they  were  her  friends  from  the  city  who' T^ 
put  to  camp  n  tents  which  they  cared  for  hemselves 
and  where,  like  true  campers,  they  had  alsoTo  coo 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  335 

for  themselves.    Ptorhap,  only  in  California,  where  evorv 

hTwi  !".!      1  •  ^">''8''*  »  "teadfast  contention  was  that 
maill  "''""'"  ""'.»r°"'«  '"'"k,  waitm««,  and  chamber 

or  servants  On  the  other  hand,  chaflnc-dish  sunnem 
in  the  big  hving-room  for  their  campina  auest«  w«m^ 
common  happening,  at  which  timeT'^XfylfZ  "aUotTed 
them  the,r  ohores  and  saw  that  they  JJporioS 
For  one  who  stopped  only  for  the  night  ,t,  wa.rdiffe™nt 
LikewKse  it  was  different  with  her  brother,  Ckfrnm 
Germany  and  again  able  to  nit  a  lior^e.  On  Ws  4T 
dons  Ik,  became  the  third  in  the  family  and  to  limwa; 

l^2t!dtwS,SS:^JtS!SltS£ 

he  splendid  water-power  of  the  ranch  that  ZW^Z 
to  waste.  It  required  J^ylighf*  breaking  of T  ra 
aTr!  *"  ^Y  "'  the  <naterials,'and  the  bSer  Sevold 
a  fhre.,  weeks'  vacation  to  a.s«isting,  and  together  thov 
installed  a  Pelton  wheel.  Besidef  sawing  wood  and 
tummg  his  athe  and  grindstone,  Daylght  Touted 
the  power  with  the  churn  ;  but  his  great  t,i, 3  wis 
when],.,  put  his  a.;n  around  Dede's  waist  and  led  her m" 
to  inspect  a  washing-machine,  run  by  the  Pelton  whee 
wh^h  really  worked  and  really  washed  clothes  ' 

L»ede  and  Fergason,  between  them,  after  a  oatienf 

mS  h'avrf '  ""^f  «'*  ^'^'  «°  '^"^  '«  the  Ldt 
might  have  been  often  seen,  sitting  slack  in  the  saddln 
and  dipping  down   the   mountain'  trails  "hSughU  e 

erirdstnl  W^"'"^..^"  "'"'■  "'"Sing  into  the  whirling 
grindstone  Henley's  Song  of  the  Sword."  Not  that  ho 
ever  became  consummately  literary  in  the  way  ifs  tv^ 
IndS^-.  t^":^'^  "  ^^^W"Lippi  "and'^-Sli  :,: 
Mel^i  h  wl  '  *T'^r*'^^?'S  in  Browning,  while  George 
Aleredith  was  ever  his  despair.  It  was  of  his  own  initia- 
tive, however,  that  he  invested  i„  a  violin,  and  pL™S 


336 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


80  assiduously  that  in  time  he  and  Dede  beguiled  mam 
a  happy  hour  playing  together  after  night  h^dFallen  ^ 
drfggS  "'^hZ'  ""'^  *^'«  well-matedVir.  Time  neve, 
anSi  J^  f  -rT.  '^''^T  **«*  wonderful  morning, 
and  still  cool  twilights  at  the  end  of  day ;  and  ever  s 

rom^  f„  ^""^  thoroughly  than  he  knew,  had  he 

come  to  a  comprehension  of  the  relativity  of  thikgs     Ir 

ntensities  of  gratifl.ation  and  desire  that  he  had  found  ir 
the  frenzied  b,g  things  when  he  was  a  power  and  racked 

W  hhlT"?l^!i''  '^'  ^""y  °f  tl^e  W°^«  he  sTi^k 
With  head  and  hand,  at  risk  of  life  and  limb,  to  bit  and 
break  a  wUd  colt  and  win  it  to  the  service  of  man  was  to 

norTt»r  P'^'^u  **•"  S^*""  ^^^  ''lean.  Neither  lying! 
had  mnf  °/'  T  ^^°T7  ^^^^  '^«'*-  The  other  g^e 
had  made  for  decay  and  death,  while  this  new  one  m  de 
for  cfean  strength  and  life.  And  so  he  was  content 
I^Sf'  ^\^'  ^'1f '  *°  ^^^"'^  '^'  procession  of  the  Ss 
Kn  toridTtJ,  "'k'""  ^*f'-^°'^  P^^l^ed  on  the  caW 
hp    to  nde  through  cnsp  frosty  mornings  or  under  bumin'' 

riZiX'ff^V"  t'V^'A'  *^^  '''«'°°'»  -her*  bS 
v:  Jf    ^  the  fireplace  he  had  built,  while  outside  the  world 

unce  only  Dede  asked  him  if  he  ever  reeretted    and 

Ss  wXLrH"  ""^'  ""''  '"  "^  '^'  andCoiS 
Ups  with  his.     His  answer,  a  mmute  later,  took  speech. 

Little  woman,  even  if  you  did  cost  thirty  ^ons 

you  are  sure  the  cheapest  necessity  of  life  I  Tv™! 

regret  and  a  monstrous  big  one,  too.  I'd  sure  like  to 
have  the  winning  of  you  all  over  again.  I'd  like  to  eo 
snealung  around  the  Piedmont  hills  looking  for  tou 
I  d  like  to  meander  into  those  rooms  of  yours  It  Berkelev 
for  the  fii^t  time.     And  there's  no  use  talking  I'm  plu5 

raShlf  ^  "^^'*  'Y'  '  T""''  P"*  ""y  arms  aro'nTy^u 
again  that  time  yon  leaned  your  head  on  my  breast  and 
cried  in  the  wind  and  rain."  ^ 


CHAPTER  XXVII 

of  the  vegetable  gafCstrel'rof'j^fS  t^S 
and  now  and  again  Bavlight  broke  off  fro  Jl?  T*'' 
to  n,„      t  and'change^hf  flow  of  ir%t  he     'Jf 

ho™  „d  ,^rf  by  p;„,„„.|„<„.  h^S.  ltd  ri"; 

full  of  pretty  anxietfes  for  the  early  sprine  foal  fW 

3JJ  K 


338 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


It  was  this,  perhaps,  that  aroused  old  hunting  memorie 
in  Wolf.  At  any  rate,  Dede  and  Daylight  became  awar 
of  excitement  in  the  paddock,  and  saw  harmlessly  re 
enacted  a  grim  old  tragedy  of  the  Younger  World 
Curiously  eager,  velvet-footed  and  silent  as  a  ghost 
sliding  and  gliding  and  crouching,  the  dog  that  was  men 
domesticated  wolf  stalked  the  enticing  bit  of  young  lif( 
that  Mab  had  brought  so  recently  into  the  world.  Anc 
the  mare,  her  own  ancient  instincts  aroused  and  quivering 
circled  ever  between  the  foal  and  this  menace  of  th< 
wild  young  days  when  all  her  ancestry  had  known  feai 
of  him  and  his  hunting  brethren.  Once,  she  whirled  anc 
tried  to  kick  him,  but  usually  she  strove  to  strike  hin 
with  her  fore-hoofs,  or  rushed  upon  him  with  oper 
mouth  and  ears  laid  back  in  an  effort  to  crunch  his  back- 
bone between  her  teeth.  And  the  wolf-dog,  with  ears 
flattened  down  and  crouching,  would  sUde  silkily  away, 
only  to  circle  up  to  the  foal  from  the  other  side  and  give 
cause  to  the  mare  for  new  alarm.  Then  Daylight,  urged 
on  by  Dede's  solicitude,  uttered  a  low  threatening  cry ; 
and  Wolf,  drooping  and  sagging  in  all  the  body  of  him 
in  token  of  his  instant  return  to  man's  allegiance,  slunk 
off  behind  the  barn. 

It  was  a  few  minutes  later  that  Dayhght,  breaking  off 
from  his  reading  to  change  the  streams  of  irrigation, 
found  that  the  water  had  ceased  flowing.  He  shouldered 
a  pick  and  shovel,  took  a  hammer  and  a  pipe-wrench 
from  the  tool-house,  and  returned  to  Dede  on  the  porch. 
"  I  reckon  I'll  have  to  go  down  and  dig  the  pipe  out," 
he  told  her.  ' '  It's  that  slide  that's  threatened  all  winter. 
I  guess  she's  come  down  at  last." 

"  Don't  you  read  ahead,  now,"  he  warned,  as  he  passed 
around  the  house  and  took  the  trail  that  led  down  the 
wall  of  the  caiion. 

Halfway  down  the  traU,  he  came  upon  the  slide.  It 
was  a  small  affair,  only  a  few  tons  of  earth  and  crumbling 
rock ;  but,  starting  from  fifty  feet  above,  it  had  struck 
the  waterpipe  with  force  sufficient  to  break  it  at  a  con- 
nection.   Before  proceeding  to  work,  he  gknced  up  the 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


tteJio,    he  communed  aloud,  "look  who's  h«r«"       ■ 

ac^rsfcrrrsrdV'^^i^r  ^-^^-^-^  --^ 

small  twisted  manzani4s  w.^  f  ".'^  *^*'*'  ^  Pl^^e^. 
in  the  main,  s^ve  C  weed^  and"".™^  Pf/'^^^'^ly.  but 
the  cafion  was  bare      Th!  ^'^^^^^  ^'^^^  Po^ion  of 

hadsyftedTfteSthorr/''"  T"!.°^  ^  ^"rf'*''^  t^at 

soil  from  above  ov't  the  irofr"^*  ^°^  °^  "^^^  «'°ded 
"  A  f..„o  c  'P  °*  ™e  canon. 

claimed  softly""  """'  "^  ^  "^^^  --  one,"  he  pro- 

inte  woSri^'o"Sir""'''^/''^'^'°''-'^  *hat  day 

desi,.of  goldTunLg     Cppin"  t^f  '"  *^^  "''^  ^°^ 
wrench,  but  retainino.  JT^^^^  ,      iammer  aud  pipe- 

thesUdetowEr^S.-r^'^r?''  ^«  ""'"bed  up 
soil-covered  rocTcotJd  be  «?       ^t-Ju^ing  but  mostly 

formation  which  TsSfiT    w    '''^**'^''  *'^<'  ^^'^den 
this  waU  of  the  vein  1,«»f;    ,^T  .^""^   ^^^^'   along 
with  the  pick  andlweUed  thf '"  *^t^™°'bli„g  rock 
Several  tiLs  he  exaSd  tlS  .^ck^So'""!/""  "^"y- 
of  It  that  he  could  break  if  f„T    «  ^    ^°^*  ^""^  »on»e 
dozen  feet  higher  unh««^  ■      ^  ^^"^^    Shifting  a 
shovel.    And  tto  ^t^\T'V^^^^^  "^^^  P^^  and 
aohunkof  r^cSd  ooked^est™.'.''''.*^^  ^°"  f^""" 
gasping  with  delighl    Si   la!    T''  "?  ""'^''^'^y' 
pool  in  fear  of  its  enem^  hlfl  '  ^  *"  ''^^''  **  *  drinking 
to  see  if  any  eye  Tre  eai^)"^  a  quick  glance  around 
lus  own  fooL£,es"Tnf  reKd  to\"-    "^^  ^"'^^'^  ^* 
the  chunk.     A  slant  of  su^X  Jeu'^o^  t '""TT"""  °^ 

^■^'SmiL^1--".-B^^^^^  " 

~ncken  vol.  as  hTrn^  pitk  ^ ryiX^" 

oi=L^rx^s-rs^No« 


340 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


such  a  fire  in  his  eyes.  As  he  worked,  he  was  caucl 
up  m  the  old  passion  that  had  ruled  most  of  his  Hf, 
. .  frenzy  seized  him  that  markedly  increased  from  momer 
to  moment.  He  worked  like  a  madman,  till  he  pante 
from  his  exertions  and  the  sweat  dripped  from  his  fac 
to  the  ground.  He  quested  across  the  face  of  the  slid 
to  the  opposite  wall  of  the  vein  and  back  again.  Anc 
midway  he  dug  down  through  the  red  volcanic  eart 
that  had  washed  from  the  disintegrating  hill  above,  unt 
he  uncovered  quartz,  rotten  quartz,  that  broke  aa 
crumbled  m  his  hands  and  showed  to  be  aUve  with  fre 
gold. 

Sometimes  he  started  small  slides  of  earth  that  covere( 
up  his  work  and  compelled  him  to  dig  again.  On-^a  h 
was  swept  fifty  feet  down  the  canon-side  ;  but  he  f 'un 
dered  and  scrambled  up  again  without  pausing  for  breath 
He  hit  upon  quartz  that  was  .so  rotten  that  it  was  almos 
like  clay,  and  here  the  gold  was  richer  than  ever  I 
was  a  ventable  treasure  chamber.  For  a  hundred  fee 
up  and  down  he  traced  the  waUs  of  the  vein.  He  evei 
climbed  over  the  canon-lip  to  look  along  the  brow  o 
the  hiU  for  signs  of  the  outcrop.  But  that  could  wait 
and  he  humed  back  to  his  find. 

He  toiled  on  in  the  same  mad  haste,  until  exhaustior 
and  an  intolerable  ache  in  his  back  compelled  him  f 
pause.  He  straightened  up  with  even  a  richer  piece  c 
gold-laden  quartz.  Stooping,  the  sweat  from  Ws  fore- 
head had  faUen  to  the  ground.  It  now  ran  into  Ws  eyes, 
blindmg  him  He  wiped  it  from  him  with  the  back  oi 
His  hand  and  returned  to  a  scrutiny  of  the  gold  It 
would  run  thirty  thousand  to  the  ton,  fifty  thousand, 
anything— he  knew  that.  And  as  he  gazed  upon  the 
yeUow  lure,  and  panted  for  air,  and  wiped  the  sweat  away, 
hJs  qmck  vision  leaped  and  set  to  work.  He  saw  the 
spur-track  that  must  run  up  from  the  valley  and  across 
the  upland  pastures,  and  ho  ran  the  grades  and  built 
the  bndge  that  would  span  , ,.-,  cafion,  until  it  was  real 
before  his  eyes.  Across  the  canon  was  the  place  for  the 
miU,  and  there  he  erected  it ;  and  he  erected,  also,  the 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT  341 

grew  before  him  and  hTn^l i,  .^'''««''^'  t^^e  whole  mine 

gaUeries,  and  ™o£g  Zt  T^hTh^T'^r^"^'  ""'^ 
were  in  his  ear,  on^L?  ,     ^'''**«  °*  the  miners 

the  roar  o  the  stamu,  T^^'T'  !^!u''""°'^  '^^  ^""^^  hear 
quartz  was  tremS'  Jh  .^"^  ^^"^  ^"^^^  ^^'  '"'-P  °f 
palpitation  app3;  L  th.  >Tu*'-  "'■'^^'  "«"^°"» 
canietohimaCtKhatwW^  °^'''i  '"""^^h'  " 
whisky,  cocktaS^^  aiy tWnf  f  j!:  "^^f  7^  "  '^"l)^- 
^vith  this  new  hot  vearnW  f,^w?^■  u^^  *^«'"  **»«"■ 
heard,  faint  and  far  Z/hI  ,   the  alcohol  upon  him,  he 

cafion.  Dede's  vofe  e^g  1°"°  ^"  "'^^  °'  '^' 
C^lSlifP"'  *^*'  ""'■"*'  "*«•  "*-*•'    ^-,  cfcc-fc, 

her^'LZg'on  "thlloXVr ^  °*.  «'"«•    «^«  ^'-'^  '«f* 

preparatory  to  geL-Stpper    ^rl'Z^'^^  '"^^  ^'^'''^«- 

He  could  not  conce  vf  that  he  JaI  ^f*^™"""  ^^  g°ne. 

Again  came  the    lu     "J^^e  IvH^T^*^^*  '?«• 

three'^'H^hrT  '^"^  ^^'^^^^  caUed-fii^t  five,  and  then 
wS  hfhad'btnXnf  «  vf ''T  ''''  ^^^"^  ^^^  -'" 


342 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


And  again  he  toUed  frenziedly,  but  this  time  with  a 

^^T^\r^^-  -^^  "^"^^^  "^^"^^y'  l°°«'nK  «lide  after 
8Ude  of  the  red  sod  and  sending  it  streaming  down  and 
oovenng  up  aU  he  had  uncovered,  hiding  from  the  liaht 
of  day  the  treasure  he  had  discovered.  He  even  went 
into  the  woods  and  scooped  armfuls  of  last  year's  faUen 
leaves,  which  he  scattered  over  the  slide.  But  this  he 
gave  up  as  a  vain  task,  and  he  sent  more  slides  of  soil 
down  upon  the  scene  of  his  labour,  untU  no  sign  remained 
of  the  out-]ut'  ing  walls  of  the  vein.  "i»"iou 

Next  he  repaired  the  broken  pipe,  gathered  his  tools 
together,  and  started  up  the  trail.  He  walked  slowly 
teeUng  a  great  weariness,  as  of  a  man  who  had  passed 
through  a  frightful  cnsis.  He  put  the  tools  away  took 
a  great  drmk  of  the  water  that  again  flowed  through  the 
pipes,  and  sat  down  on  the  bench  by  the  open  kitchen  door 
JJede  was  inside,  preparing  supper,  and  the  sound  of  her 
lootsteps  gave  him  a  vast  content. 

He  breathed  the  balmy  mountain  air  in  great  gulps, 
like  a  diver  fresh-risen  from  the  sea.  And,  as  he  drank 
m  the  air.  he  gazed  with  all  his  eyes  at  the  clouds  and 
Si  thtlir       *'  '^*"*  drinking  in  that,  too,  along 

f.,™  ^*  f  ■'*  not  know  he  had  come  back,  and  at  times  he 
turned  lus  head  and  stole  glances  in  at  her-at  her 
efficient  hands  at  the  bronze  of  her  brown  hair  that 
smouldered  with  fire  when  she  crossed  the  path  of  sun- 
shme  that  streamed  through  the  window,  at  the  promise 
of  her  figure  that  shot  through  him  a  pang  most  strangely 
sweet  and  sweetly  dear.  He  heard  her  approachinSe 
door,  and  kept  his  head  turned  resolutely  toward  the 
^^^\  ,^^.^''*-  ^^  ^^"^^'  «  he  had  always  thriUed, 
idThai^  caressing  gentleness  of  her  fingera  through 

"I  didn't  know  you  were  back,"  she  said.     "  Was  it 
senous  ? 

^JI^**/*^^;-*^'**  f**®'"  ^^  aiw^ered,  still  gazing 
away  and  thnUing  to  her  touch.  "More  serious  th^ 
I  reckoned.    But  I've  got  the  plan.    Do  you  know  what 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


»nd  when  theyTeUh^fr  .^ooralK^.^*^^^  '^"^  • 
will  ever  move^tLt  dTrt  agal  "*     *'  ''°*"'«  "*  °«»«°° 
Why,  is  it  as  bad  as  that  ?" 
He  shook  his  head. 

Sa^  ^d 'iJ^e^reTaK  ^*^  ^^^^^^^^^ 
MountaiTandaUthlofW  *™'"P  «°""d8,  and  Sonoma 

his^toLT"  "^  """  ""'""'^  ''^  ''"d  puUed  her  down  on 
on'tl,?'™!,"^  '^°'"^°'  y°"  '"'*  "»*»«  a  lot  by  living  here 

rc^ri^Se^oJtw^^*-^'^^^---^^^^^^^ 

paSLnaZy"""  "^  *°  "^  ''°''  ^""^  ^'  ^™«^y  -d 
wZ^^-^-J^,-f-i«M.andin 

anniX?rtinr:ide  Z^Zt  T  ^""^ 
the  mountai^  beyond  "ThfvXv  of  ^H^m"^  ■"•* 
good  name,  a  goo^  name,  i^:  ^f  tow  when  Tr^ 
out  over  it  aU,  and  think  of  you  and  of  liiTf  °°^ 

kmd  of  makes  me  ache  in  the  Catand  ita'^T^  ^ 


344 


BURNING  DAYLIGHT 


my  heart  I  can  t  find  the  words  to  say.  and  I  have  a 
feeling  tl*t  I  can  almost  understand  Browning  and  those 
other  h.i;h-fljang  poet-fellows.  Look  at  HSod  Mount 
tarn  there,  just  where  the  sun's  striking.  It  was  down 
in  that  crease  that  we  found  the  spring  " 

t.r  ^f  */^*  T  ,*'**  ?'«•'*  y°''  "^'^n'*  ^^  the  cows  tiU 
mnohW  '  '^  ^''''^^^\  "^d  »  y°»  keep  me  hert, 
Sat  ni  hf """'  *"^^'  ^         ^  '"'^  *""*'  *''*"  '*  ^'^ 

mifw^n^"*  ^T"  ^^^'^t^-  and  Daylight  caught  up  the 
mUk-pail  from  the  naJ  by  the  rloor.  He  paused!  moment 
longer  to  look  out  over  the  vaiiey. 

"  It's  sure  grand,"  he  said. 

"It's  sure  grand,"  she  echoed,  laughing  joyously  at 
ham  and  ^th  him  and  herself  and  aU  the  wirld,  af  she 
passed  m  through  the  door. 

And  Daylight,  like  the  old  man  he  once  had  met,  him- 
self went  down  the  hiU  through  the  fires  of  sunset  with 
a  milk-pail  on  his  arm.  ^^ 


THE   END 


miuiio  AUD  noire,  iru.,  vwnniw,  ouilbkokd 


i"