Ezram had only a moment's further conversation with his new friend. He
put two or three questions--in a rather curious, hushed voice--and got
his answer. Yes, it was true that the shortest way to go to the Yuga
River was to follow up the creek by which he was now standing. It was
only out of the way to go into Snowy Gulch: they would have to come back
to this very point. And yes, a pedestrian, carrying a light pack, could
make much better time than a horseman with pack animals. The horses
could go no faster than a walk, and the time required to sling packs and
care for the animals cut down the day's march by half.
These things learned, Ezram strolled over to his young partner. And at
that moment he revealed the possession of a talent that neither he nor
any of his friends had ever suspected. The stage had lost an artist of
no mean ability when Ezra Melville had taken to the cattle business.
Outwardly, to the last, little lines about his lips and eyes, he was his
genial, optimistic, droll old self. His eye twinkled, his face beamed in
the gray stubble, his voice was rollicking with the fun of life the same
as ever. And like Pagliacci in his masque there was not the slightest
exterior sign of the fear and despair that chilled his heart.
"What have you and your poor victim been talking about, all this time?"
Ben asked.
"Oh, just a gab-fest--a tat-i-tat as you'd call it. But you know, Ben,
I've got a idea all a-sudden." Ben straightened, lighted his pipe, and
prepared to listen.
"This old boy tells me that we'd save just twelve miles by striking off
front here, instead of goin' into town. Snowy Gulch is six miles, and we
have to come back to this very place. What's the use of goin' into town
at all?"
"Good heavens, Ez? Have you forgotten we've got to get supplies? And
your brother's gun--and his dog?"
"How do you know he's got a dog?"
"He said a pup, didn't he? But it may be an elephant for all I know. Of
course, we've got to go on in."
"Yes, I know--one of us has. But, Ben, it seems to me that one of us
ought to strike off now and figure out the way and sort of get located.
One of us could take a little food and a couple of blankets and make it
through in less than a day. Half a day, almost. Then we could have the
cabin all ready, and everything laid out for to begin work. He could
blaze any dim spots in the trail and save time for the other feller,
comin' with the horses."
"Oh, it would be all right," Ben began rather doubtfully. "I don't see
that much is to be gained by it. But I'll strike off on foot, if you
want me to."
Ezram's mind was flashing with thoughts like lightning, and his answer
was ready. "Ben, if you don't mind, I'll do that," he said. "I can get
along without gazin' at the sky-scrapers of Snowy Gulch, and to tell the
truth, that twelve miles of extra walkin' don't appeal to me one bit.
I'd as soon have you tend to all the things in town."
"But you'd get a ride, if you waited--"
"I hate a horse, anyway--"
"You've surely changed a lot since the war."
"I was thrown off not long ago--and have been leery of the dum things
ever since. I'd walk, sooner than ride, even if I did have a horse. So
you roll me that big Hudson Bay blanket and give me a couple of day's
rations. I'll make a pack for my back that I can't feel. Then you strike
off into town."
Without especial enthusiasm Ben agreed. Ezram gave a great sigh of
satisfaction. He had put through the deal: Ben's secret thought was that
Ezram's curiosity--always a pronounced trait with the old--had mastered
him, and he could not wait longer to explore the mine. Not one glimpse
of the truth as to Ezram's real reason for desiring to push on alone as
much as occurred to him.
Ezram was wholly deliberate. He knew what waited him on arrival at his
brother's claim. Jeffery Neilson and his gang had assembled there, had
already jumped the claim just as his brother had warned him that they
would do; and coolly and quietly he had resolved to face them alone.
They were desperate men, not likely to be driven from the gold by
threats or persuasion only. But there was no law in his life, no precept
in his code, whereby he could subject his young partner to the risk.
It was true that the desire to arrive on the scene at the earliest
possible moment had been a factor in his decision. One of them could
hurry on, unimpeded by the pack animals, and the other must linger to
secure their supplies; and there could really be no question, in Ezram's
mind, which should go and which should stay. He had known perfectly that
if Ben had realized the true need for haste, he would never have
submitted so tamely to Ezram's will. The old man knew Wolf Darby. The
strong dark eyes in the lean, raw-boned face reassured him as to this
knowledge. Ben would go too, if he knew the truth. Likely he would
insist on going alone.
Ezram had decided the whole thing in a flash, realizing that a lone
pedestrian would be practically as effective in dealing with the
usurpers as two horsemen, impeded by the pack animals. If they didn't
shoot to kill at first sight of him Ezram would have time in plenty to
seek refuge in the forest and do a sharpshooter's business that would
fill his old heart with joy. And there really wasn't any question as to
which of the two should go. Their partnership was of long duration;
their comradeship was deep; Ben was young, and Ezram himself was old!
Ezram made his decision entirely casually, and he would have been
surprised out of his wits if any one had expressed wonder of it. He knew
no self-pity or sentimentality, only the knowledge that he did not
desire that his young buddy should be shot full of holes in the first
moment of play. The only fear that had visited him was that Ben might
catch on and not let him go. And now he could scarcely restrain his
triumphant chuckles in Ben's hearing.
He made his pack--a few simple provisions wrapped in his blanket--and a
knife and camp axe swung on his belt. He took his trusted pipe--because
he knew well that he could never acquit himself creditably in a fight
without a few lungfuls of tobacco smoke first--and he also took his
rifle. "You'll be gettin' my brother's gun when you get to Snowy Gulch,"
he explained, "and I may see game on the way out. And you keep this copy
of the letter." He handed Ben the copy he had made of Hiram's will. "I'm
the worst hand for losin' things you ever seen."
"You're sure you've got the directions straight?"
"Sure.--And I guess that's all."
They said their simple good-bys, shaking hands over a pile of stores.
"I've only got one decent place to keep things safe," Ezra confided,
"and that ain't so all-fired decent, either. When I get any papers that
are extra precious, I always stick 'em down the leg of these high old
boots, between the sock and the leather. But it's too much work to take
the boot off now, so you keep the letter."
"I suppose you've got a million-dollar bank note hidden down there now,"
Ben remarked.
"No, not a cent. Just the same, if ever I get shuffled off all of a
sudden--rollin' down one of these mountains, say--I want you to look
there mighty careful. There may be a document or two of
importance--letter to my old home, and all that."
"I won't forget," Ben promised.
"See that you don't." They shook hands again, lightly and happily. "So
good-by, son, and--'_take keer of yerself_!'"
The old man turned away, and soon his withered figure vanished into the
thickets farther up the river. He was following a fairly well-worn moose
trail, and he went swiftly. Soon he was out of hearing of the sound of
the great river.
Then the little woods people--marten and ermine and rodent and such
other small forest creatures that--who can say?--might watch with
exceeding interest the travelers on the trails, could have thought that
old Ezram was already fatigued. He sat down beside a tree and drew a
soiled sheet of paper from his pocket. Searching further he found then
the stub of a pencil. Then he wrote.
Having written he unlaced his boot on the right foot, folded the paper,
and thrust it into the bootleg. Then, relacing the shoe, he arose and
journeyed blithely on.