Devil's Ford

me augmented during a week of fierce excitement by twenty or thirty others, that were huddled together on the narrow gorge of Devil's Spur, or cast up on its steep sides. So sudden and

gold washed up from their morning's work; the front windows of the newer tenements looked upon the one single thoroughfare, but th

ontier habits; they played with their new-found riches with the naive delight of childr

"that when I go to Rome this winter, I'll get one o' them marble sharps to chisel me a statoo o' s

bster?" asked one of the Kearney brot

in goddesses that Fairfax is always gassin' about, so

ed Kearney, critically regarding an enormous patch in Mat

return. "You know there ain't enough in the North Fork to d

built that there reservoir on Devil's Spur, and bring the water ove

the elder Mattingly, better known as "Maryland Joe," "and set it up afore the Tow

nor did any doubt, reservation, or contingency enter into the plans of the charming enthusiasts themselves. The foundation of their airy castles lay already before them in the strip of rich alluvium on the river bank, where the North Fork, sharply curving round the base of Devil's Spur, had for centuries swept the detritus of gulch and canyon. They had barely crossed the threshold of this treasure-house, to find themselves rich men; what possibilities of affluence might be t

un, but under its direct rays one or two tinned roofs and corrugated zinc cabins struck fire, a few canvas tents became dazzling to the eye, and the white wooded corral of the stage office and hotel insupportable. For two hours no one ventured in the glare of the open, or even to cross the narrow, unshadowed street, whose dull red dust seemed to glow between the lines of straggling houses. The heated

group. "He's going to make a break for it," he added, as the stranger, throwing his linen coat over his head, suddenly started into an Indian trot through the pelting sunbeams toward them. This strange act was perfectly understood by the group, who knew that in that intensely dry heat the da

th. "That engineer will be down here to take charge as soon as the six o'clock stage comes in. He's an old

one voice, raising themselves on their ha

ed out the shop. The duds are a little mixed in style, but I reckon they're clean and whole, and a man might face a lady in 'em. I left them round at the old Buckeye Spring, where they're handy without attr

" asked Mattingly aggrievedly; "you'

e managed to put the man somewhere, if he'd been alone, but these women want family

dience, half in incredul

ind the bar go into the bargain, and they sort of furnish the room. You know the saloon is one of them patent houses you can take to pieces, and I'v

Kearney, with an odd mingling of ast

t and let us knock in one o' the gables, and clap it on to the saloon, and make ONE house o

f the party had gradually given way

the job at once?" sug

ady," added the younger Kearney, looking down at his ragge

tion, yet one and all laughed at the consciou

ng anything else. So, if you're ready, boys, we'll just waltz down to Thompson's and pack up the shanty. He's out of it by this time, I reckon. You might as well be perspiring to some purpose ove

Devil's Ford, crossing the fierce glare of the open space, with boyish alacrity,