Adventure Magazine Cover, December 10, 1922 — page 140: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

134 parallel with the barrel. This work took his mind off the shadowy outside world and did much to restore him to a normal state. By the time his supper was ready he found he could close the door and sit with his back to it without experiencing any uneasiness. Having eaten, he came to a void. On the farm his evenings had been made bright by the companionship of his father and sister. In Virginia City there was a swirl of life in the raw to keep his objective faculties alert. Now that he was alone with himself the solitude pressed against the walls of the cabin like a physical force. ‘To occupy his thoughts he rummaged through a closet at the head of his bunk and found “Dombey and Son,” by one Dickens. Much rough travel and much rough work had separated him from books, and this was his introduction to the magician. The light through the eight-by-twelve pane of glass soon failed, and he shifted to the floor with his back to the fireplace. His growing absorption allowed the fire to die down, and it was a wrench to cast off the spell long enough to throw on more fuel. At last in desperation he searched the cabin and unearthed a battered tin lamp, minus a chimney, and a can of oil. The resulting light was weird and flickering as the breeze found chinks through which to steal and twist it from side to side. With the book close to the erratic, smok- ing flame he read until his gaze became blurred. When forced to lay aside the story there was old England and the Atlantic Ocean between himand Ramshorn Gulch. Feeling guilty that he should have ex- hausted so much of his treasure in one night, he spread his blankets on the bunk and turned in, his thoughts straying after Mr. Dombey, little Paul, Florence, Wally and Solomon Gills long after the divide and ridges had been leveled by the dream forces. Florence and her brother were in his thoughts when he awoke. He put the book in the cupboard to escape temptation, and after eating his breakfast and visiting the horses he placed the two guns in his belt and practised the draw. Over and over he sought proficiency in this frontier accomplishment. When he was wearied by his prolonged efforts he felt greatly discouraged. As a matter of fact his progress would have pleased.his friend Beidler; but in his own estimation he was a bungler. Adventure | Loading the Henry, he started for the head of the gulch and did not stop until halted by the limestone ledges. Although ignorant of geology he recognized the bar- rier as being similar to the wall at the head of Alder Gulch, and he laid aside the rifle to dig his hands into the soil along the trick- ling stream. As Dickens had ousted loneliness from his soul so now did a sudden hunger to try his luck at placer-mining cause him to for- get Dombey and his pathetic son. He hur- ried back to the cabin with scarcely a glance at the ridges and got out his pick, shovel and pan. As the sun was overhead he tarried at the cabin long enough to cook and eat some food, and then started back. He could not wait until reaching the foot of the ledges, but halted frequently to try his luck. He had watched men pan out gravel, but had never tried it before. At first he made sorry work of it, but, after much experimenting improved in his tech- nique until he was rewarded by a dozen colors. The residue in the pan was worth perhaps five cents; in Beach’s eyes it was a full rainbow of promise; and he enjoyed his first thrill as a prospector, and was at the threshold of understanding how the game tempted men to face starvation and savage Indians for the sake of whirling the heavy pan on the chance of finding a few yellow specks after the loose dirt had been washed out. He worked up the gulch until the sun was touching the edge of the western ridge, when he was compelled to think of turning back. There was a fine feeling in antici- pating the welcome awaiting him in the snug company of Sol Gills and his friends. The cabin no longer repelled him. He added the few grains of gold obtained from the last pan to the mixture of sand and dust in the bottle he had brought along, and, leaving his tools by the creek, hurried down to the cabin, eager to join his new friends. This night closed in without causing any jangle of nerves. He cooked his supper with the door closed and rather enjoyed the sighing sound of the wind sucking through the gulch. But despite his resolu- tions to dip sparingly into the book he fin- ished it before seeking his blankets. The next day was patterned after the first. He forced himself to practise for an hour with his belt guns before going up the gulch, and on this trip he left his rifle Eomichoo “S) (E@)