Hugh Pendexter

“ Old Misery hastily packed up his belongings and released the bear and tossed out Gilbert's blanket-roll and carpet-bag and warned the young man:
“Stir your hoofs fast, younker. Those idiots will be chasing us 'way to camp if we don't lose 'em.”
He took to the evergreens on the south side of the ravine, and Gilbert endeavored to keep at his heels. But the mountain man's legs seemed to be all springs, and he glided up the slope and over the slippery brown carpet of pine needles with a rapidity the easterner could not equal. ”

“ He started off up the ridge road, his rifle over his arm, his head swinging from side to side as it would in the Indian country. The big bear plodded along at his heels, his head swinging from side to side. A rod behind came Gilbert, his blanket over his shoulder, his carpet-bag in hand, fearfully expecting some violent interruption to his going and not yet quite sure how far the strange old man would endure his company. ”

“ Peters said I was to tell you everything.”
“His head is full of sense. We'll spread all the cards out before Bill. It's him that has the say-so. I'll chip in when it can help, being weak and mortal. But it's for Bill—who never done wrong—to decide.”
Gilbert followed him, believing him to be crazy. But better the company of the mentally unbalanced than to be left alone with his fear that some man from the bay might tap him on the shoulder and tell him he was wanted. ”

“ Near the top of the ridge and after they had passed a narrow pack-horse trail the mountain man finally halted and waited for Gilbert to come up.
With the sweat streaming down his face Gilbert approached to within a rod of his companion when he was halted by the sudden appearance of a rifle barrel protruding from the bushes back of Old Misery and by a hoarse voice commanding:
“Drop that gun and stick up your hands, old man. Keep that damned bear quiet if you want to live. ”

“ While he was indulging in this bit of skepticism the young bear bounced from the wagon and jumped on Bill Williams. The cyclonic whirl of furry forms violently hurled the mountain man and Gilbert to one side.
Old Misery, on his hands and knees, informed Gilbert:
“Bill always likes to play a bit. T'other Bill I named him after was that way. Full of fun, 'specially when in liquor.” ”

“ He won't change it if hell freezes over.”
“I’m a thief,” bitterly reminded Gilbert. “I’m wanted for helping a lawbreaker to escape. I expected those would be the things you—and Bill—would think about.”
“Man’s a thief who steals things for hisself when he don't need 'em,” mused Old Misery. “A man who takes something for gambling outfit to put in its pouch is just a cussed fool.” ”

“ When the mountain man halted Gilbert drew his heels under him, ready to leap and run. The bear dropped on the warm earth, curled up and went to sleep.
Old Misery seated himself cross-legged and began:
“I see that young fool bear cottoning to you, younker. You had a trick with his ears that pleased him mightily. He's one of the cubs I sold last season. Sold another just before going to the bay; a female, older and full as big. She's to be took to Frisco. There must be a dozen bears down to the bay that I trapped. Gentleman behind me is Bill Williams. ”

“ Some one fetched him word to give you a warning.”
“I don’t want to be beholden to that man,” muttered Gilbert as they quickened their pace.
“I never stop to think who's hauling on the rope that pulls me out of a hole,” replied Old Misery. “They can't come up so quick that you won't have time to tree yourself. No use fretting.”
As the day wore on and there were no signs of pursuit the mountain man decided the breed had brought a false alarm, or else the posse had taken the wrong direction. They halted late in the afternoon at a deserted cabin in a deep ravine in the heart of big timber. ”

“ Howsomever, we'll save the talk till we can have Bill in at the pow-wow.”
Gilbert was convinced he could not overcome the mountain man's prejudices; nor did he believe any discussion would favorably influence the whimsical character.
“I can get a job in the mines, although there are reasons why I should not just now.”
“Along of doing things you didn't oughter,” mused Old Misery. “If Peters said that he hit plumb center. And now let me tell you something about mining, where you work for yourself. A placer-miner that earns six hundred dollars a year is lucky. ”

“ The mountain man was apparently waiting for him to shoot the bird. Gilbert held up three fingers to signify he almost located that many birds.
“Git 'em all,” encouraged Old Misery. “Remember, they won't quit their perch. Take your time in reloading.”
Gilbert waved his hand and advanced deeper into the timber. Now the booming call was close on his right, and he wheeled and cocked the rifle. Almost immediately it was answered from the left. As he faced in that direction it began reverberating deep in the woods. The plentitude of chances and the swift exchange of calls tended to confuse him. ”

“ But he flies like a woodpecker, and is just as shy. He'll out-Injun any other bird in guard ing against trouble. Always lights on a dead tree where he can look round afore gunning for grub in a live tree. Never forgets as lots of men do. Never gits careless.”
Old Misery had brought bread and cooked meat, and they soon finished their supper. Gilbert felt he was out of the world as they lounged by the fire in the open. The mountain man lighted his pipe and leaned against the sleeping bear and told amazing stories of his colorful life. ”

“ His benign expression changed to a frown as the discordant croak of a raven sounded near by.
“Bill 'n' me call that feller ‘Death.’” he muttered, glancing toward the dark woods uneasily. “Never eats anything. You'll find him out where even a horned toad can't pick up a living. Have a chaw, Bill.”
He tossed a piece of tobacco to his pet, who eagerly caught it in his mouth.
“That's what I like 'bout a bear. He's so damned human. Likes terbacker. Hi! There’s another cuss that's 'most human. Bill calls 'em ‘mountain men.’ Hear him?”
Gilbert picked out the harsh, disagreeable voice of a crow ”

“ But I will say he's now got a big medicine working for him and oughter hit the bull's-eye. But the man who works steady for wages, here or at the bay, has the miner who ain't got any medicine beat all to pieces.
“If Peters didn't say you had good reasons for not doing a honest day's work—See here, younker: Bill Williams won't like that sort of talk a damn bit. He'd rare up on his hind legs and snort even if it was said in the sign language. Howsomever, Bill ain't no Gospel slinger. He's broad-minded, and he banks a heap on what Peters says. We'll put the whole business before him. ”

“ But old mountain men will tell you that if the gineral had follered Bill's medicine he'd never tried to cross the mountains at the head of the Arkansas in winter, and he wouldn’t lost three men and his papers. ”

“ Every one steals out here except Senor Comandante. Men fight to get into office in San Francisco so they can steal. My old grandfather wore cloth over his face when his eyes were good. ‘Stealing’ is one name for many ways of taking what you want. ”

“ Gilbert disliked him exceedingly and replying briefly, moved on to be rid of him. A short distance up the street he halted before a window containing a display of Chinese shawls and wondered if one of the Walker girls back home would care for one. Several Vermont men had returned home from California the season before and each had brought one or more of these shawls. Then came again the realization that he was done with Vermont once the Coloma men wrote home how he had been false to his trust, or had been killed after visiting the express office. ”

“ The bear came toward me when I got out of the stage. I pulled my Allen revolver.”
“We— Cuss me if it ain't so! You acted up like a Pike County man. If you'd pulled a real gun on Bill Williams I wouldn't 'a' been so fussed. But one of them pepper-boxes! It hurt Bill's finer feelings just like it did mine. Anyway, you’ve got guts 'nough to be honest. Never like a dodger. We'll trail down to the old stable where I leave Bill, and the three of us will have a pow wow. I've got quite a lot of animals up in the hills. Some of the queerest have only two legs. And I'll lift ha’r to please Peters. ”

“ Perhaps they ride after a man. Perhaps they ride after a young man. Quien sabe? Excuse, Senor Don Misery. The horse smells the bear very strong. I do not like to walk back to town. Adios.”
And before he could be questioned further he turned, ran back to his nervous mount, flung himself into the saddle, and galloped at breakneck speed down the creek.
“They’re after me!” gasped Gilbert. “You go ahead. I'll take to the timber. They’ll blame you if they find me with you.”
“You’re 'fraid Bill 'n' me will git hurt, huh? Solid Comfort will have a word to say afore that happens. ”

“ My bad grandfather will say I am a good girl to bring gold to him. I tell you this for we, as you Americanos say, are in the same boat. Is it not? Sí.”
Gilbert stepped back as the Mexican-Chinese man came up. He was the same who had tossed a silver mounted bowie-knife on to the stage the night before. He ignored Gilbert and spoke sharply in Spanish to the girl. She eyed him resentfully, yet appeared to be afraid of him, and made a short answer. He spoke again, only a few words; and she kicked her small heels against the mule and rode up the ridge path toward the foot-hills. ”

“ He stepped from the bushes, his masked face watching Gilbert as he stood behind the mountain man. The latter spoke sharply to the bear, and Bill Williams lay down.
“There's a hundred or more miners down the slope, Reelfoot,” lazily warned Old Misery. “If they sight you this mountain air will be filled with lead. And I don’t want the b'ar hurt. You'd better straddle your hoss and ride away.”
“I’ll risk stopping long enough to go through your clothes. Young feller, you face down the ridge. Old man, if you make a move my knife will stop it.” ”

“ That feller can go anywhere a mountain man can. He don't feel t' home below the four-thousand-foot level. When crossing the Cascades at seven thousand feet up I’ve seen 'em three thousand feet overhead, taking it as easy as a buck with three squaws. ”

“ After you've saved a man's worthless life it's hard to turn round and kill him. But Bill 'n' me talked it over afterward and decided that’s how it would have to be if we met up with him again. Tried to git him in Frisco, but Scar-Faced Luis dropped back and held me up. ”

“ Quite a while,” muttered the mountain man. “Come here from the East, but it's so long ago seems if I always was out here.” Then with a flash of heat: “Some folks in Frisco got together an outfit they call 'The Californy Pioneers.' Before you can belong you have to be able to brag 'bout coming out here in 'forty-nine—four years ago! I didn't sabe the rules of the game and 'lowed to take on with 'em. And, damn me, if they didn't say I was lying when I said I was here in 'twenty-six. Bill's dead right. It's time to snooze.” ”

“ You hear of them that make a rich strike; but you don't know nothing about the thousands and thousands who don't make grub and liquor. Even as keen a man as ‘Weymouth Mass’—friend of mine—ain't managed yet to hit the mark. ”