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sheriff；　who　was　no　slouch；　arter　him。　　Others　allowfor　the

chairs　and　things　was　all　tossed　about　in　the　stateroomthat　the

two　men　clinched　THAR；　and　Jack　choked　Hall　and　chucked　him　out；

and　then　slipped　cl'ar　into　the　water　himself；　for　the　stateroom

window　was　just　ahead　of　the　paddle　box；　and　the　cap'n　allows　that

no　man　or　men　could　fall　afore　the　paddles　and　live。　　Anyhow；　that

was　all　they　ever　knew　of　it。〃



〃And　there　wasn't　no　trace　of　them　found？〃　said　the　second　man；

after　a　long　pause。



〃No。　　Cap'n　says　them　paddles　would　hev'　just　snatched　'em　and

slung　'em　round　and　round　and　buried　'em　way　down　in　the　ooze　of

the　river　bed；　with　all　the　silt　of　the　current　atop　of　'em；　and

they　mightn't　come　up　for　ages；　or　else　the　wheels　might　have

waltzed　'em　way　up　to　Sacramento　until　there　wasn't　enough　left　of

'em　to　float；　and　dropped　'em　when　the　boat　stopped。〃



〃It　was　a　mighty　fool　risk　for　a　man　like　Despard　to　take；〃　resumed

the　second　speaker　as　he　turned　away　with　a　slight　yawn。



〃Bet　your　life！　but　he　was　desp'rate；　and　the　sheriff　had　got　him

sure！　　And　they　DO　say　that　he　was　superstitious；　like　all　them

gamblers；　and　allowed　that　a　man　who　was　fixed　to　die　by　a　rope　or

a　pistol　wasn't　to　be　washed　out　of　life　by　water。〃



The　two　figures　drifted　lazily　away；　but　Morse　sat　rigid　and

motionless。　　Yet；　strange　to　say；　only　one　idea　came　to　him　clearly

out　of　this　awful　revelationthe　thought　that　his　friend　was　still

true　to　himand　that　his　strange　absence　and　mysterious　silence

were　fully　accounted　for　and　explained。　　And　with　it　came　the　more

thrilling　fancy　that　this　man　was　alive　now　to　HIM　alone。



HE　was　the　sole　custodian　of　his　secret。　　The　morality　of　the

question；　while　it　profoundly　disturbed　him；　was　rather　in

reference　to　its　effect　upon　the　chances　of　Captain　Jack　and　the

power　it　gave　his　enemies　than　his　own　conscience。　　He　would　rather

that　his　friend　should　have　proven　the　proscribed　outlaw　who

retained　an　unselfish　interest　in　him　than　the　superior　gentleman

who　was　coldly　wiping　out　his　gratitude。　　He　thought　he　understood

now　the　reason　of　his　visitor's　strange　and　varying　moodseven　his

bitter　superstitious　warning　in　regard　to　the　probable　curse

entailed　upon　one　who　should　save　a　drowning　man。　　Of　this　he

recked　little；　enough　that　he　fancied　that　Captain　Jack's　concern

in　his　illness　was　heightened　by　that　fear；　and　this　assurance　of

his　protecting　friendship　thrilled　him　with　pleasure。



There　was　no　reason　now　why　he　should　not　at　once　go　back　to　his

farm；　where；　at　least；　Captain　Jack　would　always　find　him；　and　he

did　so；　returning　on　the　same　boat。　　He　was　now　fully　recovered

from　his　illness；　and　calmer　in　mind；　he　redoubled　his　labors　to

put　himself　in　a　position　to　help　the　mysterious　fugitive　when　the

time　should　come。　　The　remote　farm　should　always　be　a　haven　of

refuge　for　him；　and　in　this　hope　he　forbore　to　take　any　outside

help；　remaining　solitary　and　alone；　that　Captain　Jack's　retreat

should　be　inviolate。　　And　so　the　long；　dry　season　passed；　the　hay

was　gathered；　the　pasturing　herds　sent　home；　and　the　first　rains；

dimpling　like　shot　the　broadening　surface　of　the　river；　were　all

that　broke　his　unending　solitude。　　In　this　enforced　attitude　of

waiting　and　expectancy　he　was　exalted　and　strengthened　by　a　new

idea。　　He　was　not　a　religious　man；　but；　dimly　remembering　the

exhortations　of　some　camp　meeting　of　his　boyhood；　he　conceived　the

idea　that　he　might　have　been　selected　to　work　out　the　regeneration

of　Captain　Jack。　　What　might　not　come　of　this　meeting　and　communing

together　in　this　lonely　spot？　　That　anything　was　due　to　the　memory

of　the　murdered　sheriff；　whose　bones　were　rotting　in　the　trench

that　he　daily　but　unconcernedly　passed；　did　not　occur　to　him。

Perhaps　his　mind　was　not　large　enough　for　the　double　consideration。

Friendship　and　loveand；　for　the　matter　of　that；　religionare

eminently　one…ideaed。



But　one　night　he　awakened　with　a　start。　　His　hand；　which　was

hanging　out　of　his　bunk；　was　dabbling　idly　in　water。　　He　had　barely

time　to　spring　to　his　middle　in　what　seemed　to　be　a　slowly　filling

tank　before　the　door　fell　out　as　from　that　inward　pressure；　and　his

whole　shanty　collapsed　like　a　pack　of　cards。　　But　it　fell　outwards；

the　roof　sliding　from　over　his　head　like　a　withdrawn　canopy；　and　he

was　swept　from　his　feet　against　it；　and　thence　out　into　what　might

have　been　another　world！　　For　the　rain　had　ceased；　and　the　full

moon　revealed　only　one　vast；　illimitable　expanse　of　water！　　It　was

not　an　overflow；　but　the　whole　rushing　river　magnified　and　repeated

a　thousand　times；　which；　even　as　he　gasped　for　breath　and　clung　to

the　roof；　was　bearing　him　away　he　knew　not　whither。　　But　it　was

bearing　him　away　upon　its　center；　for　as　he　cast　one　swift　glance

toward　his　meadows　he　saw　they　were　covered　by　the　same　sweeping

torrent；　dotted　with　his　sailing　hayricks　and　reaching　to　the

wooded　foothills。　　It　was　the　great　flood　of　'54。　　In　its　awe…

inspiring　completeness　it　might　have　seemed　to　him　the　primeval

Deluge。



As　his　frail　raft　swept　under　a　cottonwood　he　caught　at　one　of　the

overhanging　limbs；　and；　working　his　way　desperately　along　the

bough；　at　last　reached　a　secure　position　in　the　fork　of　the　tree。

Here　he　was　for　the　moment　safe。　　But　the　devastation　viewed　from

this　height　was　only　the　more　appalling。　　Every　sign　of　his

clearing；　all　evidence　of　his　past　year's　industry；　had

disappeared。　　He　was　now　conscious　for　the　first　time　of　the　lowing

of　the　few　cattle　he　had　kept　as；　huddled　together　on　a　slight

eminence；　they　one　by　one　slipped　over　struggling　into　the　flood。

The　shining　bodies　of　his　dead　horses　rolled　by　him　as　he　gazed。

The　lower…lying　limbs　of　the　sycamore　near　him　were　bending　with

the　burden　of　the　lighter　articles　from　his　overturned　wagon　and

cabin　which　they　had　caught　and　retained；　and　a　rake　was　securely

lodged　in　a　bough。　　The　habitual　solitude　of　his　locality　was　now

strangely　invaded　by　drifting　sheds；　agricultural　implements；　and

fence　rails　from　unknown　and　remote　neighbors；　and　he　could　faintly

hear　the　far…off　calling　of　some　unhappy　farmer　adrift　upon　a　spar

of　his　wrecked　and　shattered　house。　　When　day　broke　he　was　cold　and

hungry。



Hours　passed　in　hopeless　monotony；　with　no　slackening　or　diminution

of　the　waters。　　Even　the　drifts　became　less；　and　a　vacant　sea　at

last　spread　before　him　on　which　nothing　moved。　　An　awful　silence

impressed　him。　　In　the　afternoon　rain　again　began　to　fall　on　this

gray；　nebulous　expanse；　until　the　whole　world　seemed　made　of

aqueous　vapor。　　He　had　but　one　idea　nowthe　coming　of　the　evening

boat；　and　he　would　reserve　his　strength　to　swim　to　it。　　He　did　not

know　until　later　that　it　could　no　longer　follow　the　old　channel　of

the　river；　and　passed　far　beyond　his　sight　and　hearing。　　With　his

disappointment　and　exposure　that　night　came　a　return　of　his　old

fever。　　His　limbs　were　alternately　racked　with　pain　or　benumbed　and

lifeless。　　He　could　scarcely　retain　his　positionat　times　he

scarcely　cared　toand　speculated　upon　ending　his　sufferings　by　a

quick　plunge　downward。　　In　other　moments　of　lucid　misery　he　was

conscious　of　having　wandered　in　his　mind；　of　having　seen　the　dead

face　of　the　murdered　sheriff；　washed　out　of　his　shallow　grave　by

the　flood；　staring　at　him　from　the　water；　to　this　was　added　the

hallucination　of　noises。　　He　heard　voices；　his　own　name　called　by　a

voice　he　knewCaptain　Jack's！



Suddenly　he　started；　but　in　that　fatal　movement　lost　his　balance

and　plunged　downward。　　But　before　the　water　closed　above　his　head

he　had　had　a　cruel　glimpse　of　help　near　him；　of　a　flashing　light

of　the　black　hull　of　a　tug　not　many　yards　awayof　moving　figures

the　sensation　of　a　sudden　plunge　following　his　own；　the　grip　of　a

strong　hand　upon　his　collar；　andunconsciousness！



When　he　came　to　he　was　being　lifted　in　a　boat　from　the　tug　and

rowed　through　the　deserted　streets　of　a　large　city；　until　he　was

taken　in　through　the　second…story　window　of　a　half…submerged　hotel

and　cared　for。　　But　all　his　questions　yielded　only　the　information

that　the　tuga　privately　procured　one；　not　belonging　to　the　Public

Relief　Associationhad　been　dispatched　for　him　with　special

directions；　by　a　man　who　acted　as　one　of　the　crew；　and　who　was　the

one　who　had　plunged　in　for　him　at　the　last　moment。　　The　man　had

left　the　boat　at　Stockton。　　There　was　nothing　more？　　Yes！he　had

left　a　letter。　　Morse　seized　it　feverishly。　　It　contained　only　a

few　lines：





We　are　quits　now。　　You　are　all　right。　　I　have　saved　YOU　from

drowning；　and　shifted　the　curse　to　my　own　shoulders。　　Good…by。



CAPTAIN　JACK。





The　astounded　man　attempted　to　riseto　utter　an　exclamationbut

fell　back；　unconscious。



Weeks　passed　before　he　was　able　to　leave　his　bedand　then　only　as

an　impoverished　and　physically　shattered　man。　　He　had　no　means　to

restock　the　farm　left　bare　by　the　subsiding　water。　　A　kindly　train…

packer　offered　him　a　situation　as　muleteer　in　a　pack　train　going　to

the　mountainsfor　he　knew　tracks　and　passes　and　could　ride。　　The

mountains　gave　him　back　a　little　of　the　vigor　he　had　lost　in　the

river　valley；　but　none　of　its　dreams　and　ambitions。　　One　day；　while

tracking　a　lost　mule；　he　stopped　to　slake　his　thirst　in　a

waterholeall　that　the　summer　had　left　of　a　lonely　mountain

torrent。　　Enlarging　the　hole　to　give　drink　to　his　beast　also；　he

was　obliged　to　dislodge　and　throw　out　with　the　red　soil　some　bits

of　honeycomb　rock；　which　were　so　queer…looking　and　so　heavy　as　to

attract　his　attention。　　Two　of　the　largest　he　took　back　to　camp

with　him。　　They　were　gold！　　From　the　locality　he　took　out　a

fortune。　　Nobody　wondered。　　To　the　Californian's　superstition　it

was　perfectly　natural。　　It　was　〃nigger　luck〃the　luck　of　the

stupid；　the　ignorant；　the　inexperienced；　the　nonseekerthe　irony

of　the　gods！



But　the　si