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those into whose boyish hands had been placed the nation's honor。
It returned the epaulets to Poindexter's shoulder with the addition
of a double star； carried him triumphantly to the front； and left
him； at the end of a summer's day and a hard…won fight； sorely
wounded； at the door of a Blue Grass farmhouse。 And the woman who
sought him out and ministered to his wants said timidly； as she
left her hand in his； 〃I told you I should live to repay you。〃
LEFT OUT ON LONE STAR MOUNTAIN。
CHAPTER I
There was little doubt that the Lone Star claim was 〃played out。〃
Not dug out； worked out； washed out； but PLAYED out。 For two years
its five sanguine proprietors had gone through the various stages
of mining enthusiasm； had prospected and planned； dug and doubted。
They had borrowed money with hearty but unredeeming frankness；
established a credit with unselfish abnegation of all responsibility；
and had borne the disappointment of their creditors with a cheerful
resignation which only the consciousness of some deep Compensating
Future could give。 Giving little else； however； a singular
dissatisfaction obtained with the traders； and； being accompanied
with a reluctance to make further advances； at last touched the
gentle stoicism of the proprietors themselves。 The youthful
enthusiasm which had at first lifted the most ineffectual trial； the
most useless essay； to the plane of actual achievement； died out；
leaving them only the dull； prosaic record of half…finished
ditches； purposeless shafts； untenable pits； abandoned engines； and
meaningless disruptions of the soil upon the Lone Star claim； and
empty flour sacks and pork barrels in the Lone Star cabin。
They had borne their poverty； if that term could be applied to a
light renunciation of all superfluities in food； dress； or
ornament； ameliorated by the gentle depredations already alluded
to； with unassuming levity。 More than that： having segregated
themselves from their fellow…miners of Red Gulch； and entered upon
the possession of the little manzanita…thicketed valley five miles
away； the failure of their enterprise had assumed in their eyes
only the vague significance of the decline and fall of a general
community； and to that extent relieved them of individual
responsibility。 It was easier for them to admit that the Lone Star
claim was 〃played out〃 than confess to a personal bankruptcy。
Moreover； they still retained the sacred right of criticism of
government； and rose superior in their private opinions to their
own collective wisdom。 Each one experienced a grateful sense of
the entire responsibility of the other four in the fate of their
enterprise。
On December 24； 1863； a gentle rain was still falling over the
length and breadth of the Lone Star claim。 It had been falling for
several days； had already called a faint spring color to the wan
landscape； repairing with tender touches the ravages wrought by the
proprietors； or charitably covering their faults。 The ragged seams
in gulch and canyon lost their harsh outlines； a thin green mantle
faintly clothed the torn and abraded hillside。 A few weeks more；
and a veil of forgetfulness would be drawn over the feeble failures
of the Lone Star claim。 The charming derelicts themselves；
listening to the raindrops on the roof of their little cabin； gazed
philosophically from the open door； and accepted the prospect as a
moral discharge from their obligations。 Four of the five partners
were present。 The Right and Left Bowers； Union Mills； and the
Judge。
It is scarcely necessary to say that not one of these titles was
the genuine name of its possessor。 The Right and Left Bowers were
two brothers； their sobriquets； a cheerful adaptation from the
favorite game of euchre； expressing their relative value in the
camp。 The mere fact that Union Mills had at one time patched his
trousers with an old flour sack legibly bearing that brand of its
fabrication； was a tempting baptismal suggestion that the other
partners could not forego。 The Judge； a singularly inequitable
Missourian； with no knowledge whatever of the law； was an
inspiration of gratuitous irony。
Union Mills； who had been for some time sitting placidly on the
threshold with one leg exposed to the rain； from a sheer indolent
inability to change his position； finally withdrew that weather…
beaten member； and stood up。 The movement more or less deranged
the attitudes of the other partners； and was received with cynical
disfavor。 It was somewhat remarkable that； although generally
giving the appearance of healthy youth and perfect physical
condition； they one and all simulated the decrepitude of age and
invalidism； and after limping about for a few moments； settled back
again upon their bunks and stools in their former positions。 The
Left Bower lazily replaced a bandage that he had worn around his
ankle for weeks without any apparent necessity； and the Judge
scrutinized with tender solicitude the faded cicatrix of a scratch
upon his arm。 A passive hypochondria； born of their isolation； was
the last ludicrously pathetic touch to their situation。
The immediate cause of this commotion felt the necessity of an
explanation。
〃It would have been just as easy for you to have stayed outside
with your business leg； instead of dragging it into private life in
that obtrusive way；〃 retorted the Right Bower； 〃but that exhaustive
effort isn't going to fill the pork barrel。 The grocery man at
Dalton sayswhat's that he said？〃 he appealed lazily to the Judge。
〃Said he reckoned the Lone Star was about played out； and he didn't
want any more in histhank you！〃 repeated the Judge with a
mechanical effort of memory utterly devoid of personal or present
interest。
〃I always suspected that man； after Grimshaw begun to deal with
him；〃 said the Left Bower。 〃They're just mean enough to join hands
against us。〃 It was a fixed belief of the Lone Star partners that
they were pursued by personal enmities。
〃More than likely those new strangers over in the Fork have been
paying cash and filled him up with conceit；〃 said Union Mills；
trying to dry his leg by alternately beating it or rubbing it
against the cabin wall。 〃Once begin wrong with that kind of snipe
and you drag everybody down with you。〃
This vague conclusion was received with dead silence。 Everybody
had become interested in the speaker's peculiar method of drying
his leg； to the exclusion of the previous topic。 A few offered
criticism； no one assistance。
〃Who did the grocery man say that to？〃 asked the Right Bower；
finally returning to the question。
〃The Old man；〃 answered the Judge。
〃Of course；〃 ejaculated the Right Bower sarcastically。
〃Of course；〃 echoed the other partners together。 〃That's like him。
The Old Man all over！〃
It did not appear exactly what was like the Old Man； or why it was
like him； but generally that he alone w