Bret Harte's writing

The Luck of Roaring Camp

Published under Special Arrangement with The Houghton, Mifflin Company Copyright 1892 and 1899 by Bret Harte. All rights reserved. THERE was commotion in Roaring Camp. It could not have been a fight, for in 1805 that was not novel enough to have called together the entire settlement. The ditches and claims were not only deserted, but “Tuttle’s grocery” had contributed its gamblers, who, it will be remembered, calmly continued their game the day that French Pete and Kanaka Joe shot each other to death over the bar in the front room. The whole camp was collected before a rude cabin on the outer edge of the clearing. Conversation was carried on in a low tone, but the name of a woman was frequently repeated. It was a name familiar enough in the camp,—“Cherokee Sal.”