, 1874-09-26

t-'-E-'--"
thai Fiva Forks lad Imagined.
II waH lovely aftornnon in July that PARTY
Of Enntern tt,rlrte rolo into Five Fnrha. Jhhyy
Ind just ''tlono" tho Valley of big Things. al''1'
nsnong tho party, IL wnn dcc1ned advisable tass
proper knowledge of the praesicnl mining r.
aouroos Of California should bo adaoa 70 t',oNf
0xpo'ionco Of tho tnoro1y pictliroago III Nns'i,e.
nmonnt of wstor Which paapod over tho l7O11
nona SON snor 10; s stiii ron,ninod N i IN tho enaons
near tho highest rcahs; they. had ridden
Tsna & Sf lbs ss"t ~ ad tSrpsh s4 sS @
wero delighted b to oxpreas fcoI'1y tho onth'i-
ninstn of tleso laflos and gentlemen, drunk with
tho clssnpagny hospitality OF tholr entertainers,
the utter novelty Of scene, and tho dry, exhIl,
already Expressed thcmsotves ready to live and
die tharo; another had wrlttan glowing 40
count TO tltn Easto'n preHu aoprcoiahpt; oil other
scenery IN Europe md Anericn: aud under these
crm.nasnncos 1t wan reasonably c1pnctca TINT
Fiyo Forks wontd do its duty, and eQrslly ina-
prcAn the stranger after it's own fnshion.
J.etters to this effect we're sont from Sa, Fran
cisco by rromnont capitalists There. and uMitr
tho abe Rnrerintoudanoo Of one Of their aEouts,
TIM .,ptors wsre taken IN hana, nhown Il w},nt
wan to bo Fl ell, carefully restrained from OH
serving what ought not to 10 visible. and 10 knpt
~ blihaful and enthusiastic condition. And 40
o S + S'I}sy'a y ssepaos Of tS . F a nn,osa IN r sa e
ting drosrY, raEgod cabins OH tho, hislnidcH,
with thur snts-eyel, cynical, broken.spiritctf
occnparltH !oi'ing on. day bytny, for q miserable
pittanco aud r faro TINT a sclf-rospccslng, EaHt-
ern mechanic wou1a hnye feornftsl'y rejected,
woro not part OF the Eastern visitnra' recnllec-
tlouB. hut the tnisting works and machinery Of
tho Blazing Star Tunnel Company" was-tho
Blazing Star Tui1nol Company. wl'pae "geltlo-
manly Superintendent F." Ind received private ILL.,
formation from ann Francisco to do tho .pFoper
thing" for tho party. Wherefore the valuable
heaps OF orc In the Company'a works we're shown:
tho ohlonG hnrs OF gold-ready for shipment
lift md curry thom nwny ,,nait1oa, AMI oven tho
tunnel ttsolf. gloomy. fatofu1. and peculiar, WAS
shown as part 7of tho experience; and. In tho
noble latiEuago Of one corr 1ospontio',t. - tito
wealth ef Fvo Eorks and tho peculiar naaeo,
wero established beyond donbt. Aud thon oc.
CURED a little inoldnnt which, an an unbiased
spectator, I nm freo, to say offered no induce
inonts to hnsboay whatever, but which. for It's
bearing upon the Central figure or this yeracious
chronicle, cannot paHa over.
1t had become apparent to one or two moro
practical and sober-1nn1eG in tho party TINT cer
tain portions Of tho "Dlazing Star Tunnel
lowing, norhnpa, to tho exigencios Of fattoring
annual dividond)-woro economically ind I'M
! perfectly 'ssilored" and supported, and woro
| consequently 1nBafo INSECURE, and to be avoid
od.. Nevertheless at time when champagne
oorkn 'sero popping In dark corners, ami enthn-
siastic voices and happy laughter rang through
lilo haif-liGhtod foves and galleries. thore cnnle
| sudden and mysterious ailonco. A fow 1ightB
| dashed swiftly BY in tho direction Of diBtank
pnrt of tho gallery, and tllon there was sudden
| Htarp Issuing ot orders and q dull, omtnous
rumble Some Of tho visitors turned paie.-ono
| woman fantcdl
Something Ind happened. W|lat2 "Noth-
ng,"-t4e speakeris fluent but uneasy" ono Of
men from tho wa Ind knocked awny sup
| port. There had boen u 'caye tho gentleman
was caught aud bnriea below his shoulders. 1t
waB all r,ght-they'l got him out ln momeut-
ing tho cave Didn't know his namo-it was
Tint lltt1o man-the husband OF that lively lady
with tho b1nck eyes. Ehl Hnllo tlscrel Stop
hor. For Gods sakel-not TINT wayl Shell
fall from that shaft. She'll be l,illcd!"
But tho lively lady WAS already. gono. With
staring black oyea, in,ploringly trying to plcrco
| tho gloom, With hands alh feet that sought to
battnr and break down tho thick darkness, With
incoherent crieH and supplicntiona, following tho
moving Of ignia fatulls llghls ahead. sho rat,
! and ran Bwiftly! 1san over treachorouB fonDda-
ttons,. ran by yaWnll'g gllfs, ran past branching
galleries aud arcllcB rsn wildly, ran deBpairing-
u, ran blinlly, aud at last run into tho arms oi
the Fool OF Five Forks.
1u an inatant Bho caught at his hand. :. Oh
Bavo him !" she crol rou belong hore---you
know this dreadful place bring mo to him
Toll mo whore to 20 ana what to do, implort
1
sudden cry, dropped the ropo aud orowbar III
was carrving and ree}od against tho WALL
"Annfo T. 1o gnspod, slowly, is it you.?'
She caught ut both Ills bands, brought ho
I face to his with alaring eyes, ml1rnnred y Qo0t
God, Cyrua !" md sank upon her KNOBS before
| him.
lIo tried to diaongage tho hand that sho wrnnf
with passionate ontrcaty.
No mol s cysus an T Sa forfyo ne7
| t1ay Tou will co1uo With Mo, You Hill-yor
must BnYe him Z"
"saye !, s,,.noa who ?" cried Cyrus n0ar'e'y.
! Tho blow maa SO drect-so strong aud over
wholning, that evon through her own stronger
and moro aol!lsh absorption sho aaw 1t in Tue
fsco Of tho nun, ard plsed him:
~ thought -yon-.lnew-7isl" sho faltorea,
Ie did not speak. but looked at her with fixed
voices aud h,rryinE fopt started her again intt
passionate life. 6ho once moro cnught his hard
10 Cyrus hear mo! II you hayo loyoa INT
through all thoBo yoara, you vail not fail mi
nov! You must sayo him! Io:: can You ar<
brave and htrong-you always wcro, Cyrusi 70,
will save him, Cyrus, for my snEe---for tile ankt
OF your loye for mol You will know i'll Got
bless yon!"
Of command sho atood still. Ho picked up til;
ropo md crowbar slowly, aud in dazod, bndet
way that, in her agony Of i,npationco and alarm
seemed protrnctel to cruel inlnity. Thou Ii
turned and raising her hand to his tlpa kisBed i
slowly, looked at 4er agaln-and tho next mo
ment was gone.
llo did not rot,rn. For al tho end Of the no1
half hour, when they had laid noforo hor th
Lalf-eonscious breathing body OF lor husband
Bato aud luharined but for exhaustion and aoiu
slight bruises, slla learned tint tho worst foar
Of tho Worknlan had bscn rcalized. In releasing
lin q scconl cavo llad take. plaza. They In;
Muroly time to Hnatch away tho llofplesH body .
llor husband boforc tho strong fralno OF his roa
cuer, Cyrus Hawkins, HaH struck and snlittel
down in hie place.
For two hours ho lay there, crushed mt
hroher-)iu,besl, with heavy boanl lying across
his broast, iu sight Of oil, conBcious nnd pa.
tIent. For two l.ou,s tloy ind labored AROUND
him. wildly, dospn'ringly. hopefully, With th
nills Of goda and tho strength OF gants, and a
tito ond Of tat time they came to an uprlgh
ti,nhor which rented its baso upon tho beam
There was y CRY for axes, and ono was alroad
swinging IN tie air. whon lho dying man callo'
to thom feob1y:
''Don't cut that upright"
"WIy?"
3t WI erl"g a0~n tho whole gallery with IT,
| r,,, .,,,o ~ 41,a ri r,,x 1,1uun