Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1875-01-29
THE LOST MINE.

| W az TO grow 10 q Deaut1lul SfanOma 1Or ME.
THE LOST MINE.
'Let us 60 back"
''To the States?"
eyes"
''To Buena Vista?"
'Of course. Where else would We
go!"
The last speaker was q dark-faced,
Notwithstanding man Of five and
forty; his companion a handsome fel-
low at least fifteen years his junior.
They sat in the light of small fire
in one of the famous gulches of New
Mexico, and seemed to be alone.
Their carbines rested on the ground
beside them, and the twain looked
fatigued.
The words of the elder caused Il
sneer to rutflc the lips of the other,
and determination flashed i'll his
dark eye.
Il am not going back to the States
much less to Bucna Vista, before ]
have found the treasure"
"Then, by George. some sun will
find you in a gulch with Il dozen
feathered sticks in your body.
Where's Davis::"
"Deadr
"And Rogerbright?"
"Dcad."
"Yes, and if you'll go up the Rio
Grand you'll find poor Knights
anatomy, and in the best heart that
ever lived in Ohio is an Apache arrow
head. There were five of us when
we left Bucna Vista; you and are
all the Indians have spared; and
Heaven knows that they are after us
noww
"You can go back if you wish,
Kyle, l am going totind the treasure.
"What. 60 back and leave you
here? Chalbcrt Ross, you don't know
Kyle Bains. never more'n half
believed the story about the lost silver
mine, and we have been upon a wild
goose chase"
81 believe we are near the treasure,
responded the younger adventurer,
confidently. 81 do not think that the
information 1 gathered i'll Taos is
altogether deceptive. But we will
talk while we hunt tomorrow. Kyle,
| guard tonight. Lie down and go
to sleep"
/ Obedient, the bearded man drew a
blanket about his person, and threw
himself upon the ground. A moment
later he was asleep, and it seemed
that his guard, Chalbert Ross, was
not far from the land Of dreams. He
seemed worn out with travelling; but
there was a fire in his eye, and his eal
was on the alert for admonitions OF
danger.
Perhaps he thought of the three
Ohio boys who, in high spirits, had
crossed the Arkansas at his side a
short time prior to the date Of his
present encampment. Brave fellows.
and full of adventure they were; but
there were Indian arrows in theil
bodies, and on the banks of unexplor
ed streams they slept the sleep of the
dead. Now but two of the little
band of five men who left the Buck
eve State to rc-discover one Of the
many hidden silver mines of New
Mexico remained, and they had hunt
ed many weeks, with the shadow OF
deaths wing above them, and dark
mystery before.
The ignis futus, invented perhaps
by some imaginative writer, had lured
them to the gulches and chasms Of
the, to them, terra incogmita OF
America. Would they ever escape?
1t was question they could not an
sWer.
Chalbert Ross felt that sleep was
stealing over him while be watched
his PROSTATE companion, and coveted
the refreshing slumber that closed his
heavy lids. He rose and paced up
and down the canyon in the light OF
the fire. Far above him glittered the
stars; Oh each side, dull, gray rocks,
on which his giant-likc shadow fell.
Once he paused and drew medallion
portrait from his bosom, and looked
ut it.
He saw the beautiful features of
girlhood, bright blue eyes, and a
wealth of radiant hair, as roseate as
the sunbeams.
".She wouldn't know me now," he
murmured. 81 look so old. Won
der if all silver hunters get SO hag-
gard. ought to go back to her; but
not without the treasure. No! no!
no."
He repeated the monosyllable with
determination, and the giant, talking
in his dreams, seemed to respond pro-
phetically, for he said:
"Then we've got to die; there's no
hel p for it,"
Ross laughed when he saw that his
burly companion had spoken in his
slumber, and minute later, having
seated himself before the fire, was
asleep himself.
He did not hear the stcalthy foot
step in the canyon; he did not see the
figure that came from the gloom his
eyes had failed to penetrate.
1t was the figure of an Indian girl,
who carried bow, to the string of
which was fitted an exquisitely-shaped
arrow. She saw the sleeping men,
and never took her eyes from them.
Had she marked them for her
shatts2 We shall see