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

"What will the palc-tace DO II Ne
va tells him."
"Anything you ask"'
"Anything, he says she said tri-
umphantly, in low whisper. 'He
says he will do anything Neva asks
if she tells him about the lost silver
mine. She will try him. Ncva will
see if the pale-facc is as good as his
word"
"Try me, girl. Chalbert RossIney
er broke promise"
Then her right hand pointed to the
west-away from the canyon.
'Do the eyes of the silver hunter
behold fire." she asked.
"They do"
"Thcre is wagon-train from the
white mans country continued the
Apache "Walpan has said that it
might halt in his land, for the pale
faces do not hunt silver mines. In
one of the wagons is Il pale girl
Chalbcrt Ross started again.
"Will the white man swear to obey
Neva if she tells him where the sill
yer is?:" the chiefs daughter sudden
ly asked.
"Ies."
sLet him swear it,"
The oath was taken.
'Nowr' cried the Apache girl, in
tones of triumph, ''Ncva commands
the silver hunter to slay the white
rose"
With a cry of horror on his lips
Chalbcrt Ross started back, staring
at the Apache, cursing himself for
his rash promise.
For moment he did not speak.
s'Is the silver hunter coward?"
she cried.
"No! but you have asked too much,
Neva. 1t would be murder"
The Indian girl laughed.
DWELL, if the pale faces word is
worthless, he will die near the lost
silver; but his eyes will never see it;
Neva knows where it is. There are
rocks of shining wealth; but the skel
etons of the old Spaniards guard
them"
"What care for skeietons?" cried
Ross. 81 will keep my word! Where
Is the mine?"
''In few words the Apache girl
located the lost silver mine, and
swore to guard the hunters thither.
"But first the white girl must step
upon the long tail," she said. off
the hunter fails, Neva's shaft will find
his heart. She will meet him to-mor-
row night. Can he find the fire
where his brother slecps?"
"Yes," answered the young man,
and the next moment the Apache
girl was gliding away.
For awhile he stood alone, undc
cided. He thought Of making his
way to the corralcd train, and getting
glimpse of the travellers; but, after
some sober thinking, descended to
the bed of the canyon, and rcioined
his companion, whom he Immediately
awakened.
Kyle Bans was soon made ac-
quainted with Ncva's visit, and the
oath she had exacted from his friend.
"Look here" he said, eve can't
find the silver without the girl, that's
certain; and she won't guide us until
the white one is out of her road. A
little case of jealousy. Her red lover
has been smittcn by the pale girl.
I'll attend to the business. I've
sinned oftcner than you, Chal Ross"
''But it will be murder"
"Well, what of it? Nobody will
know it in Buena Vista or elsewhere.
1t will give us the silverv
That seemed to decide Chalbert
Ross. He would escape the crime;
but would he not be particeps Grim
inis to the foul deed? In his eager
ness to find the lost mine of untold
wcalth-lost for three hundred years
he never thought of Mut.
The men kept awake until the light
of day dissipated the night, then, after
dispatching 4 frugal meal, they Sc
sured their steeds, which they had
turned out to Craze, and gradually
left the canyon.
"Yonder is the train," said Ross,
pointing southward. "Well ride
down and see where it halls from"
They urged their horses to a brisk
gallop, and were rapidly nearing the
wagons, when Bains drew rein with
an exclamation of surprise.
''I've been thinking for some time
that that black mass was party Of
Indians" he said, with his eyes fixed
upon dark mass approaching the
wagon train from the southwest. off
they're Apaches, Ross, we want to
keep our distance for the present.
eyes," was the response. "We1l
watch them from this point"
1t was soon distinctly seen that the
moving mass was a band of savages,
and some CONSERVATION seemed to
prevail among the emigrants. Men
were seen hurrying to and fro, seeing
to their steeds, families and firearms.
By and by the savages reached the
train, and the silver hunters saw them
mingle with the whites.
For q few minutes the intentions
of the Indians seemed to be peaceful;
but suddenly yell rent the air, and
the report of firearms followed.
"Heavcns! they're massacring the
whites!" cried Rass. "Wemust help
them, Kyle"
"No," was the response; "they're
doing the work you were to do"
81 care not" cried the young hunt
er. II want to see that girl. They
cl,o II not LII bor,3