The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1876-01-29
For Life or Death.

you'll not do il and get in, young
chap, with hair on your head, | tell you
that, and, mark ye, tbs no town-bred
greenhorn that says it, but old Joe Bur-
ton. that has found Iniuns and hunted
BUTLER on the plains afore you left your
mothers side, | calculate. 'Taint to he
done"
But, Colonel -" / put in, smil
ing, yet not quite SO much at my ease as
desired to appear, for this tough old
frontiersman. who remembered the
foundation of the settlement, was no
light authority as to tho practicablity
of such an enterprise as that which |
had, perhaps. rashly undertaken.
"A clear throwing away of life, that's
all gruiliy rejoined the veteran, as he
stopped to pat the hound that jumped
up whimpering to receive the master :
caress. ale that rides the lin" tn the
head waters of the Gila now has only to
thank his own folly if his scalp dries in
some pesly wigwnm on the prairie. But
there; ] am wasting words. A willful
lad like half-broke mustang, amt easy
to hold back. Anyway, Master Harry
Lyndham. / wish You well ont of the
ugly scinpc Won have got into.
Colonel Burton WAS by no means the
only friend who tried to dissuudc me
from my project, but my word was
pledged. my mind made up and it only
remained, to complete the preparations
for my hurried and perilous journey.
This was how matters stood with me.
l. Harry lyndham, one of the many
whom the hopes OF growing rich had
,Iruwn 10 the far West of America was
then II resident of Tucson City and II
clerk in the employment OF Curtis
brothers.
Mine were no se'entary duties, and !
Was moro often in the saddle than at n
desk for Messrs Curtis were spectators
and general jobbers. dealing III maize.
and wine, and hides. i'll tobacco, quick
silver. gunpowler, and 'notions; and.
above all. i'll cattle. the great staple of
the lar Southwest.
1t was not for hire alone tina; toilcd
as | did. Ny great stimulus was that !
was in love with pretty charming Rosa
mond Gray, the daughter of old Mr.
Gray, the banker ut Cristolnl. II town
tying to the eastward Of the AIimbrcs
and famous ~ 4 market for the agric,!l
tural produce of the vast district border
ing on Mexico. In one sense / was hap
ny, for my love was returned; but in
another | had met with what was almost
"A rcnulse. since Mr.. and Mrs. Gray, al
though entertaining TO personal obiec-
ton to mo as Il son-in-law. were unwill
ing to bestow their daughter on any but
a wealthy sutton.
Get rich, Mr.. Lyndham," the banker
had said good-naturedly, ''and l see no
reason why Rosamond and you should
not be happy according to your own
fancy. But neither her mother nor ]
can sanction an unconditional engage
mcnt."
was in hopes that might take Mr..
Gray's advice, and by growing rich, or
at least by acquiring Il competence, win
Nosamond's hand, the prize that valued
above all earthly considerations; and
such is the rapidity with which, in those
argentiferous regions, fortunes are some
times amassed, that l was not without
warrant for aspirations which in Europe
would perhaps have seemed futile.
And now to explain the present posi-
ton of the firm and the reasons for my
undertaking a journey fraught, accord
ing to the rugged old militia colonel's
iictum, with almost certain disaster.
Curtis Brothers, who, by a long course
of judicious operations, had raised them
selves from poverty to atiluencc, had at