Mexico weekly ledger., 1876-09-28

claim, which he held in partnership, he
willingly abandoned to his comrade.
With his newly gained treasure be-
slowed snugly inside the leathern belt
which girdled his ample waist, Sam set
hopefully forwardfo for the>city. There
he parted company with the boys, and
the old familiar places '.knew him no
MORE"
| From "Frisco,'' after an interval,
came news of our old comrade. He
was usually to be seen about the gam
b~ling-tables, was flush of money, drink
ing hard, and there were whispers
afoat concerning q certain connection
| to which neither law nor morality gave
warrant or sanction. The woman was
a popularity notorious character, had
| once belonged to the higher grade of
society, and was still beautiful, fas-
| cinating, and had retained something
of that pervading ~nnrnistakable air of
delicacy and refinement which is the
born heritage of perfect ladyhood, and
as impossible to catch Or copy as the
fragile texture of a rose-leaf, or the in
tangible, drifting subtlety of its odor.
There was enough of womanly saint
illness yet lingering. about the folds of
her garments to draw o sudden wonder
into the faces of the men who looked
into her eyes. She, to have sold her
divine birth-right for this mess of pot
tagei This thing of f"Beauty and the
Beast" is something we men can never
quite understand!
Sam Ross was, physically, a noble
animal! BY virtue of this doubtful no.
bility, he was now clothed in "purple
and fine linen," and afared sumptu-
ously every day." In the almost con
| slant companionship of blacklegs and
gamblers, Sam was "going to the badn,
at a galloping pace!
Another link in the chain of fatality
which seemed to surround Cottrill's
claimi EEs
Meanwhile, all was going on prosper
ously at our camp in the gulch. Be-
tween us, we had a considerable guam.
fast nearing the end of our supplies, it
occurred to US to "kill two birds with
one stone"-viz., send in our gold for
deposit in the bank, and recruit, at the
same time, failing stores.
After some consultation, it was de-
cided that Matt Blair should make the
trip. 1t was a days journey out and
another back, allowing the necessary
time for transaction of business, and
the road considered not one of
the safest. Depredations committed
upon passing travellers by rowing Jul
tain banditti were by no means of I'M
usual occurrence. Two Of the boys
commonly went together on such occa-
sions, but we had just got word the day
before from an old "pard" of Rick
Matthews, who was coming back to
camp, to meet him in the city. Having
his assistance back with the supplies, it
seemed needless to break up another'S
two days. work. With proper caution,
we really felt that there was little cause
for apprehension.
In tolerable season, therefore, Matt
started off. freshly primed with orders
for the city, the dust placed for safe
conveyance inside a broad leathern
belt which he wore next his person.
the mountain side, a thicket of low ev-
ergreen oak bordering each side the
beaten track, from which, at intervals,
ran out side-paths, some Leading high
er up, and others following the descent
into the canyon below.
The scene was one of grandeur and
sublimity; but Matt Blair, absorbed in
a wearing arithmetical calculation of
the ratio existing between certain ounces
of ''dust" uersus ditto pounds of tobac-
co, kept up at a good pace for a full
third of the distance of the journey,
when there gradually dawned upon his
laggard perception a growing lameness
of his beast. ..
Dismounting, the cause was evident.
She had cast a shoe. To turn back in
search of the missing shoe was out of
the question; proceeding other than
slowly without that equine pedal protec-
ton was equally so.
Four miles beyond, Matt knew of a
rancho where the default might be rem
edied. Walking, and leading the ami
nal by the bride, he pushed ahead, and
at length drew up before the wayside
rancho. There was some difficulty, and
mor delay, after which an odd shoe
was found, and Matt, with a miners
characteristic ingenuity and the aid of
a flat stump, did his WI %smithing.
fastening on after this detention
with as good speed rs he could COM
mand, another third of, the distance
was gotten over, when he came in sight
of a horseman some distance in advance
riding in the same direction as himself.
Either MATHS mount was much the best,
or the stranger in advance was in no
haste within avery few moments Matt
perceived that he had gained upon him
rapidly. CHANGING to turn his eyes, he
also beheld a second horseman ap-
preaching, at no very great distance,in
the rear. r.4. I.-. ..f
The simplest coincidence in the
world might account for this nearly
simultaneous appearance; but the sug-
gestion was such as to put Matt, keenly
alert, upon his guard. With sharp
eye rakihg "fore and aft" he spurred
ahead. I#5 y..r. r. ia. .a ..-5.. !
There was nothing to increase, but
more to disarm, suspicion. The rear