The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-11-12
DIAMONDS AND GOLD.
A Tale of The Far
West.

1HC nuifnCU SioN udu HUI qultc ltlb Tue
sky when, after some miles of walking,
Hugh found himself in sight of another
house. By this time he was so weary
and famished, that he resolved to stop
and have a square" meal, and good
nights rest. He recognized the place,
and reckoned it at single days tramp
from the spot where three DAYS previous
ly he had turued out of the highway
into the bush. This was the fourth
evening since that when, through win
dow, he had beheld Seth Jones within
SeftOn's house, and Sefton's lay back
close upon couple days walk from here.
Now, il from Sefton's Seth Jones had
gone on all right and why should he
not?-he must be two days ahead Of
Hugh upon the journey; whilst Amner
Choate and his set would beeyen farther.
Obviously then, as far as regarded in
tended avoidance of these men, it was
perfectly safe for him to stop here. AS.
far as regarded chance meeting with 9TH,
ers whom he knew, he felt by this time
50 ragged and disreputahle--as, in greater
Or lesser degree, all miners, after their
long tramp, outwaFdly become-that he
was already sufficiently disguised.
And so he quietly stole in at the door.
The rough room shone only with the
ruddy glare from blazing log fire; the
host not having yet seen fit to light up
the place. Round about the center table
lounged, smoked, and expectorated a
dozen miners bound south, but resting
there till morning; and bending over the
fire, his face and figure brought out only
too unmlstakably by the glow in front of
him, sat Seth w. Jones.
At sight of him, Hugh's heart seemed
to stop beating, and instinctively he
SUNK into the darkest corner he could
find, earnestly hoping the other had not
perceived him. His hope was vain;
Seth-who, under pretense Of sprained
ankle, had remained two days in this
place, because, thanks to judiciously
worded inquiries, he had found out that
between this and the house next below
Sefton's no one at all answering Hugh's
description had been seen-kept his
rowing eyes upon every person who en-
tered or departed; and at once recognized
the man Of whom he was in pursuit.
Now Seth, on arrival at the fallen
tree, had paused and sat down on it.
Forty-nine out of fifty of the "boys" who
had come abreast of the obstacle had
merely climbed over and passed on; but
Seth was just the fiftieth man, who al
ways had ideas Of his own. All his wits
were about him, and they had speedily
noticed a heavy-looking staff close beside
the proftrate pine. Now, everybody
knows that the bush does not grow pol
ished walking-sticks
"l guess you'll be some sorter use, !"
said Seth, picking up and approvingly
regarding his new acquisition, "and
what's more, I've kinder notion as I've
seen yer somewhar already"
He had soon found the mangled corpse;
and the matter became plain at once A
dead body with the clothes loosened
about the waist, (Seth knew well enough
wat that meant nothing apparently
save the money from the pocket taken,
even the seven-shooter, even the flask of
spirits left. Master dead, man gone;
Macpherson here, Hugh Myston-where? ?
Very carefully, with whatever lay hand
lest, did Seth cover up the fast-stiffen-
ing clay; he was not the man to leave
tell-tale relics unconcealed when conceal
ment might be useful; aud when he had
turned his face to southwark, bent now
upon tracking down the old mans COM
panion.
And barely an hour later, Abner
Choate, with handful of fellow-miners,
also came to the fallen tree; and being
likewise of inquiring mind, Investigated
the place, and found the BODY too; so
that Seth's efforts had been thrown
away.
Thus even the shrewdest people may
at times waste precious moments.
And now Seth beheld his intended
victim close at hand.
Supper not being yet upon the table,
Hugh employed his interval in desperate
ly considering his best course. Unless
Jones were publicly to denounce him as
a fl subject for Lynch law, Hugh knew
that among so many he was safe. Would
it be well tomorrow to wait until the
other men started, and pursue his journey
protected by companionshp? But sup
pose some Of them were Seth's accom-
plices?
That was fatal error of judgment or
Hugh's part; his enemy was the last
man in the world to have accomplicee:
and be forced to share the booty he GOV.
eted for himself alone.
Supper over, drinking and gambling
became the order of the evening; but al
last one by one each man rolled himself
up in his blanket, and lay down npor
the floor to sleep.
Craving for stimulants with which tt
sustain his sinking courage, Hugh drank
though not too deeply, for safety required
that his head should be kept clear. An(
ere long, he too lay down with the rest
Seth Jones crouched in front of the fire
that being the place of honor accorded
the "sick" man, The landlords bed was
of course the bar. Ere settling finall,
for the night, Hugh leaned for an instant
on his elbow, to steal a glance at his fOt