The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-11-08
DIAMONDS AND GOLD.
a Tale of The Far
West.

q
indeed, the whole of Nuggetville was
laid low, save one tiny stanty that stood
rather apart from the rest. But what
matters the destruction of an entire city
which can be easily rebuilt in few
days?
"Ye're mighty civil to an old man,
Hugh" said Macpherson, as they stepped
ont into the open air; why didn't yer
leave me aged carcase to burn up long
with the restaurant? ] guess I amt
much worth saving, noheow."
And he looked suspiciously into his
companions face, brightly lighted up as
it was by the huge fire.
THAT would have been inhuman,"
answered the barman, without finch
ing.
A wooden town wholly on fire is al
was magnificent spectacle, and Nugget
vile formed no exception to the rule.
The flames, driving fast before a powerful
wind, leapt from wooded house towooden
house with amazing celebrity; and the
logs, or boards, of which each building was
composed, baked by the hot sun of long
summer, blazed as readily as paner. OF
course the Nuggetvillians, like all miners,
enjoyed the big bonfire immensely the
question who's to lose or who's to pay be-
ing to them never an especially serious
one.
A drizzling rain was now beginning to
to fall, and the dull gray, autmnal dawn
contending with the lurid light of the
flames, made the scene of destruction look
desolate enough. Hugh, feeling the first
ehill-his companion was wrapped in
c0gitation as to whether it would not be
well to set off for the south at once, TAX
ing his servant with him as protection
-shivered, and turning suddenly to old
Sadie, clapped him on the shoulder and
sad
Macpherson, this will never suit your
rheumatism; had we not better make a
move somewhere
Recalled so speedily from the land of
thought, the old man was for once thrown
of his guard; it was not often in his long
life that any one had succeeded in start
ling him; but he started and visibly
shrank from the hand laid on him at that
moment.
"Ay, laddie," he said, in the Scotch
accent that returned naturally to his lips
at such rare times; then added, in his
usual nasal twang, "wall, hurry up.
We'd best make tracks anyhow. Mug
getville's played out this fall, but | reck-
on as Orotield amt caved in yet"
He said nothing of his resolve to move
on far beyond Orofeld and beyond the
colony's limits; but Hugh took the 1--WE"
of his masters speech to mean that they
were to start off together; nor, indeed,
had the barman the slightest wish to
part company with the jewel-lined belt
that lay 50 near his hand. Once more
the thought flashed through his brain,
"did the old fellow come honestly by all
that treasure? Why, he drew back from
my touch as though my hand had been
that of detectiveY' But aloud he only
said:
CAN right, what you will"
And thus the two men, their blankets
on their shoulders, their weapons close
hand, commenced their long pedestrian
journey.
And where all this while was Seth w
Jones? In the very place where he
might be expected to be found; in the in
terror of the deserted "Eldorado," whose
roof had already caught fire; he was EN-
ployed in carefully investigating that to
him most interesting of spots. He knew
exactly how long it was safe to remain
not many minutes; for if common
rumor spoke truthfully he had had ir
his time good deal to do with conha
grations, not at all in the way of putting
them out, but rather in the character-by
no means unknown in the West--of in
cendiary. Now, when the two othel
men had slipped out Of the doomed "res
taurant and saloon," Jones, who, as usual
was wide awake and up and not far off
after watching them safely from tn,
premises, had quietly slipped in ane
passed straight to Macpherson's den.
A blow or two from the miners ak h,
Garfield had soon battered down the door
which, even in the hurry of fight, th,
old man had not failed to lock behint
him; and then, undaunted by the smok,
already thinly curling into the room, tn,
spy stood before the sleeping place, clos'
beside which was the small round tabl'
with the extinguished lamp upon it
But nothing tell-tale remained; eithe
from force Of habit or with intention O
rendering security doubly sure, Sadie hat
carefully put back his sewing implement
to their hiding-place, and there only
rested outside of it the three-quarter
empty bottle of whisky, which Setl
speedily reduced to total emptiness.
Pah! how the smoke began to chok'
himl There was no time to lose; clea
out he must. yes, and clear out withou
having discovered clue to the secre
hoard he felt SO sure, from his intimat
acquaintance with the ways of gold-min