The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-09-25
THE DAILY STAR
IN RATTLESNAKE GULCH.

The "spurt had been good one for
Tom and me, but We were tired OF the
terrible loneliness of the place and the
constant strain upon our ears for fear OF
the Utes, and so we had decided to cross
the range, strike the trail, and join our
old comrades at Poker camp before the
fall rains began. Two thousand dollars
in glittering dust lay hidden in buckskin
bags in our shanty, the result OF seven
weeks digging and for us it was for
tune.
Supper was over-a dozen of hardtack,
bit of jerked venison and a pot of tea
and with our cutty pipes, short and black,
we sat at the door of the hut smoking,
while the sunlight slowly disappeared
from the tall peaks of the Sierras about
u.s. and the grey shadows crept up the
narrow gulch, silent and chill.
After long pause Tom took his pipe
from his lips and spoke:
''Did ye see anything uncommon down
the run this AFTERNOON, Dick-any
'signs'g'
mo-" said I, slowly, "not that l recol-
tect now. What was it-bearT
"Wuss nor that"
"InjunsT
"WuSs nor that"
"Outlaws, thenT'
"Correct I figure it was Red Jim's
gang. Ye know they've been working
the stage route from Winnemucca to
Silver Cliff, and row | reckon they're on
their way back to the towns to squander
their stealings. Sartin it is thet a dozen
mounted hosses crossed the run Jest be-
low the old sluice, sundown O last night,
for | saw the sign, nigh about noon, an
it was fresh"
"That's bad news" said l soberly. eff
those cut-throats knew that we were
here, nothing would please them better
than to roast us out, Shoot us down, and
carry off the yellow 1t would be a
hard ending to our two months work" +"
"Ye're clus to right" returned the old
miner, as he slowly refilled his pipe ;
but they must catch US afore they shoot
us, an find the gold afore they steal it.
Now, | don't reckon on either"
"Well, but how do you know" I
began, when he stopped me.
Il don't know, an that's Jest it. Better
be sure nor sorry the Bible says, an |
propose to light out tonight. twill be
moon,up at II. We know the trail, an
ef we're gone an they come, all right; ef
we're gone an they don't come, we're so
much further on our journey by mornin'
What dye say@'
"Agreed"'
An hour later, with the gold divided
and safely hidden in the buckskin belts
about our bodies, our tools upon our
shoulders and our rifles in our hands,
Tom Blackburn and | looked for the last
lime at the dark shadow of our little
cabin, as we mounted the ridge that lay
TO the westward.
"Good-by, old shanty!" said Tom, way
ing his gun. "Tell any visitors that ye
may have that we're out for the evening,
and AK 'em to await our return. Good
by!"
Our course was nearly due west, and
for time through rolling country,
thinly timbered, and filled with little
streams, so that we were able to travel
rapidly; but shortly after the moon rose
we struck some heavily-wooded ridges,
rough and rocky, and our progress was
necessarily slow We did not talk much,
but kept bright lookout for both out
laws and Indians, and we marked our
way by the stars that glimmered over
head.
The night was cold and still, the only
sound which broke the silence being the
Grind of the gravel under our feet, or the
occasional cry Of some far-away wolf.
We had proceeded thus far perhaps
four hours, and had covered a dozen
miles or more, when we found ourselves
ut the entrance of a narrow canon,
through whose dreary shadows our course
lay. 1t was an ''uncanny" place, and in
stinctively | looscned my knife in the
sheath as we entered its yawning mouth,
but old Tom tramped unconsciousy on
and | must need follow. Deeper and
deeper grew the darkness, the towering
walls fairly threatening to meet over
head, while more and more rough grew
the rugged path beneath. At length we
were obliged to crawl from point to point,
50 thickly strewn with masses of rock was
the uneven floor.
Suddenly sharp turn opened before
us the unexpected vision of broad park
covered with short grass, through which
ran little stream, and about which, sit.
ting, standing and lying, were dozen as
rough-looking desperldoes as the border
and could produce, while the whole
scene was brilliantly illuminated by the
light of great fire which burned near the
center of the glade.
We had fallen into the very trap W.
we're seeking to avoid. This was the nigh
camp of Red Jim's gang!
1t was too late to retreat, for, even a
we looked, two or three Of the mel
sprang to their feet, and, with weapon
half raised, cried out to us, "Hat" So
with whisper, "We're busted miners
ask for shelter" Tom threw up his hand
and shouted loudly:
Friends"
Then, with assumed boldness, we bot
entered the arena, and we're at once SUI
rounded by the seowling, dark-browe
crew.