The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-11-10
DIAMONDS AND GOLD.
A Tale of The Far
West.

After while the younger, who had
only been rendered insensible by a pro-
jecting arm of theprostrate leafy giant,
rose once more. dazed aud aching, and
barely able to understand what had
happened.
Across the road stretched huge pine,
and underneath it, frightfully crushed
and quite dead, lay Alexander Macpher-
son. At first Hugh was so shocked that,
as he crept to his motionless companion,
some good impulse caused him almost to
hope he should not find him killed. Yet,
had the old man been still alive, renewal
of former perplexities and longings must
infallibly have taken the place of more
transient better feeling.
When, after some hesitation, cut short
chiefly through dread estany one should
pass, and his opportunity be lost, he had
loosened Macpherson's clothing as well
as he could get at it, he found it an easy
task enough to draw the belt away from
the body. But as he bound the much
coveted treasure about his waist and un-
derneath his loose, wellworn garibaldi,
there was in his heart no room for exult-
alton, but only for shuddering horror.
The belt once girded on, he cast long,
nervous glance both to north and south,
to his intense relief ascertaining that no
human being was in sight, then turned
and fled the spot, nor stopped till he had
xo,>% ,,,,Ia, hot uyoon h,r,oo If oul bn
scene of the disaster. Then, utterly
wearied out, he went aside among the
trees few PAGES from the high road,
sank down and slept he knew not how
long.
When, with a great start of dread, he
awoke, the moon was shining brightly;
it was beautifully clear night, and the
wind had almost lulled. He regained the
road, looked eagerly to north and south,
and trudged on once more. He was
rested now, and could collect his wits,
and decide upon the best course of action.
To push on with as little loss Of time as
possible was evidently the first thing to
be done. All other ideas were as yet
neccssarilw vague. ...-....
On he tramped, till at last the lighted
windows of rude wayside hotel caused
him to stop short. He was very hungry;
dared he 20 in and have a meal? But
what if any one should be there who,
coming from the mines, had passed the
fallen giant Of the woods while he lay
sleeping, and by way Of latest news, had
told an ugly tale to the houses inmates
about crushed corpse evidently de-
spoiled, too) lying beneath the tree? All,
fool, why, ere leaving that fatal spot, had
ne not thought to cover the body over?
There had been round the place plenty
of bouehs and leaves and faded fern and
bracken; and the dead man lay just off
the road. Had he but been more careful,
he might have made all safe; for who in
the wide world would have missed all
cient S2ndie, or have taken the trouble
to look for him? %F
He stole up to one of the uncurtained
windows of the house; and very eau
tiously peeped through. Within was a
long, rough room, and in front OF the
bright log fire that lighted it far more
chccrfully and effectually than did the
single feeble candle standing on the table
sat two men, one, Seton by name, whom
Hugh knew to be master of the shanty.
Pc. The other was Seth w. Jones.
At sight of the ill-looking fellow, Hugh
felt all his old antipathy revive with ten
fold vigor, together with new and in
stinctive dread for the safety of his treas.
ure. He turned away; be dared not
70 in; he resisted the strong craving he
felt for the rough food laid out upon the
the table, and 50 pushed off again. The
next roadside house might, he Judged
be reached soon after daybreak, and
there most certainly he would rest. HI
was all the more anxious to be moving rs
he noticed that Seth was sitting witt
both his boots off, one of which he held il
his hand, and seemed to be engaged yer,
carefully and slowly in mending.
That" reasoned Hugh, Clocks a.
though he had made up his mind to stop
therefore will get good start of him.
And then, with sudden pang of fear
which caused hin to clasp the diamond
belt closer, the thought crossed him:
Can he be waiting for me?'
That is precisely what Seth Jones wa
doing.
Footsore, weary, and very hungry
Hugh Mostyn strobe OH through all the
night. Many times he had to stop tt
bind his fast-perishing boots together
and once or twice he stopped to drink a
rills and water-holes. And still the dens
and dismal pine forest bounding tn
lonely road on either side rose up, mil
after mile, hour after hour, looking il
the waning moonlight like gloomy
prison wall.
In every darker mass his disordere'
fancy beheld an ambuscade of ,prowlin,
aborigines, or yet more treacherou
whites; if a bou gh cracked or fell, h
dreaded to see a grizzly cross his path o
offer to dispute it; and wherever tn
track lay in deepest shadow he trod il
afear, because there came back recollet