The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1880-04-02

$500 t1'N-eHi-at AciItlll II Is lflGl Il Go
e en- mounted horses crossed the run, in
p below the old slucc, sometime since 81
down q last night, fer saw the sic
: nigh ahoat noon, an it war fresh"
t That's bad news" said sobcrIv.
/ thosc cui-ihrotis knew we were her
nothing would please them more than
roast us cat, shoot us down, and carr
d OIL the yellow" 1t would be a hard en-,
IA ing TO our Two months work"
4 1e're c!us TO right returned the oil
miner, as hc slowly re-filled his pipe
, nut they must catch us afOre they shoe
us, an find the gold afore they steal i
Now, don't reckon on either"
We'll, but how do you Know | b,
gan, when Inc stopped me.
don't know, an thet's jet it. BET
yer be sure nor sorry the Bible SAYS, an
1 propose To light out tonight Twill
be moonup AT eleven. We both know
the trail, aud Of we're gone and the,
come, all right; eff we'rc gone an theII
don't come, we're So much further OF
our journey by mornin' What dry,
"Agreedr'
An hour later, with gold divided ane
safely hidden in buckskin belts abou
our bodies, our tools upon our shoulders
ana our rifles in our hands, Tom Black.
burn and | booked for the last time nj
the dark shadow of our little cabin. as VIC
mounted the ridge that lay to the west
ward.
Goodbye, ole shanty ~ said Tom. way
ing his gun. "Tell any visitors that We
may have that were out for the evening
| ana ak 'em To await our return. Good,
| bycr'
Our course WAS nearly due west, and
for a time through a rolling country thin.
iy tImbered, and filled with little streams.
SO that we were able TO travel rapidlv
but shorty after the moon rose, we Struck
some heavily wooded ridges, rough and
rocky, ana our progress was necessarily
slow. We did not talk much, but kept n
bright lookout for both outlaws and In
dams, and we marked our way by the
stars that glimmered overhead.
The night was cool and still. the ONLY
sound which broke tho silence being the
grind Of the gravel under our leet, or
the occasional cry of some far away
wolf
We had proceeded thus for perbans
four hours, and had covered n dozen
miles or more. when we found ourselves
at the entrance of narrow canyon
through whose drearY shadows our
course lay. 1t was an ''uncanny, place,
anu lnsiInctivcly 1 looSened my knife in
the sheath as we entered the yawniup
mouth, but old Tom tramped uncon,
sciously on, and l must needs follow
Deeper and deeper grew the darkness.
the towering walls fairly threatening TO
meet overhead, while more and more
rough grew the rugged path beneath.
AT length we were obliged TO crawl from
point TO point, so thickly strewn with
masses of rock was the uneven floor.
Suddenly, sharp turn opened before |
US the unexpected vision of a board mark |
covered with short grass, through which |
ran Il little stream, and about which. |
sitting and lying, were IL dozen as rough |
looking deSpc:adOeS rs the border land |
could produce, while the whole scene |
was brightly illuminated by the light of !
great fire which burned near the center
of the glade.
We had fallen into the very trap we
were seeking 10 avoid. This was the
night camp ct Red Iim's gang
1t was too late TO retreat, for, even rs
we locked, two or three of the men
Sprang to their feet, and with weapons
half raised, cried out to us, "HaItr' So
with whispered "Wc'rc busted miners:
ask for shelter" Tom threw up his hands
md shouted loudly:
"Fricnds.''
Then, with assumed boldncss. we both
the arena, and we were at once
surrounded ty the scowling, dark brow
ID crew.
Tom told his story-brolsen-hearted
'rospectoIs trying to return to the min
ng camps over the range, and travelling
/ night, for fear of the Indians. Would
hey give Us supper and Shelters
\ short consultation was held, Red
i'm, brawny ruffian, with a hIood-coI.
red name of hair and beard, putting
ONE close questions to us both; and al
engtA, with Eol the hest grace in the
1ofld, our request was granted, and we
'efe told to draw up and help ourselves ,
round,
hungry from our long walk, we need
d no second invitation, and were soon
atlng and talking with those about us !
Familiarity ~ though we were horse b,
lleyes ana out-thrOats ourselves !
We dissetnbied fear, and made no at
empt at private communication. Time j.,
II that by and by. We must disarm all
or eur Threats would he sore | /
efore morning,
Tue neal was nearly over, and | had
ist washed down my last bit of ierked | l
enison with a drauglt OF fiery whisky :
om the canteen Of a hideouS dwarf WHO |
It near me, when Red jim again an
reached me, ,
Whats yer names:"
milne Is Baldwin-Hank Baldwin u
nd old Tom, quickly; 'an'.this 'un is
-aior Dick Smith. He was in the Roo
an war, and is green at this business.
1: I'm an Old San Juan county N lner, il
here ! worked nine years af0rcS | ever V
ed this cusSed region" q
The ruffian looked at him sharply for c,
| instant, and then said: +
9 Hold out your lef. .ls.Ild" n
With Sudden fear, | saw Toms face is
ow ashen pale, and almost perceptibly ci
S hand moved toward his pistol-butf. h
EN-, recovering himself, he ebeycd With D
laugh, t.
Thar ii is, parl; what's left of it, i
ere were but two fingers and thumb. 10
crushed it in Hairs Gulch smelling di
Orks, in seyenty-two." Il
Red Jim leaned forward and eSamin-
the member carefully. Then his face lie
came lurid, and his wolfish eyes III
canned. = Elm
You lie, You dogl You never saw tr
G San Jnan country, and you lost three 0i
lgers when you led the soldiers to my b;
dden camp in Arizonai You lest The Il,
gers, and gave me this 80 remenber1 81
ID by" and he pointed to . lon y scar IT
at ran across his forehead, sand I've is
yer forgotten Won. i'Es prayed 10 the hC
vii these ave years that might find iii
u, and he's turned my friend at last, S
ize him, boysl" he continued There III
no tree handy, hut ia inc morning iii
~ try throwing the knifel SeizI hi
M" IN
In an instant my comrade was bound ! th
nd aad foot, and made islst to an ina u:
inse i-00idez.. lie niEsle n9siglis of re- Al
taRcci 1t would have been worse Than til
cless, and | was motioaleSs with ,er, II
eaed Iim," said Tom, and his voice eli
Is husky, ''ye hey got me, and We can or
q do with me as We please. I'm pa. d 10
II breed nor L woman. 10 cry nj the ST
liz Of 2 knife; but for Gods sake. let bu
1t young man gol He's an honest of
ner, and only knows me as such. lie hi
yer saw me IBtil last Eali. Do not ( vi
nish him for nav seore.s SIS be
fhe, chief turned to me. gu
Does he lie - az
4 meb Tom blackburn last fail Tsr the ar
It time in my life. only caise from gu
cast one year ago know him as til
ner. anu nothing else. and, Is he said. La
haVo been prospecting, are broke. is
want to get back TO the camps over III,
J range. That's the whole truth. as I IN,
ow iti' In
ror moment, there was a hesItancy la
the manner of my eaptor, aud trem / gi
d; then, with an oath he said IAN
Let 1tgo, | will believe We. for We "
i like an honest man, an they're ar,
zee" and he grinned. .sYesrc my co
ncf onfiI raa,-.,i.,sSs ..,s.l H.. -. | =.