The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1881-12-28

81 Fl 80 - 49, - sS-Nt
an the shinin dust that you feliers
have in yer waist belts shall be mine
-afOre sun-up, otiI'm'a halfbreed. j
don't want no Ihiuns to help, nor No
cabins to burn neither What I'm
after is the gold, my pards, an ef ye
stay on Castle rock its mine
As he ceased his soliloquy, tteout,
law STOPPING almost to the earth,
scrept rapidly away in the darkness,
following the course taken by the
Others.
Tom mNutting aud Dick Moore had
ben for q month prospecting and
mining IN Hidden valley without
.fnolestation. Fortune had smiled
upon them, and their buckskin bags
were almost full, when, returning
-sae Apeeiediy ID tiieiir f6de cabih
that very afternoon, Tom had sur
prised Black Jim, the most noted
desperate Of the mountains, and a
man who had often been driven from
mining camps as a thief, prowling
near; had shot at and missed him,
and had seen him speed away to the
westward, toward the section where
were roVingthe bloodthirsty Apaches.
Thoroughly acquainted with the
imminent danger of their position,
for their visitor was in league with
all the Indian bands for 100 miles
about, the two miners at once packed
their golddust in their belts, seized
their arms and pursued the scoun-
drel-only to lose him, however, in
the windings of the mountains and
the shadows of the coming night
Then, dreading the fate that might
evertake them in their cabin should
Black Jim return, they decided to
remain in the mountains until morn.
ing, when, protected by the daylight,
they might gather their few effects
and escape over the range.
They had chosen Giants castle-a
massive pile of ragged rock some 200
feet in height, with but two points
where it could possibly be scaled, for
their refuge on account of its mac.
feasibility, and as well for the guard
which they might maintain there
from upon all the Indian country
and the trail into Hidden valley.
Abrisk walk Of twenty minutes
brought the miners to the foot of the
castle; .eF.,nt-"rsli.. - 49, aainutes
placed them at its.sumniit.
Night had now fairly fallen, and
the stars were beginning to shine.
The howl Of a distant coyote calling
to his falthless mate was the only
sound that broke upon the quiet air.
The men seated themselves.
"Tom," said Moore, in a half-whis-
per, "Thero's jes' two places where
the reds could get up eff they should
try, and one man armed as we are"-
he patted his Winchester and touch
ed his knife-"kin keep an army
down. You stay here ahind this
yer rock, an III take keer Of the
other places over yonder We'd bet
ter not sleep-anyhow not till after
moon.up. Should anything happen
jes' croak twice, an I'll be with ye.
The same for me. Watch out, now!"
"Agreedl' said Tom.
And his companion crept away in
the shadows to hide himself close to
where the other pathway reached the
top Of the castle. This point faced
the east, while the one guarded by
Nutting was approached only from
the west. H9
Black night had now drawn its
sable curtains, and but for the rents
through which poeped the winking
stars entire darkness shrouded the
scene.
Yet to the watchers this made lit
tie difference. Educated by frontier
life, and trained in Indian warfare,
their ears were eyes to them when
the light was gone, and the slightest
sound was easily understood in the
absolute quietness of the night as
though they plainly saw the thing
which caused it. And so, motion.
less, each in his place, they kept
their solitary guard.
Far away a lonely wind soughed
among the tall pines upon the ridge;
but its breath swept not about among
Giants costla md tba avor.ro,,oo,od