Stephens City star. (Stephens City, Va.) 1881-1883, 1882-03-18

obtaining more speedily sufficient
means to justify him in making her
whom he loved his own. But his san
guine expectations had been disappoint-
ed, and for several months he had
wandered from one mining camp to
another, till at last he arrived at Cedar
Gulch, weary and disheartened. He was
just in the mood to listen to reckless
proposal which he heard made in the
hotel one day by Sandy Joe, to go on a
prospecting tour in spite of the near
approach of snow. Robert did not
know, and did not care much, who his
partner was If he could have another
chance to labor for the treasure which
he was seeking. No one knew the real
name of Sandy Joe, as he was called,
with the frequent appropriateness of
Western nicknames. He was short,
dark-complexioned, and dark-haired,
man, with an unenviable notoriety for
quarrelsomeness. This ill-assorted
couple proceeded on their expedition
without much incident the first day,
driving their "Jacks" up the stony trail
toward the summit of Mount Shavano,
that towers high above the surround
mountains.
On the second day of their journey,
when they had not yet reached the
place where they had to leave their
"Jacks" and proceed on foot, there
came down over the travellers heavy
mist, not uncommon on the mountains,
and soon after the snow began to fall.
very lightly at first, aud then more
heavily. The trail, which had not
been very distinct before, began to be
almost hidden from view. But the sa-
gacious animals seemed by some in
stinct to pick out the true path, and
the journey was still slowly continued.
One of the animals, however, wandered
a little from the path in the afternoon,
and stepping on loose rock near the
edge of steep ravine, slipped and
rolled over and over down the bank,
and was seen no more. A hearty curse
from the lips of Sandy Joe greeted this
mishap, but the journey was continued.
The path began to grow sleeper, and as
the snow began to be piled up before
the travellers it became almost impos-
sible to go on. Joe, who was good.tem-
pered enough when everything went
well, began now to show signs of in
creasing ill-temper. He cursed and
swore at the storm and snow, and then
would subside into moody silence. He
beat with merciless blows the heavily
laden "Jack," that struggled along on
it's hard journey. It became evident
at length that the men could not reach
the camp to which they were bound by
walking, and the animal was unloaded,
and it was decided that the men should
take turns in riding till their destina-
tion was reached. But five or six
miles now lay between the men and the
cluster of cabins where they hoped to
find aid, but the darkness was already
coming on, and the way was getting
almost impossible.
Joe insisted upon taking the first
turn in riding, and Dayton allowed him
to mount. In this way about a mile
was passed over, when Dayton, almost
overcome with fatigue, called upon his
companion to dismount and exchange
places, The way at that point was mar
row and led alonside of steep cline
on the mountain side. Joe, who was
riding ahead, stopped when he heard
his companion call, and allowed Day.
ton to come up to him, as if to allow
him to take the animal. Then sudden
ly bending over, Joe drew from his
belt long knife and plunged it into
his partners breast.
''There," said he, "as we can't both
get through to the camp, won't be the
one that's left behind" and then giving
poor Bob push over the edge of the
bank, the assassin rode on.
The wounded man rolled down the
stony side of the mountain, the kindly
snow shielding his body from some of
the sharp powders, till the gradual
declivity down which he was precipita-
ted changed to steep precipice, over
the edge of which he plunged onto q
level surface several feet below. Stun
ned as he was by his wound and fall, he
was still able, on looking around him,
to see in the side of the precipice
large opening like the entrance of acave,
and with the instinct of self-preserya-
tion, he dragged himself thither, and
succeeded in reaching this shelter from