The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1882-02-28

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 impossible to 60 on.
Joe, who was good tempered enough
when everything went well, began
now to how signs of increasing ILL
temper. He cursed and swore at the
storm and snow, and then would sub
side into moody silence. He beat
with merciless blows the heavily la
den "Jack" that struggled along on
Its hard journey. 1t 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 destination was reached. But
five or six miles now lay between the
men and the clusterrrof cabins where
they hoped to find aid, but the darkness
was already coming on, and the way
was getting impossible.
Joe insisted upon taking the first
turn in riding, and Dayton allowed
him to mount. In this way about
mile was passed over, when Dayton,
almost overcome by fatigue. called
upon his companion to dismount
and exchange places. The way at
that point was narrow and led along
side of a steep incline on the mountain
side. Joe, who was riding ahead,
stopped when he heard his companion
call, and allowed Dayton to come close
up to him, as if to allow him to take
the animal. Then suddenly bending
over, Joe drew from his belt long
knife and plunged it into his partners
breast
"rhere," 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 boulders, till the gradual
declivity down which he was precipi-
tated changed to a steep precipice,
over the edge of which he plunged
onto Level surface several feet below.
Stunned as he was by his wound and
fall, he was still able. on looking
around him, to see i'm the side of the
precipice a large opening like the
entrance of a cave, and with the in
stinct of self-preservatiOn, he dragged
himself thither, and succeeded i'm
reaching this shelter from the storm
before he tainted away, overcome by
the loss of blood.
Meanwhile Sandy Joe struggled on
his way, and by using the animal as
far as it would 60. and then leaving it
in a snow drift while he continued on
foot, finally reached the little camp tn
which he was bound. He told his
tale of the great dangers he had en-
dured, but without mentioning his
companion. and received sympathy
and attention from the miners.
The morning sun was just darting
his straight beams from the eastern
sky across the valley and into the in
terror Of the mountain cave when
Bob Dayton awoke from his sleep of
exhaustion. The storm had cleared
from the mountain, and as the shin
ing RAYS were cast upon the interior
wall of the cave, Bob, lying with his
eyes just opened and too weak to feel
disposition to rise, noticed CLEANS
of light where some bright substance
reflected the sunlight. With difficulty
he made his way on his hands and
knees toward one of these points of
light, and taking the glittering object
i'm his hands, found, with trembling
delight, that it was bit of native
wire silver, such as is found some
times even on the surface over rich
Colorado mines. On further examin-
ton he found rich indications of the
same nature in various parts Of the
cave, and he was soon aware that he
had made one of those discoveries
which incite SO many to seek their
fortunes in mining grounds of the
West, and that are really SO frequent
and exceptionable. The ambition of
his life was accomplished, and he
might now, he felt, make home as
rich and nleasant as he had IMAGINED