Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-08-11

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When some distance from the hut Skin
ner put the girl down. gave her the biscuit
and flask, after drinking half its contents,
and resumed his journey.
In the evening Flynn and Bagley went
| over to the hus, intending to bring the
woman and her children up 70 the camp.
"SkinneC will get back about S o'clock.
I gaess the sick boy only wants little
feeding up to make him all right" re-
marked Flynn as they approached the hut.
They found the woman seated on the
rough floor with the boy on her lap, and
Maggie, their late visitor, at her side sound
asleep. With fearless sobs she related her
sad story. About five years before, or
when Freddie was only few weeks old,
her husband Left to join party OF pros
psc5ors who wers going TO the Sierra Ne
vada region, and she had never heard from
! or seen him siace. Sac wztsd until her
funds were nearly exhausted, then made
her way to Sacramento. Wnlie support
ing her children as best she could she
learned that the party had broken camp;
her husband had been brought to Sacra-
! mentO aud placed Ia a hospital, where Re
remained long time seriously Ill with
| the brain fever. She traced him to
| the hospital only to find that he had gone
away again, no Que could tell whittier. Re-
Gently she leaTne that man answering
his description and bearing the same name
was working IN the kiwanna mines, and
she believed he had searched for her also,
but they had missed each other.
The two men were deeply moved as they
listened to the story Of her suferings. and,
after much persuasion, induced her to re-
turn to camp with them, promising that
one of the miners would go the following
day to Kiwanna, about ten miles distant,
and make inquiries concerning the person
she supposed was her husband. Without
further ceremony Flynn wrapped the boy
in the blanket he had brought for the pur
pose. Bagley tradged along with Maggie
in his arms.
When the party reached camp it was
past the time set for SINNERS return, bat
he had not arrived. A bed of bcush-wo0d
covered with a blanket was arranged for
the guests, sud after they had laid down
the men lighted their pipes and gathered
around the fire conversing in low whispers
and listening eagerly for the sound OF the
horses footsteps.
He oughter bin here long afore this,
said Blgley, rousing himself from brown
study. "B)ys, he's soooted."
The suggestion fell like q bombshell
no Que spoke for a moment, then Bagley
resumed:
"Re's got your watch, Flynn, my pistol
and Fleetfoot. He's gone sure as shootin'.
saw the devil shining in MS eyes when
he drew the slip"
The others were 10th to accept their
comrades suggestions, but all crept to
their resting places with very heavy hearts.
eve kin live on beans, mattered Bag
ley, but what in thunder will become of
the woman an the kids p
In the morning there was considerable
excitement in Eureka camp Two of the
men, Bagley and Reed, were missing.
After protracted search the latter was
found near clump of bushes some dis
tsnce away in an unconscious state, having
apparently fallen in fit. They carried
him back to camp, laid the limp form on 4
bramble bed and gazed at each other IN
blank djsmay.
"Call the woman pr'raps she'll know
what to do" advised Tom Knowles.
The woman did not wait to be called.
Seeing that something was amiss, she ap-
preached the group. The next moment
heartrending cry burst from her lips. Fall
ing upon her knees she threw her arms
around the sick man and kissed the still,
white face in Wild distrasted way. A
slight tremor passed over Reeds frame.
He opened his eyes, looked wistfully at the
woman bending over him. Then CLEAN
of intelligence Illuminated his counte.
nance he recognized the faithful wife
from whom he hsd long been separated by
singular freak of fate. For one brief mo-
ment soul met soul. He raised his hand
heavenward, murmursd family, Cup there,
Maggie, then earned his soubriques of 81.
lent Reed.
A solemn stiffness prevailed around Eu'
reka camp when Flynn and his comrades
returned from their unsuccessful search for
Bagley. The remainder of the party were
sitting around in dependent attitudes,
while Mrs. Reed, with the sick child on
her knees and one hand fondly resting on
the dead mans face, looked the very en-
bodiment of incousolable grief. Flynn
tender.hearted Tom Flynn-how his bury
frame shook with sobs as the touching
death scene was described to him.
" Boys" he said huskily, "we must
face our hard luck like heroes. 1 have in
sisted all along that the Eureka held for
tune for each of US, because | believe it.
But"- it cost him a struggle to utter the
next words, which were the extinguishment
of the hope that had enabled them to en-
dure privation and hunger without MUIR
muir. bat" he went on, 81 was mis-.
taken. After that poor creature has grown
accustomed to her sorrow we will bury poor
ST and pull up stakes. We won't abandon
them, boys For his sake we must protect
those be loved.
The others heartily agreed 90 the last
clause. While arranging their plans for
the future, little Maggie bounded down
the hillside, ninging blithely, unconscious
of the bereavement that had befallen her.
"Look, she shouted gleefully, "whst
nice stones l have found. Fall of bright
specks jes like eyes"
Flynn took the stones abe held toward
him His face, rough and weather-beaten,
grew palid with sudden JOY.
"B1Ys," he whispered in tone of sup.
pressed excitement, I" she has struck it.
Where did you fad this, Maggie p
"Way up there past the big hole," she
replied, vaguely wondering at his white
face.
In moment the men fell Into line, Mag.
gle leading the way to the spot where she
found the precious stones. As they passed
the mouth Of the pit, the scene of their
fruitless lsbors, Flynn stopped to get
shovel. The others followed his example,
carrying with them the implements they
had cast down in a hopeless way the night
previous. They set to work silently, be-
ing too much excited to speak. If dissp-
pointment awaited them now. No; two
or three blows, such as had never been
struck before, told them that they had
"struck it" at last. Tuey paused, looked
at each other for moment, then the hills
echoed and re-echoed with the shout of tri.
umph that burst simultaneously from their
line.
They returned to camp, Flynn carrying
Maggie on his shoulder, just as Bagley ap-
peared in sight with bag of provisions on
his back. In a few words he explained
how before daylight he had started for Hi.
wanna to beg food for the woman and her
children. After a hasty dinner some OF