The Dawson journal., 1883-06-21

'NAA AOL4l1 Vi iiit ilAtl ttlINAAilll vi
sale, by the terms of which old
Smally bound himself to deed a
certain mining claim, duly de-
scribed, to White, for the sum of
| $4,000.
Then, after taking receipt for
his five twenties, and pocketing
both papers, White left the cabin.
These formalities complied with
the strictly observed, though I'M
written law, of that class Of min
lng-camp transactions.
An hour later the young men
met at the mouth of tunnel.
els the dear man asleep, Frank?'
asked White.
Eyes the sweet creature is in
gentle repose, his lovely head rest
ing on your five twenties, already
sewn up in his pillow
The two men then threw off their
coats, and by the light of two Ian
terms, reversed the usual order of
mining, for five or six hours carry
ing ore into a tunnel instead of
out of it. The ore they carried in
they took from numerous small
piles scattered about, but where it
had carefully been hidden in the
thick growth of sagebush near the
mouth Of the tunnel.
"This ought to make a good
veneering" Howard remarked, as
they carried in the ore. II work
ed hard enough packing it up here
from old Smiths select dump
At last, each holding a lantern,
they stood near the face of the
tunnel and carefully surveyed
their work. The face, and for
several feet, the sides and crown
of the tunnel were thickly studded
with peices of rich free gold
quartz, firmly set into every GREY
ice and crack, and loose broken
piles of the same glittering ore
lay on the floor of the tunnel near
the face, as though blown down by
the last blast.
at will do, Howard said finally.
'Now go home and be prepared to
be surprised soon after daylight
He had not long to wait. Al
ready the stars were vanquished
by the rose-clad couriers of his
! !izht sent forward by the conquer
ing sun to where
''The first baby peaks were peeping
From under their bedclothes of snow
Along the line Of the western no.
rlzon vivid green was darting up
from between the great, grand
domes Of the Sierra; darting up to
meet the richer hues Of the eastern
sky, and add its brightness to the
gaudy carnival of color which
ushered in that mountain day.
The sun came and warmed into
life the little camp of Smallv's
Spur. Threads Of smoke wound
out from cabin stovepipes; frowsy
miners broke the thin ice on the
stores of water in pals and back
cts, and performed all fresco toll
cts in front of cabin doors, or slic-
ed the universal bacon wherewith
the matutinal~ meal was to be
favored.
The Smally cabin, Of all that
dotted the hollow at the foot of the
spur, alone showed no signs Of
life. Old Smally still slept, his
gold-lined pillow giving color to
his dreams. Suddenly he awoke
with a startled cry; Rugged the
pillow in his shaking arms, and
glared in confused, unreasoning
terror at Howard, who stood be-
fore him, disheveled, painting, and
apparently laboring under the
most intense excitement.
"What is it man! Can't YOU
speak? Does White refuse to
give me the $4,000? I'll have it
from him, / tell your shrieked the
old man, jumping from his bed and
feebly stamping the floor.
"Why don't you speak? [ tell
you he must payl I'lltear it from
his heart, but I'll have itr and the
wretched old miser fell back upon
the bed in impotent rage, rocking
the gold-lined pillow and moan
ing. Howard let him recover
somewhat before he said in low
tone, speaking slowly: "Wish
rather that he would refuse to
pay
"Whatp cried the old man,
jumping up again. "Have we
struck it?
go up and see for yourself
what the last blast the men fred
last eveing after we left, has
thrown down
''They struck it rich and told
him, and he came here and cheat
ed me into signing the papers. 1t
is fraudl [ won't be bound by i'll
1t is fraud, | tell youp
Cursing and crying, old Smally
hurried on some clothes and went
with Howard to the tunnel When
the light of the lantern fell on the
glittering masses of ore he almost
sobbed out: "No, no, no! he can't
have it! See! the face is almost
solid gold!' In his rage and terror
and dispair, his insane lust cheat
ed his eyes and the tiny specks of
free gold danced before his nncer-