Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1884-11-22
THE MYSTERY OF THE NINE.
fConclude,j from first page. I


Then smother tall shape appeared
1t the tent door, rife in hand, as if
Keeping guard. He bent to hear the
slesper's breathing. Seemingly salts
fed with the others Inconsistencies,
the newcomer went close beside him,
placed the muzzle Of his gan against
the head Of the sleeper and fred. Oh!
the ghastly sight in place Of the man
~ beauty, whom the curling smoke
had cleared away! The murderer set
ASIDE his gun; he closely rolled his
dead comrade in the blankets and
dragged aside the stifening body. He
carried without all the stores and
the bed, and whore the cot had
stood no dug = deep and narrow
grave and laid tho dead man in it,
packing and treading the cold earth
above the seaseless clay. Then with
deliberate ingenuity, he spaded over
all the floor Of the tent until it pre-
sented . uniform surface.
The stores, the barrel, the tools, were
carefully replaced, and, last Of all, the
assassin set up again the bed in its &c
sustoned place. But the consumma-
ton Of brutal indifference was reached
when Lewis coolly stretched himself
upon that empty couch above the
bloody grave whore lay his victim. He
lay and seemed to sleep; and again
the splendid head and mournful eyes
Of his old-time friend took shape in the
air, and bent above the slayer. Lewis
spraug up with . wild, ringing cry,
thAt rang through the night with aw-
full power, and dashed into the dark
ness.
No need to question longer what had
reused us from slumber; the same
alarm swept over US now, the same en-
gorged brain oppressed, the same de-
pleted heart-channels, tho same waver-
ing, failing members distressed.
Tho spell was broken. How long
We had been watching we could never
know, but W. must have slept until
tho night was far advanced, and dawn
had not yet come. The sceues We had
just witnessed would have occupied
hours in their actual occurrence !;
whereas they had been compressed
into brief period of time by some
process analogous to the swift opera
tions Of dreams. Shocked and stun
ned, We had not moved, when Mr..
Walter spoke:
"This 10 more than moro hallucina-
ton. There is purpose in it. The
Manifestation is beginning again.
Look at the minev
Beyond doubt, there was some
repetitivs power here--soms purpose
Of regularity in recurrence; for We
watched the phenomenon until it had
reached the stage Of locomotion. Then
Alfred Walter stood up with a deep
drawn breath.
''Let us get out the shovels. In
stead Of monumenting claim, we
must open = tomb"
The three men lost no time, strong
and active all, it was only brief
while till they had dug away the earth
from the mortal remains of Lon How
ard, done t. death by the traitorous
hand of tho man he had loved and
trusted like . brother. The terrible
task accomplished, young Hande rode
over the bridge to Salvador and
brought back crowd of men and q
blackboard to convey poor Towards
body into town.
Our own party returned intact. We
left our melancholy convoy a league
outside the town, and FASTENED for
ward to prepare fer its reception. AS
We drove through the main street of
the camp, still early in the day, clusters
Of men were talking here and there with
the absorbed, impressive air that gen.
orally tolls Of tragic happenings. From
one Of those groups = man We knew,
an iuvoterate gossip, drew apart and
hailed US.
"Hello! you're back already Hear
The news!"
"Wo've heard no news from town.
What is it 7"
"Crib Lewis was huckin' faro all
day yesterday. He blew in 7.000--the
boys thought all he had-but they
found checks for little fortune in his
room this morning. Say he's sold his
mipei The old 'Fraternity's' richer
than tho Comstock, they say, and the
fool blew his brains out last night Go
up to Doc Hasslsr's and Sec him. I'd
pay to lock at u foo. like that !"
DR.. Hassler was the coroner. His
Office was the objective point with the
ill-tidings We carried. And so once
more they rested side by side the part
ners in the acknowledgement.
SEVERAL GRAND EXC URSIONS
A series Of excursions to the Pacific
coast under the management Of Mr..
Gil. -,on l,oo-- .rl ,,,.