The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-10-04
VERMUDYN s FATE.
CHAPTER l..

saloon, situated in that delightful locality known to diggers as Rattlesnake Gulch. They were listening eagerly to the de- tails of story related by Gentleman Jack, a member of their fraternity who had recently visited San Francisco. He had gone there with the twofold object of having what is facetiously termed a fling" just to relieve the monotony of existence, and also with the intention of exchanging the gold he had accumulated during the past six months for notes and coin. He had likewise in some mysteri- ous way contrived to get rid ofthe burden of his wealth, and now returned almost penniless to the bosom of his friends: but this fact in no way diminished the cheerfulness with which the wanderer greeted his mates, or disturbed the eoua- uimity with which he recounted his ad- ventures since their last meeting. He had just ended his narration with the ac- count of curious discovery of which he had heard the details that morning on his way back to the Gulch.
 A mighty queer story, anyhow" ob- served Pat, alias Flash" Murphy. as he emptied his glass.
 Mighty queer, repeated the chorus. following suit.
 opin out that yarn again, mate n de- manded gentleman who releiced in the sobriquet of Old Grizzly. This person. age had only entered the "bar" in time to catch the concluding words of the narrative. Lets have it, Jackw he re. peated impa,iently.
 Thus invited or encouraged, the young man rejoined cafelessly: "It was no,h- ing much, only she finding of man-all that was lef, of him at least-in a place they call the Devils Panniken, when they were blasting the rock for the new rail road between Sandy Bar and Frisco
 know the place-,raveled that road years afore they ever thought of running cars through it," intcrposed Old Grizzly. But what about the man .n
 We'll, that's the queer part of the story; no, that they found a man. bu, that they should have found him where they did, and with SO much gold on him too, answered Gentleman lack with his slow, languid drawl.
 Say ejaeulated old Grizzly, who was listening with curiously eager. ex- cited face to the indifferent, careless utter anees ot the younger man. "Cut i, short, mate, and tell Us how they found him.
 Well, they were blss,inga big rock. and as It broke it disclosed a cave riqh; m the hear, of the limestone bu, there must once have been an entrance to i, .ot .ne skeie,on of man lay there. All his clothes had fallen to dust but there was ring on one finger, and about seventeen ounces of gold lay in a little heap under him. It had evidently been m hts pockets once but the bag that held II and the skeletons clothing were alike heap of dry light dust. There was nothing to identify him, nothing to snow how long he had been there. The very ring he wore was of such a queer outiandish fashion that the fellows who found him could make nothing of it.-
 Was that all 2" demanded the elder man.
 All that can recollect. Stay, think he had rusty knife somewhere near him, but nothing more. It's a queer story altogether. How he got there u ne dled m the cave, and by what means It was aiferward closed up these are all mysteries" s "'i
 Uo 1rzziy smoked in silence for some ume and the miners had resumed the usual occupations of their idle hours. drinking, smoking, playing poker. and quarrelling, which amiable amusements had been momentarily suspended in order to welcome the return of he "w,n. derer" with due empressmen,. when suddenly the deep voice of Cril,,v w,s eeard above the babel of tongues, say ang This story of Jacks abou, the nevifs Panniken and the man they found shere puts me in mind of wha, befell me and mate of mine when we were riding through that same place one October nagns aard upon twenty years ago. His Safan,c Majesty had hand in tha, iob. It he ever had in anything"
 Spin us your yarn, old chap !" shout cd dozen voices; and passing the word SH fresh supply of whisky, they gather cd closer round the log-fire, filled their pipes, and prepared to listen with .he keen interest of men who lead an isolated and raonotonous life far from the stir and lie q big cities, and are, therefore, ever ready and eager to hail the smallest iu- cident with pleasure; while good story teaier is regarded with universal respect. kattiesnake Gulch was at that period a comparatively new claim, on the very outskirts of civilization, and news from the cities was long in reaching the deni- xens of this locality. What am nov going to tell you, boys, has Eever crossed my lips from that day to this, and mos, likely never would If l hadn't cnanced to come along just now as Jack was speaking about the body those navvies found in the Devils Pan- niken.n
 Being politely requested by his hearers D shell Il out," Old Grizzly continued: Whether you believe what Pm going so say is no matter new. believe it. though can't understand how i, all came about. Well, as said before, the time vss hard on twenty years ago, and the night was the last in October.a
 Bedad, and it's that same night now :, pus in Murphy.
 So it isw aoquiesced Old Grizzly :! bat never thought of it till this min ute; and now the whole thing comes