Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1885-11-26
a ROMANCE OF rmE .IatK urll..


the setting Sun, that tineed the peak
with crimson, vas fast fading into par
pie The stars came peepinz cat oos b.
oos from the vault Of bI9e. the mist
gathered on the streams. the wind trsv
ersed the narrow valley. snd dayknesu
slowly settled over the earth. IL sas
strange iaad-a land Of towering mona
tain peaks, not tall enough 70 reach 70,
snow lice. ret high enoaRn 20 somstIDs
rssoh above the cloacs. At the foo, o
these mountains ars many nsrros val
tsys, and n every valley vas = smai
stream xis ding its wsy TO she mighty
Missouri river. Their sarface vas GOV
srsd With f.oatins leaves, WATCH tbs vint
scattered ap5n them; for the month "a
Sspsemaer ard the land vas the ther
vsafd Black Hills
An anknozu. dsSosAte region 10 vas
kxoept miners and hunters, and fsr
sribes Of soar, thsrs we're DO tnhabii
ants 10 any Of the fertile valleys; and
where Dou roam great herds OF cattle
the baffslo and Elk Rrazed anmolsstsd
~1oep. when the Indians held their an
naal hunt. Then ths bands Of graceful,
savage riders would come sweeping
through the mountain canyons, and
load would ring their vhoops of tri-
nmph 90 the buaalses tell before their
arrows. Then voaId scsholds be erect
I'd and covered With strips Of flesh. and
the smoke Of fire would ascs nd through
them until the meat Wa cured, and the
hunter never rested and the Ore never
died out until the winters sspply OF meat
was assured.
From one OF these valleys smoke was
curling up. bat II VS. FROM a miners
csbin-a rude cabin bull, Of rough logs
covered With earth. At one end was a
pils Of rocks clustered with clay, an ex
cuso for a chimney. This HOUSE Was
strongly bniit, aud the interstices filled
with fragments Of wood and clay. A
number OF logs split and pinned to
eetber formed the door. which svnng
on wooden hinges. and at each corner
there sas ioophole cut 10 tbs logs, 30
that II attacked by Indians the cabin
could be defended on all sides.
The interior Of this cabin vas rs IN.
inviting az the exterisr. A table split
from pine panohsons. three oooehes OF
bouQhs and few sections OF wood cut
from convenient log furnished seats.
Hanging from the rafters vers several
hsunobfs Of ventson, a sack OF Hour aad
one of beans. This Vreeautiou vas taken
TO sAys them from the infoads Of the
wood rats when the occupants OF the
cabin wsre absent.
Two men occupied the cabin. Al they
sat silent before the fire. there seemed to
be some trouble on their minds, for one
or the other ross at intervals. and, open
ing the door. steppsd out into the nigAt
and listened. When he entered, the
other asked:
"Hear anyihines Wonder what's
come over Zeb?'
These three men had been working
for months in the valley. From the
stream they had washed many thou
sands OF dollars worth Of gold dust
and nuggets, which we're safely hid in
buakskin sacks IN elefts In the rocks.
Prom tho day they arst set foot In the
valley until today thsy had seen no sign
OF hunnau face or footstep. The wealth
that lay IN the stream vas theirs alone.
OF the three men who occupied the cab
in, too we're brothers, old hunters and
miners Who had spent their lives in the
Rocky Mountains and California. The
other WAS a stslwart young Euglishtnan
whom Xsb the younger Of the two
bruthers. had fodnd In starving oon-
dition on the mountains. lie had lost
his way when prospecting from q camp
fifty miles tn the sontb, and Was almost
exhausted With fatigue and nearly dead
with hunger when found by Zeb and
brought 90 the cabin. Gold in plenty
was 90 be found In the ravines; so they
took him into partnership. and an ener
eefic member of the firm he Was. No
matter how cold or vet the day was, the
younger member vas always at work.
The brothers observed that he had one
peeulisrity; be would never speak Of his
past life.
zsb had left that morning to try and
hill an elk. a herd Of which Rrazsd ia a
valley few miles away. He shonld
have returned at noon. bat the afternoon
had waned away and he wass still miss
ing. The men At the cabin grew more
anxious "a the hours passed. Then both
afose and went outside the cabin and
looked no the valley and listened. At
last. ringing through the night air. came
the report of rifle. Then the old man
exclaimed:
That's himi bat What IL tho rnatter7
He eant be lost, when he has the stream
10 follow. But what's he shooting at?
A bear or somethingf'
The words had not Left bis lips when.
borne on the Wind. came the report of
the rifle. ard floating on the wind came
faint howl. The younger man rushed
into the cabin and seixsd his rife. at
the same ting calling on hs comrade TO
harry aud atm himself, for the wolves
we're after Zsb
Once more came the report of the
IIds, and she howls were again heard.
Joe prasped the younger man by the
SHOULDER and exclaimed:
They are woivss, bat they are human
enesl'
swiftly up the valley they ran for
miie. when a vide treeless space was
reached. Stopping for q roment 30
take breath. the sound OF the footballs
ct ponies vas beard, bat the darkness
vss 81 intense that they could see no
thing. A they stood listening. n fash
lighted the gloom and the report Of the
ride rang ont. followed by warvhoop
that seemed 10 be Uttered BY voices all
around them. Joe whispered 10 hts
companion;
"fhey have freed him in the baiialo
waiiov at the aide Of ths spring. Lss's
creep through among them. aud Get 10
where be 10. expect he will be slad to
zee ~"
Throwing themselves on the around,
they ersvled slowly toward the place
that the hunter found q refuge. When
WV af*a tseAo at*t ustc tu8N >unRAf@t-u
he was. an exclamation hnrrisdly vhis
pered by the older of the two csnsed the
younger man 10 lie close 10 the earth.
Directly before them, looming up In the
darkness. could be seen the forms Of
three moanted Indiana.
There vas bat one resource left; they
must reach their friend. Even TO the
frons,ersusn assassination sf thu cruel
wr~sehss that wavlay, slaughter aud
t.stars theta " repaenaut; bot IN this
ease there WAS no eshrr way euG Of the
difficulty. 40 ths rides rang cot aud
ten Of the riders were stretched hfsisss
Hpou tho wi,heFed grass.
The RET orts of the rides had sot died
away when q voice, that of Xeh, wss
heard calling them. They ran 10 him
and asked him II he Vas hurt.
Hurt" said be. Il think not, but lost
feel th,s." and he handed them heavy
MAS wrapped up In bis hant;ng shut,
Gold. every esnee Of 10; and there's
paeety more where IL same from, eaouSh
10 mske NJ the richest men in Dakota !"
"But" said Hector, "you must tell Ne
hov yen happened 10 aud the epld and
shs reason thai the Indians trc8d you In
me balf als waiiov."