Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1886-08-25

had found gold. Uttering joyous "Whoop-
ee!' he put a chunk Of the quartz in his
bag, and then another and another. His
feelings and mine at that time were certainly
In strong contrast to each other.
He crawled up gradually toward the shelf
on which lay the Bank" 1t inclined some
what toward the river and then jumped off
abruptly, making a perpendicular face four
or five iect in height. Pratt could now see
that the quartz had rolled from this shelf,
and that the vein must be somewhere ut or
near its top.
Its up there" heard him mutter, land
mighty lirh, too!'
heard linn scrambling up the wall of rock
assisting himself by roots and bushes growing
in the crrviccS. | heard him pant. All be-
side was Still-the stiffness of the California
summer noon day-nothing OF lie in sight
save a black buzzard wheeling above, his
shadow floating along the ground.
Pratt had gained the top Of the shelf. He
made his way directly toward the face of the
precipice. He burst through the chapparaL
and was disclosed to him, seated on Il rock,
about ten feet from the vein.
"Holloa!' was his involuntary exclamation;
"you heref'
YES I'm here" replied.
"Well, WELL" He was evidently at loss
what next to say or do. "1ts a hot day,
ISN'T itg'
"Pretty hot" 1 remarked. I thought it was
or would be soon in every sense, and the
shadow of laugh came over me as thought
of talking weather" at such juncture.
Mr.. Pratt sat himself also down upon a
rock, drew rusty red bandana. mopped
with it his face and partly bald head. and
said "Whew!" Then he poke1 the ground
before him with the end of his hammer, and
1poked Mother Earth before me with stick.
1t was clear to me that Mr.. Pratt intended
to stay here AMI wait for my going 1t was
clear to me that l should remain-thouSh
lid not like so to do. The situation was
somewhat akin to that in WHICH two gentle
men calling on the same lady sometimes find
thenlselves-and of all work sitting your man
out ranks among the hardest Both of us
recognized silence rs the factor most efti-
cacious for the removal of his adversary
only while Mr.. Pratt hoped that the dull
ness of his company might remove me, had
no hope that my taciturnity would remove
Mr.. Pratt from the vicinity Of the golden
mistress he knew was near.
So we sat one full hour, and the longest
hour of my life. Pratt made the first move.
He commenced examining the rock near the
solid mountain formation. Nearer he adj
vanccd toward the place where Broener had
screened the worked portion Of the vein with
n layer of cut brush He was in the act of
removing this when 1 called out: Don't
touch that brush, please!'
"WlN not?' said Pratt, looking back.
Never mind why not. Don't touch it" I
said, advancing toward him. feeling as if on
my way tn the scaffoid.
"Well young man, do you own this noun
tain" lie said.
II own that brush, that's ALL" was my
reply.
The brush was ranged against the white
streak of rock for not more than ten or
twelve feet Pratt passed it. His eye fell
on one end Of the vcn-untouched there by
the pick. He commenced chipping it with
his hammer
You must let that rock alone" said,
going toward him.
Pratt was now up and doing. The war
had commenced.
ooh, come!" he exclaimed, don't you
fool around ME any more. You must be of
your head This mountains as much mine
as yours"
''rhat'S my claim" said. "Let it alone"
Momentary wonder showed itself in Pratt's
eyes that any one else should know of gold
in this FORM
"Your claim," said he, "up here! What
sort of diggings do you call these anyways?
Perhaps you know as we'll as 1. But
that's my claim by right of discovery"
"Where's your noticesW
The written notice on the ground was then
indispensable to hold claim. We had none.
Broener had put none up, knowing it would
attract attention.
"Wheres your tools." he continued.
Tools left on claim were regarded as
most important proofs of possession. Broener
had hidden away those he used-where
knew not.
mo notices, no tools and no work done,
and you call this u claim!" said Pratt deris-
lively.
Clearly rs to the mining rights Of the Pc
riol Pratt had the best of me. felt the
moral weakness of the situation. Pratt
seemed also to know his own strength and
my weakness in this respect. Meantime he
hal taken out his six-shooter and cooked it.
He stood facing ME, and had the drop" on
me- was powerless Now, young man."
said he, II give you while l count ten to get
off this ground and if you don't I'll put
ball through you. Dye hear' Get! Vamos!
One-two-three-" As he spoke he made
step backward. 1t was all tumble of rocks