Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1886-05-01

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tage. The family retire early, yo1
know. Morning will be soon enough"
Barlow nodded.
"Come down to my shanty, won
your Waverly went on, I'VE can tall
about the matter over a game OF crib
bage. I shan't feel like sleeping fol
hours"
'Tll be glad to join you as soon as
run over to my cabin" said the assayer
and with that they parted.
| In spite of the difference in tneil
ages, firm friendship had sprung MP
between these two men. There was
something in Barlow's frank reckless ma
ture that appealed to Waverly, and he
had from the first been drawn toward
him; while Barlow, in turn, greatly adj
mired the many sterling qualities OF his
Junior. They were in the habit OF
smoking and playing cribbage together;
a game of which each was particularly
fond, and week seldom passed that did
not see them, at least during one even
ing, thus engaged.
Waverly went toward his abode in
high spirits. He thrust his hands deep
into his pockets with the air of a man
who is thoroughly contented. He look
ed up at the moonlight flooded sky and
Lroke into merry whistle. He thought,
with Joy that overlooked his heart and
permeated his whole being, of his inter
view with the superintendent on the NOR
row. His eyes sparkled as he pictured
how the tall bright-eyed, grayhaired man
would grasp him by the hand and re-
joice with him in their good fortune.
A sharp sound suddenly startled him.
1t was the noise made by the dislodging
of piece of rock or earth, which ratified
down the side of the gulley along the
bank of which the path that he was fol-
lowing led. Such an occurrence was not
uncommon, but he knew that his own
foot had not detached the loose earth,
and all the fears of some impending dan
ger, that he had forgotten after assaying
the ore, now surged over him, and chill
ed him to the heart. Waverly was any
thing but coward, yet he was sensitive
and easily impressed. He wheeled
quickly, fancying that possibly Barlow
had returned from his cabin and was
hurrying on to overtake him. Nothing
met his gaze but two tufts of cactus with
their ghostly blades glinmering in the
moonlight.
"Pshaw! what fool am becoming"
he said aloud, yet he stared on brisk
er pace, now and then casting an appre-
hensive glance over his shoulder, and at
length stood, quite out of breath, at the
door of his cabin. He paused for a mo-
ment and listened.
He could hear distinctly the monoton-
GUS pulsation of the engines at the
mouth of the mine, and could see the
black smoke, pillar on pillar, go starward
from the enormous pipes. No other
sound fell upon his ear; he could detect
no living object not even a stray burro
wandering aimlessly among the rocks
and shoots of cactus. He seated him
self upon the doorstep and waited for
his companion Five, ten, fifteen min
utes passed and be did not appear.
WaverIy grew uneasy. Barlow was us
ally promptness itself; what could have
detained him?
Finally he heard the sound of foot
steps. He listened intently. Then he
discovered the form of a man staggering
toward the cabin like ona intoxicated.
He sprang to his feet and ran to meet
him, for he knew that it was Barlow.
He now saw him distinctly in the moon
light. His clothes were smeared with
blood. and his face was like that of a
corpse.
sFor Gods sake, man." cried Waverly,
grasping him by the arm and supporting
him, "what has happened to you? What
Williams have done this?"
"The Pugsleys," gasped the assayer,
''waylaid me; wanted to know about the
new vein. 1 told them knew nothing;
tried to escape. They stabbed 1ne and
left me for dead; they'll be here in a
minute; went 20 search my cabin-fy,
fly, my dear friend-oh! my side!' and
the assayer fell lifeIess into the arms of
Bissel Waverly.
For moments space the young man
did not move. His faculties seemed
numbed by the sudden terrible shock.
Then recovering himself with start, he
tenderly lifted the breathless body of his
friend and bore it into the cabin. Placing
it upon the cot in one corner of the
room, he reverently bowed upon his
knees for moment, then covered the
face and form, and went back toward
the doorway and listened. Hearing no
approaching footsteps, he seized a ham
mer and two large iron staples, one of
which he drove firmly into the exterior
of the oaken door. and the other into the
thick post witch formed the casing. Then
having secreted under the doorstep
without, the bar with which he had Sc
cured the door early in the evening, he
took his station near the loop-hole, about
foot square, which served as window,
and waited, with throbbing heart, the
coming of the two most desperate char
acters in the county of Cochise- the
twin brothers, Pete and Tom Pugsley.
He was not left long in suspense. Ere
many moments passed ne saw two forms
leap into his cabin door. One of the
men struck the sturdy oak sharply with
his knife hit, and gruffiy demanded an
entrance.
whats wanted?" asked Waverly.
1--WE want a social leetle talk with
you," said one of the Pugsleys with a
chuckle which the young foreman heard,
and shuddered.
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