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

A TRAGEDY.
It was night in Tombstone. The lights
of the miners cottages upon the hillsides
Skinned through the purple darkness,
and the cold winter that blew down from
the distant Dragon mountains bore a
hint of the spice of pines. Along Allen
street a motley throng surged to and
fro, and babel of disordant voices rose
and fell like the grass of meadow swept
by a summer breeze.
Bissen Waverly, the young foreman
of the Moccasin mine, was picking his
way in and out through the crowd,
eagerly scanning the faces of the pass
ing pedestrians. He paused now and
then to gaze searchingly in at the wide
open door of popular saloon, only to
continue on his way with constantly
growing look of anxiety upon his coun-
tenance. In shanty, far up on the side
of one of the barren of gulcbes which
piece sthe hills, hidden under the bedden
of his cot, was a bit of ore found by
chance in enc of the long deserted wines
of the mine. 1t had been intrusted to
his care by the superintendent but an
hour before, with an INTUITION that he
should Immediately set out in search of
Barlow, the assayer, and have it tested.
There had been among the miners,
during the month that had just passed,
a great deal of dissatisfaction that might,
at any moment, ripen to revolt if they
knew that vein of wonderful richness
had been struck, and SO perfect secrecy
was deemed advisable in testing the
new find"
''Our fortunes are made, Wepverly, if
this turns out as 1 am justified in think
ing it wilp' Inc superintendent had said
to him confdentialy, as he was about to
depart for town in the gathering twilight.
Joyous anticipations lent speed to the
young mans movements. He struck into
swinging gait, and hurried down the
path that wound like a serpent through
the gulches and out of the hills. He
felt that at last ne was on the the eve of
the success for which he had so long
waited and prayed. By constant and
untiring exertion he had attained the po-
sition he at present occupied, purchased
share in the mine, and now his fondest
hopes and most sanguine dreams seemed
about to be realized. He told himself
that he would soon go back to his feeble
gray-haired mother, and the sweet, trust
full girl to whom he babe good-by in
what was to him the "long ago"
For an hour he paced the crowded
streets of Tombstone and haunted the
favorite resorts CT the assayer, Barlow,
in vain. But finally he found himself
face to face with that individual, who,
with a number of his particular friends
was about entering a concert hall where
sprightly danseuse from Frisco was
charming the hearts of the miners. |,
"Well, Waverly," said Barlow. when
the Young man had drawn him aside and
communicated his errand: sin the course
of half an hour 1 Will be with you, but
it is impossible to get away from my
friends at once. They would not listen
to such thing. Wait for me at your
cabin, will your
Waverly assented, and leaving behind
the noise and glare of the principal
Tombstone thoroughfaae, struck out for
the quiet hills which the newly risen
moon was silvering. The sunset glow
had not yet died away from the sky, and
the purple mountain peaks, many miles
away, seemed to be brought almost
within access by the rosy brightness
Waverly fingered long upon the door
step Of his cabin, Watching the grayness
gradually gain the ascendency, and not
until the last feint hint of crimson ex-
PRED did he enter his cosy abode and
close the door. 1t was not often that he
took the precartion to fasten the sub
stantial oaken barrier, but upon this par
ticular evening something prompted him
to push the bar Of iron into its socket
Barlow, who shortly afterward arrived
rallied at him for having done SO, and the
younger man laughingly admitted that
he thought himself foolish. But an un-
comfortable feeling, which he could moi
shake off. had taken possession of him
During the time they were assaying the
ore in the little fire below the entrance
to the mine, he found himself starting al
his own shadow, now and then, and list
ening to little noises in manner which
on any other occasion, he would have
designated as absurd.
twas ten o'clock before their task was
accomplished. Both men hung witt
fushsd faces over the little bali of silver
{ and gold which was the result of theil
J evenings toll
sWaserly," Barlow said, '.you are {
lucky manF'
The face Of the young foreman grew
pale with Joy,
ssThen you think the vein will prove
ali that this leads us to ,expect?" III
asked.
at viii be the richest thing in Tomb
! stone," said the assayer.
\ They extinguished the light in the as
& Nv Office, and secured the door.
NShall you see the superintendent to-
nighy" Barlow demanded, as they
pause without.