St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-03-25

though when he found out that my stay
in the Gulch was solely on account OF
my health he thawed considerably.
THE INTERIOR OF HIS CABIN.
to which he finally invited me, was
striking. Numerous skins thrown over
the floor gave the place an air OF bar
barrie luxury. Book shelves, rudely
fashioned, occupied almost one side OF
the hut, and l noticed most curious
collection of literature. Volumes on
mineralogy and chemistry jostled the
works of Dickens, Thackeray and, strange
to say, the Waverly novels. On another
side by side with odd volumes of Vol
taire, Rousseau and Montague. On the
top shelf was complete edi-
ton of Shakespeare, and here
and there were philosophical works,
Descartes, Leibnitz, Schopenhauer, even
Kant. intermingled with volumes in
lighter veins. Noticing my look of
astonished inquiry the old trapper said:
"They are my only companions. For
twenty years they have kept me COM
pany." Then evidently forgetting my
presence he relapsed into incOherent
mumbling which showed too plainly
that his was mind diseased. Nor did
he again notice my presence except to
give an unintelligible grunt when took
my departure. That was the beginning
of many visits, during which the old
fellow was more or less hoSpltable as ne
was more OF less sane. Once referred
to the Lost Cabin mine. Immediately
his whole demeanOr changed. he
seemed like one afraid of his life.
coua m no oriQA will
not tell l will not tell" and then ex-
hausted he fell back on his skin-clad
couch, quivering with fear. With diff
Guilty pacified him, for his insanity
began to take
A VIOLENT TURN.
but finally succeeded, and with re-
turning sanity he seemed grateful for
my efforts in his behalf. 1t became
evident to me that the old man was
failing fast and could not last many
months longer. Finally he became too
weak TO go to the camp for his supplies,
for which. to the never failing amaze
ment of the dealers, he always paid
with little nuggets of pure gold. which,
on inquiry, he always said he washed
out of the bed of the stream
running through the gulch. The
most careful watch, however, failed to
discover him mining. AS he grew
weaker he lost his incoherence and be
came almost sane. Then he conversed
with me freely, except that he never re-
ferred to the lost mine. He told me
that he had left x college i'll Ken
lucky, where he was youthful profess
sor to enter the Southern ranks during
the war. At the close OF the war ne
found himself alone in the world.
h;
dead, had married another man. Dis
gusted with life he had wandered West,
his books his only belongings, and ever
since had made his home in the mount
aims. When / asked him how he had
made his living in all that time he eva
sively answered that he had hunted,
fished and mined little, but that his
wants were few and easily satisfied.
One morning he sent for me by a pass
ing miner. When | reached his cabin l
saw that he did not have long to live.
but saw also that he was at last per-
fectly sane. That he realized his con-
dition was evident by his greeting:
You have come in time to see me die"
he said. 81 don't think l will last the
day out, but there is something WANTED
to tell you before go. You have been
MY ONLY FRIEND
in twenty long years, and L would like
to show you | am not ungrateful. Sit
down; the story is not long one"
Taking sip of brandy and water he
began: ''The miners think me crazy.
and for nearly twenty years have been
so close to insanity that it would be diff
ficult to point out the dividing line. My
senses are clear now, as feel my death
approaching, and l tell you I'D all Serl-
BUSINESS that my brain was turned be-
cause of the events connected with my
Cabin mine. What information
l possess will give to you and you can
use it as you see fit, but warn you that
the search for the mine will be attended
with personal peril. You know why [
came into the mountains. l had been
here nearly year when one day wan
dering through the canon l heard
strange cries. fastening to the spot, 1
discovered an Indian in close combat
with mountain hon which was evil
IDENTIFY getting the better of him. With
one leg broken he was lying on his side
and endeavOring to defend himself with
his knife. shot the lion and carried
the Indian to my hut near at hand,
where nursed him until he was well.
His gratitude knew no bounds. n otto
ing rudely made bracelet of solid gold
which he wore | asked him whence it
came. He gave me to understand that
there was little mountain OF gold
known only to his tribe and that any
one who revealed its whereabouts to the
white men would be killed instantly. but
that he would run the risk and show it
to me since his life belonged to the man
who had saved it. | had heard rumorS
of mine of fabulous richness from the
miners and eagerly
ACCEPTED THE OFFER.
The next morning we started. All day
we travelled through mountains. Finally
we reached a narrow canon. Here my
guide insisted that l should consent to
be blindfolded. l submitted. He took
my hand, and I felt myself led along a
path which constantly assembled, then l
felt rush of cool, damp air and felt
sure we were passing through cavern.
Then we assembled again. The Idian re-
moved the bandage, and found myself
on a narrow ledge jutting out from the
wall of great ravine. l shut my eyes
in horror, for at our very feet yawned
an abyss fully 1000 feet deep, while
cliffs equally high lowered above my
head. Opposite me, distant about 100
feet, was the other wall of the chasm,
one perpendicular wall of rock. We
were standing on platform about ten
feet square. Behind was the narrow
path, scarce three feet wide, up which
we had toiled. In front of US the ledge
broke off abruptly, and there was APP
parently nothing but the deep blue
depths of the almost fathomless abyss.
Looking more intently at the very edge
of the ledge l discovered an iron pin
driven, apparently, into the solid rock.
and evidently into the depths below.
1--WE have come" said my guide. ''Be-
low YOU shall see the path which leads
to the golden mountain. One white
man saw it before. He is dead. The
braves killed him, as they will kill us if
we are seen. Twenty feet below the