Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1888-09-05

seemed to renew their youthful spryness
and, as they hurried along down the river
their eyes were as keen and their footing
as sure as they had been when they first
entered Silver Camp, nearly twenty year:
before. Every open glade and rocky ele
walton was quickly searched, and ther
onward the party sped toward another
good place for concealment, losing no time
in following the trail of their victim.
The trail led directly toward Silver
Camp, and the tops of the huts were just
visible above the surrounding underbrusf
when the form of man was seen to skulk
up from the rivers bank and to enter one
of the rude dwelling places.
"Hist, boys, hist! He's gone inter one
of the huts. Well have him now"
cit was the voice of Bill Saunders, and
it trembled with excitement as he ut
tered the words of caution. But before
they could be needed, a terrible roaring
noise behind the party startled them
Faces turned white with terror, and hearts
almost ceased to beat. The river had
broken loose, and was now overfloWing
it's bank just above Silver Camp.
"Save your lives men. We amt got nc
time to waste" shouted one Of the miners
and, setting the example, he broke forth
from the clump of bushes, and started on
dead run for the higher land. The 9TH
ers did not hesitate long. Bill Saunders
was the last one to turn and flee, and he
was heard to mutter to himself, as he hur.
ried through the bushes, "He'll die any:
how. So it's all the same. But would
like"-
"Come on, Bill come on" and Jack
Wifes almost dragged the old man along
toward aridge of rocks where safety for the
time being was promised.
A few minutes later Silver Camp was
swept out of existence by the roaring wa
ters. Trees logs and powders were tum.
bled from their positions, and washed
along with irresistible force. The huts
were demolished in an instant, and left
| floating on the bosom of the turbulent
stream.
Bill Saunders stood perched upon the
rocks looking intently at the camp, pa
tiently waiting to see the struggling form
of the one who had robbed him of his
wealth. But he looked in vain, and as the
wreck of the village swept down stream,
the old miner left his station on the rocks,
and mechanically followed it, keeping his
eyes riveted on certain place. The other
miners did not miss his presence, and he
ran through the woods alone, muttering
inarticulate words to himself. Once or
twice he stumbled; but, picking himself
up with an exclamation of impatience, he
hurried on again.
A mile below the river the wrecked huts
were washed close to the left bank of the
stream. A living being was clinging to
one of the logs, and, as the floating raft
| came within twenty feet Of the bank, the
person was seen to crawl rapidly across the
few planks, and with a desperate jump,
sprawl into the water within a foot OF the
land Bill Saunders watched the man un-
til he scrambled up the steep bank and hid
himself in small cave that overlooked
the river. Then, without word, he turn
ed and hurried back to where he had left
his comrades.
The miners skulkedu up noiselessly to the
natural den where the young sWlndler
was concealed, and it was surrounded be-
fore the one within had time to escape.
When the men closed in and commanded
the hider to come forth, there was no
sound to indicate the presence Of a person
in the cave. No one volunteered to enter
the place, for such an attempt would be a
foolhardy feat.
II guess he's. escaped afore we, got here"
muttered one of the miners disconsolately.
Don't b'lieve he was ever in here"
said second. "BilPs kinder cracked on
that subject ever since he met them fellers
from Steal Clearin'."
Bill Saunders heard the remark, and his
rugged old face flushed up little. He
glanced at the speaker, and then, turning
to the men, he said:
"Boys, this amt yer quarrel, an 'taint
right we should endanger yer lives. III
20 inter thet cave, an either he or nell
hev ter die. Eff he kills me, I'll leave it
ter We to avenge an old mans DEATH"
Before reply could he made the old
miner cooked his rifle and fearlessly walk
ed up to the mouth of the cave. Slowly
his form disappeared from sight, and the
watchers outside listened for the report Of
rifle. But none came.
"Bring light, boys. It's dark in here"
With different degrees of establishment
quest. When they entered the dark cave
in a body they found the old man bending
over the PROSTATE form of the swindler.
He was dead, killed by internal injuries
received in the river. BY his side was a
small package containipgS1O 900 in United
States gold certificates, and pinned to his
breast was large visiting card, on which
was scraWled in trembling business hand
these words:
"Give this money to old Bill Saunders
and his pard. l meant to pay them in
full what took from them. But we have
parted company forever now. l hope
luck will come to the miners of Silver
Camp. William Swinton, gambler, swim
der, land grabber and gentleman of leis-
ure."
"Tain't bad o. him wishin' usgood luck"
laconically commented one Of the miners.
"No," grinned another, pointing to-
wards the river, '''seeing that amt no more
Silver Camp"
'Still, boys, I've heerd it said," inter-
rupted Sandy Tip, the prophet of the
camp, "thet what's one mans loss is an
uther mans gain. So who knows but we
will hev better luck arter this?
And they did. When the waters sub
sided, the miners returned to the old place
of their homes, and erected another Yil-
lage of huts. Gold was found on the sur
face of the ground where the water had
washed itup, and the diggings yielded good
profits the first day they were worked.
The flood had been blessing to the men,
for it brought the long looked for luck to
Silver Camp.
By the unanimous consent of the miners
it was agreed that the new village should
be christened Golden Camp, and the name
of Silver Camp gradually fell into disuse.
HmE2cx@
PROpHEsY OF THE FUTURE.-In speak
ing of the exhaustion of the coal fields,
our source of power, the author gives a