The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1888-09-01

cusscl hr r-ou0s o. men all over the camp
and there were many hopeful hearts IN tn
crowds. ThcS'r OF III luck was now ahou
% pass away and no one could tell VIII
| would be the next one 10 make luck.
| stroke Tie stranger had already deSerte'
| the camp for parts unknown, taking witt
| him the blessings and good wishes Of thoS
whom h. left behind, aud Bill saunders AM
Jake Wllcs, the two purchasers Of the mine
were now the center Of curiosity. To In
ofc reucatri query, GLOW does II pan out
par,lS" they always replied: "Fur't rate
Even bctter'u 'sIected'
For the next two days small golden mug
gets were found IN the strangers mine, nnr
the two grmy miners were convinced tina
their bargain had teen "A good one Thcl
they suddenly crr-r. Co find any signs OF Tie
gDl len metal Probably the vein had tahei
another course, and they changed the direc
ton OF er excavations, but all to no pur
posi- The farther they dug into the sides OF
the mine the les, If the prccluu, substance
thcy seemed 10 find They returned 10 theil
hut that night down hearted aud crcstiallen
but neither communicated tn the other what
was passing through his mind The next
morning they began their work as usual
aud kept at ii until late IN the afternoon
then Bill Snundcr, threw down his pick, and
laconraly remarked, sailed
Eyer right, pard, an no mistake We've
been taken in TO "a big amount, calmly re
piled Jake, seating himself close 10 his com
rades side.
The two remained quiet for IA long time,
-. L. I. oil ~
the mine, for the purchase Of which they
had expended the last cent OF their hard
earned fortune The golden nuggets with
which the mine had been salted would not
yield them over IA couple Of hundred apiece
n poor return for what they had given for
them. The innocent looking, beardless
youth had outwitted them, n fact Of which
they wero painfully conscious; but instead
Of threats against his life, they merely re-
marked in a quiet tone: Probably we'll
meet him agin."
"We may as well close up this mine ter
night, Jake, an return to the old one" SAID
Bill ~ the gloom Of night began to close in
around the camp 1--WE won't want ter
work here any more"
"Not this season, guess, pard," replied
the one spoken 10, slowly Rising from his
seat on the damp earth.
The two closed up the mouth OF the mine
with their own hands, and placed the well
known sign worked out" over the opening.
Then they returned 10 the central part OF the
camp, where they communicated the tidings
Of their defeat To the other miners, who re-
ceved them with different degrees OF BUR
prise and Indignation. Some swore eternal
vengeance on the head Of the young swindler,
and an ominous fiourishing Of pistols indi-
Gated the fate OF the stranger II he should
appear in Silver Camp again. but Bill Saun-
ders turned to the crowd and calmly said:
Never mind, pards. He's got the trump
card now, but it'll Gun our turn some day"
"Thet's so; Bits right. Let the matter
drop, an we'll take it up agin' some more
convenient day." remarked two or three in
chorus.
50 the little ripple on the surface Of the
quiet life Of Silver Camp, caused by the
advent in the place. subsidized, and
life went on among the miners as before.
The luck did not seem to improve much;
every ounce OF gold that was found was
bought at its full value by hard labor, and a
few OF the younger members OF the camp
became discouraged and carried their few
traps elsewhere.
One spring the SHOWS on the mountains
melted SO rapidly during a two days heavy
storm that the Old Begum-the suggestive
title by which the river that flowed by the
camp was known by the miners-threatened
to overflow its banks and drive every man
from his hut to the higher grounds. 1t had
4 N.,,.t l,.NGa
parts Of the country, and reports we're com
ing in from every direction about the dam
age to life and property that the river had
caused. Small rivulets on the mountain
sides assumed gigantic proportions, and
roared and tumblcd over the rocky country
in an appalling manner The lower lands
were already covered with several feet OF
water, and people were seeking refuge from
the food on the billy plateau where the
mining camps had erected their small huts.
The second day of the storm the miners of
Silver Camp started up the river IN body
TO take observations. The rain was still
pouring down in torrents, and the men found
some difficulty in facing the storm AS they
trudged over the large bowlders and loose
rocks. They wished TO see what direction
the river was taking, and to ascertain IL any
weak places In the left bank had yet been
made. Every article OF value had been col
lected in small bundles in the huts, so that at
a moment notice the miners could make
break for tho higher land should the food
suddenly burst upon them.
Seems to me the chaps from Steal
Clearn''s prospectin' too" said Bill Saun-
ders to his comrades, a. he jumped upon a
small rock and looked up the river They're
comm this way in body jes rs ef they was
excited bout somethin'."
Shouldn't wonder Of the Old Begun had
burst through up thar" remarked another
miner. "Thar'sa big cut jes' above the
clearin' an twouldnt take much to induce
the river to now through it."
"Waal, parls, guess we can give EN-
some shelter an food, Of nothin' else" replied
Bill, slowly removing his hand from his eyes,
which were now losing much Of their former
keenness and brilliancy.
Talk was rife in the camp that the loss OF
his fortune had troubled Bill Saunders more
than no cared to own up. He certainly had
nged much since the young swindler had left
the mining camp, carrying with him the hard
earned fortunes Of the two old miners.
Though Bill never spoke about his loss to bis
comrades, it was evident from his manner
that no brooded considerably over his ruined
prospects. His daily toll in the mines did
not yield him much more than enough to