The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-01-21
LEGEND OF MT. SHASTA

wild Northern California.
A half dozsn hardy gold seekers clus
tered around the blazing fire and esgerl!
examined the golden nugget that thl
seventh man hRd produced.
Deep into the wilderness the prospect
ing party had penetrated, eagerly search
ing for traces Of the precious metal, ant
tresding ground that never before hat
felt the pressure Of q white mans foot.
Their search had been q fruitless one
until young Martin Brand that night, oJ
the camp FIRE, tossed 80 carelessly thu
golden nugget into their midst.
With widening eyes the little GROUP
looked upon the precious find. Il was tht
solid stuf-pure, without alloy.
"You're lucky, Mart" said the leader o
the party, dark stern-ieatured man, who
answered to the name OF Buckskin Bill.
"Msybe you have discovered pocket In
the mountain"
"I'll tell you better tomorrow night"
the young man answered. "l'll try my
lead again as soon as the morning light
Comes."
"sball I go with you ?" tho other asked
mo, mate, but one man can work the
mine I've struck. Trust me, I'll do the
square thing by you. Rll."
A few moro words and the prospectort
retired for the night. Hardly q man o.
the party but let envy rankle in his heart
at the success OF the youngest and "green.
est" man, in their estimation, in the ring
With the morning light the young mi.
ner departed, gaily assuring his comrades
that he would return at ntghtfall with gold
enough to make them all rich.
AS Mart struck OF into the wilderness
with his light, careless etep, there were
gloomy looks upon the faces OF his com.
Tades. One and all envied him.
"Suppose one Of us follow himP" sug.
gested Buckskin Bill, CHANGING around
into the faces OF his companions.
"No need Of that" said another OF the
party, tall and sWMthy trspper known
as Dick York.
All looked at York in surprise.
81 can tell you where he's gone, and
where he got the nugget"
A general exclamation Of astoniahment
came from the miners.
''As 1t happened yesterday l followed
cloee upon his footsteps. He crossed the
river, and headed eastward. Just the
other side Of Shasta, in little canyon, no
met young Indian girl, one Of tho Nc.
Cloud tribs. know the Indian tongue RG
we'll ss he, and concealed in s thicket, !
overheard sill of the conversation. He
and the girl are old acquaintance. From
their talk gathered that he had saved
her life once from mountain lion and she
told him then that II he ever wanted gold
she knew Of o secret mine in the noun
tsins and would conduct him to it. That
Ia the reason why he joined our expedi,
ton"
swell, l wonderif he intends to share
his gold with u.s." observed one Of the
members refectively.
500 You think tina. 10 probable ?" asked
the trapper, suddenly.
The men looked askaucs ct each other
Hardly o man in the party reasoned
that II he was in Mart's place, sharing
would be the Last thing in his thoughts.
mo, no, boys; tits all arranged between
the two," the trapper said; "the Nc
Clouds are away on an expedition to the
north, so that the girl does not fear inter
ruption. She is to lead him to the secret
niue to-day, and then, alter getting al
the gold they can carry, they will trave
to the SOUTH"
"And cheat us out of our shared" ex.
claimed one Of the miners, Indignantly.
SIT looka that way" the trapper re-
piled.
81 reckon that We will have something
to say about that" Buckakin Bill OBJ
served, significantly; and he tapped the
butt Of his revolver with his hand as hi
spoke.
The men glanced in each others facel
for q moment, their brows lowering and
their lips contracted. Fearful thoughta
were In their miDds, but each waited fol
the other to put tbs thoughts in words.
"Boys, we must take hsnd in this hyel
gemeP' Buckskin Bill exclaimed, abruptly
and decidedly. ~ move that we follow
after Mart, seiss him and the girl, and
for them to reveal the secret mine to NC
We are ell comrades, and should share
and share alike"
"Good |" cried the trspper, in his laconiC
way; and the rest Of tho men nodded
their heRdB in appreciation.
"But suppose that girl will not tell uf
where the mines is located" suggested
one Of the men.
~ reckon that we can iorce her to d.
that" the burly leader said grlmly. "Liit
lis worth more than gold, even to al
Indian. First we must secure both Mar
and the girl, for he will be apt TO be ugly
II We lay violent hands upon his lady
bird" .
awe mus. be off," the tEspper said
glancing toward the east, while lowering
clouds hid the rising sun.
Into the wilderness, following In The
track OF the young miner, the party went
An hours tramp an they came to q littll
open glade by the eide Of the Pitt river.
In the centre OF the open space stool
the young miner and raven.haired In
dian airl, straight az 0 pine, 1.-the So vii
low and as fair 40 q wildwood violet, Rl
though the dusky blood OF the red Nc
Clouds danced in each vein.
The girl was named Spotted Lily, Rnt
was known from the hills Of Oregon to thu
headwateHs Of the Sacramento % the flow
or Of her tribe.
Forth into the open space came tn
miners In wGr.like aIrsy.
Mart started In surprise while the In
dian girl started in alarm.
The mineTa surrounded the two, AM
Buckskin Bill sternly questioned his com
rade.
II reckon that We ought to have fpEe
in this pie,n he said. "Ara you going +
act sauare with Us or not3"
"Why should youdoubt meT Mart 81
claimed, Indignantly.
"Neyer mind why; we dol" Bill II
plied, 1--WE intend 10 have our aharl
We know where you got that nugget thu
Won allowed ~, and know, too, that theI
more where that come from, SO lei
give up your arms and tell the girl TO sho
Us where the secret mine Is; you sha
have your share"
IWhy should give up my armsH" d
: manded Mart, indignantly.
because we don't trust you" reptile
Bill, bluutly. "seizs him, boysl"
At the word the mineIs sprang upc
Mart. Taken entirely unaRarea,