Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1890-12-01
ANNAPOLIS MD, EVENING, DECEMBER l. 1890
" THE LIZA JANE"

s'Fellers. thars business fer us -
Ike Parker exclaimed as he came
rushing into the cabin where the
miners Of Poverty Gap were collected.
" Business? 4? What sort q business,
eh ~ Jack Hines repeated.
A little job 20 hangin', | guess.
Thar's fellow jumped our new claim
up the gulch.n
What feller on the Liza Jane 20
old Jack cried, jumping up in high
state of excitement. Is that what
you mean ?,
That's exactly what / mean,
Jack" Ike replied.
How do you know it ?n
know it bekase | see the smoke
comm from the cabin.r
For a moment the miners stood Si-
lently looking at one another; but at
last old Jack spoke.
Boys, pears like the evidence
purity p'inted," he said, an | reckon
it's settled fact that somebody has
jumped our claim. | s'pose you know
what the law is in sich eases ?'
kinder reckon we do.n said Jerry
Bennett.
Bout all the law thar is in sich
cases is twenty foot O. rope an tree.n
!" Yer correct, pard Them's our
law an we know how to use 'em.
Fetch out yer rope, an we'll purceed
ter give the claim jumper a dose
forthwith"
The new claim was nearly mile up
the gulch from the camp.
it had been taken by some one
year or so before the Poverty Gap
miners found it, but whoever had
taken it had simply built little
cabin on it, and then gone away.
The Poverty Gap miners had been
working it for few DAYS. and it had
developed wonderfully. 1t promised
to turn out regular bonanza, and the
miners set great store by it.
Claim-jumping was heinous crime
under any circumstances, but under
such circumstances as the present it
was simply awful, and the guilty party
could expect no mercy from the out
ragged miners.
g You bet that thief will go mouty
blamed suddent,n said old Jack, as
nateTly rattle him off so quick that he
won't hardly know what's struck him."
That's jest what we will'' replied
Bennett, an we don't do no talkin'
nuther.o
When they came within sight of the
cabin, sure enough light was shining
from the window. 1t was dark now,
and the little speck of light shone out
plainly.
See here,'' said Jack. at mout
be blamed good idea to go up thar
kinder cautious. That feller may
have whole arsenal O guns an pis-
tolls, an he may be sorter reckless
bout usin' of 'em. If we act in too
much of hurry some of us mout git
hurtn
''That So These claim-jumpers,,
replied Ike, are scandulous keerless
bout shootin'. It'll be safer to kinder
sneak up on him an take him by sur
prise"
So the miners stole stealthily up
through the brush, stopping now and
then to listen.
No sound came from the cabin, and
the light in the window was the only
evidence of life about the place.
At last they reached a position di-
reotly under the window, and again
halting, listened intently for some
time. All was still as death.
/" Reckon he's asleep boys Jack
whispered.
Guess he shorely ISL said Ike.
So we mout as well Jest go in an
nab i'm an have i'm hung fore he
walxes.''
They were just starting around to
the door when a moan reached them
from within.
Again they listened, and after a
minute voice faint and weak said
l am coming, Joe, as soon as |
rest little. 1t has been a long walk.
but | don't mind that, only so that |
find you at last. ! got lost from the
wagons, and | have been a long time
finding the way but as soon as | rest
a little FL come on.''
Boys,r said Jack, in a hoarse whis-
per. that's qnare sort o. talk, amt
What does he mean by it ?'' asked
IKE.
"Look here, fellers - exclaimed
Bennett, don't you know nothin'
Thar amt no feller in thar, an that
amt no man a talking. It's woman,
BY iinks =
What ?'' exclaimed Jack.
! say it's woman" repeated Ben
nett. Hain't no man goin' to talk
like that-not bit of it.''
Does sound like a woman's voice,
shore admitted Jack; but what's a
woman doin' here? That's what I'd
ike to know"
That thar question sorter puzzles
me, Jack; but whatever she's dOin'
here she's here jest the same. | know
woman's voice when 1 hear it.
Come on and we'll soon find out what
she's here. for"
Bennett led the way into the cabin,
and there. stretched On the ground
before the fire, was sure enough the
form of a woman.
The only light in the cabin was that
of the fire, and it came in fitful fiut-
ters, revealing but dimly the out
stretched form
The men tiptoed softly in, and ap-
preaching quite close, caught glimpse
of the woman's face.
It was young and handsome, though
strangely white and pinched.
The eyes were closed as If in sleep.
and the lips kept moving, as though
they were whispering something.
Feners, she's asleep, / reckon, ?,
Jack SAID.
"'Pears to be,'' said Ike. Wonder
il we hadn't better wake Ter up. Benz