, 1890-02-06
THE SURVEYORS STORY.


ileccsSNTlly take me to the Black
Hills, but | was young when the
first gold excitement swept over the
country, and being somewhat sore
over the fact that had lately been
defeated for the Office of county sur
vcyor, | resolved To- make one of the
many who went toward the land of
the hostile SiouX.
Dice Bruker and Ned Chandler
kept me company, good fellows
both In their way, although Dice
and ! had never been the best nf
friends. did not mind this, how
ever, for in the hunt for gold | be-
ievcd Dice would prove a most eli
cicnt pard, since hc was u man of
great determination, and had
roughCd II in the lumber woods for
many scasuus. In iact, Dice was "A
fighter from "wuy back" lust such
u ConIrudc IA such pcuccablc fellows
as Ned Chandler and myself could
tic To In AN emergency.
The getting to the hills was no
pleasant affair, although II certain
excitement about it forbade ones
becoming homcsick, rs many OF the
poor fellows did afterward when the
glamour had worn away and days OF
hardship and poverty had come,
such days aS not one of us had
dreamed of when we left our con
Portable homes in the Wolverine
state to try the perils of the new III
dorado.
1t was in the spring of the year
that we set out. At Chicago we -r-
cured an outfit, waiting until we
reached Cheyenne before securing
the mustangs which We had been
informed were necessary adluncts to
our equippagc. Ned and were
good hOrscmCu, but Dice was nm
used to the saddle, and the long ride
from Cheyenne to the hills told ON
him terribly. He had the mlsfor.
tune to get hold Of mis- e little
rat that uuscatcd him IA dozen times
before we entered the hills. Thcsr
little skirmishes with the umruly
mustang furnished amusement for
our party, consisting of score Of
fortune seekers, and much dlscOm- .
fort to Dice.
"My friend, | guess you didn't
learn to ride in your YOUTH said a
man who had often made sport OF
Dice's horscmanship. At that Bra
kcr changed color | could sec the
white and red streaks shoot across
his face, and at once knew what
was coming, nor did blame him,
for the speaker had tantalizcd poor
Dice continually during the journey
thus far
Instantly Dice slipped to the |
ground and snutched the rein of the .
insulter's horse. Our fellows drew /.
rein Mt once.
Get oil your horse, .lem Slay- |
morc,n grated Dice. "Eou'rc "A .
Kcntuchiun, and them fellows blow /.
about their grit. Let's see If you yc |
got the sand to back up what you've /,
said.n
In answer Slnymore laughed in 1
the speakers ince. He was IL Jolly .
fellow, and even now seemed TO /
think II all joke. | knew better. .
lIfh'N VI a." NAll'l 'll'l Niflll enough,
when Dice seized the arm of tine
kcntuciian and dragged him from .
the saddle.
"torm n ringw cried u voice,
''and lot 'em fight 1t out"
\ ring was formed and they did
fight IL out. n tougher struggle |
never saw. The Kontuckiun, al
though smaller than Dice, was "a
hard hitter and as Timber n an eel.
Five minutes time sulliccd to settle
the little difficulty. Dice caught
his heel and fell. Slaymore stood
back and regarded his PROSTATE am
tagonlst with folded arms, scorning
To touch him when down. Dlcc's
head had come in contact with n
stone, however, and hc was insousi-
blc.
~ am sorry" said Slaymorp,
to me. III am from Kansas.
not Kentucky. Your friend forced
me into this, although ! believe lt
was my fault at the outset. feel
that II will not bc pleasant between
us after this. Tell him so. / lay
nothing up against him."
Lcaping To the saddle, Slay-
more dashed away In advance, ac-
companicd 10y three companions. !
was glad enough for this, for
knew the trouble had only begun
IL Slaymorc and his friends IT,.
manned.
Dice Barker was soon In the sad
lie again, morOse from rage at hi,
defeat Once he bent toward me
and hsscd;
I'm meet him again, Jim, and
then III kill him"
Shuddered ~ the words tell from
the lips of Dice. lie meant them,
and he was bad man when
aroused. 1 could only hope that
The two would never meet again,
TIA; hope seemed 10 be- realized
We were six months among the
hills, without sight of S'laymore or
the friends who had left our party
JO keep him company.
| snail never forget the first aw- n
ful winter among the hills. There
was turribie suffering for the nee
pssarics of life, since even gold at
lines failed to procure food. And