San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-06-24

haunted But 1T 1t h stated in bis
own words: 4
Cannot IN, sb1tca be enlarged upon
and improved: Perhaps there is much
larger quantity ofthe metal than appears.
1t may be pushing for exit in large sup
ply just behind the face of the rock there,
and only checked by II too narrow ori-
flee" 1.0f,t.. . 49,
He had observed that the flow was
freer on davs of low barometer, and the
fact gave credibility, TO his sprnise.g
\ These ideas were present to him Yhen-
ever Id went meat the source In his fe-
verish haste f. SECURE mbrerapid returns
the Temptation was a most SEDUCTIVE one.
Little by liftlo he S'ielde,l TO it.
Very cautiously, very delicately, he re-
moved snail portion of the rock, ard
slightly enlarged the>opening. NJoyAthe
flow distinctly rounded itself. Quito the
larger bore. Again, and yet again, he
broke off with his hammer and short
drill some further portions Of the rock.
1t was apparent it would stand even more.
He probed the opening, always with the
same deliCaCy, using II long CrOwbar, and
this had most excellent effect; the
stream still expanded to its increased OPP
portunities. Visions Of a speedy end to
the rest of his .arduous task swan before
the warm fancy of the experimental.
1t saeG"d as if a very small, inotfen-
sive blast with powder might be tried.
A hopeful ardor put down the voice of
prudence. The blast was PLACED and
fired. --
All, heaven. who could have foretold,
who could have believed credible, so.
hideously painful a result? The flow
ceased instantly, absolutely, ana no sub
sequent efforts could recover it. The
goose that laid the golden egg WAS slain
indeed, and by Walters own hand. ..
At first he felt that only some insig-
nifcant fragment had blocked the way,
which could easily be removed, but he
cleared away the debris without result
Then with 'brrathle$s, increasing haste
he began to work with short drill and
long drill, with inattock and ipiqk Ha
fell upon the recalcitrant rock with the
energy, the fury Of coming despair
Mere tools would not answer, but he
would still reach back to where, the clu-
sive golden stream had hidden its head
SO he fired blast after blast in increasing
quantities till most of the rock was shat
tered away a1l the whole appearance Of
the place w&s' clE>Aged !
"Oh, immeasarahle dOlt! On, Unfit
BILE madman!"
SO he called himself and in, the first
excess Of lis dismay and disappointment
ne drew his reyo!~1., pl~posing to ed
his DAYS: but even then some vestige bf
fine Old SrDic philo7ophy all courage re-
manned aAd stayed mis- hand,
IF the stream be checked here it must
come out somewhere else in the vicinity,
or at least i'll the Barranca," he cried.
Il will not be baffled 50, l will have it"
He knew in his heart, however, that it
might Do at no more accessible Il spot
tLm the f3Ctlom If the boiling torrent. =
lie nDNAr:I fuunl any indication of it.
Then he br:stn to % over again, with re-
doubled painotaking, all his forWrr rA-
searches for treasure III some other form.
He said to himself that they had been
only superficial, when, in fact, they had
already been most thorough. Once more
he broke the pudding stone for diamonds,
oucei more washe the sands Of the brook
ana the allJivial earth, holding up his pan
to the light, that the sunbeam5 might
catch with glitter on any chance par
ticles of gold, and once more made small
cham bers over the'respiradores and fun
arol&3 to con- le1se the sublimated min
eral 'vaporS. J He was more like a crazy
man than one i'll the full possession of his
faculties. ;iiF 80 ''''
The most dafing attempt of all hemade
was to actually descend into the open
lava caldroH. He wished to secure some
of the glowing ruddy liquid always boil
ing there, with flame and smoke, on the
bare wild chance that it might contain
gold in its composition.
With the apparatus he had prepared,
he got to windward of the fumes, and
descended one Of the steep, rocky slopes
of the crater Here was a sort Of ter
race, or narrow ledge Of black and lOamy
soil, like dried up mud, within which, as
in a vast black melting pot, and at
lower level, was the hellish, seething
broth that he would test.
He proceeded to let down an earthen
jar made fast with an iron chain The
bucket struck the surface, filled and dis
appeared. Walter attempted to pull it
up on the instant, but the incandescent
flood had already melted off bucket and
iron chain, the latter as far as its fiery
chaps had reached, and he staggered