The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-07-19
A LIVELY ADVENTURE.

thirty log structures-to 90 TO Sidney.
Neb A coach suppose II should bc
called. though on the plains this vehi-
BILE. which has the drivers seat on the
same level rs the passengers seat Is
called hack"
had gone TO the ''hills" 10 engage
Ia mining. but after four months OF
prospecting had decided to open gen
ersl-supply store Mt the new town of
Deadwood and was on my way TO
Omaha to purchase goods for the VEN
ture.
A tin lamp. fastened to one corner
Of the hack" discovered TO me two
passengers within as | entered and
took my seat. One was an old gentle
man. apparently weak and i'll. for al
though IL was not cold night. he was
mufiicd Ia coarse. heavy ulster over
coat Moreover. such of his face rs
could see between gray beard which
almost covered IL and the rim of
SLOUGH hat was pale and thin. tho eyes
looked sunken aud unnatural. AT least
30 they struck me AT cursory glance.
The other passenger was ayoung fell
low OF ~ or % years. judged, decided
~ dandified In his dress for that region.
He wore still hat and stand-up coll
lar encircled by neat tie. and had on
q dark suit. evidently custom made.
which was an unusual ''gct-up" for
that region, and one which at once
aroused my suspicious. for the only
persons had seen about the mining
towns dressed ia anything like that
fashion were gamblers. IA class of men
had made IL point To avoid.
Just before setting ont the driver
came to the side OF the vehicle. thrust
In light Winchester carbine, and
placed IL between my knees.
II sec you didn't have no gun" said
he. AN keep couple of extra ones
for sech."
That was all. No further exrlana-
ton was necessary In those DAYS.
/ took charge of the weapon. al
though was AS little expert in It's use
as was ia handling the Smirh 4 Yves
son la my hip-pocket. which indeed l
had never yet discharged
knew enough OF life In the mines 10
know that the had man, with gun"
Is usually the man who, gets into diff
Guilty rather than the. peaceful aud un-
armed citizen; but a. stage ride from
Custer TO Sidney 1T that time was n
trip not altogether likely To be without
Its adventures, and for once | regret
ted my unfaniliarity with shooting
irons"
IL occurred to me that II we we're
Jumped by road agents. as the phrase
went. the freebooters of the route
would have little To fear from the oc-
capssGts Of the hack. whether they rot
much money or not. There were
usually yaluablcs of some sort In the
iron box under the drivers seat.
The young man who, sat opposite mo
had carbine aeress. his, lap. hut
fancied he knew even less of its use
than did. AS we started he sat, with
out noticing me. twirling a slight mus
tache and humming a tune. "A fresh
gamester IL one ut all, said to my
self upon n second look ut him.
The old man had no arms in sight. !
The driver no doubt regarded him MS
out Of the tight la any event.
AS we rolled on up into Buffalo gap !
had few words Of conversation
with my companions. l learned that
the elder was an old farmer, who had 1
come out TO see what he could do i'm |
the new mines, but he had been III |
with mountain fever, and afterward at i
tackled by rheumatism. so that he had 4
been forced TO abandon his projects |
and return TO the east He spoke 4
freely and In the English. Of the VEST
ern men.
The young fellow said he was from
New York. ''Nch, Yawk,u he. pro-
nounced Il. He was, he said. student
OF mining engineering. but he did not
mention what his business had been In
that region; buk that was not strange,
for he could not talk much. A iolting
stage bowling over n rough country at
eight miles an hour does not give the
best opportunity for conversation.
/ soon. became sleepy, and leaning
back la my corner took such mo-
mentary eat-naps as the nature OF the
pDad permitted. At III o'clock we
made a brief halt at temporary stage
station. where the drivers four-in-
hand team was exchanged for fresh
horses.
pceped out aud got glimpse OF
the team. OF two men with lanterns
Of low structure Of sod or adobe faint
y outlined, and Of the black side Of
mountain beyond. The
night was quite dark. with hoating
clouds and no moon. IL became some
what lighter as we passed out of the
gap a little later. as noted through,a
crack la the Flap" opposite.
The road was now smoother, and
settled back Ia my corner. as my COM
panions had done. TO get little. solid
sleep II possible. dozed otf for
lime. but was awakened by the groan-
ny Of the old man beside me. He