St. Landry democrat., 1891-11-28

u
than the rest was picked up, they n
longer ioyously called to each other tina
they might gather together to admire il
They were always on their guard. Da
q and night, one of their party watched tn
Mexicans. If they were to be killed an
robbed of the gold they had discovered
by keeping thus separate some nigh
escape if they were attacked.
E Yet the Mexicans had said or dom
nothing to justify the suspicion that the,
would descend to murder and robbery t,
secure the gold. They did nothing Blu
watch, watch, watch, day after day, a.
the store of gold increased But, as thu
days went by and the pile of gold grew
a new look came into their faces, another
light into their eyes. The lips were
drawn little tighter, the forehead was
less open. There were no longer laugh
ing efforts made to tell jokes, half in
Spanish, half in English, to amuse one
another. The old camaraderie was gone.
The pile of gold continued to grow.
But at last it ceased. In the creyices,
and cracks, and sand there was no longer
to be found single glitter of yellow.
Only the scars remained, where the
knives had cut and gouged out the riches
of the rock.
The Mexicans smiled with pleasure
as they saw the Americans yainly en-
deavor to find more of the metal, and in
return the latter grew hot with anger,
though in their hearts they felt relieved
to know that they had exhausted the
lead. Already they had as much as they
| could care for Had there been more to
mine, though, they would have taken it
out rather than see any one else possess
it. 1t had grown to bea pleasure to have
it, if only to know that it was theirs, even
if they could not use it.
When the pocket was mined out the
Mexicans no longer came up daily to
watch the Americans. Instead, they
stayed in their camp at the foot of the
mountain. They did no work. Why
should they? What would the few ounces
they could take from their claims amount
to compared with what the Americans
had obtained?
Now that there was no longer any gold
to mine, the Americans began to devise
means to remove the gold they had to
where they could dispose of it.
at must be nearly a quarter of
million, boys" said Jack Swilling-all
looked to him as to their chieftain; 1--WE
will have to get it out of here"
How to do it was question they were
always discussing, as they gathered on
the mountain-crest in little group, in
order to be able to watch the little Mex
lean camp below.
eve can't carry all of it, but we
might take part and hide the rest until
we could return for it," suggested one.
Eyes, and what we would leave behind
the Mexicans would get before we were
out of sight. Why don't they get up
and go! This is white mans country.
anyway" said another
''No, we can't do that" said Jack.
'We will have to send to Wickenburc
or pack-train, and two of you will
nave to go for it. You can leave to-
hight, and the three of us who stay can
ook out for the gold. Now, who will go,
s the question"
No one answered. Instead, each
ooked at the other, as if wishing that ,
lis neighbor would volunteer.
"There's no danger. What's the mat
er with you? Are you afraid to trust S
ach other with the gold?" asked Jack. ,
No one replied, yet each knew that he 1
i'd not want to go and leave the gold
ehind him. They were beginning to c
lstrust each other as they distrusted the
Iexicans. a
Well, we will draw lots, and the two r
no get stuck will have to co." said r
ack. i
The lots were drawn, and the two men
whomit had fallen to make the Journey c
'turned to camp and tried to sleep until h
lght came. When it was so dark that -
icy could not be seen they arose and.
lently slipping out of camp, began their
Up across the desert
The next morning one of the three men
no remained behind, while watching.
wv one Of the Mexicans take his gun
I'd start around the base of the noun
in, as it to hunt. He called the atten-
On OF his two comrades to it. As the +
rec watched the Mexican, they saw the n
tier suddenly stop and look intently at r
e ground, and then his face turned I'D o4
the direction Of the mountain TOP. as y,
to discover whether he was observed. w
pparently satisfied that he was not, he in
gan to walk back and forth, as if look 70
g at foot-tracks; then, as if satisfied, nc
turned abruptly and returned to the ~
mp he had just left. W, rli
" He has found the boys trail, and cr
ows that they are gone," said Jack. ",
His two companions merely nodded. /;
ley had known, without being told, +
at Jack was going to say, and what he tb
s thinking of. o en
When the Mexican had returned to his to
mp, the three men could see him seated
tn his comrades i'll conversation. w,
ere were five of them, and they ap- W.
ared to be talking long and earnestly. "
yasionally they glanced toward the tb
mp where the gold was, as if trying to an
it they were watched. At last one I'M
'noii iisee' going 10 Toll OF blankets lai
picks up gun, and, returning to the ne
up, begins to clean it. His comrades al.
k at him and laugh, as if at a Joke, an
then all the rest Of them arise and 70.
their arms. ~
They are going to try to get the ba,
d, says Jack, land if we don't do lor
lething, they will pick US off one by nj
and be On the road to Sonora before fOI
boys gets back oct
What can we DOR asks one Of his Ea
lrades a",
We can go down there and tell them o
we know what they are after, and tba
they have got to CO." replied Jack. caI
: slipping up under cover Of the bush rot
powders, we can be right among cal
n before they know it, and, if we get ha;
drop on them they will have to do arc
= "o soy oo' your guns anu come gro
ca