Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1891-12-11
4 CLOSE can.

usually made the purchases, and at times
was Obliged to travel far into the Sierra
Nevadas, taking with me several thousand
dollars upon each trip TO carry this
used pair of saddle holsters with a recep-
tacle for the money and place for pair
of pistols The latter were necessary: for
much of my way lay amid the wild and
rugged mountains, far from the main high
ways When | halted at the wayside ho-
tells ! was obliged to carry the money to
the table with me and keep it in my room
at night; for few of the stopping places
had any secure safes or vaults. Paper
money was not generally accepted by the
owners of wool, so the greater part of the
money was in gold. Two attempts had
been made to rob me, and | had become
wary and suspicious; yet the profits we
made were so good that | was unwilling to
give up the trips.
One day we received telegram that
read: Secure all the wool you can; it is
sure to advance in price
That means a hard trip for me, | said,
CHANGING at the yellow slip, "but the soon
er am off the more wool shall get"
The telegram reached us at five in the
afternoon At nine the next morning
was on the road, and had nearly four
thousand dollars in gold coin
For the first three days | gradually as
cendcd the mountains, and by midday of
the fourth had reached the summit. This
did not mean a rapid descent upon the OPP
poste slope, but journey for several
days over ridges rising from this central
plateau. Some of these were densev
wooded with pine, spruce and fir, while
others were more open, and contained fine
pastures for flock and herds.
| was DESTROYS of reaching one man. who
kept his sheep during the summer upon a
high and rugged range some miles from my
usual route. | halted for dinner at a small
public house lately built to accommodate
teamsters engaged in hauling lumber from
a new saw-mill. The surroundings were
not inviting, but | was accustomed to the
poorest accommodations while upon these
mountain trips. While a half-breed Indi-
an was caring for my horse inquired of
the landlord if he could direct me to Ruck-
er's sheep camp.
YES, was the reply, "but it's hard
place to find, at the same time giving me
the directions as nearly as possible.
| shook my head as he ended. saving
81 could never find the place in year S
time. Is there no one here acquainted
with the route who can go with me?"
He hesitated a moment, and then said !:
''There's Bill, the half-breed; he knows
the trail as well as old Rucker himself
reckon you can get Bill to GO
Bill was promptly interviewed. "You
pay me two dollars and l take my horse
and go was the brief but satisfactory re-
ply.
The required sum was promised, and he
at once prepared to accompany me. The
moment dinner was eaten we set off In
stead of being sullen and morose like most
half-breeds, my guide was a talkative and
intelligent fellow, and gave me much in
formation about the surrounding region.
Upon reaching Fuckers camp we found
the owner absent, and it took us an hour
or more to find him and the band of sheep
he was herding. He detained lis longer to
tell about the bears and panthers that an
noyed his sheep than the time consumed in
bargaining for his wool and making the
necessary arrangements for shipping it Ia
us. When we got back to the public house
it was too late to 90 further that night UNI
less travelled after dark, and to that OBJ
jected on account of the gold.
The landlord said he could give me a
straw-bed, adding: you see the place is
new, and we have nothing better for our
selves"
was willing to take the bed, and 50
turned my horse over to the half-breed to
take care of for the night.
Just before supper two more travellers
rode up and desired to stop.
'Rooms are pretty scarce as You can
see but we can feed you as well as not, -
said the host.
The men, like myself, We're not particu-
lar as to beds, so remained for the night.
They were rather laxative, and | over
heard them ask the landlord my name and
business. My suspicious were easily arous
ed and | noticed that they seemed inter
ested in me and the holsters | guerded SC
closely. As we left the dining-room one
of them said: mighty keerful of yer hol
sters, stranger; you must have struck il
rich in the diggin's?'
| made some evasiye reply. During tn,
evening Bill, the half-breed, came into the
bar-room two or three times, and the LAS
time l noticed that he secretly beckone(
to me to go ont of doors. Waiting till h,
left the ROOM | managed to follow hin
without attracting attention.
On reaching the middle of the wide
dusty road he stopped, approached me
closely, and said: "You see two men com,
on horseback"
l nodded in reply.
He continued; zone a bad man; he rol
stage and go to prison. Now he com,
back
"A stage robber?' | echoed.
"Yes," was the answer; ''five years age
he rob the stage, and sent to prison. May
be he think no one know him / remem
Der | tell you and tell the boss-so you
look out for him."
/ thanked the fellow and rewarded hin
in a substantial manner, for the warning
was of value to me.
On returning to the bar-room, ! now
watched the two strangers with cOnsidera
BILE attention. There was nothing of tn,
rutfian about either, and / would hav,
thought nothing more about them than
any of the teamsters that stopped at tn,
hotel for the night had it not been for tn,
half-breed's caution.
As the host lighted me to my room h,
told me what the Indian had said TO him
and warned me to be on my guard. De
termined to be on the safe side, / pulled
my bed against the door when retired fol
the night, and securely fastened the only
window.
| slept soundly till past midnight, whe1
/, was awakened by a movement of tn,
bed. 1t appeared as though some one wa,
slowly opening the door and causing the
bed TO move across the floor
reached under the pillow, firmly grasp
ed one of my pistols, and awaited develop