The state herald., 1892-04-08
previous hunting expeaition-vh,ch

rluSo tnat separated tnlS mountain
park from the canyon. The opening
to this fissure was hidden by wild
vines; turn in the winding valley
served to hide his movement from his
pursuers-and Us they dashed round
tho rocky promontory and kept on
down this valley. Joe was crawling
sidewise up the narrow cleft which
took him. after much difficult saueez-
ing and climbing, to rocky nook near
the summit OF tho ridge, 30 out OF
view Of any ono few feet away.
loo was In no hurry to quit his
place Of fefugc- but nfter time,
when all was quiet he crept out from
his shelter to look about and SEQ II
the coast was clear No Indians were
in sight and he crawled TO the sum.
init OF the ridge and over the other
side until he reached point which
commanded view OF the canyon and
the Great Cinch mine. There. in full
possession OF his camp were seven
painted Apaches the same ones un-
doubtedly that had Jumped" him so
recently.
Joe who had hoped that his un-
pleasant visitors had gone away for
good. was far from pleased to see tho
enemy established in his camp Poor
ing Setuaen the side OF tho boulder
and Spanish bayonet plant which
effectually screened him. tho Missouri
boy watched the performance OF tho
red men. who were making themselves
wholly at home. They had killed his
burro and the choice parts OF his
carcass stuck on sticks wero roasting
about fire made OF poles torn from
the sides Of the shack. Thoy had up.
set and overhauled tho valise and
pretty much everything else in camp
IN search OF ammunition. 'whisk. "
tobacco. and less valued articles OF
piundor Tho dynamite they perhaps
deemed 'bad medicine, for II lay in
the box on the fiat rock where Joe
had left it when the squirrel had lured
him from the camp.
What specially grieved Joe's heart
was their killing OF hys burro the
only possession he had in tho world
except the tattered clothes he wore.
Now. that after all tho fuss he found
himself alive. the boys courage camc
back sufficiently for him to get very
angry over his loss. As u relief to
his feelings ho cooked tho rifle and
sighted it at different members OF the
group. thinking, as ho dallied with
the trigger what pleasure 1t would
give him to send bullet among them
as a sauce to their meal For youth
OF Joe's capacity for doing tho wrong
thing. this fooling with the trigger
was most unwise. rs was shown pres
emily when he pulled trihe too hard;
the hammer fell. and the heavy army
piece. pointing into the midst of the
Indian group. went of with a louder
bang and more emphatic rebound
so it seemed to Joe-than ever before.
Tho vicious kicking OF tho gun
against his shoulder the noise and
smoke OF Its explosion, and the feel
ing OF establishment at It's unexpected
performance occupied Joe's thoughts
for an instant Before he had time to
bo frightened Mt what he had done he
was Jared and shaken MS IL tho
mountains wero rocking. and was
stunned by dcafening roar that rent
the air. Loose rocks won't rolling
down the slopes trees wero rushing
TO tho earth. and Joe saw. as in a
fantastic dream, tho top OF n giant
pine that had ovorhung tho mine
high aloft and still going ms II II
never would stop. Everything in the
canyon seemed to bo In the mir. flying
away from the spot whore the camp
had been. After the dust had some.
what settled. Joe looking down IN
tho sito OF the shack. could SEQ there
only great holo in the ground, while
n heap OF earth had taken tho place
OF tho great Cinch tunnel. Tho shot
fired by mistake had missed every In.
dian and pumped straight into the
box OF dynamite.
At tho timo when .Joe's shot was
fired Peg Leg Crawford riding n
burro and driving his pack animals
before him on his way back To tho
camp had reached tho mouth OF tho
canyon. Another turn In tho path
would bring him In sight OF his mine.
AT this point Crawford found his
burro's footing unsteady. owing 10 an
unexplainnblo tremor OF tho earth.
There was a commotion In tho air us
II several cyclones werc fighting for
tho right OF way through tho canyon.
and great roar came TO his ears as
II the thunders OF whole rainy sea-
son were combined In one pcal. Tho
next thing no realized was that he and
his burros were on tho ground togcth.
or In heap where, by unanimous
consent they waited until tho e!o.
ments subsidized,
When things had quoted down. tho
old prospcctor who was not very
nimblo on his pins pulled himself out
OF the tangle OF burros got his ami.
mails on their feot and stumpcd up tho
canyon TO ilnd out what hnd happened
lio expected TO find somc part OF tho
body OF Joo at distance moro or less
remote from the place where the camp
had stood.
When he reached tho sccno OF tho
explosion he iookol for some sign OF
his assistant
'Joo's gone with tho rcst reckon. Z"
ho said with touch OF regret 'l'll
have whin o. my plpo n ,hon take
look roun' for tho body N glyo II n
Christian burial 4 ,hars enough loft
10 put In n holc. Hullo! What =
thaiP liain't tho s,uif got through
fallLa' yet9''
There was II rn,,ling down tho noun
tain side, and looking up TO ascertain
the cause he saw Joseph Dobbs sliding
on his bnck down sloplng iaco OF
rock. In making his way 10 tho cnn =.
yon's bottom To investigate matters
tho boy had missed his footing In his
excitement aud wna coming down by
tho run much fastcr than ho liked.
lilo landed Mt tho foot of the ellff. torn
ns to clothing and scratched n 10 skin.
but was regardless Of nil injuries IN
his wonder and pride nt his unospoct.