Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-12-28

| AMNssa = draw poker were
- <ssssss fourishing.
Pete" was in his high humor. He
had ''bucl1ed the tiger successfully to-
night, and had quite enough ahead to
work his claim in Corkscrew Gulch.
True, he had not done his assessment
work this year, and by law anybody
could Jump the Lone Star" that
very day at midnight. But Pete was
not the man to be fooled with, as he
already had two graves to his credit in
Doc. Turner's ranch (the name applied
to the cemetery in honor of a local doc
tori, which contained the bodies of two
''tenderfeet'' who had ''ditfered' with
him and were accidentally shot. So
the inhabitants of Gainesville con-
Guided that he was a safe man to let
alone, and he laughed at the idea that
anybody would be so foolish as to com
NIT suicide" as he termed it, by at
tempting to jump his claim.
The old year had but few minutes
to live when Hank tied up his horse
,mong the tall, snow-laden pine trees
eear the Lone STAR and, loosening
the thongs which fastened pick to
his horses saddle, and transferring d
touple of sticks of dynamite and
tome candles from his saddle-bag to
Ills pockets, shouldered the pick and
Oowly mounted the tortuous trail.
He had long awaited this moment.
Four years ago he had owned the
Lone Star" himself, but sickness came
and he could not work his assessment,
and when he had returned to the pros
pect and found Pete, armed to
, the teeth, in possession, he had
accepted his hard luck with a
good grace, but had laid for Pete
yer since. But now at last his oppor-
tunity had come, and he determined to
regain his property and defend it at the
risk of his life if necessary.
The tunnel was soon reached, and the
moonlight, streaming against its black
mouth, easily disclosed to his eyes
! Pete's location stake.
He looked at his watch. 1t marked
exactly midnight.
Reaching down, he fiercely wrenched
the stake from the ground and flung it
far from him down the mountain.
He then lit candle and, finding a
board, quickly sharpened one end of it,
and, smoothing off the broad end, wrote
his location notice on it-rechristening
the claim the Bright Hopes"-and
planted the stake firmly in the ground
Thinking he would go into the tun-
mel and ''see how she looked he took
up his candle and pick and started in.
Just as he did so he thought he
! heard a whistle. He stopped and lis
tened; some one was coming up the
trail whistling softly. Quickly dousing
the light, he crouched behind a big
boulder just at the mouth of the tun-
mel and drew his revolver.
A few minutes later Pete stepped in
view, with a week. supplies in a sack
slung over his shoulder.
Before he could put his burden down
Hank suddenly rose up before him with
the muzzle of his pistol almost touch
ing the others face.
Hands up.'' he cried, 1--WE got the
drop on yer now"
/ Pete, seeing the other fellow had a
full hand, promptly threw up his,
while Hank deity relieved him of his
firearms
"'Taint worth fighting about, any
how" said Pete, carelessly. There
amt pound of ore in the hull claim. :"
''Oh, come off, said Hank. How
about all that ore you shipped last
summer"
That was out of a pocket I struck
which petered out mighty quick; but if
you don't believe me Ill go in the hole
and show YOU" and, taking candle,
Pete started ia the tunnel, Hank fol-
lowing, but keeping his hand within
| easy reach of his gun.
The breast of the tunnel was soon
reached and Pete, holding his candle
up before II, said: There ,ngw. 4sfass-t
did tell yer? It's nuthin' bag dessd
rock
Hank took his candle and carefully
examined the breast, roof and sides,
but not trace of mineral could be
seen.
you're welcome to her. said Pete
I've blown in all the money I want
10. you can nave DlaSt at ner now, II
you want to-"
Hank did not reply, but appeared to
be lost in thought Finally he said:
Hold my candle minute, Pete" and,
taking up his pick in both hands, he
struck the breast heavy blow. and
the rock and mud with which Pete had
plastered it to fool curious and unwel-
come visitors fell away, exposing
vein of glittering white metal.
Almost at the same instant there
was deafening report, and Hank fell
to the ground with a bullet through
his heart.
Pete, with a smoking revolver in his
hand, which he had snatched from
Hanks belt as he struck the blow.
stood over him with a grim smile as
he muttered Another accidentl''
But retribution was close at hand.
The reverberations of the shot had
hardly died away among the neighbor-