The Portland daily press., 1893-10-17
JUMPING A CLAIM.

IL was new I ears eve in rne camp, anu
the Gold Nugget saloon was doing heavy
business all along the line. Drinks were
being rapidly dispensed over the counter,
and in the rear faro, roulette and draw poker
were fourishing.
Pete was in high humor. He had "bucked
the tiger successfully tonight and had quit
enough ahead to work his claim in Cork
screw 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 local DOCTOR. which contained the
bodies of two ''tenderfeet" who had ''dif-
fered" with him and were accidentally shot
So the inhabitants of Gainesville concluded
he was a safe man to let alone, and he
laughed at the idea that any body would be
so foolish as to commit suicide" as he
termed it, by attempting to jump his claim.
The old year had but few minutes to
live when Hank tied up his horse among
the tall, snow laden pine trees near the
Lone Star, and loosening the thongs which
fastened a pickaA to his horses saddle
and transferring a couple of sticks of dy-
Mantle and some candles from his saddle
bag to his pockets shouldered the pick
and slowly 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 re-
turned to the prospect and found Pete,
armed to the teeth, in possession, he had
accepted his hard luck with a good grace,
but had ''laid'' for Pete ever since. But
now at last his opportunity 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 aslant its black
mouth, easily disclosed to his eyes Pete's
location stake.
He looked at his watch. It marked ex-
actly 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 board
quickly sharpened one end of it, and smooth
ing off the broad end wrote his location no.
tice on it-rechristening the claim the
bright Hopes"-and planted the stake
firmly in the ground.
Thinking he would go into the tunnel
and ''see how she looked" he took up his
candle and pick and started in.
just as he did so he thought he heard
whistle. He paused and listened. Some
one was coming up the trail below whis-
thing softly. Quickly dousing the light, he
crouched behind big bowlder just at the
mouth Of the tunnel and drew his revolver
A few minutes later Pete stepped in
view, with a weeks supplies in sack
sIung over his shoulder
Before he could put his burden down
Hank suddenly rose up before him with
the muzzle of his pistol almost touching
the others face.
.Hands upn' he cried. ''I've got the
drop on yer now"
Pete seeing the other man had full
hand. promptly threw up his, while Hank
deftly relieved him Of his firearms
's'Tain't worth fighting about anyhow"
said Pete carelessly There amt pound
of ore in the hull claim
'sOh, come off" said Hank. 'How about
all that ore you shipped last summer?n
''That was out of a pocket struck which
petered out mighty quick, but if you don't
believe me I'll go in the hole and show
you," and taking candle Pete started in
the tunnel. Hank followed, 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 it,
said: sThere now, what did tell yer? It's
nuthin but dead rock"
Hank took his candle and carefully ex.
q trace of mineral could be seen.
You re welcome TO Her, SAID EeGe. We