Middletown transcript., 1894-08-18
and that the specla we had been picking

and that the specks we had been picking
out of the gulch came from there.
He wanted us to start up there, say
ing we could get all the gold in day
we wanted for lifetime
Of course Ned Copley and humored
Frank and told him we'd go if he'd
hurry up and get well, but he swore
that instead Of being sick he was as
strong as a giant.
| The third night after Frank was tax
en- down he seemed to be resting quiet
| ly, SO Ned and ], who had been taking
turns watching thought it would be
safe to drop off to sleep-kind of lightly
-and we did so.
When we woke up in the early morn
ing and saw that Frank Edgerton's cot
was empty and his clothes and pick and
revolver gone, you may try to imagine,
but you can never realize, just how we
felt.
We cooked hasty breakfast; then,
picking up enough provisions from our
little store to last three days, we hid
lilo I0ot, lOlG tIO LULU A1A III q 1lbbl0
valley where there was lots of grass and
then started off to find our insane friend.
Remembering his rawlings about "the
gold caves" up near the snow line, we
determined to follow the creek. We
could read trail as well as an Indian,
but the rocks were too hard to retain
the impression of human foot. Yet
now and then we saw signs to encour-
age us.
The creek branched into dozen
streams farther up, and it was only after
long consultations that we decided
which to take, and then for no reason
that would not have applied quite as
we'll to the other stream.
It was rough, hard road, and now
and then as we went on we stopped to
shout Franks name or to discharge our
rifles, but only the echoes came back for
reply.
That night, thoroughly tagged out,
we halted close to the snow line-in-
deed there were white patches all about
us and not sign of shrub to make a
fire. With a little alcohol lamp we
made some coffee and lay down under
our blankets, spoon fashion, to keep
warm.
We were up by daylight and started
off again, this time without coffee, for |
we had only about gill of alcohol for |
the lamp, and we reasoned that poor
Frank would want something warm If |
we found him alive.
Another terrible day and another aw-
full night, and still no sign of Frank Ed
gerton. We gave him up, and with sad
hearts were returning, when Ned, who |
has eyes like telescopes, said he saw
something moving near the snow line |
across the valley.
There had been an immense snow
slide down the valley not an hour be-
fore, but we got across, and there under |
the ledge of rocks, with great pile of
loose glittering stones about him, lay
Frank Edgerton, looking like dead
man.
While Ned made some coffee rub
bed Frank with snow till his skin felt
warm; then we forced coffee between
his teeth, and wrapping one blanket
about him we made a stretcher ont of
the other and our two rifles, SO as to
carry him down to camp, no easy job,
can tell you.
Just as we were about to start off Ned
noticed the pile Of stones = Franks
pockets were full Of them-and those
lying about had evidently been brought
there by him. But they were fully one
half solid gold.
Frank Edgerton had discovered the
caves of his feverish dreams.
We got him back to camp, and we
took turns nursing him and carrying
down the gold so mysteriously found
with him under that ledge, and the
source of which had been concealed by
the snowslide.
'"To make long story short, !" as we
used to say when was a boy, Frank
got well. When he was able to travel,
we started back to Taos, carrying with
us about 130 pounds of solid gold.
We made second and third trip to
find "the gold caves" Of which Frank
remembered nothing, and others have
often tried it since, but they were lost
quite as mysteriously as they were
found.
Frank Edgerton had, however, for
his share enough money to return to
Kentucky and marry the fair Susie
Burns. That they are happy as the day
Is long I can vouch for, for I visited
them less than year ago, and I was
highly flattered to find that his oldest
SON was named after me.-New York ;
|.