The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1894-02-17
LONE GULCH.

A DARK, tempruous night, the wind
"A bowling, and rain beating SO furi-
ouslv against the windows as to almost
drown the voices of those within the
rough cabin of Jack Moore at Lone
Gulch. Tney were talking in low tones,
on account of the noise made by the
tempest without; but dark as was the
night a still darker deed was contem-
plated by the two men lowering over
the dying embers, and it was meet that
they should discussit with bated breath.
They had been out in the storm, and
were drenched TO the skin when they
came in at dark; so they still fingered
over the decaying fire that had been
kindled to dry their clothes. Unconsci-
GUS of the fact that they had unfolded
their diabolical plot TO an unsupported
listener who drank in every word, while
lip and cheek blanched at the thought
of their contemplated crime.
There had been dissatisfaction among
the miners of Lone Gulch for months.
The pay was often kept back, wages
had been lowered, and unnecessary
cruelty from some of the "bosses" had
rendered part Of the miners desperate.
The huge coal mine seemed like cavern
of death 10 them, and the growls of
dissatisfaction grew louder and more
frequent. The pay was in arrears, and
/ 49, pf in
Jack Moore and his partner, Dick Jones,
had resolved TO wreck vengeance by
robbing the express train the next
night That the undertaking was at.
tended with great danger 10 themselves
did not cause either of them to hest
tate, for they we're both of that reck-
less class to whom a spice of danger
makes a plan the more attractive, and
beside, they calculated that no one
should ever discover the hand they had
in the wreck.
mot word to your wife, mind
This Job must not be known to any one
or we shall swing for it," said Dick
Jones, as he prepared to mount the
, ladder TO the loft.
! Meantime, in the little bedroom ad.
joining lay the involutary listener, who,
! though shaking with fear and apprehsn-
f sion, resolved TO Illustrate their evil
designs. Poor Katie Rose! Her lot
. had been a sad one, though no more so
than of thousands of the very poor.
Her father, brave Ned Rose, hearing
the rose colored tales of American
: life, had left his comfortable home in
! bonny Scotland, and with his wife and
ten year-old Katie, had ssiled for FL
Dorado, finding like poor old Ponce
> Leon, a grave instead. Fever had
broken out aboard the ship; sweet Mary
Rose was one of the first victims, and
all the light and joy went out of Ned's
life when her frail form sank from
sight beneath the waters of the At
lantic.
Almost mechanically he made his
! way to the mines. His old friend, Jack
Moore welcomed him TO his cabiu, and
Mrs. Moore was kind in her wav to the
motherless little girl. Ned only lived
, two weeks, and did not discover that
{ the Jack Moore of today was far diff
ferent from the friend of his bovhood
{ and utterly unfit to take care of his
s child. So he passed away in happy
ignorance.
y Katie had been with the Mores over
L year, and had partly regained her
former cheerfulness; but their way:
were so different from those to which
she had been accustomed that her hear
was sad and lonely. Mrs. Moore wa,
l. cross and rough, and Jack frightened
# the child when he cursed and swor,
: about the cabin; but flor all that they
e gave her a portion of their scanty far'
willingly, AMI made her welcome; ant