Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1894-12-17

What he said about that cave kin be de-
pended on same as if you read it in the
good book. Thar was gold thar in heaps.
He SAID it was in Jumps and bars, as if
1t had been melted up-mOr'n a span of
bosses could draw. He was in thar a
day and a half, and he had time to be
sartin."
1T was the red mans treasure house,"
exclaimed Taylor.
WAL, no. Bridger didn't reckon the
Injuns had ever diskivered the place.
He allowed that the gold had bin thar
fur good many years-way back to
the time when the Me1icans kivered this
country. I've heard tell thar was a
white race all over the west"
Eyes. the Aztecs," replied one of the
men.
''Them's it. It was them instead of
the Injuns who stored up the gold We
allowed to go back after it some day,
but the years went on, Bridger got
wiped out and now I'm headed that
way only to feed the wolves"
"And-and you will tell us where this
cave is?' anxiously inquired Taylor.
81 will" replied the dying man, as a
smile fitted across his face. ''Hain't it
Gurus? One lays a-dyin, thinkin Of the
hereafter, and the other is jist a-trem-
bin in his anxiety to git hold of wealth
and spend it? It's like poor humanity.
The thought of that gold never bothered
me an hour, while you will risk your
lives fur sight of it. But I'll tell We.
That's what | axed We to cum in here
fur. You've bin white with me, and |
kin reward We fur it,
Harkins and Taylor glared at each
other across the dying man. The fiend
of avarice was already whispering in
their ears.
eff you strike the big Cheyenne at the
forks" said the hunter, 1.-the mountains
will be due north of you. The big peak
in front of We has been named after Gus
ter. About five miles to the right of
that peak is canyon-the one up which
Bridger fed. He said he went about a
mile and then took into a smaller one
leadin to the left. He hadn't gone fur
before he grabbed a bush to pull him
self upon ledge out Of the bottom, and
as he reached the ledge he was at the
mouth of the cave. He reckoned it was
eight or ten feet up, and he thought
path led from it up into the mountain.
1t ar always dusky in those riffs, and
We might pass up and down lifetime
and see nothing. 1t may take We
month of sarchin, but yell find big
reward.
Each man had caught his every word
and sought to impress it on his memory,
and each secretly hoped that the other
would forget. This eagerness resulted
in curious error. Harkins understood
the hunter Alright when he said to the
right of Clusters peak. Taylor under
stood him to the left.
"Ye1l hev to be on the watch fur red
SKINS said the old man after long
pause. They're out and in arms and
they'll show We no mercy. This rush of
white men will drive 'em back after a
time, and counsel We to let the cave
alone till it's safe to go thar. Then ye
kin make up small party, bring it off
and divide it up as is fair"
''Never!' whispered Taylor as he
clenched his hands.
divide with him when | can get it
all!" demanded Harkins of himself
They had been friends in danger. The
prospect of wealth had turned their
would have periled their lives for each
other. Now they wished each other
dead.
piness The thirst for it may lead to
murder.
"Ye hev been good to me and wish
We LUCK" said the old man in a whisper,
but neither Of the men heard him. They
were thinking and planning.
"About five miles to the right of
Clusters peak" Karkins kept repeating
to himself.
"About five miles to the left of Gus
ter's peak" Taylor repeated over and
over again. Two or three minutes passed
away, and then the latter bent forward
and cried out:
"Why, the old man is de;.dr
So he was. He had mad" no struggle
even no sign.
"Well, that was white III him not to
delay u.s." laughed the leader of the car
avian when Informed of the event.
''Some men might have kent us here all
day and then concluded not to die after
all. Now the only thing is to plant him.
A couple of men were soon scooping
out shallow grave with their spades,
and within half an hour after the fame
of life had fiickered out the body was
covered and the wagon train moving on.
Then a couple of great vultIres
dropped from the sky to earth to wait.
Three or four gaunt wolves, their long
hair dirty and ragged came skulking
over the broken ground.
Five painted and feathered Indians
-rept out of dry ravine scarcely forty
rods away, and with ths vengence of
devils set to work with hands and sticks
to uncover the body. There was a sup
pressed shout as it was rolled out and
another as the scalp was held aloof.