The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1894-10-05
The Tables Turned.

VI pSlSDli
trickled down his dusty face. He was
near the summit of mountain, and
the forests behind receded to a valley
of vast extent, densely wooded, pro-
foundly silent, primeval and uninhab-
tied. A shimmering river wound
through the distant trees, and Talbot
scowled as he looked back upon it.
Six days before the river had lured
him from Que of these SUBMITS in the
quest of placer diggings. He was now
returning, unsuccessful, half-starved
and lost.
A deer suddenly appeared before
him, not two hudred yards away, near
the top of the divide. 1t was visible
in relief against the luminous sky.
standing on small fiat rock, with feet
gathered and head thrown sideways,
curiously alert. The miner uttered an
impatient cry. He had seen not less
than thirty deer within the last four
hours and had not a single cartridge
left for his rifle. One hand quickly
sought the revolver hanging at his
belt, but he shook his head and aban-
doned the impulse. His mouth watered
as the deer bounded off. Not since
morning had Talbot tasted food, and
it was now o'clock in the afternoon.
Resuming his blanket and empty
rifle, he soon gained the narrow sun
burnt crest and rejoiced to behold
again the Okanagon valley, the giant
brown butteS against the eastern hor-
izon, and the mighty, SnOwclad peaks
of British Columbia towering far to
the north. For Ward Talbot was one
of that adventurous band who first pen
etrated the reservation of the Moses
Indians in Washington territory when
thrown open for settlement.
Sinewy and strong was Talbot, q
young man of robust health and
shrewd wits. He wore brown over
alls and blouse, with a revolver and
light prospecting pick thrust in his
belt; and as he stood beneath a tang
led fir, his boots in q mat of partridge
berry vines, and the pendent needles
trembling against the edge of his
brown canvas hat, a look of perpleX-
ity crossed his frank and manly face.
He had come over at an unexpected
angle and could not quite place his
surroundings. A few steps farther
and the charred top of a tall burnt
pine rose to view. simultaneously the
young miners face frightened. He
found himself not five hundred feet
from one Of his own claims, the very
first one he had staked out, and which
he had never visited since the day he
located it. The nearest corner stake
was directly below him. The tents of
Horseshoe camp were in sight two
miles away, and an hours walk would
take him to his own hut and coffee
pot.
Quite different was this northern
slope from the southern acclivity he
had lately climbed. The latter was
rocky and sandy, its soil washed of
vegetable mould by quick-melting
SHOWS On this northern side he
struck at once soft earth and a carpet
of thick pine grass, down which he
strobe noiselessly toward a barren
spot where boulders projected from the
ground and white stake showed
This was made of cottonwood, rudely
squared by an axe, and upon it was
penciled:
Stake B.
Southeast Corner Post,
Quartz Claim, Pillar of Fire,
Located by Ward Talbot
May 25th, 1886.
The miner smiled as he read this,
and recalled the peculiar circumstances
under which he had discovered his first
claim.
While hunting soon after his arrival
in the country, he saw far up this
mountain-side dead pine burning
brilliantly. Making his way thither in
the hope of meeting white men, he
reached deserted Indian camp by
the side of a little spring. The aban-
doned campfire had ignited a pile of
dry brush, and thence had communi-
Gated to a dead but standing pitch
pine tree, which roared furiously as it
burned, casting off volumes of black
smoke. Here Talbot discovered silver
float and a few traces of ore in the
rocks, and staked out a claim, naming
ing it the Pillar of Fire. When the
mining district was organized, he re-
corded his claim, but had never found
leisure to come up and investigate it
thoroughly.
Talbot now descended towards the
center of his claim. Here the high
walls of rock converging toward d
massive platform, overhanGing the
ledge wherein he had found ore. AS
he approached the walls, he heard a
horse whinny, and stopped surprised.
An instant later the thud of the pick,
striking earth echoed from the hill
side below. There was no mistaking
the sound. 1t fell in regular strokes,
tinkling as it occasionally hit rock.
Somebody was working his claim.
Talbot set his rifle on end against
the rocks at the entrance to the pas
sage-way. He took off his rolled
blanket and laid it down gently. Then
he drew his revolver from his belt and
inspected it. The weapon was of drag
oon size, carrying balls of heavy cal
ibre. He cooked it quietly, and stole
forward between the rugged steps and
down to the stone platform, overhang-
ing the hillside.
The young miners face had become
very white. He debated his course as
he advanced. So far no claims had
been jumped in the district. He had
avoided disputes and brawls with the
miners. He was peaceable and well
disposed. But often the most peace
able meu are the most dangerous when
imposed upon, and now Talbot had but
one purpose-to expel this Jumper"
from the Pillar of Fire.
He neared the shelf where the con-
verging walls narrowed to a space not
six feet wide From this point he could