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

peering again at the toiler beneath,
recognized him also, and understood
the matter better.
The man below was Nose Tannin, a
hanger-on in Horseshoe camp, reported
to earn his money mostly by gambling
and trickery Two weeks before, in
cursory talk around the evening fire
in front ofthe log hotel, Nose had Of
fered to trade his pinto horse for the
Pillar of Fire. Talbot agreed, .provid-
ed the pinto was delivered to him with
in three days. Nose had not brought
the horse and the proposed bargain
therefore was never conSummated,
but evidently the gambler now as
Sumed ownership of the claim and was
Sailing it for some speculative pur-
poses, planting In the soil, feat of rich
quality, which would give an mex
perieRced person false opinions of the
value of the ledge above.
Talbot drew back and deliDerated.
He had long since grown weary of the
artifice and cheating prevalent among
miners, and was half disposed to call
out and forbid any trespasS on his
property. But curiosity prevailed. He
remained silent and took position
where he could peer down occasion
ally upon the workman. He watched
| the care and craft with which the
| fragments of ore We're StreWn through
| the soil, the skill with which the earth
was packed down over them, and the
patience with which Nose brought WI
| ter from the spring in his frying pan
and poured it in successive streams
over the surface, washing off all the
| pick marks, and all traces of his moe
caSined feet. This done, the willy trick
ster withdrew, and tying his gunny
sack, pick-aXe and frying pan to the
pack-saddle, climbed into that uneasy
seat and went off down the mountain
| with his rifle across his lap like any
honest prospector returning to camp.
AS soon as Nose was safely away,
| Talbot went below and discovered at
once the full scope of the scheme. At
| the base of the bluff Nose had uncov-
cred ledge of syenite and silver-bear-
| ing rock ten or twelve feet wide. out
of which he had picked several bushels
of ore of very ordinary quality, now
| lying about on the edge of the chasm.
Among this he had scattered ore of a
higher grade but of similar formation,
! brought from the outside, in the hope
| that it might beguile some buyer into
| paying a good price for the claim. 1t
looked to Talbot like IL tlimsy fraud,
not likely to impose upon any person Cf
intelligence.
He went forward to his center stake.
| Upon a stone at it's base still lay the
baking powder can in which he had
left his location notice-a method used
in exposed places where paper, if nailed
| to a stake, would soon be destroyed by
wind and rain. He found the notice
untouched within, and strobe back
scornfully up the hill.
AS Talbot returned once more above
the boulders and turned the corner to-
ward the rocky walls. he met four deer
unexpectedly, face to face. Spriuging
forward promptly, the youth stamped
ed them into the passage way. With
eager excitement he plucked his re-
volver from it's holster and fired. A
doe fell. The others dashed back des-
perately through the smoke, passed
him, and vanished over the divide.
Advancing toward the fallen deer,
Talbot reflected with disquiet that
Nose Tannin would hear this shot, per-
haps turn back and discover his recent
eSpial. When, therefore, the wounded
holding up one limp fore-leg shrinking
from the stony verge, yet not daring to
take the only path of retreat toward
her enemy in the way, he hesitated to
give final shot. Drawing his short
handled pick, he hurled it with an ac-
curacy and fOce that struck the wound
ed animal off the rock Dashing for
ward, Talbot saw the doe gather itself
nm hollow and loan Hnurn tho hillside
leaving splashes of blood every few
feet So copiOus was the loss that he
felt sure the game would soon fall and
die. Hurriedly catching up his gun
and blanket, he ran around the ledges
and followed after Near the center
stake he regained his pick, noting as
he did so the numerous deer tracks
made in the wet earth. AS the ground
would set hard in that high altitude
before the next noon, these tracks must
necessarily help to hide Nose Tannin s
trick.
Following the crimson trail, Talbot
found his doe ia thicket of willows
near the brook, lying dead with head
extended and legs drawn in. Here he
waited to see if Nose returned. II
soon became evident that if the latter
had heard the shot he had no desire
to learn who fired, but had kept on
toward Horse shoe camp.
Thereupon Ward Talbot shouldered
| the carcass and carried it into a Sc
cluded dell. In the gathering twi
light he built fire, cooked haunch
of venison, ate heartily, and, rolling
up in his mackinaw, law down to sleep
beneath the amarackS.
Three days passed ere Ward came
into Horseshoe camp. Meantime he
had explored with success n distant
ravine. Footsore and jaded, he ap-
peared at nightfaIl before the hut
where his partners sat around the fire
Talbots partners were three sober
miners, owners of a promising claim
which they were developing. The
youth had chosen them AS associates
because alone of all the camp they
neither drank nor gambled. He was
kindly treated, condoled with over his
ill luck, and given a cheering supper
Then all four went wearily to their
blankets. An hour later a hand shook
Wards shoulder. A voice whispered
in his ear:
''lIo, Talbot! 1 say! Get up a min
ute; I've something to tell you.''
The young man rose ON his elbow.
RV tho diving lipbt of tho Sr, bo GO w,