Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1894-09-21
THE GHOSTLY TRAGEDY.
PHANToMs FIGHTING IN A
LONELY CANON.
Thrilling Experience OF a Colorado Pros
pector Terrible Rcprod uction OF
Tragedy That Resulted in Two Deaths
Tho Dagger.


Tho Dagger.
On the first day of August 1875, |
arrived at the little mining town Of
Silver Cliff, Col. i stopped at the
only hotel in the place, a rough, ILL
improvised affair, with bare floors
and walls, and bar room, where
the sounds of revelry continued far
into the night. was taking a
pleasure trip through the Western
states and had heard OF the late dis
covery OF minerals in the canons
about Silver Cliff, and concluded to
run down and look around little.
The morning after my arrival the
sun arose clear and bright above
where the lofty peaks reared their
heads beyond the clouds 1t was a
beautiful day, and | left the little
hotel early in the morning aud
wendell my way far up a steep and
rocky canyon to where few human
beings had ever been. Shortly after
noon storm came up, and the rain
fell in torrents It swelled the little
mountain stream to Overlooking, and
the water dashlng down the canyon
rendered it impossible for me to get
back to the hotel that night
As night approached it grew quite
cold | wrapped myself in the
blanket with which had been prud-
ent enough to provide myself, and
looked about for place of shelter
for the night. 1t had ceased raining.
walked a few rods up the canyon,
scarcely knowing what was best to
do, when discovered on sort of
table-rock, in level spot formed by
one OF the large powders becoming
loosened and falling partly over
into the gulf below it, a sort of
cabin or miners hut, 1t was CON
structed of logs and rocks and
seemed to have been built a long
time ago. There were a large mum
Der of pine knots in corner, and
with them / soon had a large fire
started in the fireplace on the side
Of the wall. After eating some
bread and meat / brought with me,
/ fixed a bed on crude bunk built
in one side of the wall and lay down.
The wind was beginning to blow.
and that, with the bowling of the
mountain lions, which were very
numerous in that locality. made the
situation rather dismal one / had
nothing to fear from the wild ami
mails. for the door was strong one
and heavily barred.
Near midnight ] fell into sound
slumber. | was rudeiy wakened by
a strange and weird sensation, such
as I'd never felt before. was hor-
rlfed to see in the middle of the
room two stoutly built, heavy men,
in rough miners garb, struggling
desperately. Another storm had
come up and the rain was descending
in torrents. Loud peals OF thunder
sounded through the mountains and
flashes of lightning lit up the very
heavens. The faces of the men, as
far as could see from the flashes of
lightning which came in through
the open door. were pale as death,
and blood was streaming from
wounds in both.
The men continued to fight in the
most frantic manner and as they
struggled l could see two daggers
cleaning and flashing IN the lurid
lightning. It was terrible scene.
Aside from the noise of the wild
animals and the elements all was as
still as death. Suddenly one of them
turned toward me and a flash OF
lightning lit up his face. / shud-
dered as 1 saw tit was the face Of
an old time friend and schoolmate,
Hal Crawford. His opponent seemed
to be foreigner. / should say a
Spaniard. with the look of a desper-
ado on his visage.
/ attempted to rise from the cot,
but for moment / could not STIR It
seemed as If were bound by thou
sand chains / made a desperate eff.
fort and sprang forward The men
disappeared, but made no sound. 1t
seemed as if they faded in the air. L
rushed to the door. but the night,
save when the lightning lit up the
scene. was black. The peals of
thunder were louder than ever. !
shook and pinched myself to see
that was not dreaming, but | never
had been more awake in my life.
| Then, too, the door. which was
securely fastened when I lay down,
was wide open 1 again lay down,
but not to sleep. All through the
rest Of that long night watched for
the mysterious pair, but they came
not again. / wondered what it could
mean / struck match. but there
was no one save myself in the room.
i looked on the floor, and there lay a
beautiful pearl-handled dagger.
picked it up and saw the name
Nina Morse inscribed on the silver
blade, which was covered nearly all
OYER with blood. / had seen that
dagger before.
Sitting on the edge of the little
cot l thought OF when had last seen
Hal and of the days of long ago. He
had been handsome, dashing lad at
school, and we had both fallen in
love with sweet, charming Nina
Morse, whose home was in Phlladel-
| phia, close to where we had both
been raised together, almost as
brothers.
Hal grew reckless after he left
school and took to drinking. One
night he came to me, for we were
always bosom friends, and told me
| he was going West to seek his for
| tune. II leave Nina to you,n he