The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-08-22
valley where theisMas lots Of grass an.

valley where thd1e~a lots Of grass ant
then started of to find our insane friend
Remembering his rawlings about 1.-THE
gold caves mp near the snow line, we
determined to follow the creek. We
could read trail as well as an Indian,
but the rocks were too hard to retain
the impression of human foot Yet
now and then we saw signs to encour-
age us.
The creek branched into dozen
streams farther up, and it was only after
long combinations that we decided
which to take, and then for no reason
that would not have applied quite as
well to the other stream.
1t was rough, hard road, and nov
and then as we went on we stopped tc
shout Franks name or to discharge ouI
rifles, but only the echoes came back fol-
reply
That night, thoroughly tagged out,
we halted close to the snow line-in
deed there were white patches all about
us and not sign of shrub to make
fire. With a little alcohol lamp we
made some coffee and lay down under
our blankets. spoon fashion, to keeI
warm.
We were up by daylight and started
off again, this time without coffee, 70.
we had only about gill Of alcohol fol
the lamp, and we reasoned that poor
Frank would want something warm il
we found him alive
Another terrible day and another aw
full night, and still no sign of Frank Ed
gerton. We gave him up, and with SAD
hearts were returning, when Ned, who
has eyes like telescopes, said he saw
something moving near the snow lin.
across the valley.
There had been an immense snow.
slide down the valley not an hour be.
fore, but we got across, and there under
the ledge Of rocks, with great pile on
loose glittering stones about him, lay
Frank Edgerton, looking like a dead
man.
While Ned made some coffee ! rub.
bed Frank with snow till his skin fell
/ warm; then We forced coffee between
his teeth, and wrapping ono blanke
about him we made n stretcher out
the other and our two rifles, SO as t,
carry him down to camp, no easy job,
can tell you.
! Just as we were about to start off Nee
noticed the pile Of stones - Frank
| pockets were full Of them-and thos.
i lying about had evidently been brough
/ there by him. But they We're fully one
half solid gold.
Frank Edgerton had discovered th
caves Of his feverish dreams
4 We got him back to camp, and W
took turns nursing him and carrying
down the gold SO mysteriously fount
with him under that ledge, and thu
Y source of which had been concealed b,
the snowslide.
''To make n long story short" ms W,
used to say when ! was boy, Franl
! got well. When he was able to travel
] we started back to Taos, carrying witt
US about 1870 pounds Of solid gold
We made a second and third trip t
/ find ''the gold caves, " of which Franz
remembered nothing and others hay,
often tried 1t since, but they were los
+ quite as mysteriously us they WEI
4 found. a....
Frank Edgerton had, however, fol
his share enough money to return t,
Kentucky and marry the fair SUSIE
Burns. That they are happy as the da,
is long l can vouch for, for l visitet
them less than year ago, and wa
7 highly flattered to find that his oldes
/ son was named after me. New Yorl
4 Advertiser. r---". f.