Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-06-03

every strip Of wet ground in the West, but 1t
rose in the avalanches OF the Sierra Madre
and came down by our camp ice cold, and as
IL brought fecks OF yellow gold with 1t, we
decided to stop there and 90 to panning out
tho gravel.
We did fairly we'll What wo got would
have been big wages anywhere else, but to
compensate for what we suffered and the
dangers we faced, we naturally wanted more.
A hundred dollars day between three
wasn't so bad. but We were in mood when
a thousand dollars day would not have sat
isfed us.
My, my, how hard and choerfully Frank
did work. Why be got so deeply interested
in that unknown girl. away on the banks Of
tho Cumberland in old Kentucky, that he got
into the habit OF saying every morning. as we
ate breakfast by tho light OF tho camp IRE !;
Another days work for Susie, boys"
Although the strongest OF the three, Frank
was not used to this sort Of rough life, and
soon saw it began to toll on him,and wanted
him TO let up, but tho brave fellow stuck to H.
working in tho ice cold water till he was
taken down with chills, followed by burn
ing fever.
We had some qulnine and few simple
remedies for cuts and bruises along, and
with these and the skill that came Of long
years in the wilds, we did tho best we could
for our partner.
Now comes the remarkable part OF my
story. Two seen men down with the fever,
when they got so wild they had to be tied
but while Prank was clear out of his head,
he kept just as peaceful as ever, only that
he insisted that up the creek were great
caves full of gold, and that the specks we
had been picking out OF the gulch came from
there.
He wanted US to start up there, saying we
could get all the gold in a day we wanted
for lifetime.
or course, Ned Copley and humored
Frank, and told him we'd 20 II he'd hurry
up and get well, but he sworo that instead OF
being sick he was as strong as giant.
Tho third night after Frank was taken
down, he seemed to be resting quietly, so
Ned and I, who had boon taking turns
watching, thought 1t would be safe to drop
OF to sleep-a kind Of lightly-and We
did so.
When we woke up in the early morning,
and saw that Frank Edgerton's cot was
empty, and his clothes and pick and revolver
gone, you may try to Imagine, but you can
never realize just how we felt.
We cooked n hasty breakfast, then picking
up enough provisions from our little store TO
/ last three DAYS. we hid the rest left the mulo
hid In u little valley where thoro was lots of
grass. and then started OF to lind our insane
friend.
Remembering his rawlings about "the gold
cayesr IN near the snow line we determined
to follow the crook. We could reod n trail aa
well as an Indian. but the rocks were too
hard to retain the impression OF n human
foot; yet, now and then we saw signs To en-.
courage us.
Tho creek branched into A dozen streams
further up. and It was onlv after lone con.
SITUATIONS that we decided which 10 toto
and then for no renson that would moi
have applied quite as we'll To the otbor
stream.
It was a rough hard road and now
and thon as wa Wont W, ,ro I'm. ",lu NV ~.
shout Franks uamo or IN dischor,,o o,,r
ric,s t,,,, 81. ~ ou'
-, e''iAi' oAeA ior
iopS'
mat night thoroughly tagged out, we
halted close TO the snow line. indeed there
were white matches all about no o,d ro+ a
sign OF n shrub IN nnken ,ro wiz n ii,.,a