Sierra County advocate. [volume] (Kingston, N.M.) 1884-1960, 1894-08-24
THE MARKED NUGGET.
Concluded


: who said his name was Steve Shell
don, who had been in California in
several Of the wild west mining
towns. Why he had quilted that bu-
sy land of gold and silver he warily
kept to himself, but he let out as
much of his personal history as led
Edward to conclude that he had
largely mixed with the rough and
lawless populations of the gulches
aud that he had not been one OF
their least rough or lawless mem.
bers.
Edward had no liking for this
man, and would have kept him at
distance but for the fact that he
mas evidently well acquainted with
Lhe whole process of gold mining,
and might, therefore, render him
essential assistance when they came
upon the ground.
Having some money the young
Cornisbman was able TO avoid
many privatlons and hardships
endured by hundreds, not to say
thousands. He had bought 10
Melbourne, as we'll as the requisite
mining implements, a sound and
roomy tent, IN which he gave shell
ter to Sheldon.
For a small sum, under guidance
of this man, he bought up the
claim of miner who, with bis
wife and three children, was liter
ally at the point of starvation. the
gold he was able to extract from
the earth being utterly inadequate
for the purchase Of provisions at
the exorbitant prices charged Tor all
the necessaries of lila
For the first two months very
little gold rewarded the unflinch-
ing labor Of Edward Poldrake
whose claim had the disadvantage
of being some 800 yards from a
washing out, or, as Sheldon called
it, a 'panning out place; but after
that the assertion of the California
expert that he had a "lucky
smell" at was justified and gold,
in ample paying quantities came to
his hand.
The life of Sheldon was a puzzle
to him. He took up no claim, he
did not appear to engage in any
kind of work, he did not visit the
tent sometimes for days together,
and once or twice he had come
back late at night, partially intox-
icated and wholly quarrelsome, to
the disgust and indignation of his
host. On one of these occasions
his conduct had been SO intolera-
bly offensive that Edward, at the
end of his endurance, had seized
him by the collar and thrown him
out of the tent, at the same time
forbiddiug him to ever show his
face there again. Sheldon drew a
revolver and covered his assailant,
but suddenly, as if moved by an
idea, pat up bis weapon, and, ut
tering a low, synical laugh, strolied
away.
The whole mining district was
infested by thieves. Robberies
were of daily almost hourly --oc
cnrrence. But though near neigh
bors had been despoiied OF their
hard earned gold, Edward had so
far enjoyed immunity from thls
kind or victimization. For securl-
ty he had hit upon the plan of
burying his gold, packed in match
boxes in hole, carefully recover
ed with earth and grass, on the spot
Immediately above which he made
his bed. This secret hiding-place
he believed TO be unknown TO any
one but himself.
Luck seemed to favor him. lie
had come upon bed of nuggets
ranging from quarter of an ounce
to full ounce in weight, and as
he secured from six to twelve OF
these nearly every day. he found
his pile rapidly increasing.
One day, to bis great JOY, he
came upon the king nugget Of the !