The state herald. (Holyoke, Logan County, Colo.) 1887-1921, 1894-05-25

heart. No faithful friend trottsd BE-
fore him this morning, looking back
ever and anon for . word Of kindness
from his master.
II was long, lonesome day, and re-
suited, q all tho previous days had
resulted, in failure. He could not
eat his supper, but sat BY the ars
moody and heartsick. In this frame
Of mind he fell, first into waking, then
to sleep and actual dreams.
he thought that the latch wa lifted
and the dark, athletic form Of an Ia
dian came noiselessly To the IRE sad
stood looking down upon him. Hs
was wrapped In the folds Of . long,
gray blanket, the corner Of which he
had drawn over his head. He did not
utter word, but stood silently To-
ing down at our hero. - -
As Brandt looked up intC
face, fascinated by tles
those penetrating, 9Sasf !.
undergo chan - s. ~
): 4; q I e. 81. 4; Z:
aa3 - covered With .
bit, dark hair; the ayes
dxed stare and bT.EAl-
n 4osk human. He had ayesa !;
Stained, 1T iARsn, y xhess =. ~,
suddenly dropped on all fou end stsft.
Led toward tho door. Impel cd bylvhat
fofee 20 knew NOT, Brandt arv,s and
followed after. Out in the moonlight
he saw bat the blanket the Indian
wore was tho Old flannel shirt he had
thrown down some time ago for Ben's
bed. His strange guide bounded for
ward straight up the mountain path,
and it seemed to Brandt that no fol-
lowed after with incredible speed. The
direction they took was over the same
trail he had so often trod in the past
two years; but the rapid figure ahead
did not stop at the shaft" but kept
straight on. Some twenty rods furth-
er he turned and doubled on his track.
This manuever no repeated several
times, then went ahead again, Brandt
following. Now the path was crooked
and uneven; now lodging straight up
the mountain, then plungins As alb
ruptly down again. In this manner
they followed a course that took them
through unbroken patches Of trees
and over ground quite unfamiliar to
Brandt.
Suddenly, with the strange second
sight Of dreams, he realized that the
dark splotches on the snow ahead Of
him were blood; and even in his dream,
his own ran cold.
At this juncture tho form ahead Of
hin. suddenly stopped short, and
Brandt, who was but few PAGES be-
hind, pulled up, just in time to avoid
stepping into dark. cavernous hole
that yawned at his feet, and all about
the margin the snow was splashed with
the dark, red blood, while up from the
cavern at his feet issued faint groau.
A cold SILVER passed over his frame,
the real cold Of the snow and night
air, and the feeling Of returning con
seriousness. He rubbed his eyes and
looked about him; he really stood on
the mountain side and not far from
home. He could see his cabin at a
little distance. But he was on the
opposite side Of the mountain from hi,
claim. He must have gone clear around
it in his dream. But how did he come
there at dead Of night, and by wha,
Unseen hand led? :
lie WAS not coward. A life in the
mines 81 California in those days did
not tend to lessen q mans courage
but q feeling not unlike the crawling
OF shiny snake down his spine crcpl
over aim when he looked about and
found everything exactly a. no had
seen it in his dream. There was the
pathway by which he had come, and
on thut pathway wcrc-horrors! The
patches OF dark red blood!
God" The ejaculation escaped
his lips involuntarily. At his feet
yawned the dark cavern Of his dreams,
and again, as then, he heard the faint
groan. Conquering an impulse 10 put
distance between that dark hole and
himself, he stood still and listened.
Tho groan was repeated. mol not q
groan-a phine. Tho truth came u
him like flash. at is BENZ
That thought dispclled all leraer
ideas, and lying down in the snow, he
peercd into the hole, calling, ben,
dear boy, arc you there'" A glad
whine, soft tap Of his tail responded.
Good boy, DO patient, I'll get you
out, and no darted down tho side Of
tho mountain, taking tho shortest cut
TO his cabin, regardless Of the fact
that his feet might at any moment run
into some ovcrgrown shaft. II was
but simple task to gather up 4 blan-
ket from his bed, a strong rope, his
pick and shovel and . dark lantern,
and hurry back to tho spot where he
had left the dog.
Climbing down into tho shaft, he
found that II was not deep, and the
entrance to tunnel, half way inside
Of which Ben lay. A hasty examina.
ton Of tho dog showed that tho wound
consisted Of u pretty btdIy laceratcd
shoulder, probably being tho result Of
running against something sharp on
Ns way TO the minc. This accounted
Tor tho blood 90 the snow; and after
losins copn pr&blc blood, the dog was
unah ~ set out Of tho shaft, and in
SONS occult manner, this feat was
communicated TO his master. " 49,
Brandt did not waste time upon
srcculations as TO tho cause Of his
dogs condition, hut quickly bound up
the shoulder In strips Of rags which no
had brought for that purpose. Tho
dog submitted 10 this operation with
his usual good sense and fortitude, but
when his master attempted TO move
him, hc resisted with al At.. wight
Finding resistance In vain, h,,.Esu6.
glcd TO his feet, and looking mp into
his masters facc, with the vol under.
stood look Of intelligence Brandt had
SO oftcn anon th,ra ha ......J IL.