The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1895-07-04

Is +
! eyes. that's true. Still. hate to give
the thing up
80 do I. Bob. hate it tarnation bat.
You don't know how much counted on
hndin that stuff, an how I've planned
and fingered on how I'd do after got
IT, Bob" he said softly, i've hoped
ever since Old Washita died to be able
soon to so back home. an thinkin'
bout my wife an children has set me
10 yearnin' to see 'em. an now this dis
appointment is almost KILN. 1t jest
knocks me all to pieces, an right now
Ia be glad If a streak o. lightnin' would
come down an kill me-" 49,. T.tt3-,.s
Jonas" Bob cried, don't talk like
that. We will find something yet. Other
thlngs will come up for US, and before
long our fortune will turn"
Mine will never turn, Bob. I've give
IL fair shown. an it never turns. I'll
ole poor, an I'll never see my wife an
children agin. I give it all up"
But you mustn't do it. JONAS" Bob
demonstrated, laying his hand on the
old mans shoulder. You must keep
up courage and hope Tor the best"
Bob did not feel very sanguine him
self, but he Was not ready to give up
the fight.
Having given up the search for
Wash1ta's wealth. Jonas and Bob
packed up their traps and started
slowly back up the slope on their way
TO the camp over the range. They
walked along in silence, too sad to talk.
| When they had gone a short distance
bob noticed a small opening in the
ground at the root Of large upturned
tree He stepped up close to it to ex-
anime 1T, though for what reason he did
not know, when suddenly the earth
gave way under his 1eet, and he shot
downward and disappeared from view.
Jonas saw him go and hurried for
ward, and called after him, but re-
ce1ved no reply Then he peered down
In the hole, but could see nothing.
After a minute or so there came to
Jonas ears the noise Of a terrible
scutt1ling down below. He called again,
but got no answer. The scufflling con-
tlnued for little longer, then there was
the report Of a pistol. Then all was
silent.
Five minutes elapsed and Jonas was
beginning to grow frantic. Had Bob
been killed, or why did he not answer?
What was the meaning Of that scuff1ing,
and that shot, and the deathlike silence
that followed?
Jonas cast about for some means of
descending into the hole, but could find
none. He thought Of the rope they had
brought with them and decided to tie
one end of it to tree and let himself
down, but then he remembered that
Bob carried the rope, and that when he
fell he took it down with him.
What can I do?" he cried aloud, al
most wild with anxiety
Several minutes passed, and Jonas
had just resolved to leap down after
Bob, when the latter suddenly ap-
| peared, not more than ten feet below,
| and called OUT
catch the rope, Jonas, and fasten
one end to tree, and come down and
see what I've found"
Are you safe an sound, Bob?" Jonas
asked.
Safe and sound as a dollar, JONAS"
Bob replied, land rich as Old What's
| his-name"
"Rich?"
Yes. I've killed a bear and found
Old Washita's gold. There's a wagon
load of 1t. Come down and see for
yourself"
It did not take old Jonas many min
| utes to tie the rope and descend into
the hole, which led back into a. little
cave, where the gold lay in shining
heaps just as Old Washita had said
One look at the precious metal and
then Jonas threw his arms around Bob
and cried like child.
1T was the luckiest day of my life"
he said, when I went to nurse you
through that Sickness
And the luckiest day of both our
lives" Bob added, when we took the
old Indian in and cared for him.
Jonas was silent a moment, and then
he said earnestly:
Bob, this looks like a reward for
doing right toward our fellow-men.
don't it,"
'It does.'
There was another long silence, then
Jonas said:
bob, I'll never again find fault with
fortune If man does his duty and
does it well fortune will smile on him
in time"
II believe that" Bob acquiesced.
AN now, at last" Jonas went m
"I'll git to see my wife an children
We're both rich, an We'll go back east
together, an We'll enjoy life"
Eyes," was all Bob said
But that was enough. He was ton
| happy to see Jonas joy to say more