The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1895-10-19

myself, There was something about
Silver Pete's patrons that / could not
reconcile, even with my book-formed |
ideas of the west They all claimed to
be miners or stockmen, and had plenty |
of money, yet not one of them did a |
days work himself This puzzled me |
a good deal, but / went to sleep at
last, comforted by the prospect OF a
business that would enable me to live
like gentleman. and hire all the work
done.
There was great excitement in Pay
Dirt next day. Bills hired miner had
hardly begun work when he came
whooping down the mountain side with
a hatful of dirt that fairly bristled
with little fakes of bright gold. He
had struck the pocket Bill was hoping
for. The ground seemed full OF the
yellow metal, and Bills fellowminers
were eager to buy in with him.
NO" said Bill, i've promised this
young fellow I'd take him in. l hadn't
expected to strike it like this, though,
and I'm most afraid I'll have to ask
more than he's got to invest, but if he
can raise couple of thousand dollars
besides his five hundred, half the
mines his'n. You needn't make no
offers till he's had his say about it."
l was wild with delight. My only
fear was that l could not get the
money, but was pretty sure an older
brother would advance the amount out
of savings that knew he had in bank.
was to write for it by the next mail.
At dinner that day chose seat at
the little table in one corner that l
usually occupied, SO taken up with my
own thoughts that l hardly noticed
the station agent until he was seated
opposite me. My great fortune made
me good-humored enough to. forget
what had passed. We chatted for
awhile, but nothing was said about
the mine until ! mentioned it. l
| wanted to crow over him a little, and
could not help it.
.What do you think of Bills striker
| asked.
He sat with his back to the rest of
the room. No one else could see his
actions or hear his words. He did not
answer, but took up salt cellar, and
tipping it over his steak, began tap
ping the bottom. l waited for his re-
ply, but he looked me curiously in the
eye and kept on tapping, tapping, tap
ping, until his plate was covered,
loaded. deluged with salt. / thought
he had gone crazy.
"Man alive, what are you doing?"
gasped.
Just what Bill did to the mine,
he replied. quietly, still tapping away.
Didn't you ever hear of a sailed
mine?"
/ had not; but if / did not under
stand his words. did comprehend his
look and tone. / lost my appetite al
once, and felt as limp and weak as o
man who suddenly arrests himself on
the brink of precipice. / had toe
much silly pride to ask for an explana
ton. The agent scraped the salt te
one side, and went calmly on with hi.
dinner, while hurried through mine
and to my room. Before came dowr
again had made up my mind to pu
Bill off until l had Investigated the
mine tor myself. When l went up t
the shaft he was helping his man rie
up bucket and windlass.
thought Bill and his man rather
awkward for practical miners. / be
lieve could have rugged up that wind
lass alone in half the time. 1t wa
nearly night before we were ready u
haul up dirt, but out of the few buck
etfuls that we did have time to wasl
in pans at the creek in the bottom o
the gulch we got no less than an ounc
of pure gold. Bill was elated. III
vowed we could take out hundre'
apiece every day when we got thing
in proper shape. The sight OF tina
gold that had helped to take out O
the ground with my own hands wa
! very convincing. l was satisfied tina
| Bill and the mine were all right, an
, that the station agent was either
, meddlesome fool or was trying to max
game of me. wrote to my brothc
' that night. explaining the good fo
E tune I had met with, and asking fo
: the loan of two thousand dollars.
S had little doubt that the offer of on
/ half of what made out of the min
f would induce him to send me tn
!, money.
I retired early that night, but coul
; not sleep. Thinking walk migl
, quiet my nerves, 1 dressed and can
: downstairs. l looked into the smob
70 bar and gambling-room. Things wei
1, humming at Pete's that night, and !
a one noticed me as / slipped out at
y side door. Naturally enough, my ste
4 turned up the gulch toward the min
1t was a warm, starlit night, but n
. light enough to distinguish objects
;. distance. / had walked half mi
4 and was nearing the mine when lor
!. report, followed quickly by anothe
:. sounded straight ahead.
Curious and excited, l crept ne'
? enough to see two men standing ov
q the shaft. One held lantern, whit
IT he shielded carefully from view, viii
~ | the other seemed to be loading GU