The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1898-06-12

II
nearly vel; it was his turn and /
nursed him.
"BlaNely was always a silent, glum
chap, and no particular pal of mine.
bat we had taken up together, be-
cause two's better than one, and there
was nobody else about in Kimberley ut
the time we started ont willing to risk
his life prospecting in that wild coun-
try, for this thing was before the Zulu
war. Blakcly was sick. ] soon saw
his chances were mighty slim to pull
| through. He had never talked to me
before OF where he'd come from or
what he'd been doing, but now he got
delirious. and began gathering at q
great rate. L wasn't moro than half
recovered myself. weak rs girl. and
sight moro nervous than most girls.
When he began to talk TO people /
had never heard of, as If they were
present. and to talk. too, of things it
made me white to- hear of. all alone in
that silent, lonely hut in these horri-
bic, gloomy, Watching mountains. /
had n mind to cut and run. But
whatever he had been, he was my
mate now, and | stuck by him, won
derinG il I'll have strength enough to
bury him decently deep. One night
the rains came on, and you know what
they are In the mountains, The water
came down with crashing roar on
the huge gray rocks which nigh
equalled the rolling thunder peals in
the clouds. wanted a comrade bad
that night Td.haye welcomed Zulu.
Blakely was raving, and I was trem-
bling so with weakness and nervous
fear [ could not bring him cup of
water without spilling it. Then what
must he do? What but get it into his
crazy head | was n priest, and he
wanted to confess. He got out of his
blankets and came to the log of wood
| was sitting on, or shaking on, and
knelt Mt my knees. In his delirium
he was far stronger than L was. and i
couldn't push him away. He blurted
it all ont, with all that crash of clouds
and roar of rain TO emphasize the
| eternal horror of it.
'Those CHASTITY hills are full OF the
ghosts of people long dead, seek ers
for gold. Men may laugh Mt the no.
ton, but spend day and a night
among them alone, and You'll know it
for certain. They were all ont that
night i'll the storm, in and about our
hut, and Blakely knew it, too, for if
ever man was in hurry to confess
and get absolution, he was that night.
m not going to tell you the story IN
full Indeed, he was often incoher-
ent. He'd been in Australia with n
chap he called simply Tom, prospect
ing, of course. They'd had bad luck,
and were about giving it up when Tom
got news from home inclosing draft
for some hundreds of pounds, leg
acy left him. of the two went to
town to cash tho draft, and | suppose
Blakely thought that Tom would use
the money to start the two afresh.
But Tom was sick of it, and wanted
TO get back to England. / tell You, it
was beastly cruel thing to sit SILVER
ing on that log and listen to Blakely
eXcusing himself for what he did.
| Tom cashed his draft in gold and
Blnkely, when they were staying in
the same room in tavern where they
had been drinking that night, crcpt to
his sleeping mates bunk, dashed a
knife into his heart, and took the
money and got safe away. IT cased
the wretch to confess, for he slipped
/ back to his blankets and lay on his
back, quiet, with his eyes closed. The
storm kept up, and I sat sweating
there, afraid to stay with the murderer
and afraid TO 80 out among The howl
| ing devils in the hills. [ was so weak
and unstrung ! sat just moaning and
I crying and stuhing my ears against
| the riot OF the rains.
First | knew I began t. SILVER
with n chill, and-iust like Mr.. Cope
| land when he was at SCHOOL, felt
death coming and thought it was for
mo. | was nearer dead than alive.
The Int grew cold as nm ice box and
| suddenly, rs | shivercd. the strip of
canvas we had fastened for door was
pulled aside and in walked n likely
! looking young fellow. calm as could
be He was dressed in n shabby blue
shirt and loose jacket, broad SLOUGH
nat and heavy miners boots and he
carried long open clasp knife in his
right hand. He paid no attention to
me, but walked straight TO Blakcly's
! side with an ugly look
Helloa, Blakely" he said, where's
I that gold Of mine?'
''Blakely opened his eyes with a
| gurgic in his throat and tried TO
scream out and couldn't; but the look
ON his face was fearful. The miner
waited for no answer but raised his
knife ana dashed it down on tho muir
I derers breast. Icouldu't call out or
move. But just rs the point touched
Blakely's skin it stopped and tho
miner aud il were gone, not out Of
/ the door-God knows how. Then my
mate found voice and strength and
sat mp in bed aud screame Ia fearful
scream, and he fell back. turning -
me.
Water, he whispered. oh, may.
/ ! thought was gonc-I had such q
/ horrible dreamn
II couldn't move: + couldn't got
I him water. could only sii and shake
( and try TO pray. B.akely closed his
/ eyes again, moaning weakly. and go
. lay until the hut grew cold again and
. the canvas was lifted aside and the
miner stepped in as before and up
to the blankets. His face wore a
. hidoous, hooking. cruel smile.