The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-03-09

out, and after tramping over noun
tain trail for half hour, loaded into
wagonsand hauled back to che junction.
CHAPTER IL
Lets have drink afore we go. -
Mary drink, . said the dark man at
the head Of the table, and one could see
at glance that wherever he sat would
be the head Of the table. .tYou proinis-
ed me up in the gulch that day that
you'd never get drunkagaln, and ] prom
ise yon right now, Skinny, that if you
oyou'u never got sober, forI intend to
have you shot while yer happy. .
Nobods replied to this. The man I'D
dressed only glanced across the table,
and then, dropping his eyes, brushed
the ashes from has cigar with the tip OF
his Little finger. The man at the speak
er's right smiled quietly over at his.
yis-arviis, and then there was silence for
amonlent.
The Geighter and she prospector,
leaning on the bar, paid no attention to
the four men who sat and smoked by
the little pine table in dark corner OF
the log saloon The Lone Spruce, as&he
place was called, had done q rushing
business in the boom days, but Rnby
Camp was dying, even as Silver Cliff,
Gunnison and dozens OF other camps
have died since-as Creede is dying to-
1day-and business was slow. A drunken
Use reeled in and wanted to play poker.
shake dice or shoot with any dog of
white man in the place. When all the
rest had put him aside ooldly, he came
over 20 the corner, and the dark man,
being deep in thought and not wishing
to be disturbed, arose, and picking his
way between the two guns which dan
gled from the hips Of the noble red man
kicked him along down the room and
ont into the night.
Having done his duty in removing the
red nuisance-for he hated drunkard
the dark man bade the barkeeper good
night and passed out BY the back door.
The three men as the pine table followed
him.
All this occurred in the last half Of
the closing hour OF the week. Thirty
minutes later, when the four mountain
eers rode away from the Black Bear
carrel, it was Sunday, but the people Of
Ruby Camp took no note Of time. When
the sun came up on that beautiful Sum
day morning, it found the dark man
and his companions at the top Of the
range overlooking the wet mountain
valley. Before they had reached the
foothills the sun caught the two threads
of steel that stretched away across the
park and disappeared at the entrance Of
the canyon at the foot OF the vale. ALI
night they had ridden single file, but
now as they entered the broad valley
they punched their horses and cou0ersed
as they went along. The dark man kept
his eyes upon a barren peak that stood
at the foot Of the valley, where the rail
road track, gliding smoothly over the
mesa, seemed to tumble into the canyon
as swift Nie CARA tumbles over the falls.
At that po.nt the little party expected
to dismount and take the train fer the
Cliff. The leader, who was able to1ead
both print and writing, had noticed
paragraph in the Denver Tribune to the
effect that the new Custer County bank
would open for business at; Silver Cliff
July 10. He had been assured by his
own banker at Gunnison. that the new
Institution would be perfectly reliable,
backed, as it was. by the First National
of Denver. Being man Of good judg-
ment, be reasoned that the necessary
funds for the new bank would in all
probability leave Denver Saturday night
and go up from the junction by the one
daily train on Sunday. That was why
he wished to take the train.
When: they had crossed the valley and
entered the wilderness of pine and c.
dar, they began to search for side can
yon which would lead them down to
the main gulch. Having found proper
ravine they watered and grassed their
horses and had breakfast.
twas not yet nocn. and the train, the
dark man made out from the figures upon
time card which he carried, would
not leave the Junction until 2 p. IL. 1t
would probably be g or 3:15 when it
passed the mouth Of the little rill upon
which they were encamped.
Having breakfasted and smoked. the
men stretched themselves upon the
ground. all save the dark man, and
slept like tired children.
The leader, leaning against moss
covered spruce tree, watched black
storm that was brewing in the hills to