Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1898-11-03

at their great weight. They were I'M
strapped, and his curiosity now over
mastering all other feelings, he threw
back the flap of one and holding
freshly-hghted match close to the
opening was speeches. with amaze
ment at what he saw. The bag was
half-flled with coined gold. For the
second time, in his excitement, he had
nearly allowed his match to burn out.
His stock was now reduced to four;
and realizing that he must make haste
to leave the cave, he seized the leather
neck containing the two bags and
dragged them to the opening. In an
other moment he was again standing
among the rocks outside. 1t was all
so strange and passed so quickly that
it seemed to him almost that he had
been dreaming and still dreamed. But
when he opened the mouth of the sad
dle-bags and plunged his hands into
the jingling, shining yellow coin which
both contained, there was an end to
all doubts. This beats dry-washing
or striking a ledge" he exclaimed.
aloud. IF Boly don't think I'm ergi-
bic now, I'll give up beat"
calfskin bags. in sprawling, pen-print-
ed letters, was the name III. Meeks''
and date some ~ years back. That's
the name of the Teller that robbed old
man Bascom, and it was down in this
Mud Springs country that the old man
lost the trail. While 1 am out discov-
erin things, I seem to be workin'~up
the whole job to once" said the now
eXultant Morgan to himself. "Old
C'lumbus amt in it with me-"
When he reached Mud Springs late
in the afternoon, he was discreetly ST.
lent about his discovery in the cave
He cached his saddle bags a mile or
more back on the trail, and his prep
arations for an immediate and impress
sive return to the BelshaZzar camp
were undertaken at once. These con-
sisted in various purchases. From the
proprietor of the Magnolia saloon he
obtained a black mule, with a silver
mounted saddle and bride and pair
of deep-roweled spurs, with little
jingling chains. These had been left
for sale by some newcomer from
Sonora with bad luck and extravaganza
tastes, He also obtained at the same
place a diamond of large size, but of
doubtful purity, which he pinned in his
blue flannel shirt front. He added to
this guitar for Boly, secured at an ex-
orbitant price from an impecunious
Mexican, and, having bade his friends
good-by, started on his triumphal
homeward march just as the full moon
was rising over the eastern ridges.
A
his outward trip to less than three on
his return, and an hour before sunset
was riding up the last heavy grade OIL
the trail into the BelshaZzar camp. He
hardly expected tn find Boiy so late
at the arastra; but still on the chance
he gathered himself together for an
impressive entree. His new mule,
laden with the precious bags, trotted
in advance. He followed with the
guitar swung by its bright ribbon
about his neck and held in place before
him, his questionable diamond flashing
esplendently. his spurs jingling. and
his sombrero well back on his head.
As he neared the camp his spirits
sank for the moment, as he recognized
the loud voice of old Bascom raised to
even a higher pitch than usual. He
hurried his animals, and in another
moment was in camp. Boly's pony,
Gyp, was in harness in the arastra. She
herself was sitting despondently on a
fat rock near by, with her face buried
in her hands, and sobbing az short in
tervals, while old Bascom was vocif-
erously upbraiding her for the infatua-
ton which had led her to deceive her
father ard clandestinely operate the
arastra in her penniless lovers abb
sence. The situation, however, was
soon changed to one of glad excite
ment and friendly greeting and con-
graduation when Morgan appeared.
and, briefly recounting his adventures.
astonished them with the sight of the
coin IN the saddle bags
"Two-thirGs of that there coin nat
uraiiy belongs to me-" shouted old man
Bascom, land one-third of it" (mean-
ing Meek's parD "of course goes to
YOU; but 1 won't stand on that. This
is my day for bein' lib'ral, and I'm
goin' to allow you half of the whole
pot. and throw in Boly as an extra, al
low'n', of course, as she's agreeable tc
the arrangement"
81 amt got no objections as knows
Of" said Boly, with a laugh, as she
looked down and shuffled one foot in
the dry tailings.
'And all this comes" said Morgan to
Boly, with glad impressiveness, "of
my just follerin' your advice, and
rustli::' round and gettin' el'gible.'-
San Francisco Argonaut.