Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1898-11-03
of expected you'd be in yesterday

O4 expected yCuQ De IN yesterday
evenin'.n
Morgans courtship progressed with
rapid strides. Within fortnight after
this visit he had been over to see Boly
several times, and she, after an inter
val OF, a week when he did not come,
knowing him to be tied down by his
work az the Belshazzar camp, with a
natural disregard for empty conven-
ton, had herself gone over to Chat
with him at the arastra. 1t was on the
occasion of this visit that Morgan de-
stopped. The mule still discreetly
blinded, dozed in the tug-path, and
Morgan II beatitude, sat with his arm
around what for the time being was
the only waist in the world.
There's one thing 1 ought to tell
you," continued Morgan, before ever
you says yes or no. You see, when /
first met the old man he kind of jumped
at the idee that I was the owner of
| this here property. didn't say so, but
| SEEM as he took it that away, didn't
see no coll TO undeceive him. But /
amt nc owner. I'm just up here,
workin' for Biggs, an old pard of mine,
On wages, and L simply don't own
nothin'.'
THAT don't make no difference to
me, Chris" said Boly, with sigh; but
L reckon it will with Por about con-
| sentin'. He sets such heap on man 5
| bein' well fixed" There was silence
for a moment. and then Boly con-
| tinued: I've been thinkin' this away.
Why don't you branch out for your
self and get some property of your
own? Then you'd be eligible"
That's easy to say about bralclin'
out and gettiE' property" responded
Chris, tiespondentiy, but however'm
| to do it? don't see no openin.
you'll never see no openin' sitting
| around this arastra belongin' 10 an
other man." retorted Boly, with some
spirit ''I1I tell you what I'd do if 1
was man and wanted to make a stake.
| I'd quit here too quick and go right
away over into this here new Mud
| Springs deestrect that they're all run
| rin' to, and stake out some claims for
myself. That would make it all right
! with Por. He'd say your bein' man
with jus wages is one thing, but you
| bein' man with soT.e promisin' claims
| is another"
"But," said Morgan, inspired by the
plan, but yet aware of obstacles,
''what'd | say to Biggs if he should
come back here and find I'd quit work
in the arastra and pulled out with his
mule? He's done a heap for me, and
/ couldn't go hack on him"
"I've get a plan about that, too"
said Boly, contemplat drawing
lines in the failing dust with her rid
| ing switch. you start right in and
clean up this here run and then go and
get rock down from the drifts, and I'll
come over every mornin' and run the
arastra while you're gone, with Gyp"
| Indicating her pony). Hes small
Cor the work, but he'll do, and you take
the mule and start off for the new Mud
| Springs range. I'll herd the cows into
| a little rincon that 1 know of. where
| the feeds good and they won't leave
| till 1 come for 'em. Por is repairin'
the road every day now, and he'll never
suspicion what's up"
Thus it was that, on the third morn
| ing after this conversation, Morgan
was on his way on the trail to Mud
| Springs district, with fixed deter
nina ton to find something rich and be-
come eligible" or die in the attempt.
He wasted no time in entering active
| ~ on his work. He rode here and there
| over the country, working up dry
gulches in search of placers and climb
| ing rocky buttes and ridges in the hope
of finding some rich ledge. Promising
discoveries were being constantly
made by others, but his own luck was
of the worst. He had labored hard and
patiently day after day, and yet with
out his reward. The months time
which he had allowed himself was al
ready drawing to a close, and he
seemed as far from his goal as ever;
and it was in a state of deep despon-
dency and encouragement that he
started upon his last trip into the adj
| jacent mountains.
He followed for several hours an old
| deeply-worn Indian trail tending
| toward the Colorado. The trail had
evidently been but little travelled for
| years. for in many places it was quite
blocked with powders which had
rolled down the hillside. ard finally
came to a point where it had been COM
pletely buried by an enormous slide of
loose rock. Here he dismounted and
tied his mule to stunted pinon. lie
was anxious to proceed in the direction
he had been going, for. not more thar
mile ahead, there was in plain view a
rocky bluff, curiously marked ard
mottled in dull reds and faded yellows
that suggested strong mineral posi-
bilities.
Morgan had clambered half way
across the rough and difficult barrier,
stiIl following the general line of the
trail, when, as he paused for moment
to take breath, he saw with some sur
prise few yards above him on the hill
side a high, narrow opening in the
rocks. 1t was partially blocked by
few fragments of broken powders,
and was evidently the mouth of one of
those mountain caverns not infre-
quently found near the summit of
these desert mountains. With but lit
tie difficulty he pushed away a few of
the larger stones that blocked the way
! and found room to enter. He had with
him small supply of matches, and as
he lighted one after another lie saw
that he was in a fairly good-sized
chamber, seven or eight feet in height
and DerhaDS 80 feet in leupth and hale