Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1899-11-17

soon caught glimpse of white face
ahead rising and falling on the waves.
Keep up till reach your he shout
ed to encourage Avery, who was fully
so yards away.
There was no reply, and when Tom
was within dozen strokes of his friend
the latter suddenly threw up his arms
and began to sink.
Tom reached the spot just in time to
grasp his hair and drag him to the sur
face, where he lay utterly unconscious
and unable to assist himself. Tom sup
ported him as best he could, but his
clothes soon began to drag him down,
and his limbs felt like lead. He was
nearly spent when something white
sea, and he saw that it was the life
buoy. With last effort he struck out
and succeeded in grasping it.
In the meantime the Seabird hadb been
brought to the wind and boat lowered
with all possible speed, but it is slow
operation at best, and the craft was a
half mile distant before the boat struck
the water with Capt. Coffin in her stern.
Although the buoy supported Tom
easily, he found it no easy task to keep
the unconscious mans head above the
surface, and when the boat reached
them he was pulled from the water in
state of utter exhaustion.
Avery showed no signs of life, and
when the vessel was reached he was
taken to his berth, where the old cap
tain gradually resuscitated him, Tom
having changed his clothes in the mean
time and regained the use of his limbs.
When he reached the stateroom he
was shocked at his friends face. There
was a look there which comes but once
to humanity and which froze the words
on his tongue.
''Scott, sit down." said the old miner.
81 can see by your. face what you read
in mine. I have no time to waste. I'm
a dying man, Scott. Something has
given out inside and my time is up.
Don't interrupt me, please. I must tell
you something while L have time
He paused an instant to press his
hand to his side, saying:
"When that hit me something snapped
in here. I think a rib is sticking into
my lungs. Take off my belt, Scott.
Hurry up! Don't stop to ask questions
noWi"
Tom obeyed, and with trembling
fingers the dying man drew forth a
folded bit of paper, whispering:
cts yours, and it means a fortune
TO you! Get me pen and paper and
then write what 1 tell you'll"
His request was soon complied with,
and with faint voice he dictated:
ST, John Avery, being about to die,
give my share in the gold mine discov-
cred by my partner, Dick Reed, to the
bearer, Thomas Scott, who has risked
his life for mine twice"
When this unique will was on paper
he added:
"Give me the pen. There needn't be
any witnesses. Dick Reed knows my fist,
and he's as square as die. This paper is
map to tell me how to reach the mine.
It's secret trail leads to it, and only
three men know of it. You will be rich
if you live to reach it. Trust no one,
but go by yourself Take the money in
my belt, too, and use it as you please.
You may find my brother Bill at the
mine. He was sent for, too. You'll get
my share"
A violent fit of coughing interrupted
him, and before it ended the handker-
chief he pressed to his lips was stained
with his life blood.
Tom hastily summoned the captain,
but the old miner sank into an uncon-
scious state, and before morning Tom
was the only living occupant of the lit
tie stateroom.
But behind the thin partition which
it from the mates room sat
that worthy himself with look of tri-
umph on his evil face.
''There were no witnesses, and what
is to prevent my being Mr.. Tom Scott
and becoming mine owner" he NUT
tered to himself. 81 must have that pa
per if have to kill him to get It'll"
On the following day the remains of
the old miner were consigned to the
deep, and as Tom saw the weighted
canvas disappear beneath the blue wa
tiers, his grief outweighed every other
sentiment and drove all thoughts of his
inheritance from his head. He had
grown to love the rugged old man like
a brother. and it was the first time he
had been brought face to face with
death.
That night as he was about to retire,
he remembered the slip of paper given
him by his dying friend, and which he
had not yet examined. He had placed
it in the belt and tossed the latter into
his chest at the time, and huge lump
swelled in his throat now as he lifted
the lid and drew it forth.
Carefully arranged in the various
compartments were bills to the amount
of $4,000, and these he transferred to
his own belt at once. The paper was
evidently torn from blank book, and
contained these lines in a bold hand:
'Old Partner: If you haven't forgotten
the old days and the bargain we made.
come out and share my find with me
l have struck it rich. I have written to
Bill. have a new chum with me too
Come to Dyea and take the old Dalton