New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-06-04
THE DEAD MANS EYES,
THE MYSTERIOUS STORY OF A MINERS
BURIED TREASURE.
From The Argonaut.

From The Argonaut
Virginia City. New. in the flush days of the
great ComstOck Lode:
A man stTolled down est. one June evening
and then struck into trail which 'ed upward
along the slant of Mount Davidson. lie was a
large. broad shouldered. bearded man. At
point where the trail diverged he stopped as
If for a short rest. and with his hat in his
hand turned to view the scene below him.
The sun was approaching the horizon. Every
where the sky was a cobalt blue. save in the
far distance. where il changed 10 delicate
purple and gradually melted into long, low
streaks Of red gold and shmmerng crimson.
Looking down the canyon, Sugar Loaf stood
darkIy silhouetted against the brilliant back
ground and past it-mes further down and
aWay-the plains lay sleeping in the evening
haze. In the middle distance the big red build
ings Of the shafts and mills. with their tall
steamboat smokestacks. were sharply outlined
every side the white dumps seemed to flow
out Of the sagebrush hills. and beneath him
clustered the motley and jumbled mass Of
houses tackled to the steep mountain side-Ne-
vadas chief city.
Another man trudgcd up the trail and paused
when he deserted the figure ahead of him. He
was not cast in the heroic mould of the first
His face betrayed the Latin blood There was
look OF vndctive envy in his small bead
like eyes as he watched the contented man
above him. He wondered If all the things they
said about Jim Sanders were true. Why was
ii he had no partne: and worked his claim
alone? Was there any truth in the rumor that
Jims claim was paying well and that he was
keeping ms money ma instead or banking it?
As 10 his own clalm-Well, Gus was a good and
accompanying worker and the cabin was all
right to sleep in. Mining gamble any
way. and 80 was faro. Still, one knew there was
money in faro. if the cards came rightly But
this evening Jose Casadra broke. A week
before he had won a thousand dollars at a
single sitting.
After "A little while the object of his gaze
moved on. and Casadra followed keeping well
in the rear When he arrived at Sanderss cabin
Jim stood in the doorway.
Hello. JOew
Hello Jim"
How they CONNIE"
Damned bad" savageIy.
Better leave the chips alone, Joe-there's
nothing in it," said Jim philosophiCay. why
don't you help the POOR Dutchman out? More
money in that. joe
advice is cheap" replied Casadra. ill-nat-
urediy. "D'ye think ye'd be wiIlin' TO give me
anything else?"
Il might" said jim, calmly knocking the
ashes out Of his pipe against his boot heel
"Then lend me "A hundred dollars"
mo. Joe, won't ii wouldn't do ye any good f."
"To hell with YOU and your advice" Gx-
claimed Casadra. angrily strdng swiftly away
and up the trail to the cabin he shared with
Gus.
The next morning. on his way TO town he
stopped at Jim's cabin. In his mind was "A
half formed resolution to say some common
place thing L. jim which the latter might ac-
cept as an apology for his rudeness Of the
previous evening. There was no sense in max
ing an enemy OF him He threw away his
cigarette and hcstatingly approached the door
which stood ajlr. and looked in. What he saw
startled HIM. Jim was lying on his side on the
bed, with one arm thrown uD over his head.
His big gray eyes were wide open. and seemed
to be looking Casadra full in the face
"MOrnin. jim"
There was no response-not even the CULVER of
an eyelid. Casadra watched him uneasily for a
moment, and then turned and went on his way
to the toW1 He wondered if Jim ALWAYS silent
in such IA queer fashion. and if such sleep was
sound g. j. was late in the night when ne
l. ooh
and all was dark within.
The following day, shortly after sunrise
found him before the partly opened door He
had premonitiOn Of what he would see as he
suddenly pushed il wide open. jim was still
lying on mis- side with his arm over his head
the open eyes fixed on the doorway. I'm two
steps Casadra was beside him. He put out his
hand. involuntarily withdrew It for a second.
and then, with an effort. placed it on the fore
head OF the man in bed The touch was Jelly
cold Down over the heart went the hand
there was no response from that fountain head.
Then JOst knew he was lot looking upon sleep
Murder suicide? He threw off the bndclothcs.
expecting 10 see blood but there was none Just
then h. saw a sheet Of writing paper lying on "A
table by the bedside. Picking ii up eagerly, he
read:
Dear Brother | have been taken suddenly
III tonight If the worst should happen. when
second drift, exactly tWenty-four feet from the
shaft, dig
In an instant the paper was crushed in his
hand and thrust in his shirt bosom. FurtiYely
he looked around, as if in fear Of being de-
tected He never thought Of the body in the
bed until his wandering gaze fell upon the pallid
face and the distended eyes staring Gxedy at
him. Nervously he moved to the door, the eyes