Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-06-06


But what about these menu" whis-
pered Rider.
Bah! Yer chicken! They'll never
be missed"
you mean to murder them?"
See here" said Bowers, don't you
be fool. This thing has got to be
managed right, an it's lucky yer took
me in. You'd spoiled the whole
racket. I'd like ter see yer work it
alone"
Riders heart failed him for an in
slant, but pull at the whisky bottle
revived his courage, and for another
hour the two conspirators continued to
plot against the lives and wealth Of
their fellows.
They had decided to start at once on
their villainous errand, and the follow
ing morning they were astir before day.
light. They wished to avoid observation
as much as possible, and but few peo-
pie saw them as they loaded their
horses.
Bowers was attending to this, when
obed Rider, who had been bringing the
goods to him, remembered that he had
left some articles to dry on small
bush not far away, and hurried after
them.
By this time it was broad daylight,
and fires were being started in the
stoves here and there. He was passing
close behind one of these when sudden
ly his heart seemed to leap into his
throat, for a voice he could not mistake
sounded clearly:
Hello, Green! You're up early! My!
Amt sleepy!"
1T was Tom SCOTS voice, and the
mate stopped as though he had been
shot. CHANGING furtively overhis shout
der he saw the second mate in the act
of kindling fire.
Even as the guilty man looked his
shipmate turned suddenly toward him
and started toward the entrance of the
tent, while Rider turned his head away,
but could not lift his feet from the spot.
Hold on!" said Green.
Rider dared not look up. lie had been
taken SO completely by surprise that he
could do nothing but stand still. Each
second he expected to feel Green's hand
on his shoulder and he was too con-
fused to think of any plausible story.
DO they suspect me?"
This was the one thought that flashed
through his brain as he waited.
Hold on!" repeated Green, thrusting
his head into the tent. Take it easy
till get the fire going. Doesn't need
but one Of u.s."
With gasp of relief the mate
slouched his hat over his eyes and hur-
ried away from the spot as though a
ghost were pursuing him. He did not
stop until he had joined Bowers, who at
once noticed his disordered appearance.
and exclaimed:
Whats up, pard7 You look like yer
was scared ter DEATH"
Hes here! l saw them Just now"
What's that? Saw who?"
Scott! And Green is with him!"
"And who the devil is Scott and
Green? Can't yer talk plain an not
stan thar splutterin' like yer was goin'
ter flop? What's the row, that's what l
want ter know?'
BY this time the mate had found his
tongue, and he said, hurriedly:
Scott is the young chap I got the
papers from, and the other was second
mate of the vessel with me. We must
get out of this quick!"
Right ye are. They must hev come
over from Skaguay on the boat yester-
day. Wouldn't do fer them ter see
yer roun' here. They'd be on ter yer
racket. Chuck them clothes on that
boss, an let's light out. We've got ter
git a big start on EN-, anyhow. 'Tain't
likely they'll start to-day"
Il don't see how they got here" said
Rider, as they started off through the
tents, Leading their horses. II took
every cent he had, and I don't believe
the second mate had much"
Wall, they're here, replied his com
panion. philosophically, IAN of course
they're bound for that mine. Hes
raised the stuff somehow. We've got
ter git thar first"
Half an hour later they had left Pyra-
mid harbor behind them, and were rid
ing along the trail as fast as they could
urge the pack horses, while Tom and
Green were discussing their rude brealc-
fast, in blissful ignorance of how mar
rowly they had missed the man who
they fully believed TO have already
reached the writer Of the lost letter.
Although they were eager to be off at
once, 1T was impossible to start TIL the
horses had fully recovered from the sea
voyage. They were too valuable to take
any chances with and one of them was
slightly lame from fall in his cramped
quarters on the steamer. TO replace an
animal was also impossible, for fabu-
lous prices were being offered for any
thing that could by any possibility bear
u burden.
Then again, it was necessary to make
a careful search about the camp to see
| if the man Tarbox, mentioned in the
letter, had arrived yet, If they could
find him all would be plain sailing, and
he could pilot them back. There was
also a chance that the dead miners
brother might be even then on the spot.
But they found it difficult task to
get any information. The population
of the camp was changing daily. No
one paused longer than was absolute,
ly necessary, and each was too busy
with his own affairs to take notice OF
others.
Besides this, they were obliged to
avoid giving many details which might
perhaps have helped them, and Mt the
! close of the sacop6 doy Toyp Gotta a..