Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1899-02-01

ped it ana was left in darkness. it was
but a second before he lighted another,
and then for the first time he noticed
that close 20 the blankets lay a pair of
leathern ssddlebags. He stopped 90 lift
them and was surpr Used at their weight.
They were unstrapped. and his curiosity
now overmastering all other feelings he
threw back the flap Of one and holding
n freshly lighted match close to the
opening was specifies with amazement
at what he saw. The bag was half fill.
! ed with coined gold.
For the second time, in his excite
ment. he had nearly allowed his match
20 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 connecting the two
bags and dragged them To the opening.
In another moment be was again
standing in the sunlight and threw the
remains Of his last match among the
rocks outside. 1t was all SO strange and
passed 50 quickly that it seemed TO him
almost that he had been dreaming and
still dreamed, but when he opened the
mouth If the saddlebags and plunged
yellow coin which both contained there
was an end 20 all his doubts. This
beats dry washing or striking ledge.
he exclaimed aloud IF Boly don't
think I'm eligible now. I'll give up
beat"
On the side of each OF the heavy calf.
skin bags III sprawling. pen printed let
tiers was the name H. Meeks". and a
date some IL years back. That's the
name of the Teller that robbed old man
BaScOm, and it was down in this Mud
Spring country that the old man lost
the trail. While l am ont discoverin
things. l seem TO be workin up the
whcls job 70 ouCe. - said the now exult
ant Morgan to himself. "Old Columbus
amt in il with me. >"
When be reached Mud Springs late
III the afternoon, he was discreetiy
silent about his discovery in the cave.
He cached his saddlebags a mile or
more back on the trail, and his prepa-
ratiOns tor an immediate and impressive
return TO the Belshazzar camp were I'M
dertaken at once. These consisted in va
riOus purchases. From the proprietor
OF the Magnolia saloon he obtained
ole and bride and pair Of deep rowel-
eli spurs. with little, jingling chains
These had been left for sale by some
newcomer from Sonora Nth bad luck
and extravaganza tastes lie also obtain
ed at the same place = diamond of large
re. but of doubtful purity, which he
pinned III his blue flannel shirt front.
He added To this guitar for Boly. Sc
cured al an oXOrbitant price from AN
impecuniOus Mexican. ana. having babe
his friends gOOdby. started on his tri-
umphal homewaId march JU,t a. the
full moon was rising over the eastern
ridges.
He reduced the four days time of his
outward "trip TO less than three on his
return. and an hour before sunset was
riding up the last heavy grade on the
trail into the Belshazzar camp He
hardly expected 10 find Boly So late at
the arastra, but still on the chance he
gathered himself together for an i'm
pressive entree. His new mule, laden
with the precious bags. trotted in ad-
vance He followed with the guitar
swung by its bright ribbon about his
neck and held in place before him, his
questionable diamond flashing resplen-
IDENTIFY, his spurs jingling and his SOM
brero 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
10 even higher pitch than usual. He
hurried his animals, and in another mo-
mont was in camp. BOly's pony, Gyp,
was IN harness in the arastra. She her
self was sitting despondently ON a fat
rock near by with her face buried in
her hands and sObbing at short inter
walls, while old Bascom was vociferously
upbraiding her for the infatuation
which had led her to deceive her father
and clandestinely operate the arastra in
her penniless lovers absence. The stu
alton, however, was soon changed to
one Of glad excitement and friendly
greeting and coDgratulation when Nor
gan appeared and, briefly recounting
/ his adventures, astonished them with
the sight of the coin in the saddlebags
"Two-thirds of that there coin mater
ally belongs to me, - shouted old man
Bascom. and one-third of it" (mean-
ing Meeks' part) ''of course goes to you,
but / won't stand on that. This is nv
! day for bein lib raj, and I'm goin to
allow you half Of the whole pot and
throw In Boly as an extra, alow'n Of
iourse, as she's agreeable to the arrange
nent."
Il amt got no objections as knows
IT, said Boly, with laugh. as she
looked down and shuffled one foot in
the dry tailings.
And ali this comes, said Morgan
to Boly, with glad impressivenees, LOT
my Just follerin your advice and rustlin
round and gettin eligible. Edmund
Stuart Roche in Argonaut
4 Roman Peace Jubilee.
Probably the most gorgeous peace
jubilee that the world has ever seen
was that celebrating at Rome the four
80, 10 s Al.