The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-08-17
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Dead MANS eyes
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Virginia City, New, in the flush days
of the great Comstock Lode: A man
strolled down street one June even
ing and then struck into a trail which
led upward along the slant of Mount
Davidson. He was a large, broad
shouldered, bearded man. At a
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.
Everywhere the sky was a cobalt blue,
save in the far distance where IL
changed to a delicate purple and grad
ually melted into long, low streaks OF
red, gold and shimmering crimson.
Looking down the canyon, Sugar Loaf
stood darkly silhouetted against the
brilliant background, and past it--mies
further down and away-the plains lay
sleeping in the evening haze. In the
middle distance the big, red buildings
of the shafts and mills, with their tall
steamboat smokestacks, were sharply
outlined; on every side the white
dumps seemed to flow out of the sage
brush hills, and beneath him clustered
the motley and jumbled mass of houses
tackled To the steep mountain side
Nevada's chief city.
Another man trudged 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 be-
trayed the Latin blood. There was a
look of VindiCtive envy in his small,
bead-like eyes as he watched the con-
tented man above him. He wondered
If all the things they said about Jim
sanders We're true. Why was it he
had no partner and worked his claim
alone? Was there any truth in the
rumor that Jim's claim was paying
well and that he was keeping his
money hid instead of banking it? As
to his own claim-well, Gus was a good
and uncomplaining worker. and the
cabin was all right to sleep in. Mining
was gamble anyway, and so he was
faro. Still, one knew there was money
in faro, if the cards came rightly. But
this evening Jose Casadra was broke.
A week before he won a thousand dol.
lars at single sitting.
After a little while the object of his
gaze moved on, and Casadra followed
keeping well in the rear. When he ar.
| rived at Sanders's claim jim stood in
| the doorway.
Hello, Joe"
| Hello. Jim"
How they comin'?"
Damned bad" savagely
| Better leave the chips alone, Joe
| there's nothing in it," said jim, phil.
osophically. why don't you help tn,
| poor Dutchman out? More money il
that, Joe"
advice is cheap" replied Casadra
| ll-naturedly. Dye think ye'd hi
Willin' tc give me anything else?"
| Il might" said Jim, calmly knock
| ing the ashes out of his pipe agains
| his boot heel.
Then lend me a hundred dollars"
NO, joe [ won't: it wouldn't do v,
any good"
TO hell with YOU and your advice!'
exclaimed Casadra, angrily, stridin;
swiftly away and up the trail to tn
cabin he shared with Gus.
The next morning on his way to tow
he stopped al Jim's cabin. In hi
mind was a half-formed resolution t,
say some commonplace thing to jim
| which the latter might accept as al
apology for his rudeness of the pre-
| vlCuS evening. There was no sense il
making an enemy of him. He threy
away his cigarette and hesitatingl,
| approached the door, which stood ajal
and looked in. What he saw startle,
him. Jim was lying on his side on tn
bed, with one arm thrown up over nj
head. His big gray eyes were wild
open, and seemed to be looking Casa
dra full in the face.
"Mornin' Jim"
There was no respOnse-not even tn
Quiver of an cyelid. Casadra watche
him uneasily for a moment, and the
| turned and went on his way to tn
town. He wondered if Jim alway
slept in such a queer fashion. and /
such a sleep was a sound one. 1t wa
late in the night when he passed tn
cabin again. The door was still ajal
and all was dark within.
The following day, shortly after sun
rise, found him before the partly on
ened door. He had a prcmonitiOn q
what he would sec as he suddenl
pushed it wide open. Jim was till ly
ing on his side with his arm over nj
head, the open eyes fixed on the door
way. In two steps Casadra was besid
him. He put out his hand, involuntar
lily withdrew it for a second, and ther
with an effort. placed it on the fore
head of the man in bed. The touc
was icily cold. Down over the hear
went the hand; there was no respons
from that fountain head. Their Jos
knew he was not looking upon sleeI
Murder or suicide? He threw off tn
bedclothes, expecting to see blood, bu
there was none. Just then he saw
sheet of writing paper lying on a tabl
by the bedside Picking 1t up eager
ly, he read.
Dear Brother: l have been take
suddenly i'll tonight. If the wors
should come to happen, when you com
on, go at once into the shaft. In tn
second drift, exactly twenty-fOur fee
from the shaft, dig"
In an instant the paper was crushc
in his hand and thrust into his shirt
bosom. Furtively he looked around a
If in fear of being detected. He neve
thought of the body in the bed unit
his wandering gaze fell upon the pa
lid face and the distended eyes starin
fiXedly at him. NerVously he move
to the door; the eyes followed hin
He stepped almost behind the bed an
yet he felt himself within range {
the awful vision. Many dead men h
had seen before, but some one had a
ways closed their eyes for them Thes
| ewes seemed to move like those of som