Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1899-06-22
A Dead Mans Eyes
BY William a. Taaffe.
T%T7 TrTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT
VIRGINIA CITY, New, in the flush

4 lhOIANIA VII l, 4NS'', IL WV 49,
v days of the great Comstock lode;
A man strolled down G street one
June evening, and then struck into
trail which led upward along the slant
of Mount Davidson. He was large,
broad-shouldered, full-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.
Another man trudged up the trail and
paused when he deserted the figure
ahead of him. He was not cast in the
heroic mold of the first. His face be-
trayed the Latin blood. There was q
look of vindictive envy in his small,
bead-lilke eyes as he watched the con-
tented man above him. He wondered
if all the things they said about jim
Sanders were 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 uncomplain-
ing worker, and the cabin was all right
to sleep in, Mining was gamble any
way. and so 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
had won thousand dollars at single
sitting.
After little while the object of his
gaze moved on and Casadra followed,
keeping we'll in the rear. When he ar
rived at the Sanders cabin, Jim stood
in the doorway.
"Hello, joel"
"Hello, Jim!"
"How they comin'9"
BLAMED bad" savagely.
"Better leave the chips alone, joe
there's nothing in It," said Jim, philo-
sophfcally. "Why don't you help the
poor Dutchman out2 More money in
that, joe"
aAdvice is cheap" replied Casadra,
ill-naturedly. "Dye think ye'd be will
in to give me anything else?"
81 might" said Jim, calmly knock
ing the ashes out of his pipe against his
boot heel.
"Then lend me hundred dollars"
mo, Joe, I won't, it wouldn't do We
any good"
II want none of you or your advice!"
exclaimed Casadra, angrily, striding
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-formedr esolutionto say
some commonplace thing to Jim which
the latter might accept as an apology
for his rudeness of the previous even
ing. There was no sense in making an
enemy of him. He threw away his ciga-
rctte and hesitatingly approached the
door, which stood ajar, and looked IN.
What he saw startled him. Jim was ~
ing on his side on the bed, with one arm
thrown over his head. His big gray
ewes 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 moment, and then
turned and went on his way to the
town. He wondered if Jirn always slept
in such q queer fashion, and If such
sleep was a sound one? 1t was late in
the night when he passed the cabin
again. The door was still ajar, and all
was dark within.
The following day, shortly after sun
rise. found him before the partly
opened door. he had premonition OF
what ne would see as he suddenly
pushed it wide open. Jim was still "
ing ON his side with his arm over bus
head, the open eyes fixed on the door
way. In two steps Casadra was be-
side him. He put out his hand, inyol-
UNFAIRLY withdrew it for second, and
then, with an effort, placed it on the
forehead 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 Jose
knew he was not looking upon sleep
Murder or suicide? He threw off the
bedclothes, expecting to see blood, but
there was none. Just then he saw 6
sheet of writing paper lying on table
by the bedside. Picking 1t up eagerly
he read:
.Dear Brother: I have been taken sud.
denly i'll tonight. II the worst Should
happen, when you come on, go at ohce
into the shaft. In the second drift. exact