The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1900-10-25

was an honor he highly priced, and
with the gun in his hands he felt
equal to any emergency. MIR. Long
gathered some dead limbs and brush
and built the fire.
81 don't anticipate you will have
any trouble" he SAID encouragingly.
/" Surely no one will attempt TO jump
the CLAIM while you arc in possession"
With this parting assurance ho retraccd
his steps down tho hill. When he, an
rived home he found a man named
Willis waiting for him. Willis lived
in an old log hut about Il mile down
the creek. lie bore an unenviablc
reputation, and was never known to
do anything but hunt. How he made
Il living no one seemed to know; an
old Mrs. Cords. who deemed il her
duty to investigate cvcrybody's pri-
vatc affairs, gave their case up in
despair.
"Why they don't starve to death I
never expect TO find out" she said de-
spairingly. " But they get along
somehow, for every last one of the
eight children is healthy and as dirty
us little plgs--but it IS the bcatcncst
thing to nc how they manage to do
it,"
Mr.. Long," began Willis, "I
hccrd that yod found some rich float
today, and / comc up to sec if you
wouldn't like TO take me in partner
to help you find ledgc2 I'vc made
some big strikes in my time, and" he
continued, with an air of importance,
" if the ledge is there it won't take me
long to run it down."
"No, | won't require your scr.
vices" Mr.. Long replied brusqucly.
4" found the vein this afternoon"
4" You don't say sop c calculated his
w0uld-bc bcncfactor. Well, Pll be
stumpcd! And you never had amy
experience bcfOrc?'
" Mr.. Long" said Willis, as that
gentleman turned to go about his
chores, " 'd like to make you prop
osition: 1t takes years of experience to
learn how to Lime, and unless man
has had the experience he's about
sure to make Il failure if he attempts
to open up Il prospect. NOw,' he
went on patronizinyly, the PROPOSE
ton was going to make is this: Beng
you have the ledge, | will supcrintcnd
the whole work for third interest"
&" think | can get along very well
without your scrviccs,' and Mr. Long
turned abruptly and walked into the
barn.
The novelty of the situation, and
the fire occupied Roy's attention for a
couple OF fOLrS, wi ell he began to 1ct
drowsy. His mother suggested that
he lay down on the ground by the fire
and rest himself. In a few minutes
he was fast asleep. The fire ha(
burned down, but rs the night was no.
cold, the heat from the c 'als and ho
ashes gave them all the warmth tha
vas needed. Roy had been aslccl
about half an hour, and his mothc,
was about to get up TO rcplcnlsh tho
f'c, when she thought she heard ;
lustlc in the bushes but a little way
do Sn the hill She shook Roy gently
and whispered to him to make no noise
and to listen if he could hear anything
down below IN the bushes.
Presently there was loud cracking
noise rs if something heavy was step
ping on the dead brush. Roy graspcc
his gun and cooked 1t. Ills mother
touched him on the shoulder; he wa:
trembling yio'cntlv.
" II may be 4 bear or some Other
wild animal,' whispered Mrs. Long
{" Point your gun down the hill tC
where you think the noise is and fire. )
In The m0i.iont there wa3 q iG;i
report, supplemented by a yell as il
some one was in pain, followed by Il
craShin" noise, rs something went
tearing down the hill. Roy, now
thoroughly excited began to reload his
gun. In his hurry and excitement he
PCT in the shot instead OF the powder
which mistake he did not discover
until he had cncrgctically rammcd ;
paper wad down on the shot.
q" Oh, mammo! what arc we going
10 do now ?' re cried in despair.
{" Oh, well, dear, l don't think We
will have any OCCASION to use the gul
again. Whatever it was you shot al
seemed so badly scared that ] don'I
think we Will be troubled any more to
night sad she assurmGiV.
The excitement Of The past few min
utcs and his apprehension i'll corsc
qucncc OF the disabled gun sc
completely aroused Roy that he sa
up the remainder of the night an,
| looked after tie fire.
The next day it was reported that
Willis had been shot by mistake for {
deer. l. doctor was sent foi who had
found il necessary to extract scvcr;t
| bTd-shOt.
The report of the "IOng Strike
| soon spread over the country, and two
mining men from Golden came out tt
look al the prospect. They made n
offer Of ten thoWsnnd dollars for til,
mine, which Mr.. Long concluded tC
accept.
Mr.. Long now owns the G0ttlt
place, which he is improving, and OK
PEGS III few years to make one O
the best "ranchcs" in that vicinity.
Nothing was ever said about Mrs
Long and her sons lonely vigil OH thu
mountain the night after the discovery
Of the Last EHuucC. and allb0url