The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-15

when two men, clad in ragged blue canvas
and jackets OF deerskin stained
with green stains BY glacier clay
came Flooding down a trail which
winds through the ranges of Brit
ish Columbia into the wilds of Caribou.
Forty years ago that trail was worn deep
BY the feet OF a multitude pressing fever
ishIy northward in search OF gold, and the
bones of dead men and horses were strewn
along IL. To-day the forest has reclaimed
much Of its own. and portions OF the road
are covered with willows. for the alluvial
diggings are worked out now, and the
precious metal is won in a few places by
hydraulic monitors whose owners are joint
stock companies Still. men of experience
say there is more treasure yet hidden in
the wilderness between Quesnelle and the
Peace river than ever was taken out. and
at intervals attachments Of the unfortu-
nate go up in sea n OF It Some come
back with little and some never come
back at all.
Carson the Englishman, and Cedar Cross
Ing Lee had. however, been unusually sue
cessful, and how. with shoulders aching
under their burdens. trudged behind the
weary pack-horse on their homeward jour
ney BY the next nightfaH if all went
ment from which wagon road led to the
post where a stage would bear them swiftly
south to civilization again, and for this
reason they had determined TO cover at
least another league before they camped.
Carson's feet were bleeding, and the
straps had eaten raw wounds in his Shout
ders: but these We're minor discomforts
for the treasure OF the North is not to be
lferbt he rrhf Odd 81
of English ballads while the stately pines
doomed up out of the dimness and vanished
again behind On either hand the huge.
tapered trunks rose like mighty columns,
their great branches meeting as though
they were arches OF the groined roof above,
while stray shafts of moonlight filtered
through vast patches OF shimmering radi-
ance athwart the trail ahead Also, as
usual in that region, the boom of glacier
fed river rose from unseen depths below,
and in places framed by festoons of whis-
pering needles there opened up before him
majestic vista or everlasting snow. He
halted for a moment to adjust his burdens,
two blankets, an AK and heavy packet in
wrappings of hide. while the moonlight
beat down upon his bronzed face with the
long hair falling about it. and keen, fear
less eyes.
1--WE might hold out for another hour,
but that's the most he said. '',rhe poor
cayuse is dead beat too. L don't know
why but UP there 1 hadn't care. while
now I feel strangely anxious to make the
settlement Well, no one can march for
ever, and Wen start with sunrise"
Lee OF Cedar Crossing, who was SINH
Iarly caparisoned. laughed as he smote the
horses flank, and there was "A gathering of
shovels. axes. tin pans and kettles as the
tired beast blundered on again. lie was
forest rancher, who. like others of his kind,
spent much of his time wandering through
the wilderness in search of minerals which
he did not often find.
Il guessed you were getting jumpy," he
said zone usually feels that way towards
the end of a lucky journey, especially If
he's young Thinking of that girl in the
old country. say2 We'll, you've enough to
go home and see her. I'm too old for such
fooling even if l hadn't Eliza. Going to
start store al the crossing and indent
for a postofice instead"
He started. for as if in answer a weird,
unearthly laugh rang out of the stiffness,
and changing into a mcurful wall died
out far up in the silence If the black hill
side; then smiled feebly a. he said: "Only
blamed distressful bird seems to know
when there's trouble coming Guess We'll
get on a last rustic"
They quickened their pace, brushing
through the dewy GOODNESS while the scent
of pine and cedar hung heavy in the air,
but Carson hardly noticed it. Already in
fancy he breathed the fragrance of English
roses, while ,iie somber conifers gave place
to sunny meadows ridged with whitening
hay. Also the face of his kinsfolk rose up
before him. and among them one which
was not that of a relative smiled at him
wistfully with tear-dimmed eyes, as it did
the day he turned his back on the mother
country. Now he could go back and see
them all. while even after that his share
of the gold would enable him to seize upon
one of the openings which present them
selves 10 the adaptable man with a few
dollars in the seaboard towns. He was
entitled to a space of leisure. he thought,
after four weary years OF disappointment
and ill-paid labor in the Dominion. and he
had won it hardly enough facing
slide, starvation and death in the northern
wilderness.
Then he shook the reverie from him when
the trail wound along the edge Of a slope
OF shaIe which dropped steeply to the river
whose hOarSe roar reached them more
hOarsely- White mist curled up towards
them from below, and on the other hand
the climbing pines seemed spires of black
ness. while the moon, which hung
over their shoulder clear o! the trees, cast
long shadows down the trail. Caution was
needed here, and Carson wished his COM
race had not talked so freely before the
Ioungers IN the store of the first outpost
OF civilization where they had slept two
nights earlier. 1t stood at the branching of
the ways where one trait led northwest
towards the desolations of Cassair. and
sometimes desperate, broken men who had
lost their all came back at that season
along it, Still. he knew the most part of
the free prospectors were honest as the
day. and he tried 70 forget his uneasiness
as he listened TO the calling of the river
and the whisper of the pines, until Lee,
grasping the cayuse's rein, stopped sud
denly.
stand fast" said hoarse voice.
We've got you covered. Hold your hands
up"
Then Carson who set his teeth staring