The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1901-12-20
Ilich sent them

a few sharp bloX Aoi sent them
off at full speed. WAn II.
i r isss 5Ss1 5s sss n SO aaps aassY' ss sas
sight.
Bowers waited until hA was satisfied
that they would not reapl.S bhSsi , men he
stretched his cramped linaHSSs and hur-
ried back to Rider. who was1S
ly awaiting him. SS
!. Nv, what !, s are they do'nEs" ms the
They've turned all their Cutters
loose an hid away somewheres,nsW was
the reply. See here, Rider. I've ~ 9
scheme
"A scheme?"
"That's what I said. It's a good one,&
too. Suppose you could find your way
back to Dyea?"
"Of course I could. WhyT'
Pm goin' ter tell yer why. Thar's
about a dozen good critters turned
loose. They're worth 5000 apiece in
Dyea, I dunno u more. You don't
jine this party. Wen ketch them
horses an you drive 'em back to Dyea
an sell 'em. Bring one spare critter
back with yer fer me an enc fer Their
swag. When yer git back come ter
tibet big boulder m jest as Their sun Is
IlSll SHOW yeTSelI IL Iilllll. lIldI night
hev the horses thar an I'll jine yer.
UNDERSTAND" 3
but what are you goin' to do?'
THAT'S my funeral. You do Jest as
I tell yer. Don't make any slip. 1t
wouldn't be very healthy fer yer il yer
went back on me. I'd foller yer all
over kingdom come"
Rider jumped at The proposal.
Whether he would return or not was a
question he could settle later on. At
present 1t was enough to be rid OF the
desperate man who eyed him us IL
reading his very thoughts.
You'll come back. shall have gold
enough to make US both rich or else I
shan't be 'bove ground. Tn takin, all
the resk, an II yer don't come back
I shall prob'ly miss yer. I'll do my part
an you see you do yours"
1t was evident that he was about to
engage In some desperate scheme, n
Rider fastened to assure him that he
would be back as fast as possible.
You ravel light an you otter be
back in twelve days." said Bowers. IT
shall look fer yer bout that time. So
long"
Rider started off on the back trail at
once, and while he is making his way
to Dyea we must follow Hank Bowers
as he rides around the boulder and APP
proaches the spot where Tom Scott and
his party had camped the night be-
fore. $a
He had no means Of telling whether
his approach was observed or not, but
he rode boldly forward n 500
reached the deserted camp. Here he
d~lsmounted and walked toward the
cliff bexween the scattered rocks in the
same direction he had seen the outfit
carried.
'Ill swear this Is the way they
WENT he said aloud as he paused be-
fore the face of the cliff and looked
keenly about him. "They hain't got
wings an they must be here some
where or they'd never drove off them
horses. They're in some place horses
couldn't be took. but whar is 1t? Tain't
up Their valley, cause I seen ,'em come
in here with my own eyes"
For some time he paced about the
spot, examining each boulder to see
thai there was ne hiding place nea 1t.
but he could discover nothing and be-;
gan to grow angry.
wouldn't it be slick II that cuss
should sell the bosses an skip out an
I shouldn't find these-Hello! What's
that"
His restless ayes at last noticed the
mass of vines which covered the OPEN
Ing in the cliff, and with a wrench he
tore it aside.
"I've got 1t now" he cried, as he en-
tered without hesitation n made his
way along the rocky passage. What
luck! NO WOnder they let the CRITTERS
go! This beats all I ever aWi"
Ahead of him vas q sharp turn, and
Just before he reached 1t there was q
crash like thunder, and an instant later
the way was blocked by a massive rock
which would have crushed him had he
been a few feet further ahead.
In spite Of his wonderful nerve Bow
ers was so startled that he uttered a
shout of dismay, which reached the
ears Of the men above.
Continued Next Weekly