Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1901-12-21

/ dlOuQs
'If that don't beat ALL / don't un-
lerstand 1t nohow. / must know who
they be, an what they're after!"
With stealthy steps he drew near the
party, sheltering himself easily behind
the boulders as he proceeded. Soon he
was near enough to be certain that the
men were strangers to him, n he
watched the thick smoke with curious
ity. He did not see Joe Tarbox, for the
latter had disappeared before the
watcher drew near, but as the latter
crouched behind a rock he suddenly
uttered a savage oath.
Sold! Curse him.! He must have
been on to me-,
Fol there before him stood the man
he had parted with or the trail, while
a fifth man was shaking hands heartily
with one OF the party, his joyous shout
OF Avery" being plainly distinguish
able.
For a few moments Ham Bowers
watched the preparations for camping,
then, apparently satisfied that the par
ty was settled for the-night, he stole
noiselessly away, his evil face lighted
up with a look of triumph.
But Bowers found Ii no easy task to
retrace his steps. 1t was now very
dark, and as Rider had not dared to
light q fire there was nothing to guide
his companion, who stumbled about as
best he could, not daring to shout for
fear he might alarm the party he had
just been watching. He became hope
lessly lost at last and was about to give
up the search until daylight when he
heard a horse stamping.
Confident there was no one but Rider
near him, he called softly, and to his
intense delight the sailor answered
from a point not twenty yards away:
rs that you, Bowers?"
Eyes" was the surly reply. as the big
miner reached his side, and I've had a
nice time gettin' here, too. I'm
starved"
Shall 1 light a fre?" asked Rider.
i've got It ready, but 1 was skit-
fish about lighting it till I found out
what you had seen"
You don't light no fire here"
growled the other. We've got ter put
up with cold grub tonight. We've been
regular lone for, we have"
whats the natter"
Matter enuff! In the fust place,
that Tarbox chap we see start for Dyea
has met a party an turned back. One
O. Their men is named Avery
Avery"
The mates teeth chartered as he
gasped:
But I saw him buried at sea-"
Rot! There may be more'n one
avery IN lner WOrlu. Dlun ina lelteT
say somethin' bout a man named Bill
that was to come? Course 1t did!
Mebbe it's the old chaps brother or
cousin or somethin'.
Then there's two young chaps that
looked like sailors an a young gal that
7 take ter be Avery's darter by the way
she stayed round him. They've routed
out the chap as wrote the letter an
they've all gone into camp under a big
cliff not more'n a mile from where
we're sittin' this mint"
1.-The young men must be Scott and
the second mate" said Rider, land
don't you see these papers are no good
to us after all our trouble? We can't
do anything now but give the thing up
and make for the Klondike. We've got
to get out"
Make for nothin'!" was the savage
interruption. Them men hev got q
gold mine right round here some,
where's and Nv as much right there as
they hev II ] car only find II. I'd like
ter see 'em drive me off. You can go
to the Klondike II yer like, but yer
don't take any o this stuff with yer.
Seer"
Like most DULLES, Obed Rider was
easily cowed by a bigger bully than
himself, and he dared not make the re-
ply which came to his lips. Instead he
said:
but l can't join these men after talk
ing these papers from Scott. There'd
be trouble"
IT didn't say I was goin' to jine 'em.
Look here, Rider, are yer scared or
not? Here we are, two stout chaps
with plenty of grub an the horses. We
knows Jest whar them fellers are now.
an they don't know whar we be. If
we keeps our yes open thar's sure ter
be a chance for business. VIII yer
stick ter me or not?'
cor course I'll stick, Bowers"
"All right. Now, you keep watch the
fust half of Their night ar call me for
ther last. We've got ter be movin'
bright an early"
In five minute the hardened rascal
was snoring, while Rider stood guard.
He had no stomach for Bowers COM
-pany now. and would gladly have left
him, but the miner had gained such an
a~scendancy over hin that he dared not
attempt to leave him now that he was
asleep. He had meant to assault Tom
Scott and take his papers, blu his GU
pidity was inflamed, n he had been
drinking then. He was sober now, and
the evident Intention Of his comrade to
ATTEMPT to bully or rob five armed men
was quite another matter. Still, there
was no help for 1t, and he tried to steel
his cowardly heart to its work.
Bowers relieved him at midnight, and
as soon as the first streak OF daylight
could be seen he aroused the Enate and
said:
I'm Off again. Stay here and keep
in under this hill as much as you can
till l get back"
Once more he made his way to the
boulder and took up his station. FIun
I his hiding place he could see the differ-
ent members of the party as they car
ried load after load u OF sight among
the rocks, but suddenly one of the men
mounted a horse and drove the rest
directly toward the hidden watcher.
What's he drivin' at?" muttered
Bowers to himself,
AS the rider drew near the miner was
forced to throw himself at full length
on the ground to escape being seen, and
he fingered his revolver grimly. Tar
box was too busy with the horses t.
look very sharply about him, and soon
turned back after giving the animals
a few sharp blows. which sent them
off at full speed.
Then he returned to his party, and
at last they had all disappeared from
sight.
Bowers waited until he was satisfied
that they would not reappear; then he
stretched his cramped limbs and hur-
ried back to Rider, who was impatient
ly awaiting him.
What are they doing?" asked the
latter, eagerly.
They've turned all their critters
loose an hid away somewheres," was
the reply. "See here, Rider, I've got 9
scheme"
"A scheme?"
That's what 1 said. It's a good n
too. Suppose you could find your way
back to Dyea?"
"Of course I could. Why?"
I'm goin' ter tell yer why. Thar's
about a dozen good critters turned
loose. They're worth 5000 apiece II
Dyea, l dunno but more. You dom
seem ter want to put up a bluff an
jine this party. Well ketch then