Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1902-01-04

covered bed rock. The first pan of
sravcl was washed out, and n
alter the man Tatbox had accosted as
Bill came running up, with a bcaming
tace, crying.
God bless you, Tsrbox. for giving us
a straight tip! Look 81 this! Wen be
rich IN 10 time! Look"
The perspiration was dripping from
his face, his clothes were torn and full
OF mud, but what he rocked no of such
things? In the pan he held joyously
forth was a little heap Of coarse gold.
which was worth fully 5000.
Then, as IL remembering that he was
wasting time. he turned on his heel and
dashed back again like a schoolboy.
throwing his arms about his partner
and hugging him In the excess Of his
JOY.
Then, actuated by one common I'M
pulse, the two men gave q wolfish yell
OF exultation, and fell to work once
more, tearing out the moss and soil
with desperate enrgy. They had
reached the goal for which they had
left home and dear ones, and, with SUI
perhuman strength. they went ut the
work OF digging and washing, unmiId-
full OF all else. ?
Meanwhile Tom and his friends had
returned to their digging. With their
crude implements II would be a waste
VI time TO altaCk lne lcukc, anu lIlNN
determined to stick to the gravel until
Taylor returned. They had only dug
up a very small part OF their claims as
yet.
The following day Tarbox saw a thin
column OF smoke several miles away,
n said to Avery:
There's more OF them coming"
They may not be coming here" re-
piled the miner.
YES, they are" was the confident
rejolnder. These two men saw "
fire and followed II up. That party OH
there probably has been following their
smoke, and so 1t goes. When one crow
finds anything to eat, you know 9TH
ers soon follow. The only wonder Ia
hat we have kept the place to our
selves so long. There'll be a hundred
men here in a fortnight and n Thousand
In a month"
About shutdown that night q party OF
four miners appeared from the woods,
and after a few words with the latest
corners staked off claims and went into
amp.
| Day by day they continued to arrive,
but as yet there was room for all. There
was no rush because all who came
found gold SO plenty that they re-
manned, and at the end of three weeks
there were not over threescore men on
the ground.
1t was now time for Dick Taylor to
return, and our friends began to be
anxious about him. Their fears were
g~rourdless, however, for one afternoon
he made his appearance, mounted on a
horse and leading half a dozen others.
With him were two well-dressed stran-
gers, who looked keenly about them as
they rode down the valley.
After greeting his friends, he intro
duccd the strangers TO the party and
said:
II have brought these gentlemen out
70 look at our claims. They represent a
syndicate Of rich capitalists"
He then pointed out the exact loca-
ton Of the claims, after which he took
the men to the cave and showed them
the bags of gold.
I'VE want to sell out the whole bust
ness" he said, bluntly. There's what
we have taken out. We haven't begun
TO dig o~ne-quarter OF the claims. Take
a look round and makeu us an offer"
wait n moment" said Avery, step
ping forward with the piece OF quartz
they had split open. See here, Dick,
we took this out OF hat ledge the day
you went away. Let them look at II
before they make m offer"
Let me see that" exclaimed one of
the men, quickly, extending his hand.
You found that here?"
Continued Next Week.)