Anadarko daily democrat. [volume] (Anadarko, Oklahoma) 1901-190?, 1902-08-12
The RI01dyEG gold Mystery.
By JOHN z. MUsIcK,
Author Of mysterious MIR. Howard" 9TH,
Dark Stranger" "charIic AIlendaIe's
Double" Etc.
Copyright, 1891 by RoBERr BoNSER's Sons.
M rights reservet,
CHAPTER I.
Strange Information.

over and the hopes and fears of
thousands of hearts follow the ar
gonauts who 20 to- search for the
golden fleece in the confines of the
Arctic Circle. as they did forty eight
years ago the California prospectors
Tho real story of tle discovery Of
gold on the Klondyke is not generally
known. and to unravcl that mystery
is the purpose of this story.
On certain night about three years
ngo last May Eve men were seated
about a camp fire, built under the
south side of cliff, among some pine
trees near tho banks of the Yukon
river. fifteen miles above Dawson City.
AS some Of this party have become
well known by the development Of
the Klondyke gold fields, It will be
as well TO Introduce them TO the read
or before we proceed with our story
That large man dressed in moosc-skin
cont and trousers. with a bear skin
thrown over his shoulders, was once
wen lrown in the great northwest as
the mcst daring hunter, miner and
adyenturer in all Alaska. He was
as honorable as he was brave, and as
kind hearted as he was sulen His
name was Jack Ralston, but along the
Yukon he was commonly known as
"Glum Ralston."
Ralston was once an American
He was getting along in years. for
his hair was growing frosty, yet his
frame was still strong and his heart
had not abandoned its hope.
George w Cormack. or Lucky
George" as the miners nicknamod
him, sat on the log just opposite
Glum Raston. George was an Eng
Fshman, brave, adventurous fellow, |
who was also an expert miner. Per
haps II was his knowledge of geology |
and mining that tended TO his sue
cess Nevertheless. the mnerg at. |
trihuted it TO luck.
cid Myers was a man of thirty. |
with pale blue eyes and sandy com.
plcXion. Gid had had considerable
experience as hunter and prospect
or. but in the miners parlance had
mover struck it rich.
Porter Allen, or Big Port" was n
giant in size. being over six feet in
height. with broad shoulders and sin.
~ws of steel lie was forty. his hair
and long beard quite grizzled With
time AID exposure.
The nth was young man of
twenty-five or twcnty-three years of
age, with the freshness of youth and
innocence still on his face. While his
older companions were smoking their
pipes. the younger man of the party
gazed abstractedly into the glowing
lire. His mind went back over the
rivers and seas to his
luiet little home in Fresno, where
ne had left his widowed mother, dear
70 his heart, and one still dearer.
Her rame was Laura Kean They
were lovers and betrothed
While he sat gazing into the fire
md seeing only the well-belovcd face
If his betrothed. his companions toast.
I'd and ate their suppers and talked
'f their present situation.
"Glum, how long ye been in Alas.
Ia?' asked Lucky George
IT'S now twenty-ono years"
An never been back to the
Statcs?"
NO"
Are you ever goin'?"
Don't know, he answered, with a
iigh. "lt'd be like goin back to a
graveyard now. Most everybody |
news dead, If" but he did not
lnish the sentence. His weather-beat-
m eye seemed to CLEAN with softer
light as he gazed into the fire, and
lid Myers thought he saw a shade
# moisture gathering there.
"Glum, you often promised us YOU
would tell your own story sometime
how you came here. and why you
AVE spent all these years in Alaska.
Why not tell now?" asked Lucky
ieorge.
Glum moved uLeasily on the log on
Which he was sitting and, clearing
lis throat said:
Boys, 'tain't much of n yarn when
Is spun. | came to Alaska in rs in :
he scalin' schooner Eleanor We
ad good officers and crew. an the /
I'm never shone on better man than !
ur captain. We all loved him and ,
iould have died for him. !
well. we had no luck sealing. and
he captain and sailors went with ,
arty of Indians who said they knew
here gold could be found. | didn't q
elieve them. and wouldn't go. But !
g asked me not to leave Alaska
Ill he camo back. and | promised. +
AT the end of six months an ex- q
lorin' party came back with the cap a
one o the sailors which they had
ouud on the snow several days Jour {
ey away.
Winter was on us, and we ran into
itka, where we anchored until spring. q
was hard winter. and ! have
tten wondered why we didn't all die. Il
ut al but two pulled through and e
hen gnrincr garna Ap 49, a.,