The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1902-01-03

! a Race for Gold
T A New Englander's ~RT7
/ Adventures in Alaskas. Iespt J. Il , RoBlNsoN}
+ copyrighted 1885, y S {. Mcclure Col
copyrighted 1893. by IS Mcclure Col
l. AS$ IAs-4S

pass close to the tents, and as he drew
near them he redoubled his caution, for
his only hope of success lay in stealth.
Nearer n nearer he crept until he
could hear the heavy breathing of the
occupants. and for fully five minutes he
stood motionless, every sense on the
alert.
Apparently the entire party was
asleep, n with noiseless step he stole
past the two tents and liked his eyes on
the opening of the cave. Twice since his
arrival he had managed to peep inside
unobserTed, and only that morning he
had seen the pile of fat n bags On
the ground to the left. He had also no
ticed that the boughs and blankets up
on which Avery and his daughter slept
We're on the opposite side.
Now he was within ten feet of the
entrance, and after a last swift glance
at the tents behind him he dropped to
his knees and crawled deliberately up
to it,.
Again he paused.
Yes, they were both asleep. He could
hear the long-drawn breathing 1t the
right, and plainly distinguish that of
he father from his daughter.
Then, like some huge black spider, he
crawled into the inky darkness, and
was lost to view.
Inch by inch he advanced, guiding
himself by the glimpses he had fixed in
his mind of the place, until his hand
rested on the treasure. The bags were
heavy, II he moved them with diff
Guilty in his recumbent position, but he
had come prepared.
Thrusting his hand into his bosom, he
produced a short, thick thong, with
which he fastened two of the largest
together, pausing often to be certain
he had not disturbed the sleepers.
When this was done he hung them
over his neck in such a hat
they swung clear from the floor. His
next move was to stuff two small bags
into his shirt. Then, with infinite pa
tience, he worked his way back to the
door and through it.
His breath came hard as he reached
the open air, for the strain had been
tremendous. Detection meant almost
certain death, and even his iron nerve
had not been proof against the situa-
ton.
When he had somewhat recovered, he
crept slowly by the tents, until salts
fed that all immediate danger was
past. hen he rose to his feet, and
hurried down the bed of the old brook
until he reached the top of the bowlder.
1t was the work of a moment to faS-
ten his plumber to a rope n lower 1t
down. at the same time whispering
loudly to his confederate:
Are you there, Rider?"
YES" came the answer. What is
all this?"
Gold, you fool" Kissed Bowers.
Lash it on one of the critters, quick!"
For a moment he hesitated. Should
he join his partner and make good his
escape?
Apparently cupidity won the day, for
he began to retrace his steps toward the
cave. HIS first success had made him
more confident, and he was we'll aware
hat he had not secured half the bags
he had just touched.
Again he reached the entrance with
out noise and crawled to the spot
where the gold was piled against the
wall. This time he could only stuff W.
or three small bags inside his buckskin
shirt and grip n in his teeth.
He reached the open air safely and
Was just rising to his feet when Avery
appeared in the mouth Of the cave, re-
volver in hand, shouting:
Thieves! Thieves! Take that, you
robber!'
But before the words were fairly out
of his mouth Bowers a dropped the
bag which he had brought out in his
teeth like a retriever and sprang away
In full flight.
Crack! Crack!
He heard the bullets sing over his
head. Is
n lc udSllcu Wy LIE lSlllS d ND
darted out with suspicious promptitude
and fired apparently pointblank at his
back, but missed him.
A few econds more and he had
reached the rocky cleft and darted out
Of sight. Down the rope ladder he
scrambled, then with great presence Of
mind he stopped long" enough to jerk it
free from the spur above so that it fell
at his feet.
Rider had not yet returned from his
errand and Bowers felt his way rapidly
along the passage until he emerged
upon the plain.
Running quickly to the horses, where
Rider was at work, he cried:
Jump up! Jump lively an let's git
out O. this! Vamose!"
He set the example by throwing him.
self on one of the horses n Selling the
bride Of the one upon which Rider had
been carefully securing the stolen gold.
The latter needed no SECOND invitation
and g moment later they were hurry1ng
the beasts along the back trail as rap
idly as the poor light and the nature of
the ground would permit.
For fully two hours they mad their
way in silence except for an occasiona!
oath from Bowers at the ~uneyenness Of
the route, then, apparently treasured
hat they had made good their escape,
he exclaimed:
Ills Is lIe DlBSeSl HlSnC 8 WORK one
man ever did in this ere country,
Rider. I took long chances an I won
out! 1t was a great plant!"
How did you manage ft?" asked
Rider, eagerly. us 1t all gold in them
bags?"
st amt nothing else!"
With great pride he now narrated to
his companion the whole villainous
scheme, n then added, c~omplacently:
A they've got to do is ter dig out
| some more gold. There's plenty of it
whar they are. They hogged all the
best claims, but I'm up ter them now!'
B they'll be after us, won't they? %
asked Rider, fearfully.
They hain't got no bosses, hev
they?" retorted Bowers. Besides that,
| they dassent leave their claims fer fear
some chap might jump 'em. It's a Won
| der nobody's struck hat place afore.'
The two thieves did not draw rein
until daylight. When the sun was fair
ly up they paused on the top Of a hill
commanding a view for a long distance
of the route they had traversed, but
there was no sign Of pursuit.
Il told yer So" said Bowers tri-
umphantly. "They can't chase US. Let's
get some grub an rest the bosses a bit.
If we take 'em into Dyea in any kind
O. shape they'll sell for a tidy fgger.'
Their meal dispatched, they once
more assured themselves hat no ono