The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1902-01-10

asked:
We'll, Mr.. Man, what made yer
tackle me? Hard up?"
Yes"
The fellow gazed at him unhinching-
~ as he spoke.
Il s'pose yer know I could come
pretty near hevin' yer hung fer this
job?"
DO it, d yer, an don't talk about
it. was the prompt reply.
Bowers released his grip, produced a
bottle of liquor from his pocket and
held 1t toward his companion, saying:
Take n drink. You're a man after
my own heart, you be. You an I kin
do business, I guess. How would yer
like ter lay yer paws on a couple O.
hundred thou. all in dust an nuggets?"
What's that yer saying?" replied
sleeve as he lowered the bottle. Are
yer maxim game Of me or what
the"
DO I look like a chap tina fooled?"
snarled Bowers, angrily. Il amt tibet
kind. l know some chaps as has got a
few hundred pounds O the yaller stuff
all dug. an If I had two or three good
men they'd whack up the swag with
| me-"
Tn yer mani" exclaimed the other,
looking him full in the eye. IT amt
scared of a little blood. I'm desperate
n I'll join yer!"
Know another good man we could
trust?" asked Bowers. i've got a
white-livered cuss with me as I'm goin'
to cut loose from pretty quick. Three
will be plenty ter do the job"
PLENTY ter divide with, too. Why
| cam we manage it between u.s."
Course we kim" said Bowers, a n
the fewer in it the better. Two good
men is better'n twenty fer such a job.
Will yer stick ter me, no matter what
happens?"
II eve went back on a chum yet"
was the prompt reply.
"All right. Now, what's yer name,
pard?"
MY names Turner
wall, Turner, let's finish this Ticker
the fust thing" -
1t did not take long to accomplish
this, and then Bowles said:
IN furnish the outfit an lake yer
where the game is ter be played. You
git one-third Of Their swag an I git two
thirds. That's fair, amt it?"
Il can't kick On that"
"An right. Now We'll git some sleep
an tomorrer Well see If thar's any
chump I'd held on ter what I brought
in with me when I ONE.
On the following day, however, he
took a different view of the matter. IT.
would be impossible to start off on the
trip without arousing the suspicious Of
Died Rider, n Bowers decided that
he must be of the party.
Hes just the chap ter split on us If
we happened ter have a scrimmage an
thar was any fuss here owe it. I
dassen't leave him behind. Well take
him, an hen he'll have ter keep his
mouth shut when he's in the same boat
with us.
But after two days search he was
unable to procure O single horse, so
great was the demand. His gold was
running low besides, n at last he
dared not wait any longer. Each man
took as much provisions as he could
carry on his back, and, early one morn
Ing. they started over the trail, armed
with rifles and revolvers.
When they had proceeded q few miles
on their way, Bowers said:
Nov, pards. we're out fer big game
an we've got ter be mighty smart If
we want ter come out all right. We're
likely ter meet some O the party we're
after any time. They can't tote all
their dust in on their backs, an then
thar's that girl. They must hev bout
send one O. the men ter Dyea after
bosses for the gang. See?"
That's boss sense" replied Turner.
WALL continued Bowers, I'VE must
keep our eye peeled that we don't let
ourselves be seen b y any sech man.
It'll Spite everything If we do"
1t was well for his plans that he did
keep a sharp lookout, for before night
he saw a speck far ahead on the trail
which he knew at once to be a man.
He was standing on the edge of a
piece of woods, and his companions
| were behind him at the time. Stepping
in the shadow of the trees, he ex-
planned:
"Thar's a man comm, IN I'll bet it's
one O. them we're after. He may hev
| seen me, an it won't do fer us all ter
hide. He won't know you. Turner. You
keep on an pass Their time O. day with
him. Yer bound fer the fort, yer know.
| Keep right on, an We'll hide till he's
out o sight, then We'll overtake yer"
Turner at once walked ahead, while
his two companions secreted themselves
in the underbrush. They saw Turner
| stop and converse with the stranger a
few moments, when the latter drew
near them, and Bowers whispered:
It's the man they call Taylor! He's
goin' after bosses sure!"
All unconscious of the proximity Of
the two men. Taylor tramped sturdily
on. and was soon out Of hearing in the
and hurried after Turner, who awaited
them far out on the plain.
What did he say?" inquired Bowers
eagerly.
ASKED me where I was bound an
whether there was any HOSES ter be
got in Dyea.' said Turner, who never
seemed to waste a word.
II knew it," declared Bowers. Now
all we've got ter do is find a snug place
this side whar the trail splits an take
it easy till the dust is under our eyes.
He'll be back pretty quick If he gifts
any bosses an then we won't hev much
longer ter watt"
Several days later saw them securely
hidden in a piece Of dense woods, but
each day was divided into watches,
when they took turns standing on sem
tinel duty. From a knoll a short dis
lance from the hut they had built the
trail was visible for fully a mile, and
from daylight to dark they watched 1t
closely.
Their patience was rewarded when,
late one afternoon, they saw Dick Tay-
lor riding along to the north, leading q
string of horses behind him.
Our time Is most up now" said
Bowers, grimly. He'll fetch the mine
by tomorrer. Them two chaps with
him I've seen round Dyea. They're rich
chaps, I've heard. He's picked 'em up
an is going ter sell out"
How nan will there be of them?r