The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1902-11-14


STANDING BEFORE HIM.
sickening sense of falling and then a
frightful crash as the car struck
Squarely in the middle of a dwarfed
pine with enormous spreading branch
es that grew on the slope of the creek.
What happened next Horton never
knew, but he eventually found himself
crawling out through the roof of the
car, which lay upon it's side, the upper
parts torn out as if by an explosion.
The young man was deadly dizzy,
and one of his legs lacked strength
and feeling. He CROPPED about for some
object by which he might steady him
self and try to rise, and by chance his
hand touched the oak chest, which
stood as squarely on the turf as if
some one had carefully set it down
there.
At the same moment he heard the
voice of Wiggin.
How are yep said the voice. Dead?
amt hurt mite"
Horton leaned against the chest and
held his revolving head in his hands.
When it seemed little steadier, he
looked up, and by the faint moonlight
that was struggling through the clouds
he perceived Silas, clothed in rags and
streamers, standing before him.
"This amt no time to give in,' said
Silas. "Yeve got business ON hand.
we've got to run back to the station
and tell em about this. It's a good
chance that nobody'd miss us for an
hour
"Run?' reiterated Horton. 81 can't
stand. My legs broke"
Silas whistled softly and long.
Say" he cried at last, "did We hear
anything said between me an Banks
just before We came into the car? Ye
might "a been on the platform, We
know
81 was" replied Horton. 81 know
that there's a hundred thousand dol
lars in gold in this chest I'm leaning
against"
''Well, WELL" said Silas. what are
we goin' to do? The Checkers probably
heard us come over the bank, an
they'll be atop of us soons they can
get across"
He pointed to the lighted cabins on
the opposite bank of the creek.
you've got gum" said Horton.
Silas came up alongside the chest
and whispered as if there might have
been listeners in the bushes.
Its broke" he said. ut won't work.
I must "a fallen on it somehow. But
take it an make the best bluff We can.
Don't let 'em get the chest. | don't
think they could open it anyhow in
time. It's got an iron sheath inside.
But tell We what they'd do. They'd
| load it aboard that big punt-see her
tied up to the bank on this side IAN
they'd float down the creek to some
safe place where they'd have half the
night to work in. That would be their
game Don't let 'em do it. But say"
he added as he turned away, don't
push the bluff too far. Don't let 'em
kill ye."
"You leave it to me-" said Horton as
the other started to run up the bank.
Alone, Horton essayed to drag him
self up on top Of the chest. To his sur
prise. the injured leg seemed greatly
better. Something had struck across
the thigh and paralyZed it for the mo-
ment, but the effect was passing away.
He could stand, and in half minute
he could walk fairly we'll.
Suddenly a great wave of thought
swept over his mind. Disgraced, brand
ed as a thief, he was alone with this
fortune. Suppose he should follow the
plan SO kindly outlined by the trustful
Silas. The chest was heavy. 1t must
have weighed something like 800
pounds. yet Horton had often lifted
/ more than that in mere pride of his
strength. To drag that weight down a