Gilpin observer., 1903-02-19
good . prophet. The 'prfSoner Sas.
\ X \ fyApsds The Wicked Ns. eyer Gun
Ming and watchful, and Satah sleeps

oui EdVo lcIduCe 10 d.6IOuu,
sank upop ? large stone at the eide of
! the road and bowed his head in his
hands. One more hope, and, in fact,
saoout the last hope he had, was gone.
Paul remained two weeks longer
with the Metlakahtlas, and then de-
cided. to leave his dusky friends and
start for the Klondyke. 49,
Father Duncan selected four stout
young Indians to accompany him.
The Indians were well supplied with
provisions suitable for crossing the
mountains, and he and his escort
were provided with dried meat and
compressed bread and hardtack.
The four Indians selected for Paul's
party were stout young fellows, in
ured to hardship and danger. They
were strong, brave and faithful. The
Instructions given them by the old
missionary were carefully listened to
and they promised to carry them out
to the letter.
There is always something en-
chanting in a great, deep forest, with
its all trees clothed in moss and
solemn depths which seem to speak
of divinity. At night in the forest
adds to the gloom, the solemnity and
awfulness of the scene. A camp fire
in the great northern woods, with its
rocks and cliffs, it's moss-covered
|. trees, has something grand in it.
Gathered about a camp fire built
at the base of the mountain range
were five persons-Paul Miller and
his four Christian Indians.
H.
travel, and the poor fellows were
almost exhausted. 1t was only Pauls
indomitable will driving him on to
more than super-human energies that
kept him on his feet. He had aban-
doned all hope of finding the men
who had robbed him, and now he
longed to get back to the Klondyke,
take another fortune from the frozen
earth, and return to Laura and his
mother.
The faces which ever seemed to
smile at him from the smoke and
darkness gave him courage and hope.
1T has been long time since l
wrote to them" he thought. They
have no doubt given me up for dead.
How sad to cause them grief, and all
through miscbievous yet truthful
message v itten in fit of delirium!"
He was suddenly reused from his
painful reverie by the falling and roll
ing of great stone down upon
and across the camp fire, scat
tering the burning brands. in every
direction. The great, round bowlder
| passed within few inches of where
Paul sat and between two Of the In
dians, but fortunately did not touch
any one. The stone was heavy
enough to crush out life or break
bones had it struck one.
Paul leaped to his feet and the In
dians started up with ordinations
| of fear.
From whence came that stone?"
cried an Indian. rlbf
Paul's first suspicion that some con-
| vulsion of the earth had shaken the
stone loose from the mountain side
and sent 1t laundering down the clifi
upon them, but there had been no
perceptible quaking-
While he was still trying to dis.
cover the cause. there came another
object rolling down the steep descent
mingled with dirt, fine stones and
snow. 1t semed a great dark ball.
| from which there issued human cry.
| 1t rolled to Paul's feet and stopped.
He seized one of the burning brands
and held 1t SO the flame threw the
light upon the face of the stunned
and half-insensible man. who sat
stupidity gazing about him. The sud
den and unexpected advent of this
90 to
campers and disturb their wits. The
Indians, starting to their feet, stared
at him in amazement. Paul was
first to recover his speech.
He cried:
Throw the wood on the fret"
They obeyed, and the light flashed
up, throwing out broad red glare on
the scene which illumined the dirt
be-grimmed face Of the man who
had tumbled down the cliff. Paul,
starting back. said:
1T is the escaped prisoner, the abb
ductor-the robber-and perhaps
murderer" He seized one of the In
dams muskets and raised it to brain
the scoundrel. but two stout Metla-
kahtlas seized him and said:
Nay, brother, Thou shalt not
XIII"
The man who had so suddenly fall.
en- into their midst was rapidly re-
| gaining his faculties and by this
time able to speak. He growled an
oath and rubbed the side of his head.
Where did you come from?" ask
| ed Paul
From alott on, the Cliff" he an.
| swered.
What were yon doing up there?"
"Tryin' to cross. Was any harm in
| that?"