Gilpin observer., 1903-01-29

Laying on two or three smaller sticks
he blew them into a blaze end lighted
the lamp.
After a short rest he was prepared
to travel, but he remembered the wal
rus hide, with it's mysterious hero
glyphics, and determined to take it
with him. He was unable to make
out anything from the hide, and roll
ing 1t up thrust 1t in one of his capa-
cious pockets, and taking some of the
provisions left in the cavern, went out
and buckled on his snow shoes to
leave the place forever. He tramped
until night and then spreading
blanket on the snow slept soundly. A
snow fell during the night, and when
he awoke he shook off the white gown
Of nature and ate some of the roasted
moose meat he had brought with him.
For over week he wandered about
in the wilderness, subsisting on fish
he caught in the river and deer
which he shot, but not seeing a hui
man being. Paul had no compass to
steer his course, and was often lost
among the mountains.
One day he came upon a fresh trail
in the snow as if a party with Indian
porters, dogs and sledges had made
their way over the snow toward Forty
Mile Camp.
He sat down at the side of the path
to rest and think. A slight crunching
of snow but short distance from him
caused him to look up, and he saw
man coming on snow shoes, a rifle on
his shoulder. A single glance at
those familiar features, and he cried:
"Glum-Glum Ralston!"
The solitary traveller paused, started
back In surprise, clutching his gun for
an instant as If he would use it; then
dropping it on the snow, gave vent to
a whoop that would have done credit
to a wild Indian, and bounding for
ward had Paul about the neck, cry
ing:
"Crack-lash alive, by tn trident O.
Neptune"
Where have you been?" asked
Paul.
"Cruisin' about lookin' for you," he
answered. Where you been"
Paul told the story of his adven-
lures. concluding with his escape
from the cave.
81 have found the mystery about
me thickening all the time, and this
walrus hide covered with strange pic
lures and hieroglyphics is the chief
of all mysteries"
Glum Ralston took the walrus hide.
unrolled it. and gazing at it with
wildly dilating eyes which indicated
his strange interest, demanded:
Where did you get it?"
From the hermit
9TH hermit-the hermit-the man
that owns this hide-the man who
saved you, is my old captain!" cried
the excited prospector with shout.
Where is he? where is he! It's my
old captain-Pll go home to Kate yet.
Where is he? where is he? where is
he?" he shouted almost fiercely, while
Paul was too much dumbfounded to
utter word.
BE calm, Glum, and explain what
you mean" cried Paul
Holding up the piece of walrus
hide, Glum said:
"I've seen this BEFORE"
"Where?"
"On board the Eleanor
"Who had it there?"
"The red-skin as had the stran' O.
gold nuggets about his neck"
Paul's interest in the walrus hide
increased. The old man continued in
a gleeful tone:
"Oh, he lives, he lives! l will find
him, tell him I've been true to him
all these years and take i'm home"
Suddenly he became more COM
posed, and. turning his eyes on Paul,
asked: Where is he?"
81 don't know"
What! you have seen him and let
him escape?"
Il could not help myself; they came
and dragged him away"
ITO ho continual