The border vidette. (Nogales, Ariz.) 1894-1934, 1903-02-14
HUNTING A LOST MINE.

Sayres was riding over the mountains,
trying to get wind of a boom for sheriff
he came across a suspicious looking
piece of paper, covered with odd hero
gliphics. He put it in his pocket,
and that night while warming his ex-
tremities over Billy Powers stove at
Patagonia attempted to translate the
peculiar sigms and marks ON the paper
which he had picked up in the noun
tains.
Sayres is known far and wide as
translator He has been known to
translate a broncho in an TO old COW, a
maiden into tears, and in fact whiskey
into jag.
He proceeded to study the marks
and signs, and soon having found as
he believed the key to the same, decid-
ed it was description of the direc-
ton to lost Jesuit mine of fabulous
richness, located at the head of one of
the gulches running up to Old Badly.
AS soon as he realized he was OH the
verge of becoming a multi millionaire
he looked wise and retiring. His
generosity at this time became domin-
ant, SO he began to think of whom of his
many friends he would take into his
confidence, and incidentally make rich.
Yesi there is Jim Heating, he is all
right barring his game leg. Also
Hayden Pendergrast; he would know
how to enjoy million or so. and the
ladies with him, and Billy, L cannot
leave Billy out. He will stock the
outfit and we can use him for our
banker before and after we get the
dough. So he called quiet meeting
of his friends, showing them the paper,
and explaining his translation. They
were sworn to secrecy, and professed
undying faith, hope and adnira ton
for George. They decided to take the
trail the next morning at daying break.
Billy provisioned them with enough
warming material for the trip, and
they all left town the following morn
separately, meeting on Temporal Gold
Gulch.
They headed up the gulch, and had
not gone far when they noticed signs
of storm. They continued up Tenn
poral for several miles, and at noon
camped near the Happy Jack mine.
1t was now very cold, the wind was
blowing hard. Jim's game leg began
to stltfen. Billy's provisions were
melting freely. They started across
country to cut into Squaw, gulch.
They no sooner got out of Temporal
when snow began falling. The cold
was severe and Sayres began to loose
confidence in following the directions
of the mystic paper. They could find
no trail, and were trying to make
Squaw gulch to camp that night in an
old adobe up at the head of the same.
The snow was now driving INTO their
faces binding them and their horses
George now called halt under the
shelter of cliff. None were able to
locate themselves. They estimated
they had covered fully ten miles since
leaving Temporal. 1t was now dark
with nearly foot of snow on the
level, and still falling rapidly. They
decided to look for shelter.
By reason of Jim's stiff leg, which
had become SO unwealdy that Jim in
sisted it was frozen. and George reaiz.
ing unless the storm held up his
thoughts of wealth in the morning
when the sun got at the snow, would
merely be wet dreams. and finding his
recently sprained ankle was beginning
to act like Jims' leg, and Billy's ''cure
all'' had no effect internally or extern
ally, they decided Hayden should look
for proper shelter for the night.
1t was now a raging blizzard and
Hayden could not see his horses head |
The cold was biting and Billy's warm
ing apparatus was about worked out.
Hayden bid them brave goodbye, |
in case they should not meet again.
He started up the narrow gulch they
were in, and had not gone far. when
his horse stopped short. Upon in
vestigation he found he was in a shelter
ed box-canyon leading from the sulch
they were in. The snow had banked |
up deep in the end of the canyon,
where it was walled in by water fall. |
He found an over hanging rock which
offered shelter from the now and icy
blasts. After heroic endeavors he
returned to his companions. They
were unable to mount their horses, so
he assisted them both, and taking their
reins, led them to shelter.
George and Jim were both more or
less Eighty now. George insisted they
were near the lost mine, and Jim de
claring his leg would have to be pulled
or amputated. Hayden with great
patience managed some how to get
them under cover and fixed as best he
could so they would not all he frozen
mummies in the morning.
Some time during the night they
were awakened by most hideous yell