The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1904-11-18
The RI0ldJl9 Gold Mystery.
BY JOHN r. MUsIcK,
Auihor Of "Nyserioua Mr.. Howard" 9TH
Dark Stranger" Charlie Aiicndais't
Double" Ute.
Copyright 1871. b. RoaEsr nossEs's sosl
AurEha reserved
CHAPTER I.
Elrnnun Inflammation

over and the hopes and fears Of
thousands OF hearts follow the ar.
gonauts who 30 to search for the
golden fleece IN the confines Of the
Arctic Circle, az they did forty.cight
years ago the California prospectors.
The real story Of le discovery OF
gold on the Klordyke is not generally
known, ard TO urravol that mystery
is tic purpose OF this story.
On co tain Might. about three years
nro last NAY five men were seated
hbou. q camp fire. built under tho
south sl'o OF cllT. among some pine
tfUU. rear &c banks OF the YUKON
river fifteen mics above rawson city.
AZ fowo OF tlH party have become
VOL known by tho development OF
The Klordylo roli fields. 70 will Doc
o. well 10 Introduce them TO tlc read.
ar before we proceed with our story.
That large man dressed IN mooscskln
coat and trousers. with bear skin
thrown over his shoulders. was once
well known IN the great northwest as
the most dnrirg hunter. minor and
adyonturor In all Alaska. lie was
as honorable rs he was brave. and a.
kind hearted as he was sullon. His
name was Jack Ralston. but along the
Yukon he was commonly known hs
"Gum Ralgton."
Ralston was once an American
He was getting along in years, for
bis hair was growing frosty. yet his
frame was SIN strong and his heart
had not abardono It's hope.
George W. Cormack. or Lucky
George" as tho miners nickramcd
him, sat on the log Just opposite
Glum Ru'Hton. George was an Ere.
lIFhman. a bravo. adventurous fellow.
who was also an expert miner. Per.
hGps Il was his knowle leo OF geology
and mining that tended to his sue.
cess. Nevertheless. tho miners at.
trlhutcd Il TO luck.
Cid Myers was a man OF thirty.
with pale blue eyes ard sandy com.
pleXlon. Cid had had considerable
experience as hunter and prospect
or. but In the miners parlanco had
never struck u rich.
Porter Allen, or big Port" was
giant In size. icing over sly feot In
height. with broad shoulders rnd sin.
ews OF steel Ho was forty. bis hair
and lorg beard quite grizzltd with
time and exposure.
The hfth was a young man Of
twenty-five or twonty.throe wears OF
ago. with the frcsircss OF nth and
innocence stili on his face. While his
older companions we're Bmohirg their
pipes. the younger man OF the party
gazcd abrtractedly into tho glowing
Gre. His mind went back over the
mountains. rivers ard seas to his
quiet little home In Fresno. where
be lad lot his widowed mother. dear
20 his heart, and one stlll dearer.
Her rnme was laura Kean. They
were lovers and bctrothed.
While he eat gazing INTO tho Gre
and seeing only the well.beloved face
OF his betrotAed. his companions toast.
Cd and alto their suppers and talked
of their present situation.
"Glum, how lorg ye been In Alas.
ka3" asked Lucky George.
tits now twenty-ono years"
AN rover been back 20 tAo
Ctatesf'
mo"
Are you ever goin'7"
Don't know he answered. with a
slgh. IT'D be like Eoln' back to a
graveyard now. Most everybody l
knew's dead. If" but he did not
nnish the sentence. His weather.beat.
en- eye seemed 10 CLEAN with softer
light as ho cared into the hre. and
Gid Myers thought he saw a shade
OF moisture gathering there.
"Glum. you often promised Us you
-oule tell your own story sometime
how you came here, and why you
have spent all these years in Alaska.
Why not tell nowf" asked Lucky
George.
olum moved uneasily on tho log on
which he was sitting and. clearing
his throat. said:
Boys, faint much OF \ yarn when
it's spun. | came TO Alaska In 10 in
the sealln' schooner Eleanor We
had good officers and crew. an the
sun never shone on a better man than
our captain. We all loved him and
would have died for him.
".Woll. We had no luck sealing. and
the captain ard sailors went with
party OF Indians who said they knew
whore gold could be found. didn't
believe them. and wouldn't 30. But
he asked me not to leave Alaska
tlll he came back. and promised
al tho end OF six months an ex.
plorIn' party came back with the cap
O. ono o. the sailors which they had
found on the snow several days jour.
ney away.
winter was on us, and We ran into
sltha, where we anchored until spring
II was hard winter, and have
often wondered why we didn't all die,
but all but two pulled through, and
when Ing came on, an the captain
hadn't move 10 IN sight, the first mate
said he was goirg back with the ship.
They triod to rn'e me 90, but I'd
promised the captain I'd stay until
he came hack
"Jur ship fal'oi away, an stayed
around the town for while, an then
went on a eruize with some hunters.