Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-22

The calendar declared it to be July but the
night was raw and penetrating. Between the sway
ing scrubby boughs above their heads they could
see the bright stars glttering through the frosty
atmosphere. A vast silence and emptiness made
itself felt even to the miners, who hudded about
the fire.
At last the loneliness proved too much for Boards
ley, and he said to start conversation: So you re
not going with us tomorrow, Fairfax"
NO admitted the older reluctantly, 1--WE
had all the shopping into old mines that | want.
l never expect to go under ground again until I'm
put there for good. The outside of the earth is
good enough for me- If you don't think that cook
ing for this gang entities to share in the find
well, II move on, that's all"
Don't be touchy, Fairfax, - demonstrated Har-
rngton. We're satisfied if you are; but can't
help being curious. You wouldn't go down the
Toqua because it was perpendicular. Now Nor
gans shaft is almost level and still you won't go.
We have been wondering if you are superstitious
about deserted mines
Il don't know whether it is superstition or not
answered Fairfax doubtfuy but l guess if you
ever had been tortured by Indians you would keep
clear of them forever after. It's that way with
about Mines
oh" said Beardsley, we didn't know that you
had reason for your prejudice"
well, l have" insisted Fairfax. "Once l
down the Shadow" There he stopped and
looked off the suen. forbdding landscape.
Il tell you, boys" he went on, Its good to be up
here and see the tops of thngs"
But what about the Shadow" coaxed Boards
ley, he gorged the fire that it would last for
long time without attention.
Well" answered Fairfax slowly, he watched
the smoke and the sparks, it queer old
lucky mine. l never heard its early history. When
| first knew it everybody who in the least
degree superstitious avoided it, if it the
plague Wiser people said it wasn't worth cent.
But the old tradition of its hidden wealth still
drew prospectors, till long series of cave-ns and
other accidents left it deserted to its evil fate.
Long before we went there it had been given
up for good by most miners, because the river had
broken through shaft and flooded the lower level.
There's something unearthly about going down
the water. | don't know why it should make any
difference whether there is rock river the bot
tom, but it does
Fairfax stopped and shivered. He looked away
from the men, off the tops of things, as if to
reassure himself. 4 never knew but
who wasn't queered a little on his first trip down
the water, he went on in lower key, and
he was a Chnaman-usually he was scared at
everything too. | must tell you something about
him. Cooked for our gang hideously homely,
stupid little chap. The boys used nag him nearly
to death, and him too. 1t such fun
to see his eyes stick out and to watch him
finch.
Il felt sorry for the poor heather, if he was
nothing but yellow Chang; SO | got to standing
up for him. He never seemed to notice it, though;
but that didn't matter | kept on looking after
him if he some relative other, just because
I'd formed the habit He never gave me smile
or pidgeon-English Thank you 1t amused me
much that tried harder than ever to see if couldn't
wiring out acknowledgment in spite of himself.
1t didn't work, Once did his cooking for a week,
when | was in camp with lame leg; let him
pocket the wages and go visiting the other cooks
in the nelghborlng camps. And once"