New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-10-22

high up between two desolate mountains
The calendar declared 1t to be July, but the
-rc was and penetrating Between the SWAY
.- scrubby boughs above their heads they could
Sc the bright stars glittering through the frosty
atmosphere \ vast silence and emptiness made
.s-lt felt even to the miners, who huddled about
The ire.
At last the loneliness proved too much for Boards
-.r and he said TO start conversations so YOU re
not going with Us tomorrow, Fairfax"
No. admitted the older man reluctantly I've
had al the snooping into old mines that want
never expect to go under ground again until I'm
- there for good. The outside OF the earth Is
a- enough for ne. If you don't think that cook
l- 5o- tins gang entities me to share in the find
---. !. Il move on, that all
Don't be touchy, Fairfax, demonstrated Har-
----on. Were satisfied if you are; but we can't
H.o being curious You wouldn't go down the
-e-ra because II was perpendicular. Now Nor
E.as shaft IS almost level, and still you won't go
NE have been wondering If you superstitious
a-.-- deserted mines
! don't know whether II IS superstition or not ~
answered Fairfax doubtfully; u 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 Beardslev I'VE didn't know that YOU
had q reason for your prejudice
Well l have" insisted Fairfax. 'Once I was
down the Shadow" There he stopped and
looked of the sullen, forbidding landscape
II tell YOU boys he went on, Its good to be up
But what about the Shadow" coaxed Boards
ley as he gorged the fire that It would last for
long time without attention.
Well" answered Fairfax slowly, as he watched
the smoke and the sparks, 1t was queer old
I-czv mine l never heard its early history. When
I --st knew II everybody who was IN the least
degree sl1rerstitioIs avoided it. as if it the
plague. Wiser people said 1t WASH worth a cent.
But the old tradition of its hidden wealth still
drew pr0spectors, till long series OF cave-ins and
other accidents left 1t deserted TO its evil fate
Long before we went there It had been given
10 -o- good by most miners because the river had
broken through shaft and flooded the lower level.
There's something uneaTthly about gong down over
the water. don't know why It should make any
difference whether there is rock OF river at the bot
tom. but It does
Fairfax stopped and shivered. He looked away
from the men, of over the tops OF things, as II to
-eassure himself. i never knew but one man
who wasn't queered a little on his first TIP down
over the water he went on IN a lower key, and
he was China1nan-usua he was scared at
everything too l must tell you something about
him Cooked for our gang. A hIdeously ho1nely,
stupid little chap. The boys used 10 nag hn nearly
20 death. and scare him too It was such tun
To see his ewes stick out and to watch him
finch.
Il felt sorry for the poor heather, II he was
nothing but yellow Chang; so l got to standing
40 for him He never seemed to notice It, though;
r-- that didn't matter. I kept looking after
him II he was some relative or other Just because
Ia formed the habit. He never gave me smile
or -Idgeor-E English Thank you 1t amused me SO
much that tried harder than ever TO see II couldl
wing out an acknowledgement IN spite OF hlSeIi-
L didn't work Once did his cooking 1or a Week
when I was in camp with lame leg; let nm
pocket the wages and go visiting the other cooks
IN The neighboring camps And once
see here Fairfax" protested voice from the