Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-09-16


ceremony that friends of the frontier
are won't to observe, admitting the at
t,enuated, tapping, dome crowned fig
ure of Slapjack Simms. and Dextry fell
upon him with the hunger Of wolf.
+
1t was midnight, and over the dark
walls of the valley peered multitude
Of stars, while away on the southern
horizon there glowed subdued efful-
gence as though from hidden fires be-
meath the Gold Gods caldron or as
though the phosphorescence Of Bering
had spread upward into the skies. AZ
though each night grew longer, 1t was
not yet necessary to light the men at
work In the cuts. There were perhaps
two hours In which 1t was difficult to
see at distance, but the dawn came
early; hence no provision had been
made for torches.
Five minutes before the hour the
night shift boss lowered the gates in
the dam, and as the rush from the
sIuices subsidized his men quit work
and climbed the bluff to the mess tent.
The dwellings Of the Midas, as has al
ready been explained, sat back from
the creek at distance Of city block,
the workings being thus partially hid
den under the brow Of the steep bank.
1t Is customary to leave a Waterman
In the pit during the noon and midnight
hours, not only to see that strangers
preserve a neutral attitude, but also to
watch the waste gates and water sup
ply. The night man Of the Midas had
teen warned Of his responsibility and,
knowing that much gold lay in his
keeping, was disposed to gaze on the
curious minded with the sourness OF
suspicion Therefore, as a man lead.
ing packhorse approached out Of the
gloom Of the creek trail, his eyes were
on him from the moment he appeared
The road wound along the gravel Of
the cars and passed in proximity to
the fumes. However, the wayfarer paid
no attention to them, and the watch
man detected an explanatory weari-
ness in his slow gait.
Some prospector getting In from a
trip" he thought.
The stranger stopped. scratched
match, and as he undertook to light
bis pipe, the observer caught the ma
hogany shine of negroes face. The
match sputtered out and then came I'M
patient blasphemy as he searched for
another
"Evenin', sab! You-all oblige me with
q match?" He addressed the watcher
on the bank above and, without wait
Ing a reply, began to climb upward.
No smoker on the trail will deny the
luxury of a light to the most humble,
30 as the negro gained his level the
man reached forth to accommodate
him. Without warning the black man
.leaped forward with the ferocity Of an
animal and struck the other fearful
blow. The Waterman sank with
faint, startled cry. and the African
dragged him out Of sight over the
brow Of the bank, where he rapidly
tied him hand and foot, stuff1ng a gag
into his mouth. At the same moment
two other figures rounded the bend
below and approached. They we're
mounted and leading third saddle
horse as well as other pack animals
Reaching the workings they dismourt-
ed. Then began strange procedure,
for one man clambered upon the
sluices and, with pick, ripped out
the rifles. This was matter of only
a few seconds; then, selling shovel,
he transferred the concentrates which
lay in the bottom of the boxes into
canvas sacks which his companion
held. AS each bag was filed it was
tied and dumped into the cut. They
treated but four boxes in this way,
leaving the lower two-thirds Of the
dume untouched, for Anvil creek gold
ia coarse and the heart of the clean
I'D lies where it is thrown in. Gather
Ing the sacks together, they dashed
them upon the pack animals, then
mounted the second string Of sluices
and began as before. Throughout 1t
all they worked with feverish haste
aad in unbroken silence, every mo-
nent flashing quick glances at the fig
ure Of the lookout who stood on the
crest above, half dirmed in the shad-
ow of a willow c,ump. Judging by
their rapidity and sureness, they were
expert miners.
{To Be Continually