Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-10-10

The Udtchmdn sank Utth q faint c1y.
ceremony that friends of the frontier
are wont to observe, admitting the at
tenuated, Tapping, dome crowned fig
ure Of Slapjack Simms. and Dextry fell
upon him with the hunger of a wolf.
1t was midnight. and over the dark
walls Of the valley peered a multitude
Of stars, while away on the southern
horizon there glowed a subdued efful-
gence as though from hidden fires be-
meath the Gold Gods caldron or as
though the phosphorescence Of Boring
had spread upward into the skies. Al
though each night grew longer, it 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 n 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
sluices 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 a distance of a city block,
the workings being thus partially hid
den under the brow Of the steep bank.
1t Is customary 70 leave q Waterman
in the pit during the 100 and midnight
hours, not only to see that strangers
preserve n neutral attitude, but also to
watch the waste gates and water sup
ply. The night man of the Midas had
been 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 a packhorse approached out of the
gloom Of the creek trail, his eyes We're
on him from the omen he appeared
The r9ad wound along the gravel oil
the bars 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 n
trip" he thought.
The stranger stopped, scratched n
match, and as he undertook - light
his pipe, the observer caught the ma
hogany shine of n necro's face. The
match sputtered out and then came I'M
patient blasphemy as he searched for
another.
"Evenin', sab! You-all oblige me with
a 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,
so as the negro gained his level the
man reached forth to accommodate
him. Without warning the black man
ieaped forward with the ferocity of an
animal and struck the other n fearful
blow. Tho Waterman sank with n
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, stuGing a gag
II his mouth. At the same moment
two other figures rounded the bend
below and approached. They were
mounted and leading a third saddle
horse as we'll as other pack animals.
Reaching the workings, they dismount-
ed. Then began a strange procedure,
for one man clambered upon the
Sluices and, with a pick, ripped out
the rifles This was a matter of only
a few seconds; then. Selling a 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 1t was
tied and dumped into the cut. They
treated but four boxes In this way,
leaving the lower two-thlrds of the
fume untouched, for Anvil creek gold
Is coarse and the heart of the clean
up lies where 1t 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 saverish haste