Los Angeles herald., 1907-05-05

mDDee De you mean to take us prisoners?'
:, VI course we do. We're going to keep
this side of the range free from such villains
as you are.'
eve will come out only on condition that
we be allowed to go where we choose" said
Tom, after short pause.
Then you'll stay just where you are" an
swered Bart, in decided tone. you've run
ii you come out of that place alive, you'll
go to, Canon City, where the other Of your
friends went short time ago."
There was pause for nearly five minutes.
they should pursue, for the flag Of truce was
still kept in position.
They were powerless, and further struggle
could only result in the death of all of them,
as they probably knew, for Tom finally re-.
You'll agree that we shall be taken to
Canon?".
Eyes, we'll agree to that. You needn't fear
being lynched, for you're too mean to use
good rope on; but you've got to make up your
mind in two minutes, or down comes your
house," shouted one of the miners from the
mountainside, who evidently believed that too
much unt, time was being wasted upon the thieves.
standing that it might be dangerous to pro-
long the parley.
r Come out one by one, and leave your
weapons behind you," commanded Bart.
And Tom was the first to obey.
When the three men were standing in a
line unarmed, the miners, still covering thenf
with their rifles advanced and the work of
tying the prisoners was neither long nor was
1T conducted with much ceremony.
The men drew lots to decide which two
should take the prisoners to Silver Cliff where
they could be turned over to the custody Of
the officers, and those who were thus selected
started at once grumbling not a little because
they were forced to lose SO much time when
three well-directed bullets would dispose of
the thieves very effectually.
Kirk and Dory watched the prisoners until
they disappeared around the opening of the
ravine, all securely bound, and driven like
sheep in front of their captors, and feeling
of relief came over them as they realized that
they could now go in any part of San Luis
Valley without fear of being moested by the
notorious Tom Weed.
The boys brought the burros up from the
woods to where they could feed, and then took
possession once more of their tent in which
everything was in the greatest confusion, the
intruders having destroyed property evidently
from sheer wantonness.
Those of the miners who remained in the
ravine began to examine the placer while the
boys were setting things to rights in the tent,
and after dozen pans of gravel had been
washed, consultation was held with Bart,
who then led the miners down to the tent,
and said to the boys:
'If you want to sell out these diggings,
heIs,s 1ss,, cha change oyl for you" x;, .,
eyes; you've each got a claim staked out,
and one over, which takes up a good bit,
perhaps all of the lead. Now here are six
men, counting the two who have gone over
to the Cliff, who want to make bargain with
you for your interest in this place. Do you
want to trade with them?"
"But these claims belong to You, Bart, as
much, if not more, than they do to US. You
knew. of the. place, and brought us here;
therefore. it's share and share alike between
us three" said Kirk.
"Then we'll hear what kind Of a trade they
want to make" said Bart, as he seated HIM
self on a rock, in order that he might take his
ease while the details of the bargain were
being discussed.
"There amt great deal of trouble in put
ting this thing just as we mean it, said one
of the miners, who acted as spokesman for
the others. "You three found this gulch, and
have staked off three .fifteen-hundred-fo foot
claims that pan out big. There may be more
pay streaks here, and then again you might
pan the whole mountain out and not see
color. Now there's three of you and there's
six of us; you want to leave, and we want to
stay, Each one Of US will locate claim, and
that'll take up about all of the gulch that's
worth anything. Well work these two
streaks, sell claims, and get the most money
out of it we can; then when we whack up,
each man gets the same pile. You don't have
with wit all That's the offer that we've got to
make, and you can think it over while we go
up and see if there's any signs of a vein crop.
ping out further up the gulch.o
The men left. the boys and Bart that they
might discuss the proposition, and when they
were alone, Kirk asked:
.Do you suppose we should get our full
share if we went away and left them here to
"T believe we should,'' said Bart.N eravelv. !
'I never heard Of but two cases around here
where miner didn't act square with his
partners and know four of these men,