The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1908-03-06

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The toGtchmdn sank SOtth faint cru
ceremony that friends of the frontiel
are wont to observe, admitting the !;
tenuated, tapping, dome crowned 4.
ure Of Slapi9ck Simms, and Dextry fe
upon him WITH the hunger of wolf
1t was midnight, and over the dar..
walls Of the valley peered a multitudp
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
though the phosphorescence Of Berinr
had spread upward into the skies. ~,
though each night grew longer, 1t was
not yet necessary to Hight the men Z
work in the cuts. There were perhap
two hours In which It was difficult I !,
see at a distance, but the dawn can
early; hence no provision had bee
made for torches
Five minutes before the hour til
night shift boss lowered the gates II.
the dam, and as the rush from H. ,
sluices subsidized his men quit wori
and climbed the bluff to the mess ten
The dwellings of the Midas, as has al.
ready been explained. sat back from
the creek at distance Of a city block
the workings being thus partially hit.-
den under the brow of the steep bank
1t is customary to leave q watchman
IL tbs nit hof ons tie & see t Rf stangers
preserve a 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 cut 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 bars and passed in proximity to
the fumes However, the wayfarer pail,
man detected an explanatory weari-
ness In his slow gait.
'Some prospector getting In from u
trip" he thought
The stranger stopped. scratched
match, and as he undertook to light
his pipe, the observer caught the ma
hogany shine of negroes face. The
match sputtered out and then came i'm
patient blaspbemy 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 light to the most humble
70 as the negro gained his level the
man reached forth to accommodate
him. Without warning the black man
capped forward with the ferocity of an
animal and struck the other fearful
blow The Waterman sank with a
'aint, startled cry, and the African
dragged him out of sight over the |
brow of the bank, where he rapidly |
led him hand and foot. stuffing a gag |
nto his mouth. At the same moment |
.wo other figures rounded the bend |
Yellow and approached. They were |
and leading a third saddle I
horse as well as other pack animals.
the workings, they dismount
ID. Then began a strange procedure,
- 49, x0o1 olo ~, lNor.d ,,x,1x. fho
Iluices and, with q pick, ripped out
he rifles. This was a matter OF only |
i few seconds; then; selling q, shovel.
,e transferred the concentrates which
ay In the bottom Of the boxes into
.anvas sacks which his companion
lsld. As each bag was Oiled 1t was
led and dumped into the cut They
reated but four boxes in this way
eaying the lower two-thirds Of the
lume untouched, for Anvil creek gold
; coarse and the heart Of the clean
ID lies where II is thrown IN. Gather
az the sacks together. thay dashed
hem upon the pack animals then
Mounted the second string of sluices
nd began as before. Throughout /,
II they worked with feverish haste
nd In unbroken silence. every mo
aent flashing quick giances at the ilg-
re Of the lookout who stood on the
rest above, half dimmed IN the shGd-
" OF a willow clump. Judging by
heir rapidity and sureness, they were
xpert mins~-