New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-08-15

neighbOr is working ust SIT down ana quietly uiin
three shallow holes and don't say word to yonder
busy bee If he asks YOU what's doing, play postum
And don't make the holes too deep
Napoleon went off as directed Ills blows c0qld
presently be heard as he drilled in pOrphyry dixie
His advent puzzled the man intent on building
Say YOU" said he what's on your mindt
Napoleon drilled. and said nothing
The carpenter watched him IN some uneaslness
Say you amt starting d shattf
No
Amt this placer' Say you, are you deeff'
Napoleon pounded on the steel
Go to blazesi said the builder he had before.
- man that can't answer civil questions lie re-
sumed his labOrs pausing now and then TO stare at
Napoleon in steadily increasing dublety OF mind
In something less than twenty minutes he had
done very little roofing owing TO nervousness ne
found it difficult to Danish, while Napoleon had all
but completed his holes Then Van came le1surely
strolling to the place, comfortably loaded with
dynamite of which man may carry much
With utter indifference to the man on the root ne
proceeded TO charge those shallow holes As a
matter of fact he overcharged them He used an ex-
ceptional quantity of the harmless looking stuff and
laid short fuse 10 the cap Then he turned TO the
builder who had watched proceedings with slcken1ng
alarm at his vitalS That industrious person had
taken a heavy, leaden hue
You see. | went where you told me-" said Van,
and I've brought some back, as promised This
shot has got TO 90 before breakfast-and breakfast
is just about ready"
For Gods sake give man a chancei" implored
the man who had trespassed in the night. III
move the shack tomorrow.
You won't have to- Van informed him; but
you'd better move your meat-to-day. He took out
a match, scratched 1t with quiet dellberatlon, and
lighted the end of the fuse.
For Gods sake mani" cried the carpenter, and
without even waiting climb from the roof he rolled
the edge panic fell OF on his feet. and ran as II
all the fiends of HadeS were fairly AZ his heels.
Van and Napoleon also moved away with becOm-
ing alacrity. Three minutes later the charge went
of IL sounded like the crack of doom. IL seemed
10 split the earth and very armament. huge black
toadstool Of smoke rose abruptly. Something like
blot OF yellowish color spattered all over the land
scape IL was the shack.
Ii had moved The smoke cloud drifted rapidly
away On the hill was great jagged hole lined with
rock; but there was nothing The cabin
hung in lumber shreds the stunted for hun
dreds of feet in all directions With IL went ham
mers saws, and a barrel of nails whose usefulness
ended.
Gettysburg aproned and fresh from his breakfast
getting the stove came Fastening out of the cabin
where his partners stood in great distress of mind
Holy toads, Van! he said eXcitedly- " IL
must have been the shotl I've dropped an egg
and what in the world shall dor
"Cacke, man. cackle Van answered him gravely.
That a mighty occurrence.
And two bits apiece" almost walled poor Gettys-
burg diving back into the cabin. And only them
four in the shack
on the scene. He came with his prospectorS,
all in the party somewhat disilluSioned as TO that
tabled gold on the Indian reservation
Some word of the wealth of the Laughing Water
claim had come TO Searle early in the week He did
visit the cabiI or the owners of the cove For
fifteen minutes, however he sat upon his horse and
scanned the place IN silence Then out of his newly
acquired knowledge OF the boundaries of the reServ-
ton the funds Of his mind jumped up a half-1nad
plan His cold eyes ghttered he looked across 10
where Van and his partners toiling. His lips
were compressed IN a smile
He rode TO Goldite hurriedly and sought out his
friend MCCoppet. When the two were presently
closeted together where their privacy was assured a
conspiracy dabollcaly insidious was about TO have