Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-02-09
CHAPTER xI.-where the Path Led

BY daylight next morning every man
and most OF the women among the new
arrivals had disappeared into the hills
the women in spite of the bylaws of
Lees Greek. which Disseminated against
their sex. When a stampede starts II
does not end with the location OF one
stream-bed, nor of two; every foot of
valley ground for miles on every bend
is pre-empted. in the hope that more gold
will be found; each creek forms a new
district, and its discoveries adopt laws
TO suit their whims. The women, there
fore, FASTENED to participate in the dis
covery OF new territory and in the shap-
ing OF its government, leaving but few of
either sex to guard the tents and piles of
provisions standing by the river bank. In
two days they began to return, and strag-
gled in at intervals for a week there
after, for many had gone far.
And now began a new era for Flam-
beau-an era OF industry such as the
frontier town had never known. The
woods behind rang with the resounding
discords of axes and saws and crashing
timber, and new cabins appeared on every
hand, rising In a day. The sluggish afr
was noisy with voices, and the edge of
the forest receded gradually before the
busy pioneers, replacing the tall timbers
with little, high-banked homes Of spruce
and white-papered birch. Dawn till dark
arose the rhythmic rasp Of men whip
saving floor lumber to the tune of two
hundred dollars per thousand; and with
the second steamer came little steam
saw mill, which raised its shrill com.
plant within a week. punctuating the
busy day with its piping whistle.
The trail along the Flambeau was dot
ted continuously with toiling human
beasts Of burden, that fioundered labor
iously beneath great packs of provisions
and tools and other baggage, winding like
an endless stream OF ants through the
,hills to mo Creek" Lee Creek, where
they re-enacted the scenes that were &C.
curing in the town. Tents and cabins
were scattered throughout the length
OF the valley, lumber was sawed for
siuice boxes, and the virginia. breezes
THAT had sucked through this seam in
the mountains since days primeval came
to smell Of spruce fires and echo with
the sounds of life.
A dozen tents were pitched on Lees
discovery claim. for the owner had been
besieged by men who clamored to lease
a part Of his ground, and. yielding final.
ly. he had allotted to each of them q
hundred feet. Forthwith they set about
opening their portions, for the ground
was shallow, and the gold so near the
surface that winter would interfere with
its extraction; wherefore, they made
haste. The owner oversaw them all
complacent in the certainty of a steady
royalty accruing from the working OF
his allOtments.
Every day there came into Flambeay
exaggerated reports of new strikes in
other spots. of strong indications and
OF rich prospects elsewhere. Stories grew
out OF nothing. until the camp took ar
hysterical pleasure in exciting itself and
deceiving every stranger who came from
lnorth OF south, for the wine Of discov.
Lery was In them all. and IT pleased them
ITO distort and enlarge upon every rumoI
that came their way. such being the tenn.
per OF new gold fields. They knew they
9were lying, and that all other men were
lying also. and yet they hardened tc
each tale and almost deceived them
selves.
Burren sought Nicola at an early day
sand, In presence OF her father, told hel
shat he had been approached by mer
-who wished to lease the claims he held
for her. II would prove an inexpensive