The log cabin Democrat., 1909-09-23


 1 Wyoming experiences which did not hear until some time after our first encounter at Tucson. Therefore, I was | not altogether surprised when a few months later an event occurred which seemed to vindicate my judgment of | that gentleman's character
 It happened in this way. The Great Gait camp was divided into two rival clubs, consisting of six members each | between whom a good-natured rivalry existed. One aggregation was devoted 1 to poker-playing and the other to | double pedro, and each maintained loy- l ally the superiority of their respec- | tive games with an earnestness wor- thy of a better cause. An invitation to be present at good time" to be given by the Greenock outfit on the other side of Blue mountain, and great preparations were being made for the approaching festival. Twelve boiled | and starched shirts had been con veyed by the freighter from Phoenix to adorn the manly bosoms of the in vited guests and all was joy until the question of suitable conveyances to the scene arose.
 Now the Great Gait boasted but two fitting vehicles-one a rusty, some what dilapidated blackboard, the other bran new, freshly vanished noun tain wagon recently purchased The members of each party felt that the honor of their particular organization demanded that they should occupy the more stylish wagon, which was so equipped as to carry six people com fortably The decision being left to the superintendent, that sagacious gentleman ruled that lots should be drawn for the coveted prize. This was done and the Poker club, of which Fordham was a member, was declared loser The Pedro outfit exulted loudly and Sam Eustis, a young fellow who belonged to the latter aggregation, expressed his jubilation in terms that | aroused the wrath of Wylie FOrdham. Eustis was a Chicagoan who had been in the camp long enough to have dis pensed with the epithet of tender foot, and being jovial, athletic youth, had established himself as a prime ia vorite with everybody in the camp except Fordham. The latter, indis- | nant at Eustis' display of mirth. forced a quarrel upon him and sharp fight between the pair followed. There was no gun play, for such methods of set ting an argument were not looked upon with favor at the Great Gait, but a fistic combat ensued which furnished the onlookers with plenty of excitement.
 Eustis, although not as big a man as his opponent, was an amateur boxer | of no mean skill, while Fordham was | deficient in this respect Moreover, it | is probable that Anglo-SaXon grit as | opposed to a mongrel strain had much | to do with the outcome of the battle | which was a very thorough thrashing 1 administered to Fordham, who de- cIared he had enough at an early stage | Of the proceedings.
 | This incident did not tend to i'm | prove the half breeds naturally mo- rose temper, and his anger at the sue ces of Eustis' party in obtaining the new wagon became even more pro- nounced than before. After careful | consideration he evolved a plot by | means of which he hoped to deprive the Pedros of the advantage they had | fairly won. Nearly a mile from the camp there was an old abandoned 30- | foot shaft in which a few days be- | fore a lost lead" had been located and
 taken over by the Great Galt superin- | tendent. Having bribed the Mexican 1 cook Ramirez by name. Fordham ar
 ranged with that individual to have
 his brother relieve him of his duties
 on the night appointed for the Green-
 ock celebration. Ramirez was to slip
 quietly out of camp with the team and new wagon while the Pedros were at
 supper and drive to the old shaft
 where he would find Fordham and his five companions awaiting him. Then
 the members of the Poker club would
 take possession of the vehicle and
 speed gallantly away to Greenocks, ar
 irving there with tremendous effect
 and scoring a decided hit on their dis
 comfited rivals.
 It chanced, however that Shorty
 Glen, one of Eustis's colleagues, over
 heard the conversation between the
 plotters, and burning with indigna,
 tion hastened to lay the details of the
 intended treachery before his fellows
 Therefore, when Ramirez. faithfully
 following out his instructions, reached
 the old shaft, he little suspected that
 Eustis had arrived before him and
 was hiding close at hand in grease
 wood thicket.
 The cook halted his team, hitched
 up, and walked to the shaft where his
 employers lay in hiding. He did not
 call to them, but lowering himself
 over the edge disappeared from view
 The instant he vanished Eustis sprang
 from his concealment and hastened tC
 the pits mouth. Leaning over he
 seized the head of the light ladder
 used for ascending and descending