Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1910-12-30

rocks which had defied him he sunk
the implement deep into their sides.
The pick crushed through the shell Of
the rocks go easily that the man al
most lost his balance.
merry Christmas. Ell" he grunted.
"Merry Christmas"
He withdrew the pick and started to
walk away. A slight oozing Of water
from the scar caused by his pick at
tracted his attention. He stared at 1t
and then mechanically stopped to ex-
anime the gravel and splintered rock.
With little gasp Of surprise he gath
cred another handful and spread the
pieces out on his rough palm. Three
times he dug up all he could hold In
one palm and repeated the operation.
Suddenly a fierce light shot into his
eyes, and his face assumed the eager.
greedy look Of a wild animal on the
scent Of some helpless prey. He drop
ped on hands and knees and dug at the
sand and rock until the blood seeped
from SCARED fingers and dyed the
rocks. He was for all the world q
wild beast tearing and rending blood
less victim to death.
Again and again he held the samples
close to his eyes and each time grunted
with satisfaction. He sprang out OF
the hole and attacked the rocks with
his heavy miners pick The blows
fell with sharp, metallic sounds; but,
unmindful Of the noise. the miner
worked feverishly and stubbornly at
the excavation.
There was a little cry Of exultatiOn.
The man held within his hand q sam
pie Of dull yellowish rock that sent the
blood coursing rapidly through his
veins. The freshet Of the night had
|! unearthed vein Of gold which prom
ised to bring true all his visions Of the
past.
Deeper and deeper into the bowels Of
the earth he dug. following the course
Of the vein and grunting his satisfac-
ton at each fresh discovery. Had he
not been carried away by his greed and
excitement he would have hesitated
and withdrawn from his perilous posi-.
ton. His expert knowledge Of mining
would have told him that he was court.
ing terrible danger.
But the good fortune which had come
to him after forty years Of disappoint.
ment made him temporarily crazy, and
he forgot everything except the gold
which he was unearthing. Then q sud.
den blow from his pick loosened q tor.
rent Of sand. and the rocks above hia
head groaned and settled down.
Carston was instantly alert and real.
lied In fash his danger He sprana
back toward the mouth Of the opening,
leaving his pick and samples Of gold
behind. But the avalanche Of rocks
and dirt was too quick for him. II
fell around and over him until the light
Of day was shut from view. A heavy
-bowlder rolled over on his leg and pin.
Toned him to the soft sand.
The roar Of the descending avalanche
subsidized. and the miner drew q deep
! er breath when he realized that al
Immediate danger was passed. Ar
overhanging ledge had partly protect
ed him. and he had a space Of q few
feet In which TO breathe and move
The wall Of loose stones and rocks
could not be very thick, for he saW
glimmers Of light shining through.
BSt when he attempted to extricate
himself from the prison he found that
. worse fate had befallen him thar
he imagined. His right leg was crush
ed and held in viselike grip by .
huge bowlder that had settled down
| ON him.
In vain he tried to move the roch
and pull his leg free. But the bowl
der was immovable, and the excruciat.
Ing pain made him faint. sick. Fo,
hours he tore ut the sand and gravel
at his feet and snapped and snarled
at the rock which held him a prisoner
Then, faint and exhausted. he Lay
back and rested. The pain grew pasl
endurance. and Inconsistencies mercf
fully relieved him. When his senses
returned be renewed the struggle, but
with the same hopeless effort. Hi
prison was located far up on tho noun.
tain side. where no human creature
would be hksIy to stray for weeks o.
months It . time.
BLACK" Carston was q man Of iron
| win and rugged constitution, and he
did not yield easily to despair. Dur.
ing the long hours Of the day be
fought and struggled with almsst 80.
perhuman ekort. Then the pain. loss
Of. blood and exhaustion broke his
spirit. With q little sob he dropped
his head back ON the rocks and re-
signed himself to his fate.
80 this is Christmas day! Merry
Christmas, chr
The child's morning greeting had
chung to his mind, and 1t sprang to
his lips unbidden again and again.
Then his thoughts wandered, and he
muttered over in his troubled dreams:
merry Christmas, merry Christmas!
Ia. ha! Merry Christmas. young
ster!"
In his agony he rolled over ana
wrenched the tortured limb until relief
came again through sheer exhaustion.
During the few lucid moments Of the
mind Carston tried to think connected
" and plan for some method Of escape,
but his strength was unequal to 1t.
Homan nature yielded gradually to
the strain. The waking. lucid moments
grew fewer and Of less duration. His
mind wandered over the past He bah
bled and talked In his sleep. At times
forms seemed to surround him. and he
forgot his predicament In talking to
them.
Then music seemed to luil his senses,
and he heard voices which soothed his
mind. They were all singing the re-
frain that had SO offended his ears that
morning. Clear above all the others a
childish voice sang. He was In church.
but the voice was that Of n child mr. of