Rocky Ford enterprise. (Rocky Ford, Colo.) 1887-1950, 1911-03-17

prospect the country thoroughly and stake out ev'
erythins In sight
During the following winter the husband Of the
woman who was to become a widow was
seriously injured in mill. In few days he
realized that death He sent for the two
prospectors who had accompanied him to Lake
Abitibi They
Boys" said he. Il guess I've got die. I can,
go back with you in the spring to stake the claims
want you to promise mo that II die you will give
the old woman third OF what we found last year.
The men promised. The wife heard them. But
she didn't believe them.
Tho widow had told Bill who the men were.
He knew them. He knew where they were work.
ing. Bill hired out in the sam" place. In the course
of few weeks one OF them told him that they were
going to quit at certain time in the spring and
take long canoe and hunting trip in the country
far the north.
That good enough clew for Bill. Two weeks
before the announced time for the to art
Woodney quit his Job packed his kit and started
for Lake AbitibI himself.
When he reached the lake he drew his canoe
from the water, hid it in the bush. as Canadians
call forest. and prepared to wait.
On the eighth day of his vigil as he was peerirE
out Of the bushes. he saw the sight that he had
waited Sc long Down the placid river came
two canoes. cutting their ways through the cool
waters and leaving fa;iron wakes in the rear.
Late in the afternoon Bill the two specks
disappear in what seemed to be an inlet.
The first night there was no fire. but the next
day Bill saw n blue spiral of smoke curling from the
bushes back Of the lake.
For five days and nights the fires burned. Then
there more fire. day or night. Evidently tn"
men had gone. Eli wanted to be sure SO he waited
three more days. Then he went down to the lake
where his canoe hidden. put 1t into the water
took pains observe that there the lake
sign of human life. then slowly padded his way
along the shore looking for tho inlet.
Bill was pnddlin. quietly as he could when. at
the ''knuckle' of the water fnger-a point where
the inlet rot more than 80 feet wide-he sud
denly saw on the left bank-the two prospcctcrS,
The next instant one Of them threw at Bills
hut In two and
~ as a mine could sink battleship
woodney doesn't know yet why he is alive. He
seem ed to have 10 chance to live. 1t was two
against one and the was In the water. So
his food his weapons and his tools. II he were
murdered during the next second II seemed certain
that he would sarve during the month. Not
that he thought all OF these things while he
sinking. He thought out nothing. All he did
act first and think afterward. A few strokes with
his hands and a few kicks with his feet put him
against the bank No rabbit ever took n trail faster
than Bill took to the brush
The rest of this story be told In short
fences Hunger. within the next fortyeirht hours.
drove Woodncy into the very camp of the
who would have slain him. He crept up to them.
late at night, and stole their food. He could
steal much at a time. but he stole enough to keep
him alive He stole. not but three times. The
next time he went to steal they there.
They had pulled up camp and gone. bag and bag
gage He took his life in his hands the next day
and down to see the claims they had staked.
He didn't find n stick a sign Of a claim. He
worth c,~!rinG.
were upset and drowned in one OF the many rap
Ids: whether they fell to fighting and killed each
other no one knows. Nor have they ever filed a
claim TO bodies along Lake Abitibi