Cheraw chronicle. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1896-2005, 1912-04-11

could do, you'd jest be a drag on u.s..
Without sayin anything about myself.
witch I'm too modest for that, there.
amt three better men in Colorado to-.
tackle this job than Jim Armstrong
an Bob Maitland an Well, as I
said, 1 won't mention no other names"
God bless you all, gentlemen" fall.
tered Stephen Maitland. 81 think, per-
haps, l may have been wrong, little
prejudiced against the west. You are
men that would 90 honor to any family,
to any society in Philadelphia or any
where else"
Lord love ye," drawled Kirkby, his
eyes twinkling. "There amt no three
men on the Atlantic seaboard that kin
match up with two Of us yere, to say
nothin' of the third"
WELL" said Robert Maitland. the
thing now is to decide on what's to be
DONE"
my plan," said Armstrong, "is to goE
to the old camp.
Yep" said Kirkby, that's a good
point Of departure, as my seafarln' IA
ther down Cape Cod way used to say;
an wot's next?"
'T am going up the canon instead Of
down." said the man, with a fash Of
inspiration.
THAT amt no bad idea, nuther,"
assented the old man. 1--WE looked the,
ground over pretty thoroughly down
the canon. Mebbe we can find some
thing up It,"
"And what do you propose to take
with you?" asked Maitland.
'What we can carry on the backs Of
men. We will make camp some
where about where you did. We can get
enough husky men up at Morrison who
will pack in what we want, and with
that as basis we will explore the up
per reaches Of the range"
"And when do we start?"
There is a train for Morrison in
two hours" answered Armstrong. I'VE.
can get what we want in the way Of
sleeping bags and equipment between
now and then, If we hurry about It,"
"Ef We are goin' to do it, We might
as we'll git move on u.s." assented
Kirkby, making ready to 60.
Right" answered Robert Maitland
grimly. when three men set out to-
make fools of themselves, the sooner
they get at it and get over with
it the better. I've got some busi-
ness matters to settle. You two
get what's needed, and I'll bear my
share"
A week later a little band Of men on
snow shoes, wrapped in -fars t~---
eyes, every one heavily burdened with,
a pack, staggered into the clearing
where once had been pitched the Malt
land camp. The place was covered
with snow, Of course, but on shelf OF
rock half way up the hogback, they
found a comparatively level clearing.
and there, all working like beavers,
they built a rude hut which they COW
cred with canvas and then with tight
ly packed snow, and which would
keep the three who remained from
freezing to death. Fortunately they
were favored with a brief period Of.
pleasant weather, and few days.
served to make sufficiently habitable'
camp. Maitland, Kirkby and Arm
strong worked with the rest. There
was no thought of search at first; their
lives depended upon the erection OF a
suitable shelter, and it was not until
the helpers, leaving their burdens be-
hind them, had departed, that the
three men even considered what was.
to be done next.
I'VE must begin a systematic search
tomorrow" said Armstrong decisive
ly, as the three men sat around the
cheerful fire in the hut.
YES" assented Maitland. "Shall We
so together, or separately"
"Separately, Of course. We are all
hardy and experienced men. Nothing
is apt to happen to us. We will meet
here every night and plan the next
days work. What do you say, Kirk
by?"
The old man had been quietly smok-,
ing while the others talked. Hel
slniled at them in way which aroused
their curiosity and made them feel
that he had news for them.
"While you was putin the finishin'
touches on this yere camp, l come
aerost a heap O. stuns that somehow
the wind had swept bare, there was
a big rift in front Of it which KEEP US
from seen' it afore; it was built up