The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1916-09-12

clotn tnaL caught me across une eyes.
"You taTnation young grizzly barr
said he.
l wiped the water from my eyes.
Johnny and Buck Barry ran up. Some
how they did not seem to be anticipat
ing an Indian attack after all. Johnny
ran up to thump me ON the back.
"Isn't 1t great?" he cried. Fright OFF
the reel First pop! Bagsby, old
sport, you're wonderr' He started
for Bagsby, who promptly rushed for
his long rife.
"Pm going to kill the first lunatic l
Bee," he announced.
Johnny laughed excitedly and turn
ed back to thump me again.
How did you guess what 1t was2"
asked.
Didn't. Just blundered on It"
"Whatv yelled. "Have you struck
It too?"
First shovel" said Johnny. "But
you don't mean
thrust my three nuggets under his
eyes.
Say" broke in Buck Barry. III you
fellows know whore the whisky Is hide
It, and hide It quick. If l see 1t I'll get
drunk
Yank and McNally at this moment
strOlled from around the bushes. We
all burst out on them.
"See your fool nuggets and color
and raise you this" drawled Yank.
And he hauled from his pocket the
very largest chunk of virgin gold It
has ever been my good fortune to be-
hold. 1t was irregular in shape, pitted
and scored, shaped good deal like
an egg and nearly its size. One pound
and tiny fra cton that great nugget
balanced when we got around to
Weighing It. And then to crown the
glorious day which the gods were
brimming for us came Don Gaspar and
Vasquez, trailed by that long and sat
urnine individual. Missouri Jones. The
Spaniards were outwardly calm, but
their eyes snapped. AS soon as they
saw us they waved their hats.
"Ah, also you have found the gold"
cried Don Gaspnr, sensing immediate
ly the significance OF our presence.
"We too 1t IL of good color, there
above by the bend" His eye widened
as he saw what Yank held. "Mndre
de Dlos? he murmured.
McNally, who had said and done
nothing, suddenly uttered resound.
ing whoop and stood on his hands.
Missouri Jones, taking aim, spht care
fully in the center of the fire, missing
the dishpan by d calculated and ac.
curate inch.
'trhe country Is just flowing with
gold" he pronounced.
Then we blew up. We hugged each
other, we pounded each others backs
we emulated McNally's wild Irish
whoops, finally we Joined hands and
danced around and around the re-
mains 81 the fire, kicking up our heels
absurdly. Bagsby, leathery grin on
his face, stood Off one side. He still
held his long barreled rifle, which he
presented at who ever neared him.
II tell you, look outl' he kept say
ing over and over. "I'm shootln' luna
tics today, and apparently there's plen'
ty game to choose from"
Although we did not Immediately
run into the expected thousands. nor
did the promise of that first glorious
day OF discovery quite fulfill itself, new
ertheless our new digglngs turned out
10 be very rich. We fell into routine,
and the days and weeks slipped by.
Bagsby and one companion went out
every day to hunt or to fish. We took
turns at vacation In camp. Every
night we "blew" our days collection
OF sand, weighed the gold and packed
1t away. Our accumulatIons were get
ting to be very valuable.
For month we lived this idylllc life
quite unmolested aud had gradually
come TO feel that we were SO far out
OF the world that nothing would ever
disturb us. The days seemed all alike,
clear, sparkling, cloudless, 1t was my
first experience with the California
climate, and these things were per-
petua wonder to my New England
mind
Then one day when was camp
keeper at the upper end OF our long
meadow n number of men emerged
from the willows aud hesltated uncer.
tainy. They We're too far way to be
plainly dlstlngulshable but l believed
In taking no chances, 30 | fired my re-
volver 20 attract the attention OF my
companions They looked up from
their labor, saw the men and prompt
ly came into camp.
The group stlll hesitated at the edge
OF the thicket. Then one OF then
waved something white. We waved
IN return. whereupon they advanced
slowly ln our direction.
AZ they neared we saw them 10 be
Indians, Their leader held before hin
a stick to which had been tied mum
ber of white feathers, AS they ap
proached MS they began 20 leap an,
dance 20 the accompaniment of a weirt
rising and falling chant. They certain
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