The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1916-10-10
CHAPTER XIX.
The Rullv

VV much like those at Hang
mans Gulch, except that
they were rather more extensive and
.hranched out more into the tributary
sgavines. Tile men working there were,
many of them, of much better type
than those we had seen I'm town,
though even here was large element
eof rough looking. wild. reckless Gus
toners. We wandered about here and
there, our hands In eBF ppckets, vast
leisure filling our souls. With some Of
the more pleasant appearing miners
We conversed. They told US that the
q6iggings were rich. good "ounce q
day" diggings. We saw a good many
cradles in use. 1t was easy to tell the
old timers from the rlffraff of newcom-
ers. A great many Of the latter seemed
to lack the steadiness Of purpose char
acteristic of nearly all the first rush
They worked haphazardly. spasmod-
A1cally, pulling and hauling against each
other. Some should not have been
working at all, for their eyes were
sunken In their heads from illness.
We've got to hustle now," they told
as. ave can take good rest when
the rains stop work"
We noticed especially marked
change In demeanor among some of
the groups. In the early part OF the
summer every man answered every
man good naturediy except he hap
pened to have next days head or
some other sort Of personal crouch.
Now many compact little groups of
men worked quite apart. When ad-
dressed they merely scowled or looked
snlien, evidently quite unwilling to fra
-ternize with the chance conner.
We sauntered along peerlng into the
various buildings. The saloons were
here more elaborate than at Hang
mans, the gambling places larger and
with some slight attempt at San Fran
cisco splendor-that Is to say, there
Were large gilt framed mirrors on the
walls, nude pictures and In some cases
stage for musical performers. One
ofItse three stores was devoted entire
Iy9to clothing and 'notions," to us
new departure In specialization. We
were sadly IN need of garments, so we
3 entered and we're at once met by
people. When we had escaped from
fhis robbers den we looked at each
otherlin humorous dsmay.
"Cded Yank don't need clothes, any
way" said Johnny.
We were. 1t will be remembered, out
Of provisions, so we entered also one
of the general stores to Day In n small
supply. The proprietor proved to be
an old friend, Jones, the storekeeper
at Hangman's.
(which" said johnny shrewdly, us
n sad commentary on the decline or
the diggings at Hangman's."
Jones was evidently prosperous and
doing business on a much larger scale
than at the old place. f0r In his com
mOdlous building were quantities of
goods displayed aud many barrels and
boxes still unopelied. lie did not rec
.0gnize us, OF course. aud we had to
await the completion OF il tale he was
telling group perchcd on tue counters
and on the boxes
We turned into the entrance OF the
hotel, to find ourselves IN the well re-
! membered long, low room wherein we
had spent the evening few months
before. 1t was now furnished with d
bar, the fiimsy partitions had been
knocked out. aud evidently additions
had been constructed beyond the yari
.ons closed doors.
The man behind the bar looked
vaguely familiar to me, but could moi
place him.
"Where's the proprietor OF this
place." | asked him.
He indicated short, blowsy, trucu
lent looking individual who was at the
moment staring out the window.
There used to he an italian"- be
gan.
The barkceper uttered a short bark
ing laugh as he turucd TO attend to I
customer.
lie found the climate bad for hi
heart aud sold out" said he.
On the wall opposite was posted {
number Of prlntcd aud written hand
bills. We stopped idly TO examin,
them. They had iu general 10 do will
lost property. stolen horses aud re
wards for the apprehension Of yarlou
individuals. Que struck W. in partlc
ular. 1t was issued 10y citizens com
mlttee OF San Francisco and announce,
general reward FOR the capture O
any member OF the Hounds"
"LoOks as n they'd got tired OF tina
gang down there" johnny observed
''rhey were ruling the roost when W
left DO you know. | saw one OF thos
fellows this afternoon-perhaps yo
remember him-a man with quee
sort OF blue scar over one cheekbon,
swear ] saw hlm Ia San francisco
There's our chance 10 make some MOI
ey, jim"
The proprietor OF the hotel turned
look at Johnny cuIlously. and sever
of the loafers drinking at the ba