The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1916-09-23

gave the burro some scraps OF camp
bread. knowing that the little animal
would not stray so long as he was fed.
even a little. each day.
IL was while he was securing the
fry pan that he noticed the black sand
across the stream. Leisurely he rose
and scooped painful OF the sand and
gravel and began washing II, more as
pastime than with an idea OF finding
gold. Slowly he osclllated the whis-
pering sand, stopping the water out I'M
I'll he had PANIED the lot He spread
! his bandanna on a smooth rock and
gently emptied the residue OF the wash
ing on IT, "Color, but thin" he said.
Lets try her again"
He moved farther upstream. this
time with one OF his regular pans. He
became absorbed in his experiment
He washed painful after painful, slowly,
carefully, collectedly. Suddenly he
stood up, swore softly and flung the
half washed dirt OF the last pan on the
rocks. I'm mutt" he exclaimed
"This ivin' in civilization has been
|
much eastern sassiety." And with this
inexplicable self arraignment he stoop-
ed at the tent door. buckled on his
gun and started upstream. He glanc.
ed from side to side OF the steep and
narrowing walls as he advanced slow
~. He passed places where the stream
disappeared in the sand to find some
1
subterranean channel and reappear be-
! low again Rounding an angle OF the
cliff. he dropped TO his knees and ex-
amined some tiny parallel scratches
on rounded rock-the marks made by
bootheel that had slipped For an
hour he toiled over the rocks on up the
diminishing stream. "Gettin' thin" he
muttered, gazing at the silver thread
OF wafer ripping over the pebbles. A
/ few feet ahead the cliffs met at the
bottom in a sharp edged 'V," not over
foot apart In the stream bed, but
! widening above. Overland scrambled
! through. On the other side OF the
! opening he Strengthened up, breathing
| hard. Ills hand crept 20 his hip. On
a sandy level a few yards ahead of
him stood a ragged and faded canvas
tent, its tlap wayering IDLY I'm breath
/ OF wind In front of the tent was the
rain washed charcoal Of an old fire. A
! rusted pan, pick and the worn stub
OF a shovel lay near the stream. a
! box marked Dynamite" was bali ill.
cd with odds and ends OF empty tins.
( cooking utensils, and among the things
was a glass fruit jar half filled with
matches.
Slowly Overland's hand dropped TO
/ his side He stepped forward, stoop-
ed and peored into the tent. Thought
So" he said. laughing queerly. Save
for a pair OF old quilts and an old
corduroy coat the place was empty.
Fools uck!" muttered Overland
wonder the Gophertown outfit didn't
find him and fix him! But, come to
think of It, they amt so anxious to
cross over to this side OF the range
| and get too close TO real town and
/ get run In or shot up. Fools luckr'
he reiterated, coolly rolling a cigarette
and gazing about with a critical eye.
"They's another trail into this canyon
/ that the prospector knowed got TO
End It. Billy II be some interested"
| Overland Red lay concealed In an ar.
royo at the foot OF the range. He
could overlook the desert without be-
ing seen. IL was the afternoon OF the
| day following Winthrop's departure.
| Since discovering the dead prospec-
! tors camp and all that IL meant, the
tramp was doubly vigilant He tried
TO believe that his anxiety was for his
own safety rather than for Winthrop's.
He finally gave up that idea, grumbling
something about becoming plumb soft
I'm his feelin's since he took 10 asso.
ciatin' with sasslety folks" However.
had Winthrop been OF the west and
seasoned In its more rugged ways
Overland would have thought little OF
the young mans share In recent
events. While he knew that Winthrop
looked upon their venture as nothing
more than rather keenly exciting
game, Overland realized also that the
fastener had played the game royal.
| ly. Perhaps the fact that Winthrop's
health wns not OF the best appealed 20
some hidden sentiment I'm the tramp's
peculiar nature.
Far In the south a speck moved. al.
most imperccpubly. The tramp's keen
eyes told him that this was no horse
man. He rolled a cigarette and lay
back In the shade OF n bowlder Hes
couple OF points Off his course. butt
he can't miss the range" no reflected
Desiring TO assure himself that nj
horsemnn followed Winthrop, Overlap.
Red made no sign that might help IT,
other 20 fnd the trail over the ranfsss
The rim of winthrop's hat became 20
tinguishable: then the white lacinf 'ou
his boots. Nearer. Overland saw ". -,
his face was drawn and set with =