The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1935-07-11

Golden
RhantOIllS
FASCINATING TALES
OF LOST MINES
EwN.U, Ru EhffhM r. HAfaAn
SPANISH BULLION
By Edifha L. Wafson

btch tidbipli- the New AlpAito UpUI=
tains for some time. and as winter was
drawing near they were short-cutting
across the ranges toward home They
were somewhere In the rough country
which comprises the southwestern cor.
ner of the state.
Late one afternoon, snow began to
fall. We'll have to hole up for the
night, George" said one of the men
to the other First lIkely-looking cave
we eome1 TO. we'll call 1t a day."
Looks like one ahead. there" said
the other, and they quckened their
steps. The cave proved to be a fair
sized cavern. but they built fire near
It's mouth TO keep warmth In and wild
animals out, and soon they were COM
fortably frying bacon and boiling
coffee.
After supper. relaxed before the fire,
they looked about them. At the far
end of the cave second, smaller hole
appeared. some 10 feet up the rocky
wall. The snow had stopped falling,
and everything was peaceful.
We'll, we didn't find any hidden
treasure this trip" said the man called
George.
NO. and we never will. There isn't
any, that's why"
"Oh, | don't know. I've heard
listen, Bill, did anyone ever tell you
about the lost treasure Of the Golden
Giant?"
Nope; sounds like fairy tale.
suppose the giant ate up all the"
NO. this Golden Giant Is mine at
Pinos Altos. south Of here. 1t has been
gophered just under the surface. and
from the extent of the workings I'd
say that lot of ore was taken out
Of that mine. one time and another.
It's supposed to have been worked by
the Spaniards who lived at Santa Rita.
The local legend says that the Span
lards got out fabulous fortune. what
ever that means. and the next thing to
do was to take 1t over to Santa Rita,
where the fort was. SO they loaded
1t on burros and set out.
fSuUtu AIlH Is dU0ul --D tulltS sbulil~
east of Pinos Altos as the crow flies
but burros don't fly, and they had to
90 around. The got up above where
Hurley now stands, and suppose they
were congratulating themselves that
they were on the last lap when"
when the Golden Giant woke up
and came after them?' politely In
quired Bill.
NO you dummy Nothing like that.
It was Indians that showed up about
then. good old hostile Apaches. The
priest In charge of the pack-train just
had time to get them up on the mesa
and hastily bury the gold. Then the
Apaches got too near for comfort, and
although the spaniards put up brave
fight they were all killed"
''I'll bet that right In these very
mountains there's treasure cached
away. If a person could know where
to look"
That's d big If" m0rallzed Bill.
what do you say we get some sleep?"
The next morning Bill, looking about
him with a practiced eye for traces OF
ore, noticed again the small cave In
the rear of their lodging. 1t was an
ordinary-looling hole. but for some I'M
defined reason he felt lively Inter-
est In It.
Tin going to look and see what's
In that little cave" he told his part
ner. who was ready TO start on.
"Now who's got funny Ideas about
hidden treasurer" jeered George.
Come on, no use climbing up in that
hole"
I'm going to look, anyway" replied
BILL "Here goes"
He managed to scramble up the.
rocky wall, and landed safely In the
darkness of the little cave. 1t was
hard to see anything; he lit match
another "Hey, Georgei" he
called. urgently.
George, who had started on. heard
the summons and came back "What
do you want?" he demanded, rather
grossly.
Give me a nashlight, and hurry
mp" =
whats the matter now?" He un-%
packed the hashlight and handed 1t up
to BIZ, whose hand trembled a little.
"What have you got?'
For answer Bill threw down dusty,
heavy. small ohlong that fell with
rhud on the floor of the cave. George
bent over TO pick 1t up. but he straight
ened up again and looked at Bill as Ii
he were seeing a ghost.
"G-goldl' he stammered, weakly,
"G-gold b-bars !"
You will talk about Golden Giants,
wlll yon?" roared BIZ. We'll, here's
hidden treasure for you-more than
you and can arry," He jumped
down, went over to the door of the
cave and looked out. Then he turned
back.
"Or am going crazy?" he mumbed.
No he was not crazy, though the TWO
behaved like idiots for while In the
exnberance Of their emotions. Finally
they calmed down long enough TO plan
that they would take the gold home,
then return In the spring and hunt for
the mine from which 1t came