Show it 10 oak P amm anwa ra al 1 vs 5 4 ct 1420 1 4 V js 1 I 1 4 W I 1 I 1 fe 1 4 T BPI DON v I 1 egv i r I 1 am 14 1 1 I HEW we west est I 1 to in search I 1 of W gold we e stopped at golden gulch em abi I 1 and staked staged out our claf claim in ili a months time we got things to running all right and were I 1 congratulating ourselves that the west was not so BO wild and woolly as it is represented when something happened that threw the camp into great excitement one night mr rogers whose claim ww was next to ours had a fine horse stolen from him confusion reigned A thief in camp who could it be everybody was above suspicion of course horse stealing in the west is punished by death but no trace of the thief could be found and so a week passed then one morning there arrived in camp a man dressed in a rich mexican suit with his sombrero pulled over his eyes and a gaudy silk handkerchief tied around his neck almost concealing his face we could only se that he be had small eyes and a black mustache he was i of slight build and not tall he put up at jerry griffins hotel which was also post postoffice office and general house furnishing store at the gulch and gave his name RS as don pedro gomzalez Go malez the miners looked with suspicion on this man from the first fint and when two nights later jack allen alien was robbed of a bag dt f dust and don pedro turned up missing they were quick to denounce him as the thief allen alien ani ana williams at once organized a posse of men to search the mountains for the mexican father was one of the party in vain I 1 asked him to let me go no it was out of the question I 1 was too young and as they might be gone all day I 1 must stay at home and watch the claim mother had gone to westend hestend We stend the nearest town with a neighbors wife the day before go BO I 1 would be alone in the cabin jack allen alien found what he said was a trail up the mountain so ohp abe groces blon started after the thief I 1 was in a very bad humor when I 1 thought what IL a bore it would be to stay on the claim all ali alone all day I 1 loused longed to have a chance to mm carry the new rifle that father had given me with all a boys eagerness ness to shoot something the day passed slowly and I 1 was mad glad when darkness came and the moon rose from behind a distant clump of bo bowl ders I 1 went to the window and looked out how still everything was how bright the moonlight gleamed on the rocks I 1 began to wonder whether the men had captured don pedro and how long they would be gone suddenly a happy thought struck me til IU play cowboy all to myself fl I 1 muttered and running up the ladder to the loft I 1 opened my trunk and took from rom it the buckskin suit that I 1 wore to the masquerade last winter and put it on OIL in my belt I 1 stuck two rusty revolvers that I 1 found on the floor and then hen descended to the room below I 1 11 1 I Z THROW UP YOUR TOUR HANDS put on my father fathers a big felt hat stuck the biggest carving knife in my ay belt with toe the pistols pinola grabbed grabb edmy my rifle and began to parade up and down the room when I 1 had kept this up tor for a little while I 1 happened to look at the door and there I 1 beheld a man who was watching me with a smile on his fam face I 1 gave a start in which joy and terror were equally combined for the man main was of slight build and had black eyes and a black mustaches mu I 1 was sure that it was don pedro although ho he wore wor 9 althe the ordinary citizens dress I 1 determined then and there to capture him velling Le my arze st at the mans maws head bw 1 I cried throw up your h hands ands stranger dont move on your lifer eh mid ald my don pedro why I 1 I 1 hold em adf I 1 repeated d savagely and my visitor obeyed me aae ow n af pf I 1 aard d still keeping ke I 1 1 that Stai oll 11 alth is sold my captive c 4 tant my I 1 dear yli j ia 1 not maki I 1 1 14 1 a vili azie my masie name I 1 Is vonly 1 I 1 ain I 1 briw itri I 1 a ji I 1 M va y 1 I 1 tib a i W I 1 it I 1 i id avid m I 1 i a ya I 1 i f rr ikue v arm I 1 y X 4 Z I 1 iz U r G L 1 I 8 r r I 1 tj 14 1 m V A W ata bwll MA r ZV i I 1 wl I 1 r A i wade I 1 tw u aleffi Sl effi I 1 V X I 1 i aulk I 1 li wae re 1 alie 71 7 72 re iia r Z I 1 la e aw 1 1 4 f 0 JW OW jjr 1 t 1 ora W L laur t h m J i arg 1 roa u 1 1 S iz r I 1 I ag A za t i 4 w il DC esy erf im aa I 1 r 1 I iaz ar w 7 w 1 Z T I 1 1 I 1 I 1 1 z ka 4 aft bk g ars I 1 I 1 11 1 l ij jr peen T 5 I 1 X 1 in cl lr 1 ra sp leOff I 1 I 1 Z 1 an 5 1 il i a N 12 N W 4 M 17 1 is i 7 s i apis I 1 p assi faai jiel 4 t V ZT ar 1 me sms M 15 1 5 4 7 5 fr h i awas far if was 11 ve I 1 arntt 6 u f answered J that t golden boldn gulch miners did I 1 1 cotcha cm sider alder a joke and gently reminded him that the rifle was waa loaded mr farms arms were beginning to ache suppose the boys should not come back that night what should I 1 do just then I 1 heard the clatter of horses hoots hoofs on the hard rocky road nearer and nearer came the sounds and then the whole party swept down the mountain and drew rein in front of the cabin Th father ther jack dick I 1 shouted ave ve caught him hes in here at the mercy of my riner rifle who came the answer from without why don pedro gomzalez Go malez the horse thief I 1 said as my father and jack allen alien entered the cabin land and there he is I 1 lowered my rifle and looked at my audience with a beaming face father and jack looked at each other then at me in my warlike costume then at my prisoner and then they bu burst out laughing well ml be pinched cried jack between laughs and roars look at the togs the kids got on kid I 1 yelled indignantly Is this my reward for the terrible ordeal I 1 have just gone through I 1 ran from the cabin in a towering rage to the rest of the party part Y outside and saw a man bound on a horse and guarded by dick and mr rogers get on to de kid in war clothes cried dick dick I 1 gasped pointing to the man on the horse Is that doti don pedro gomzalez Go malez what he calls himself said dick although his real name Is plain jim haddon horse thief and general robber we caught him halt half way across the mountain on mr rogers horse we found jacks gold dust on him and he confessed both crimes dick I 1 cried if that is don pedro who is the man ive been holding at the end of my rifle all evening first I 1 heard of it said dick and I 1 dragged him into the cabin by this time my don pedro had explained that his name was donald smith and that he was sent to the gulch by a large san francisco mining company to inspect and perhaps to buy some claims he had bad arrived that evening and finding the place deserted had bad ventured into the first cabin he found open to be pounced upon by me you may imagine my feelings suppose mr smith should repeat some of my big western talk the boys would never quit guying me but be did not give me away for which I 1 thank him with all my heart i he only gave me a wink and asked me if being a back backwoodsman I 1 had ever heard of davy crocketts advice he said it was be sure youre ri right t then hen go ahead and I 1 think its good val advice vice dont you several miners sold out their claims to the company that mr smith represented and father finally did the same for which I 1 was glad for I 1 have never felt comfortable after the night I 1 captured don pedro |