Show THE prospector AND MS HIS BURRO u by will C higgins after considering the womans comans story carefully said the prospector to his burro jim and I 1 decided to return to the old cabin in the grove but not until we had taken the greatest care in approaching this hidden retreat jim was to precede me by about an hour after which I 1 was to go 90 to the place where I 1 had first joined him fter after a he had discovered the cabin in which the woman had been found bound and helpless and if he did not answer to my signal I 1 was to proceed cautiously to the cabin and assist him if he had met with an enemy or any obstacle it was one of the longest hours I 1 ever experienced but when the time came for me to start I 1 left the woman to guard camp giving her one of our extra rifles so that she might defend herself if need be with great caution I 1 approached the spot where we were to rendezvous and I 1 was mightily pleased to find jim there awaiting me nothing had happen o i to oppose his investigations although he had made a wide circle around the cabin and the grove even going so far that he could see the entrance to the mine where the wo mans husband had been working vor xing at the time of the attack of the outlaws who had carried him away then we both went back to our camp in the willows and within less than an hour had moved all of our effects to the cabin where we prepared for a rather long stay the woman whose name was mrs jenkins went with us and we partitioned off a room for her with blankets and we found that she was an excellent cook and good at keeping the camp neat and tidy we did nothing more that day while we took turn about at picket duty during the night for we did not know but that the outlaws might return for the woman after disposing of her husband it must have been about three in the morning continued the prospector when jim who was acting as sentinel bentin el at the time heard a rustling in the bushes as if man or beast was approaching the camp jims jim s challenge aroused me from my light slumber and I 1 soon joined him anxious to know the cause of alarm if any existed the slight commotion also awoke mrs jenkins who had joined us before we were aware of her presence all was as silent as the grave for about five minutes when we nvere were surprised to hear the shrill calling of a quail from the underbrush from which the strange noises had come which had excited jims suspicions we could hardly believe that a bird could cause the rustling noise in the brush and were wondering what we should do when the woman with a cry of joy rushed out into the open with some hesitation we followed and when we came up to her we found her weeping in the arms of a strange man who a little later on she introduced to us as her lost husband we were somewhat perplexed at his sudden and unexpected appearance and it was not until we all had returned to the cabin that an explanation was offered jenkins then told us that the outlaws after taking him by surprise and after binding his wife and leaving her liel helpless pless in the cabin had forced him to accompany them to the old mine where they had slept that night it being the intention of the chief of the gang to return to the cabin the next day for the woman that night he had slept between two of the outlaws and the next morning or about the time jim and I 1 4 had made our headquarters in the cabin the chief of the bunch demanded the gold that jenkins was Aup supposed posed to have taken from the mine during the time he had been employed in its operation the gold as a matter of fact had been hidden under one of the foundations of the cabin but jenkins fearing for his cifes safety had told his captors that the gold was secreted in a drift running off from the bottom of the fifty foot shaft which he had equipped with a makeshift make shift windlass at first the outlaws of whom there were five decided to have jenkins go down and get the loot for them but for fear he would not return when commanded to do so it was decided that he remain with two of the men on top while three of them should be lowered into the shaft in order to secure the treasure one by one the three men were fastened to the rope and with jenkins and one of the greasers at the windlass were gently dropped to the bottom of the shaft when the last one had reached the drift level and as the chief was leaning over the collar calling out directions jenkins had picked up a shovel handle and with the quickness of lightning had struck the outlaw on the head the attack was so sudden that the outlaw lost his balance and toppled over into the shaft without uttering a word this left but one man to deal with this man however had witnessed the attack by jenkins and sprang at him knife in hand only missing his intended victim by a hairs breadth although the keen blade had ripped the sleeve of jenkins shirt from shoulder to wrist by a quick turn jenkins was enabled to swing clear of his antagonist and with a backhand back hand stroke of his shovel handle was able to disable his foe dragging him to the open shaft and pushing him over into it so that he joined his companions with more speed than dignity with quick action jenkins pulled the rope out of the shaft and knowing that his prisoners could not escape his first thought was to return to the cabin and release his wife from her bonds it was now nearly dark and as he approached the grove and clearing cautiously tiou sly he was surprised to see our burros grazing in the underbrush and other evidences of foreign occupation of his camp of course he believed we were part of the band which had captured him or at least enemies and so he laid low hoping to be able to attract the attention of his wife by some means or other she had retired to her part of the cabin by this time and so he was unable to carry out his intentions in that respect he had seen me while I 1 was taking my shift as guard and was not a hundred feet distant when we changed and jim took my place he was afraid to make his presence known and was about to retire into a safer place when jim had heard the rustling of the bushes and had issued his challenge for a moment he stood motionless and when his wife appeared uttered the signal understood between them the call of the quail in order that she might become aware of his near presence and either conceal this knowledge if we were enemies or relieve him of his suspense if we were friends of course we were greatly interested in his story and we were not slow in assuring him that we would assist him in every way possible and it was with light hearts that we all took to our blankets for the rest of the night for we knew that the outlaws in the shaft could not possibly escape and that we could rest in perfect security until morning when we proposed to make some decision as to what course to take in the disposal of the captives jenkins had so artfully made just what occurred I 1 will tell you in our next conversation for this has been a hot day ayea e and d for the fourth of july and I 1 am tired I 1 in need of rest 1 I want to tell you old long ears concluded the prospector this was a anost n I 1 and alad interesting time in my varied career felt that we all had some exciting tin ahead of us for it is as hard to deal witt w a bunch of roughnecks rough necks as it is to wake and peace with a ten button rattlesnake I 1 there you are and then some |