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Show ............ .. ., GOLDEN j i PHANTOMS ; ; Fascinating Tales Of tdilh. i.. Walson : Lost Mines L'.... r4 LOST DUTCHMAN MINE tO SERIES concerning golden IN phantoms would he complete without a story about the famous Lost Dutchman mine. In fact, a book might he written about It, because be-cause in the century that has elajed since its discovery legends have sprung up about it that would furnish a volume of interesting and often exciting, even blood curdling curd-ling reading. The very location of the mine is unusual. It lies somewhere in Superstition Su-perstition mountain, that great, picturesque pic-turesque labyrinth which stands out of the desert forty miles from Phoenix. Ariz. Yet, somewhere among these hiding-places where anything beautiful, beauti-ful, gruesome, or strange might be concealed, at least one person lives. Who it is, how he manages to exist, ex-ist, what he knows of the secrets of Suerstition are questions which he alone can answer. But there he is, self-constituted guardian of the mountain. He is armed, and those who venture near his place of concealment con-cealment realize that fact very soon, though nil of them have not lived to warn others. 1S43 is nearly a century ago. It was In 1S43 that a young Mexican, Carlos, the illegitimate son of Don Miguel I'eralto. tied from his father's fa-ther's wrath up into the winding Ways of Superstition. He was followed fol-lowed by two Indians who had orders or-ders to bring him back, hut at last, after many weeks had passed, only one returned. This Indian had much to tell. Carlos had discovered ore of Incredible In-credible richness, and had started for home with the news, hoping to soften his father's heart. One of the sudden mountain floods which sometimes catch wayfarers had swept him away, however, before he had come far, and with him had gone the other Indian and the horses. Carlos had lived only long enough to tell the survivor his story, and to point out the location of the mine. The Indian was able to show Don Miguel the place, and the old don worked the mine for five years, becoming be-coming rich from its proceeds. Then the United States became the owner of all that territory, and Don Miguel decided to send In one last enormous expedition, to take out all the gold possible, and then to retire gracefully. Four hundred men, accordingly, ac-cordingly, and a thousand mules, were sent to the mine. There were Apaches In the region In those days, as soldiers of a later generation could relate. The Mexicans Mexi-cans were unable to stand against Ithem. Only two boys crawled away land managed to keep out of sight. All the rest perished. Carlos gave the mine Its first bloody baptism ; the four hundred miners wrote the second chapter with their gore. But that was only the start of the story. Several years later a German prospector named Jacob Walz lost his way among the twisted canyons :of the eerie mountain. Wandering jabout without any idea where he was going, he finally stumbled onto a camp where three Mexicans received re-ceived him with native hospitality and gave him food and water. Two ,of the men were the boys who had escaped from the Apache raid; the other was a compadre who was to share their labor and their riches. :They were working a wonderful mine, they told Walz. The German pretended to be remarkably re-markably Ignorant of such things ns mines. He acted Indifferent, but he looked and listened avidly, and watched for n chance to do something some-thing that should make the mine his alone. The chance came; he caught up his ride and fired three times. The third sanguine chapter was written. And now, having gained sole possession pos-session of the golden secret, the "Dutchman" did a characteristic tiling : he gathered up a load of nuggets, nug-gets, took them to Phoenix, grew garrulously drunk, and told all. Naturally, every one wanted to know where when how. This he would not tell. The mystery pleased him. The flaltery exalted him. But when anyone tried to follow, he he-came he-came a stubborn old fellow who would not lead. Even murder did not keep back the Increasing number who tried to trail Walz to the mine. lie began to fee worried; what if some one should find it? The only safe thing j was to hide the place so thorough- j ly that no one would know where j it was. He covered the opening witli j logs and concealed theni with rock. So he went to phoenix, am there he grew 111 and died. As he felt himself going, the old man tried to tell a friend about the mine. He gave him a box full of nuggets, and tried to describe whore they came from, but who can de-scrilre de-scrilre one place in that mysterious mountain and be understood? I The friend spent the rest of his ! life hunting the place. His son Is carrying on the soarcb and so are hundreds of others. I'.ut the, mine remains hidden. j 1 |