The Golden Argosy: Tom Gale's Ride — page 9: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

| - JULY 23, 1887, "Se [This story commenced in No, 241.) By JOHN C. HUTCHESON. CHAPTER JV. ERNEST WILTON’S ARRIVAL. HE hunters had only a minute or two to wait, but the suspense seemed to last hours to one or two, especially to poor Josh, the cook. In bis fright of be- ing scalped by a possible Indian, he would have cheerfully given up all his chances of sold in the mine and everything, to have swapped places with the envious Jasper and been safe in camp. In a little while the listeners heard the sound of twigs being broken near them, as if some one were making his way through the copse. Soon they could distinguish, in addition, the heavy tramp of footsteps—- they sounded us heavy as those of elephants to them, with their ears to the groand— trampling down the thick undergrowth and rotten twigs in the thicket before them ; and they could also hear a sort of mutter- ing sound, like that caused by somebody speaking to himself in soliloquy. Then a nondescript-clad figure came out of the brushwood into the open clearing, walking towards the spot where the moun- tain sheep lay stretched on the sward, which was partly covered with the snow that remained anmelted under the lee of the cliff; and « voice, without doubt be- longing to the figure, exclaimed in unmis- takable English accents— + Well, I never heard of such a thing be- fore in my life! I know I am a tidy shot, but if I were to mention this at home they | THE HUNTERS, HIDDEN IN THE BUSHES, SAW A FIGURE STEP FORWARD INTO THE CLEARING. ‘It’s only a Britisher !” said Noah Web- ster ; and they all rose from their covert and sallied ont into the open, to the in- tense astonishment of the new-comer, whose surprise was evidently mixed with a proportionate amount of alarm, for he clutched his gun more tightly at the sight of them, and stood apparently on the defen- sive. **We are friends,” Mr. Rawlings said, ‘‘some of us your countrymen, if, as I judge by your accent, you are an English- man. Weare working a mine in this neigh- borhood. My name is Rawlings, and I am the proprietor of the mine.” ‘*My name is Wilton—Ernest Wilton,” the stranger said, taking the hand that Mr. Rawlings held out. ‘‘Ilam glad indeed to meet with a party of my countrymen.” Mr. Rawlings then asked Ernest Wilton how he came to be wandering among the Black Hills. ‘* Well,” replied Wilton, ‘‘I will tell you my story. Some little time since I started from Oregon with a prospecting party that was organized to hunt up various openings for the employment of capital in mining and other speculative enterprises. With this party I crossed the Rocky Mountains, and went about from place to place, until about three days ago, when, while shooting umongst these hills of yours, either I lost them or they lost me. Here I have been wandering about ever since by myself, and would probably have come to grief if I had not met you. ‘‘By profession I am a mining engineer, but the mine I had come from England to work turned out badly, and I accepted an- other engagement, thinking to do a little sporting and exploring on my own account before returning to England—nice sport I’ve found it, too!” Mr. Rawlings gave the stranger an ear- would say I was telling a confounded lie !\ nest invitation to spend a day or two with To think of killing three of those queer | them down at the creek. ereatures at one shot! believe it?” ei The listeners burst into a simultaneous roar of laughte. By Jove, who'd The visitor readily accepted; and the party started for the camp, Mr. Rawlings strolling on with his new acquaintance, and THE GOLDEN ARGOSY. accent nase | | | | H 4 | | i ~s 6 : y AS he A A Lat » tg? 7 , y , FAY “n vy , 7 . ad <A bi . le Ly) Mit lig OSs. id OSM pie, Me Y Stitt a y spay, cs “y LL WIL A Z LZ Ys Zz, tiyjpigs , Z “ Ve ff sones GIL. ‘, CYA Z , ; Ky ht, 44 / (AA (fs /; 4A 1 ' Yt flee , 4 7 7 y, : By fi A é, 4 ( 7 2 SELISEIA Y ra a a Sip J VY - ADT fly, : , t/fJ a} j — = z GILLI i, 4 QT A bo "2, ff, t/ lh Ya, Y ¥ SS ~ 7 f > wl ik. whine the others following, talking earnestly to-{ almost as common nowadays out West as gether. Arrived at the house, Mr. laughingly apologized for its state of dilap- idation, but assured the visitor that it was far more comfortable than it looked. Seth came to the doorway, and the other miners gathered round, to inspect both the welcome supply of fresh food and the stranger. ‘This is Seth Allport, my lieutenant and manager,” Mr. Rawlings said. ‘‘Seth, this is Mr. Wilton, an English mining engineer.” ‘‘ Jerusalem!” exclaimed Seth. ‘* Now, who would have thought that?” ‘*You seem surprised at my being an en- gineer,” said Ernest Wilton, laughing at Seth’s exclamation ; for even the hungry miners, who had been previously clustered in groups around Josh and Jasper, surveying the cooking arrangements of the two dark- eys with longing eyes, appeared to forget the claims of their appetites for the mo- ment on the announcement of what evi- dently was a welcome piece of news. They incontinently abandoned the grate- ful sight of the frizzling mutton, that was sending forth the most savory odors, and joined the leaders of the party who were in- terviewing the young Englishman. ‘“T shouldn’t’ have thought one of my profession by any means a strange visitor,” Wilton continued, ‘‘Tt isn’t the surprise, mister,” replied Seth cordially. reckon. this particular time. matter !” ‘*T’m sure I ought to feel greatly honored at such an imposing reception,” said Ernest, still rather perplexed at the ovation, which seemed unaccountable to him. “It is not such a very uncommon thing for an engi- neer to be traveling through these regions, is it now? especially when you consider That's what's the that it has been mainly through the exer- | tions of men of my craft, and the railways wake, that the country has been opened up at all. Rawlings | | lings, hastening i blackberries in old England.” ‘‘Yon are right there,” said Mr. Raw- to explain the cirecum- stances that bad caused his arrival to be looked upon as, such a piece of good for- tune, quite apart from the friendly feelings with which they regarded him as a forlorn stranger whom they were glad to welcome to their camp. ‘‘ But, you see, your com- ing, as Seth Allport has just remarked, has been almost coincident with a loss, or rather want, which we just begin to feel in our mining operations here. ‘*Your arrival has happened justin the nick of time, when we are nearly ata stand- still through the want of a competent engi- neer, like yourself, experienced in mines and mining work. Hands we have in plenty—willing and able hands, too,” added Mr. Rawlings, with an approving glance ‘round at the assembled miners ; “‘ but we want a head to suggest how our efforts can be best directed, and our gear utilized, to- wards carrying out the object we all have in view. [and Seth have done our best ; but, what with the overflow of water in the mine, ‘and the necessity we think there is now for running out side cuttings from the main shaft, so as to strike the lode properly, we were fairly at our wits’ end.” **T see,” said Ernest Wilton musingly, ‘¢ I see.” ‘*An’ if yer like to join us in that air ca- ‘*No, that ain’t it, quite, I| pacity,” interposed Seth, thinking that the It’s the coincidence, as it were, at | other was merely keeping back his decision ‘until he heard what terms might be offered him, and that a practical suggestion about money matters would settle the matter, | ** why, mister, we shan’t grumble about the dollars, you bet ! As yer knows, the kernel kinder invited yer jest now, when we had no sort o’ reckonin’ as to who and what yer /were. Thar’ll be no worry about yer share ov the plunder now—no, sir,” “Oh, pray don’t mention that!” ex- claimed Ernest Wilton, pained at the in- game being lifted and slung on poles, the | that they have planned, following in their | terpretation put upon his reticence in ac- cepting the offer of the position made him. I should have thought engineers | ‘‘ Nothing was further from my thoughts, GCDOOKS nm