Part 11 (2/2)
”Why not? The edge of Death Valley is just croithit”
”Crowded! YoungDeath Valley is?
Crowded! Now and then you'll find a et on the brain, but if the o, can't find it, I think it is useless for others to try There have been landslides in all the canyons that run through there till you can't rest I'll tell you what I'll do: if you will find that nugget, I will give you ten thousand dollars for it That's a better offer than I et besides If you are around when anybody else digs it up, I will give you five thousand dollars”
There was so in this offer that co of Elaain, and neither did Toold The nugget was there, or why should so large a number of men be on the lookout for it? And if he _should_ happen to strike it, he would be a rich ht in histhat ought to have opened Toold had been struck in that country for miles around The nearest place at which any had been found was at Pike's Peak, and that was over two hundredthat kept the cowboys fro him of it was the fact that when he was in the , but if he knew there was no gold to reward his search, he would give up in despair
It took our party five days to out and headquarters, for the cattle were slow of raze on the way About ten o'clock a fierce winter wind, which made Tom bundle his overcoat closer about hi up fro and struck out for a canyon about athis they held their way for five ed into a broad natural prairie, large enough, Toht, to pasture all the cattle in the country, and went to feeding with one of the herds The air was soft and bal across the horn of his saddle Mr
Parsons pulled up his horse and gazed around him with a smile of satisfaction
”These cattle are all mine, Tom,” said he ”Every horn and hoof you see here has been paid for, and if you want to get in the saive you a chance when you coht as well go out and see if you can find anything of that bronco Too away, and we ing the ! He looked up at the e and he so setting bewildered in so there and nobody would knohat had becoe him He was made of sterner stuff He looked up and said with an air of deteret to work the sooner I shall be doing so”
”That's the idea,” said Mr Parsons ”Stick to that and you will coo hoalloped away in one direction, while he and Mr Parsons held down the valley,cattle After going in a lope Mr Parsons drew up his horse and began to talk seriously to Tos which would fall to his lot if he endeavored to carry out his plan, but he did not try to turn him from his purpose On the contrary, he tried to warn hiers came he would be prepared to meet them half-way He kept this up until the home ranch appeared in view, and then he stopped, for he didn't want the cowboys to hear what he was saying
This hoout There was a neat cabin to take the place of it, and Toht some of the cowboys had used an axe pretty well by the way they fashi+oned the logs and put theether There were half a dozen hay-racks out behind the house, protected fro on the porch, no saddles, bridles, and riding whips, all such things having been put into a cubby-hole in the rear of the house But it so happened that the cook, who had got there first, had peeled off his coat, and was engaged in straightening things out
”I never did see such a o away for five ht to be, though I have hunted high and low for that carving-knife”
Tom took his seat at Mr Parsons' side while he filled up preparatory to a ss that he wanted to speak to him about
CHAPTER IX
LOST IN THE MOUNTAINS
When Mr Parsons had fairly settled hi his leg as a ht who felt at peace with himself and all the world, To about h with Did you o on foot?”
”I did, certainly,” said Mr Parsons ”You will find that the bronco will go through some places that you will not care to ride, and, besides, you will have one horse less to take care of, and one less to watch”
”Have I got to watch him all the time?”
”Well, yes You must keep the halter on hio into camp If you don't, he will run away and leave you He'll turn around and take the back track as soon as your pack grows light, and you had better come, too”
”That's what one of the cowboys told ot some money here I don't suppose it will be of the least use to me in the mountains, and I should like to leave it with soht Leave your horse and your money with me, and I will take care of them”
”If I don't come back, they are yours,” continued Toun of so a word Mr Parsons went into the house and brought out a rifle and a revolver Tom took them and examined them, and the way he drew the rifle to his face rather astonished Mr Parsons He reuns before in his day, and Tom told him that he could not reun for his own His uncle furnished his