Part 14 (1/2)

”One!”

The right hands of the two youths were raised on a level, and the gleaming barrel of a pistol shone from each.

”Two!”

There was a sharp click! click! as the hammers of the weapons were pulled back at full c.o.c.k. Each click meant danger or death.

Harris was very white; so was Fearless Frank, but not so much so as the young woman who was to give the signal.

”Three! _Fire!_” cried Alice, quickly; then, there was a flash, the report of two pistols, and Ned Harris fell to the ground without a groan.

McKenzie ran to his side, and bent over him.

”Poor fellow!” he murmured, rising, a few moments later--”poor Ned.

_He is dead!_”

It was Harris' request to be left where he fell. Accordingly he was laid on the gra.s.s by the roadside, his horse tethered near by, and then, accompanied by Alice, Justin McKenzie set out to Deadwood.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote C: Living characters]

CHAPTER XI.

THE POCKET GULCH MINES--INVADERS OF THEM.

We see fit to change the scene once more back to the pocket gulch--the home of the sweet, sad-faced Anita. The date is one month later--one long, eventful month since Justin McKenzie shot down Ned Harris under the noonday sun, a short distance above Deadwood.

Returning to the Flower Pocket by the route to the rugged transverse gulch, and thence through the gaping fissure, we find before us a scene--not of slumbering beauty, but of active industry and labor, such as was not here when we last looked into the flower-strewn paradise of the Hills.

The flowers are for the most part still intact, though occasionally you will come across a spot where the hand of man hath blighted their growth.

Where stood the little vine-wreathed cabin now may be seen a larger and more commodious log structure, which is but a continuation of the original.

A busy scene greets our gaze all around. Men are hurrying here and there through the valley--men not of the pale-face race, but of the red race; men, clad only to the waist, with remarkable muscular developments, and fleetness of foot.

Over the little creek which dashes far adown from pine-dressed mountain peaks, and trails its s.h.i.+ning waters through the flowering land, is built another structure--of logs, strongly and carefully erected, and thatched by a master hand with bark and gra.s.s. From the roof projects a small smoke-stack, from which emanates a steady cloud of smoke, curling lazily upward toward heaven's blue vault, and inside is heard the grinding, crus.h.i.+ng rumble of ponderous machinery, and we rightly conjecture that it is a crusher in full operation. Across from the northern side of the gulch comes a steady string of mules in line, each pulling behind him a jack-sled (or, what is better known to the general reader as a stone-boat) heavily laden with huge quartz rocks.

These are dumped in front of one of the large doorways of the crusher, and the ”empties” return mechanically and disappear within a gaping fissure in the very mountain side--a sort of tunnel, which the hand of man, aided by that great and stronger arm--powder--has burrowed and blasted out.

All this is under the Immediate management of the swarthy-skinned red-men, whose faces declare them to be a remnant of the once great Ute tribe--now utilized to a better occupation than in the dark and b.l.o.o.d.y days of the past.

Near the crusher building is a large, stoutly-constructed windla.s.s, worked by mule power, and every few moments there comes up to the surface from the depths of a shaft, a bucketful of rock and sand, which is dumped into a push-car, and from thence transferred to the line of sluice-boxes in the stream, where more half-clothed Utes are busily engaged in sifting golden particles from the rich sand.

What a transformation is all this since we left the Flower Pocket a little over a month ago! Now, everywhere within those majestic mountain-locked walls is bustle and excitement; then, the valley was sleeping away the calm, perfume-laden autumnal days, unconscious of the mines of wealth lying nestling in its bosom, and content and happy in its quietude and the adornments of nature's beauties.

Now, shouts, ringing halloos, angry curses at the obstinate mules, the rumbling of ponderous machinery, the clink of picks and reports of frequent blasts, the deadened sound of escaping steam, the barking of dogs, the whining of horses--all these sounds are now to be heard.