Down the Mother Lode

e lash on the hi

the packer is sc

e all open, the r

an's whistle is

t Ha

as white as she was fleet, had put me far in the lead. She loved a race as well as I did, but she ran it to suit herself. If I tried

dat chile! Been hoss-racin' agin su'ah as Moses was in Egypt! I shall suttenly enjine yo' fathah to done gin' yo' plow-hoss to ride so yo's gw

pampering of her "chile," and so did I continue to

s which had grown up and jumping the fallen tree trunks. Suddenly we came out of the woods and she shied violently at a man who was digging a fen

ted in the road and catching at Flos

oose dirt in the hole

road and it was at this very spot that Rattlesnake Dick and some of his gang held up the Wells-Fargo stage coach and got such a l

t bubble from the pipe of romance. Proud, imperious, bitter Dick! What a splendid old

bold and brilliant Englishman whom two undeserved jail sentences had turned into such a pictu

told him. "I have heard the story oft

he was dead and lying on the sidewalk in A

r supervisor more than a year later, no decent person would vote for him and he lost his

e to your sister's f

y n

of an honorable English gentle

en the wretched little Jew's goods? It is all forgotten," and George Taylor paused in his restless pacing, before the

and down in the drift tunnels. Wherever I go it follows me like an evil spirit, rearing its unclean head between me an

me to this opening of the new opera house, if only to add to my pleasure. All the to

ught you the letter

es. She is beautiful, and you s

d the usual flotsam of a mining town. The singer was not of the hurdy-gurdy type so common in those days, but a "lady," young, lovely and accomplished. Her ballads were greeted with the greatest enthusiasm, and soon the stage b

lled with gold dust." She slipped out of her little sandals and stood,

for you a song which has but lately come from London. 'Tis from a new opera called the Bohemian Girl, comp

of love shall tell Of days that have as happy

ver your eyes? You a

usation is an insult," with a

presented; have

ife lasts, I shall

ast. She is singing,

ers from all over the earth. S

em. They will lie, tonight on

"they are more like to hasten down to the gambli

Singer-Lady raised her bright head from Dick's should

ot exonerated from the last accusation of which you informed me before you asked for my h

knows well that I di

g else you stole from Master Crow the woman he wanted. Often have I no

nd beautiful head, impatient of the silky

cent carriage they would admire

ter, for I have a boding heart, this day. I have enemies. They will use my past record. The co

you to be innocent, and

hands from his shoulders, slipping off the little silken mitts an

I should not return

way

h of shame shall ever sully

chard. God bless you. I wil

Taylor brought her

wailed, "they ha

ars in

was in

st tell you-Dick has broken jail and fled north to Shasta county, where

at the little Opera House in Rattlesnake. She went to he

they been doing to ye, so to dim your bright yo

ler, wher

swer." The girl's ey

t two, no word. I must find

s and Cherokee Bob and Lame Jim Driscoll. They say,

o strong. His false record followed him up and down the state from every idle throat, casting a bligh

to me? Oh, he had my whol

from California to travel. As soon as he reached San Francisco he was recognized by one of the authorities and 'shown u

ooked him in the eyes and knew him not. 'Twas that which broke his h

, I should have fallen at his feet-lost to all maidenly reserve-there before the people. It must have been my s

tears. Try to be brave.

If I cannot become his, I shall go lonely to m

free, and he has never been known to take anything from a woman. He say

es not take horses or mules except to get away with his booty. No cell can hold him. He has escaped from every jail i

would

t big raid was upon George Barstow's Wells-Fargo train from Yreka. They held them up on Trini

e tied to trees, and the gang is waiting for Dick and Cy Skinner to get back with new mules, as the Wel

rom the trees behind the house floate

When hollow hearts shall wear a mask, 'twill break your own to

Dick's arms, and the misunderstandi

e sound of galloping horses. Dick was looking

is t

the house. They mu

with the wail of

and sternly requested to alight. We entered into conversation with the gentleman of the law-whom I had met several times befo

from the top of the stage, escaped across Harmon Hill. The vain fellow carrie

ned here! That

ging to see you once more o

s on this dear head. No prison can keep me till I am laid in that last one beneath the grass, and there I will wait for you dear love. I shall not hear the celestian singing till your

will look into my heart which strove to be honorable

ll of his precarious and bitter life had written finis. A mile above Auburn they were overtaken by Assessor George W. Martin and D

ick lay down to die. George put him on his great riding cloak and spread a saddle blanke

d friend-

he side. You promised that when I came to this pas

y hand but mine ma

power to save my immortal soul." He wrote laboriously on a bit of paper

d restore you to the paths of rectitude, and I say faithfully, He will save you. He sees in your heart a secret wish to be a better man. 'Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and all things shall be added thereunto.

n Ven