OUR FRIENDS HEAR ABOUT FORBIDDEN PASS.
Young Wild West was not long in picking out a spot to camp upon.
It was right near a little, running brook that came tumbling down the
steep rocks and wound its way through the gentle slope upon which was
located the cluster of shanties.
It was easy to tell that the mining camp had not been in existence very
long, for the shanties were new.
As soon as the pack horses were unloaded our friends allowed the two
Chinamen to go ahead with the work of getting the camp in shape, while
they took a look around.
Almost opposite to the point they had rounded in order to ride into the
mining camp was a high ridge, which was easily a hundred feet above the
level. It extended around on both sides and joined the sloping,
irregular side of the mountain over which the trail ran.
Almost in the centre of this was a cut that was about thirty feet in
width, and it was so regular in shape that one would almost have taken
it to be the work of man.
But it was nothing more than one of the passes that are to be found in
the mountains, and which are so handy for travelers to proceed to a
given point in a more direct line.
Young Wild West noticed that a trail ran through the camp direct to the
pass. But it did not appear as though it was used a great deal, since
the wagon-ruts and hoof-prints had become obliterated in some parts.
"I wonder where that trail leads to?" our hero observed, as he tamed to
his two partners. "Wherever it goes, there are not many using it now, it
seems."
"It leads on up in the wilds of the mountains, by the looks of things,"
Jim Dart answered. "It may be that prospectors have gone that way and,
not finding anything worth while, have come back through the pass
again."
"Sorter looks that way, I reckon," said Cheyenne Charlie. "But, hello!
Ther miners is quittin' work. Now we'll soon see how many of 'em knows
us, as ther saloon man said they did."
Sure enough, the miners were seen heading for the saloon. They came from
different directions, for it was just six o'clock now, and they had quit
work for the day.
The claims that were being worked were all within sight of the shanties,
the nearest one being but a couple of hundred yards away from the
saloon, which appeared to be the leading place in the camp.
But as the store was very near to it, it might be that some of the men
were bound there.
Having satisfied themselves that it was a very nice, little mining camp,
our friends turned to and assisted the Chinamen to get things in shape.
They did not intend to remain there any longer to get a rest than for a
day or two, but they were always interested when they struck a spot
where gold dust was being taken out.
No end of good luck had followed them in their search for gold, and
Arietta, the charming sweetheart of the dashing young deadshot, had the
lead over them all, as far as making discoveries that were profitable to
them were concerned.
But it was nothing more than chance that had brought them to Big
Bonanza, and, as was usually the case, a little excitement had started
immediately upon their arrival.
But none of our friends minded what had happened.
They were so used to meeting "bad men," as many of the miners and
cowboys were proud to style themselves, that there was absolutely
nothing new to it.
Meanwhile the miners were not long in reaching the saloon, and the store
adjacent to it.
Then it was only a few minutes before half a dozen were seen approaching
the spot where the two Chinamen had finished putting up the tents that
belonged to the camping outfit.
"Hello, Young Wild West!" called out a big man, with a short, gray beard
on his face. "How are yer? An' how's everybody with yer?"
"First rate," answered Wild, as he shook hands with the miner, but
failed to recognize him. "How are you?"
"Me? Oh, I'm fine! I've struck it rich here in ther wilds of Nevady, my
boy! I'm ther prospector what started ther camp. I named her Big
Bonanza, an' it sartinly has been a big bonanza fur me. Beats minin' up
in Weston, all right."
"Weston, eh?"
Then our hero remembered of having seen the man before.
The short, gray beard had changed his appearance wonderfully.
The miner was John Sedgwick, a former bartender at a hotel in the little
town in the Black Hills that had been named for our hero.
"Sedgwick, I didn't know you," he said, smiling at him. "What in the
world are you doing with that gray beard? It makes you look twenty years
older."
"Well, we ain't got no barber shop here yet, an' I never was much good
at shavin' myself, so I jest let ther beard grow. But what's ther odds?
I'll shave up an' spruce up jest as soon as I've made my pile. Then I'll
light out fur home, an' me an' my wife will live on ther fat of ther
land. I've got nigh to a hundred thousand now, an' jest as soon as I git
it I'm goin' ter strike out fur ther East. Hello, Charlie! Hello, Jim!"
He now shook hands with our hero's partners, for they had recognized him
as an old acquaintance the moment Wild spoke to him.
The girls had seen Sedgwick, too, and they greeted him warmly.
"Well," said the miner, "I reckon there ain't many here in Big Bonanza
what ain't heard tell of Young Wild West an' his pards. I've kept ther
boys interested in tellin' 'em about ther wonderful things you've done.
Come up an' shake hands with ther whitest boy what ever stuck his toe in
a stirrup, boys!"
The last was addressed to the men who had come over with him, and they
now pressed forward eagerly.
Young Wild West sized them up quickly and made up his mind that they
were an honest lot, indeed.
He had come in contact with so many rough characters that he had made it
a point to read faces and study character that way.
It was seldom that he made a mistake in his estimation of a man, either.
The miners seemed very glad to know the dashing young deadshot and his
friends, and after they had talked awhile they, turned to make their way
to their shanties, so they might get their suppers.
As our hero followed Sedgwick a little way from the camp his glance
happened to turn toward the mouth of the narrow pass at the other side
of the valley.
"Where does that trail lend to, John?" he asked, pointing it out.
"That?" the miner queried, as he shook his head. "That trail leads ter
Silver Bend, which is another minin' camp a good deal bigger than this
here one. It's only ten miles from here by goin' through that pass. But
few as know about ther pass goes that way. They would rather go around
about twenty-five miles, so they don't have ter go through it. They
calls it 'Forbidden Pass,' yer know."
"Forbidden Pass, eh?"
Young Wild West looked interested.
"Yes, that's it."
"But what do they call it that for?"
"Well, there's a certain gang what belongs ter Silver Bend what runs
things their own way, an' they say that they've organized inter a gang
of outlaws ter clean out them what travels through ther pass. They put
up a sign at either end of ther pass, which is only about a mile an' a
half long, ter let any one what kin read know that they're forbid ter go
through. If they do go through they have ter git robbed; that's all. Ter
save trouble an' money ther most of folks would rather go around ther
other way, or else keep away from Silver Bend, that's all."
"Well, that sounds pretty good, I think, Sedgwick. I reckon I'll have to
go through that pass, just to see what will happen."
"I knowed you would say that, Wild. But if I was you I wouldn't bother
about it. They're a bad lot, an' no mistake--ther men what runs things
in that pass. They say there's about twenty of 'em, an' that ther most
of 'em is tough cowboys what have been forced ter light out fur stealin'
cattle an' sich like. Though there ain't any doubt that some of 'em
lives right in Silver Bend, no one knows who they are. They're a mighty
bad lot, an' since there ain't no chance of catchin' 'em, on account of
ther many caves what's along on either side of ther pass, they've been
doin' business there ever since we opened up ther camp, here, an' a
mighty good business they've done, too."
"That seems a little strange," and our hero shook his head. "What sort
of people are they over in Silver Bend?"
"Oh, about ther same as anywheres else, I s'pose. But I've heard say
that it's ther fault of them what's in charge of affairs over there. It
might be that some of 'em is in with ther outlaws of ther Forbidden
Pass."
"It might be, that's true. Well, Sedgwick, you can bet that I am going
through that pass! I want to meet this gang of robbers, just to see if
they are any different from any other robbers I've come across. How
about it, boys?"
Wild turned and looked at Cheyenne Charlie and Jim Dart as he said the
last.
"Yer kin bet your life we'll go through ther blamed old pass!" the scout
answered, while Dart nodded, as though it was a matter of course.
"I knowed it!" exclaimed Sedgwick. "Ther minute I heard you was here I
know'd that you'd be fur goin' through ther Forbidden Pass. It struck
me, first off that you'd come here jest fur that very, purpose."
"No," answered our hero, shaking his head. "We never heard of Forbidden
Pass. But we are mighty glad to hear of it now, I reckon. Sedgwick, you
know pretty well what we think of gangs of outlaws, and the like."
"I do," was the reply. "If you start after 'em once, you always land 'em
too."
"Well, we'll start after this gang, then. You can bet that we'll come
mighty near landing them, too!"
"I'm sure of that, Wild."
"Say!" said our hero, as the miners started again to go. "Didn't you say
that the outlaws consist of cowboys who have been forced to light out
from the ranches they worked upon?"
"Yes, that's what I heard over in Silver Bend."
"Well, there are three cowboys over at the saloon now. I've sized them
up pretty well, and it strikes me now that they might belong to that
gang. Anyhow, I am sure that they are no good."
"I saw them galoots, Wild. I don't know who they are. But they seemed to
be mighty respectful. Hoker, ther saloon keeper, was tryin' ter tell me
how you had some fun with 'em an' made 'em understand that they couldn't
do as they pleased. But I was so anxious ter git over here an' see yer
that I didn't pay much attention. I s'pose I'll have a chance ter talk
to yer after supper?"
"Oh, yes. We'll take a walk over to the saloon. I'll ask the cowboys
about the outlaws of Forbidden Pass, too."
The miners now left and returned to their respective homes.
"Well, Wild, I suppose you are very glad to learn all this," said
Arietta, as our hero walked back to where the girls were standing.
She, as well as the rest, had heard all that was said, and her face now
wore a smile as she looked at her dashing young lover.
"Yes, Et, I am glad to know that there is a place here that is forbidden
to travelers. You know very well that it would only make me more anxious
to do a thing if I was told that I must not do it. I am certainly going
through Forbidden Pass!"
"Well, I don't blame you, Wild."
The girl possessed a spirit of fearlessness, and she was not the one to
advise Wild to show himself afraid of any gang of outlaws.
"I reckon we've struck a blamed funny sort of camp, all right," remarked
the scout, as he pulled the ends of his long mustache. "It couldn't have
been better if we'd been lookin' up somethin' that was ter be good an'
excitin', could it?"
"Hardly," answered Jim.
"Well, never mind about it now, boys. I reckon we'll think about the
supper. Hurry up, Wing. Just get a little move on you."
"Allee light, Misler Wild," answered the cook, smilingly. "Me havee, um
supper leady allee samee pletty quickee, so be."
"Me helpee my blother," spoke up Hop, grinning. "He allee samee velly
muchee slow."
"Me no slow," retorted Wing; "me allee light."
"There!" interposed Wild. "Don't get in a wrangle over it. Hurry the
supper along, that's all."
The two Celestials said no more, but both worked away as fast as they
could.
It was not long before the supper was cooked, and then all hands did
fall justice to it.
"Now, boys," said Wild, as he finished eating, "I reckon a good cigar
wouldn't go bad, so we will go over to the saloon and buy some. The
girls will be all right here, since we won't hardly be out of sight of
them. Come on!"
The three soon took their departure, and they had scarcely done so when
Hop, the clever Chinaman, sneaked around a clump of trees and took a
course that would fetch him around to the rear of the saloon.
It was hard to keep him away from such places, for he loved gambling and
practical joking, not to speak of "tanglefoot," to such a degree that he
could not be held back.