** Lost Gold At The Dead Man's Mine ** A Miners Journal **

[GhostMiner]

7 hours ago, Bedrocker said:

Yes I think gold and silver are going to spike like you said.

The reason I think a trip to Mexico is a bad plan is this. They are a very tight crew of 5 men. If three head for Mexico they are no longer 5 men and will be very vulnerable to all sorts of danger. They won't be tight and they won't be strong splitting up like that. Especially the two guarding the camp, claim and treasure. Even with the deputies help they are goners. Would be easy to ambush them. The three going south are traveling hundreds of miles to a foreign country with foreign laws to confront men they have never met in a place that they know nothing about. Gosh what could go wrong there? I know these 3 are tough but they aren't bullet proof and probably don't even speak spanish.

I realize it is fiction and I don't mean to criticize YOU and your efforts because you are writing every day and I don't mean to hinder that. Sorry for the lengthy comment Ghostminer and from now on I will just enjoy the ride and not comment much. Thank you!

   No worries. Feel free to comment any time and thanks again. I am always painting myself into a corner here LOL.

[GhostMiner]

   June 15   1937     

 

   We had a staggering five ounces of gold from the weigh. With only 60 buckets of gravel being washed it was more than even I expected. If only we could continue to mine. 

   Deputy Dan will travel to Mexico with us. He has a good knowledge of northern Mexico and speaks the language. I am paying him $500 out of my own funds as a fee which he readily accepted. He has some time off coming and we hope to make this a quick trip. I also have set him up with a Thompson and a 45 automatic like we use.

   I went into town today and purchased a nearly new Ford sedan that will be used for the trip. We will load the weapons in the trunk. Dan has a connection with a ranch near the border where we will leave the car and travel by horseback into Mexico. He said the trail is remote and we can get in and out quickly as the gang's camp is not far across the line. This is the same trail the gang travels and we plan to ambush them in their camp. We plan to take no prisoners. 

   Dan came to our camp tonight and we all sat around the fire drinking whisky and beer while talking about the trip. It will be dangerous but we all believe we can handle it. We are now as much  outlaws as the vermin I plan to confront and are as rough a bunch as any. We will leave in the morning. May God save our souls. 

   TO BE CONTINUED ............

[GhostMiner]

 

 

[GhostMiner]

   June 16   1937     Part One

 

   This morning after breakfast we loaded up the sedan. We decided to keep our Thompsons in the car with us in case we were jumped getting out of here. Sarge also had his BAR and a box of grenades in the trunk. We were also wearing our 45’s. I drove and John rode beside me with Sarge and Dan in the back. Heavily armed and heading into dangerous territory is all I could think of. It seems like ever since the shaman spoke to us I have not cared much about danger and have no fear of dying. 

   We will take turns driving until we get to the ranch where we will leave the car and go secretly into Mexico on horseback. All of us can ride fairly well. The morning air was cool and the Ford sedan’s engine purred as we turned onto the main highway from the old road that led to our mine. We all talked about the plan and went over what Brooks had told us about the gang. He said there were about fifteen members and they came in and out of Mexico on a secret trail through the mountains. Their camp was very close to the border. He said they were fairly well armed but we would have them easily outgunned. According to Brooks the gang was planning a raid on our camp that would be taking place in a week. They will be surprised when the tables are turned on them. I put my hand on my 45 as I drove. It made me feel invincible.  

   TO BE CONTINUED ................

[GhostMiner]

    I rode down into Mexico. What I came for I think you know.

 

 

[GhostMiner]

 

 

[GhostMiner]

 June 16   1937     Part Two

 

   We made it to the ranch near the border just after dark and met with the rancher that Dan knew and paid him $1000 dollars for the use of his horses and his silence. He guided us as far as the beginning of the outlaw trail and bid us good luck. I don’t think he knew what we were planning and he didn’t ask any questions. 

   We rode in the dark night in silence. The camp was supposed to be about a mile south and just off the mountain trail. After about half a mile we dismounted and tied the horses a little ways off the trail and continued on foot. We walked single file and I took the lead with John watching the rear. 

   After about ten minutes we could see some light up ahead and on the right. We approached silently and I signaled for John to circle to the right and have a look see. Just after John left on his scouting job I heard a click and got a sick feeling. A lone shot rang out and Sarge dropped to the ground with a thud. Then more shots rang out from above us. It was an ambush. We had been set up.

 

   TO BE CONTINUED ..............

[Old Miner Don]

I told you!

[GhostMiner]

   June 16   1937     Part Three

 

   I dropped to my stomach and searched the dark night for a target but couldn’t see anything. Dan was just ten feet to my left and was also lying prone in the dirt. I crawled over to Sarge and saw he was in bad shape but still alive. He was clutching the BAR and he had me sit him upright against a rock. Then the gunfire started.

   It sounded like single shots at a time, most likely from rifle fire or handguns. I could see the flash of muzzles when the shots rang out. Sarge raised the BAR and began to fire off bursts when he saw the flashes. I did the same. I looked over to where Dan had been but he was gone. Maybe he had crawled off the trail behind some rocks. Sarge was sitting with his back against a rock and firing the BAR as best he could and I let the Thompson cut loose every time there was a flash.

   Suddenly I saw John come running down the trail and he took cover by the rock where we were. He said the camp was just ahead and had seen about ten men up there and a few had come our way to put us in a trap. Sarge told us we should leave him and circle around the way John had gone and let them have it. I hollered out for Dan and he answered back. He was just off the other side of the trail. I told him we were going to move up and to watch Sarge. He hollered that he'd hold his position and keep an eye on Sarge from there. With that John and I headed out on a loop to take us to the camp. I could hear Dan and Sarge firing away.

   TO BE CONTINUED ............

[GhostMiner]

   June 16   1937     Part Four

 

   When we made the loop around the corner of the trail we could see the lights of the outlaw camp in the woods just ahead. Aside from the gunfire we had just left behind it was quiet. Too quiet. John and I cautiously approached and took cover behind pine trees that were thick and plentiful. The gunfire behind us was still going and I was torn between moving ahead on the camp or going back to Sarge and Dan. 

   We decided to continue towards the lights and got very close. The camp was empty. They must have all come out when they heard the gunfire. I didn’t think we were set up now or there would have been more of them waiting to ambush us. It must have been some sentries that had spotted us. We had been careless and now were paying the price.

   John and I got down on the trail and headed back towards the sound of the gunfire.We could still hear Sarge and Dan firing. There was no mistaking the sound of the Thompson and BAR. The outlaws appeared to be on both sides of the road hiding in the trees and rocks. We were in a very bad spot.

   

   TO BE CONTINUED ............