HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Times, 1896-07-24, Page 2LAM TimEs, JULY -116,
BXR KER' S LUCKU
lilt 1iRtk:T.Itstar1'1;.
Copyright, 1805.
A bird twittered. The morning sten
ablating ihrougtl the .openwindow was
apparplltly more potont than the cool
Mountain air which. had oily caused tiro
sleeper to curl a littitt more tightly to his
blankets. Barker's eyes opened tnst'nt-
ly upon the light, and the bird nu the
Window ledge, Like all healthy young
animals, he would have tried to sleep
again, but with his momentary contei-
ousness came the recollection that it was
his turn to cook the breakfast that morn-
ing, 1212(1 he rc+grotfulle' rolled out of his
N.
bunk to rho floor Without to
stopping 11 l pi
dress be (pooed the actor and stepped -out-
SUM, senure in the kliowledge that he
was overlooked only , by the Stomas, and
plunged his head alit shoulders in the
bucket of cold water that stood by tiro
door. Then he began to clatbo bilaself,
partly in the cabin and partly iu tho
open air, with a lapse between the put-
ting on of his trousers and coat, which
he employed in bringing in wood. Rak-
ing together tho few emb.rs on rho ad-
obo hearth, not without a prudent regard
to the rattlesnake which had encu been
detected ill hanuding the warns ashes, he
began to preparo > • cast By this
1 rolenlf
p p >.
time the other sleepers, his partnors,
atacy and 1)elnorest,.youug 1110n of about
his own age, worn awake, alert aud Il,z•
ily critical of bis progress.
"I don't este about my quail on toast
being underdone for breakfast," :iiia
Stacy, with a yawn, "and you needn't
serve with rod wino. I'm not feeling
very peckish this morning."
"And I reckon you can knock off tho
fried oysters after the Spanish mackerel
for ale," said Domgrest, gravely. "Tho
fact is that last bottle of Votive auci
Marcia we bad for supper wasn't as dry
as"I am this morning."
Accustomed to these rogular Barme-
cide suggestions, Barker made no direct
reply. Presently, looking up from the
fire, he said: "There's no morn salora-
tus, so you mustn't blame oto if the bis-
cuit is extra heavy. I told you we bad
none whon you went to the grocery yes-
terday."
"And I told you we, hadn't a red cent
to buy any with, said Stacy," who was
also tro:ssurer; "put those two negatives
together and you luako the afiirmative—
saleratus. rias freely and bake in a hot
oven."
Nevertheless, after a. toilet as prim-
itive as Barker's, they sat clown to what
he had prepared, with the keen appetite
begotten of the mountain air, and the re-
gretful fastidiousness, born of the recol-
lection of better things. Jerked "beef,
frizzled with salt pork in a frying pan,
boiled potatoes, biscuit And coffee com-
posed the repast The biscuits, however,
proving remarkably heavy after tho first
mouthful, were usod as ulissilos, thrown
through the open door at an empty bot-
tle which had previously served as a
mare for revolver practice, and a few
moments later pipes were lit to counter-
act the effects of the meal and take the
taste out of their nloulshs. Suddenly
they blear the sound of horses' hoof:;,
saw the quick passage of ,n, ridor in the
open space before the Cabin, and the
smart impact upon tbeatahle of some
small object thrown by him. It was
the regular mooring dalivery of the coun-
try newspaper.
"Re's getting to be a mighty sure
shot," said Demorest, approvingly, look-
ing at his upset can of coffee as be pick-
ed up the paper, rolled into a cylindrical
wad as tightly as a cartatidge, and began
to straighten it out. This was no easy
matter as the sheet had3t evidently boon
rolled while yet damp ,from the press,
but Denlorasr, evcntuall + opened it, and
ensconced Minton behind it.
"Nary news? asked Stacy
''No 1 There never is poly! said Denlor -
est, scornfully. "We ?ought to stop the'.
paper.
"You mean the papa man ought to.
We don't pay him, said Barker, gently.
"WelI, that's tho sane thing., Smarty !
No news, no pay! Hallol he continued,
his eyes suddenly riveted on the paper.
Then, after the fashion of orclinary
humanity, he stopped. short and read the
intorostingitenl tohabseil. When he bad
finished ho brought his fist and the paper
toggether, violently don upon the tabic.
"Now, look at thist TAlit of luck will
you! Just think of'it. Hero aro we—
bard lots men math 1 s of tithe, c too
•—grnhbin' away eta this hill side �lilce
niggers, glad to got (hough at the end of
the day to pay for our soggy biseufts and
horse bean , a c iron
o nd just look what
falls into the lap of Houle lazy, sneakin'
greennorn who never did a strolto of
work in his 1120. Here are wo—with 120
foolishness, no airaenor graces and yet
men who would (lo credit to twice that
amount of luck, and 'seellt born to do it,
too—and we're set alto for porno long,
lank Welt -Wiping Fcrub who just knows
,t.'..•'
Cno1 to tit down on bis nfl}ce stool
and bold otr to a bit't>f paper."
"Wl at's up now?" • arknd Stacy, with
tiro c it, ld ;mess begotten of familiarity
with els partner's Q$ rbv"g
aiC3.
"Mien,"
:mid Icmr
n(t
reading:
"Anothor unpreeuter twit Mal has taken
place in the share; of tiro Yellow Ham•
iner's first ext0nsion loirte ei.-.ce the sink-
ing of tae, now shaft.. It way quoted
s•
$' 5
e
terdt►y at ten thousand dollars a foo..
When it is renom peri d that scarcoly two
years ago the origins shares, issued at
fifty dollars per' siinico, bad dropped to
only fifty coots per slatre, it will be seen
Ila; tF.(,au who •iter(# ableto
t hold on
havoof agood thing."
axg
"What mine diel you car?" asked I'3ar•k-
er, looking up meditatively from the
;dishes he was already.tvnsling.
"TipC11ov Hammer first octonslon,!
returneduri(1 tore s
Ir
tly.
"I useel to lritl0s(>110
shatos in that,
andI think I have there stili," ;,aid
Barker, musingly.
"Yes"," said Deanorest, ,prolnntly, "the
parer speaks of it hetes We un(lorstancl, "
,"
1 + ountinuc(1 reading alt7'uc bra .. u
lc ixi . l G to
, r
g
elllGOnt fp110tciti e1, George e I►
kpl,
otherwise known as 'Get Lott Ba11•er,'
and' Clstaoklehead" was ono of the fortun-
ta.te intttviduals."
"No," said darker, with a 4100 flush
at innocent pleasure, "It can't say Glatt.
How could it know?"'
tatacy laixglletl, but Demorest coolly
continued. "You didn't hoar all,,
Litton 'We say was one of thou, but
having thready sola his apparently use -
lose eartifieatos to our popular druggist,
Jones, for corn plasters at a reduco(i
rate, he is t;uablo to realize"
"You may laugh, boys," said Barker,
with simple seriousuoss, "but 1 really
bonevo I havo got 'ern yor. Just wait.
1'11 see!" He roso nod began to drag
out a Well-worn valiso front under his:
hauls. "You sen," be oo Umtad, "they
Were givmn to me by an old chap. Iu re-
turn for—"
"For .,,..
sa iu_ his It r
� s i'p 1 y cicbLying; the
Stockton boat that attorwar(is blow up,"
rut urned Demurest briefly. "We kn'>w
it all. flit hair was white and itis hand
trembled slightly as he laid these, sharps
in yours, sayIng, and ;you 11OVOL' forgot
tho words: "Take ''t,ul, young roan,
and, "—
"I''or lending hint two thousand dol-
lars now," cotltinn,lt, lh►1;(er with a
simplo ignoring of tholntorruptlou as bo
gnittly brought out tIIh waist%
"Two thousand tl glltus I" repeated
taoy. "\Won did you have two thou-
sand dollars?"
"When 1 ou Ifirst left 'Sacr mOnto— 1r
o
year ago," said Butter, unstrapping tho
valise,
"How long did youkhave it," said Do-
nlorest, incredulously -
"At least two days, I think," rotnrnod
Barker, quietly. "Then I met that man.
He was hard up, and I lent him my
pilo and took those shares. Ho died after -
wart s.
"Of course he did," said ,Demorest,
Fovorely. "They always do. Nothing
kills a luau lucre, gniekly than an action
of that kind" Novel:thetas the two part-
ners regarded Barka rummaging among
some loose clothes and papers with a
kind of paternal toleration. "If you
can't Mal them
t bring out your ,Govern-.
AI:OTlIE11 t'NPI%ECEDE\TED MSE RAS
TAKEN PL+tCE Ir THE StrAP.ES OF THE
YELLOW,
went bonds," suggested Stacy. But the
, teat moment, Slushed and triumphant,
Barker rase from his knees and cane to-
wards them carrying some papers in his
hands. Denlorest seized them from him,
opened teen, spread thoin on the table,
examined ;hurriedly the date, signatures
tont transfers, glanced again quickly at
the newspaper parag.• rph, looked wildly
at Stacy, and then llst Barker, and
gasped:
"By the living hickey 1—it is so l"
'B'gosh! he has got 'ern!' " echoed
Stacy.
"Twenty shores, " continued Do1:lorest,
breathlessly, "at two thousand dollars a
share—oven if it's only a part—is two
Ilundroti thousand dollars! Jolvsalen 1"
"Toll ate, fair sir," said ataoy, with
sparkling eyes, "hast still left in yonder
casket any rare jewels, rabies, sarcenOt
or links of lino gel ? Peradventure a
parrl or two may have been overlooked 1"
"No—that's a11," returned Barker,
simply..
"Youplyhear him! Rothschild says
'that's a11.' Prince Estorhazy says he
hasn't another red cont—only two bun -
tired thousand dollars."
"What ought I to;do, boys?" asked
Barker, timidly glancing from one to tiro
other: Yet he remembered with delight
all that dayand for o many a year after-
wards that be only saw in their facos un-
selfish joy and affection at that supreme
metra
1 e t.
"Do?" said Demorest, promptly.
"Stand on your head and yell! No. stop!
Coin here!rr He 0 o seiz
ed both t
Barker .(,r an(l
Stacy' by the hand, and ran out into
the open air. Here they danced violent-
ly with clasped bands around a small
buckeye, in perfect si"enco, and then re-
turned to the •cabin, grave but perspir-
ing.
"Of course," said Barker, wiping his
forehead, "we'll just get! sono money on
those certificates and buy up that next
clam] which belongs to olct Carter,
whore you know we drought wo saw
the indication."
"We'll do nothing of the kind," said
Dot]torest Sl " dceidedl y . '
u ain't i
n it
r.
That ]no .ey is yours, yticl chap—ovary
cent of It property ecqu!red boron rear
" nage, you know, orad tile only thing
y ,
ttnlldoistobacl—ci ••
l.,'
tiara
Kollsr
7tl you
ell o (► crime of it in this i . •< .
p Gtc
if
o1A-Ll.oh
1,010. No!"
"But we're partners," gasped B(trltor.
"Not in this! The lltillost we can do
for yott, Opulent Sir—;:hough It i11
becomes tis horny -banded' sons of toil to
rub. shoulder/1
with Dives418
perchance
an
Cu
20 dine With you—to taste n pasty and a
gloss of 111alvoisio—at spino restaurant
in Sacramento—when y0ti've got things
fixed, in honor of your ratan to
aiil
u
totem But more wool1 become
"But What are you g•oing to (1C?" said
Barker, with a iraIf•]ly teetat1, twit
frightened smile,
"Wo havo not pet looked' 1e'ocluh our
L-
-,lu¢gt►ge," earn .uelnorestt with. lnvinc-
iblo gravity, "and there's a seerot roost
•—t► double.fond—to
1n." ortmat
�p ttoau
,
1c11pwn only tan 6k11sty itr►gu which. has.
not br-en tlisturilotl stupe 1 bolt itU: nacos
trot punto 111 i?ag;luia. iutre niay he ti,
few first dobanturos of Kral, or what 11011,
OM there,!'
; "1 feltsormie strange liisc•iike Kotula
eraiwos its 1uy dross sett t110 Other day
but ltellke, they are but poker oltips,r,
told Strtoy, thoughtfully,
An uneasy fooling cr(+pt over Mlarbter..
The color winch. had tofu his froth (hook
1•nturued to it quality, trail he turned
bis oyes, Away, Yet hp had scan 'nothing
in itis companions' oyes but tsffeetiou—
motheton aporta,iil .kind of tondocpm-
1tiiReratit a that deepened his Unetist-
Mott "I suppose," ho said.. desperately,
atter a pauso, "'I ought to go over to
Bloontville and moat+ some inquiries."
"At the bank1 old chap! at the bank,"
said De lloreat, orlpbatically, "Take
rely a(tvluo and don s go anywhere o1se.
Don's brdfathe a •ord of your luck to
lv Ana do '
anybody, .471
1 pe 3 t t 1 2 ill Or
, v you do,
Ito tempted to sell just now; you don't
knew how high ti it stock'A going to
junip yet,"
"I thaugllc," sta lnrrod Barker, that
you boys might Him .o go over with loo. "
"We 'can't afford take another 11011-
day un grub wages, nil we're only two
to work 10.11 57, Fail Deiiiorust, with n
slight increase of col 1r and tho 2llatest
tremor in his voice, 'And it won't (to,
o!d chap, tor us to be tool planning
. round with you oit tiro heels of your
b c5 11
a tav yGa 1( 0 14 05 a e2i
vlta�
l
lgood fortune. For overyboiy knows
wo'ra poor, and sooer or ltus every -
yon
er -yon first caul; to us.
"Nonsense s" sold alter, iudignantiy,
"G.isn,l, lay boy ' said. Deanorest,
('hmain,
"Thu frozon tru i, old man!" said
Stacy.
Barker took up , ds lent with some
stiffnoss and moved towards the (1(01'.
Item he stopped irrasoiutely—mi irresolu-
tion that; seemed to .Cpmmunioato itself
to hia partal•s. Therm Wa3 ib lilomeut's
awkward sllonco. 'l'i'en Denlorest suit-
tlanly seizoct lotto by tat, shoulders with a
grip that was hall a ' toss and walked
hinl
rapidly to the opt. "And now,
don't stand foollu' w .h us. Barker boy,
but just trot oil like e Halal/mu and
got your grip on that ortuno; aud when
• you've got your hos its it, hang on
like grim death. k'ot 'll"—he hesitated
for an instant only, p ssibly to find the_
laugh that should hob li accompanied his
•speoch—"you're suro tdt�j. tind us hero when
you act back." •
hurt to tho quick, but restraining his
footings, Barker clapped Ids hat on his
head and walked quietly away. The two
Partnere, stood watching hint in silence
until itis liguro was hat in, the ant -Jer-
boas!). Then Uhoy spoke. •
"Like him, wasn't it?" said Demo -
rat.
"Just him—all ovor!" said Stacy.
"Think of hint having that stock stow -
.M1 away ail these .yealls and nova even
butheriti>r•his dour old hood about it."
"Anel think of his wttut)ing Go put the
Whole thing into thi's rotten hillside
with us!"
"And he'd havo stone it, by gosh, and
never thought of it again! That's
Int t w t Is o
# i 1 i h n. conviction »� o that u th he was
now ,
lot u to aua
rich man t moat" 1 ria
o n,s n
t, a l
1 t
i , 15
ioyaltto bis n
P ar ars o
5 wh o
>?1 i 0 would
partners,. 1 w 1. l
still any° l
t i 1f w lelpatl, Bat 1t poaurrocl to
111121 now, in. bis half•11urt, halt;Vougoful
titato, that they bila ofton jolted hint
about 1.%1tty, and perhaps further eon-
1denco with thele Was debarred, And it
was oply duo to his dignity that 1)e
should 110W see Kitt' at once:
This was easy enough, for iti the natlya
1l
"lt'GOSIt, 1111 r1 S GOT 'F.\I,"
simplicity of Bcontvli a and the economic
arrangements of hor f ;hor, she occasion-
ally Y 1
all, warted ups a rho. hp,el table, Half
the town was always actively in. love
with hor; the other half had boon, and
was silent, cynical, 'hut hopoloss in de-
feat. For Kitty was Mut of those singu-
larly pretty girls oc;Ctasionally met in
south-western frontierkoivilization whose
distinct and original itifiuoment of face
anti figure were so romortabre and orig-
inal as to oast a doubt on trio sagacity
and presoicneo of one parent and the
morality of the other,, yet, no doubt,
with equal injustice. a But the fact re-
mained that silo was slight, gracoful, and
saif-contained, and Itiovocl beside her
stumpy, common fattier and hot faded,
CUmmonplaco mother n the (lint:]g-room
of the Booii ville no o1 like some dis-
5
ii i, h L Ll i
t 1 u of alien. o th.lo partners,
fS.
n trtnor-
1
r
byvirtue,erhir s f tl e
0 1 it collage edu-
cation anti refined nu jurors, hod been ex -
conformity noticed lfy Kitty. .And for
s011le occult. reason, the more, serious,
perhaps, because it hod no obvious or
logical presumption to tho wvorid general-
ly, Darker was particularly favored.
..He quickened his pace ancl.as tiro flag-
staff of the Boomvilie hotel 10so bofolc
hien in the little hoiloyv ho seriously de-
bated whether he had;not bettor go to
the bank first, deposit; his shares, get a
small advance on thein to buy n (IOW
necktie or a "bolted shirt," in which to
present himself to Miss Kitty; but re-
mombering that ho had partly given Iris
word to Demorest thathe would keep his
shares intact for the present 110 .abandon-
s ed this project, probably from the fact •
that his projected confidence with Kitty
was airoady a violation of Dotnorost's iu
junctions of soorocy, and his conscience
was sufficiont•1y burdened with that
l broach of faith.
But whoa he reached the, hotel - a
strange trepidation overcame him. The
dining -room Nus at its slack water, be-
tween the ebb of breakfast and bofore the
flaw of preparation for the midday wool.
He could not have his interview with
Kitty in that dreary; waste of reversed
chairs and baro, trestt:alike tables. and
she was possibly ongagecl in her house-
hold duties. But Miss Kitty had already
seen him cross the road, and had lounged
into the dining -roma with an artfully
simulated air of casually osamfning it.
At the unexpected vision of Itis hopes,
arrayed in tho sweotest and freshest of
rosebud sprigged prints, his hoartfalter-
ed. Then, partly with' the desperation
of a timid ratan and partly through the
working of a half -formed resolution, ho
clot ber bright smile with a simplo int
quiry for hor father. 113iss Kitty bit her
pretty lip, sn]ilod slightly, and preceded
hi11i with great form:tiny to the office.
Opening the door, without raising nor
lashes to either hot father or the visitor,
she said, with a mischievous aocontirg
of tho professional manner: "Mr. Hark-
er, to see you on business," and tripped
sweetly away.
And tnis slight incident precipitated
the Crisis. For Barker instantly made
up his Mind that he trust purchase the
next claim for his partners of this man
Carter, and thud be world bo obliged to
confide to ]situ the details of his good
fortune, as a proof of his sincerity
and his ability to part; for it. Ile slier so
bluntly. ly, Castor wassJJa shrewd busluoss
man, and the welt-kittown simplicity of
Barker was a proof of Lis truthfulness,
to say lothinr of the shares that wore
shown to him! His soiling price for his
claim had bean two I]tuldrod dollars, but
here was a rich customer who, from a
more foolish sentiment, would be, no
doubt, willing to pay More. Ile hesitated
with a bland but supotlior smile. "Ah,
that was my prioe.at My last offer, Me
Barker," ho said, suattiiy, "bus you sso
things aro going up siti`oo then."
Tho keenest duplicity is apt to fail bo -
fore absolute simplicity. Barker,
thoroughly believing liitn, and alroady a
littlo frightonocl at itis own presumption
—not for tiro amount of the money in-
volv0(1—but front i:i possibility of bis
partners refusing his gift utterly, quick-
ly took advantago of this locus peniton-
ciao. "No 0 nntter, troth," i
!7
e said hur-
riedly,
riedly, "perhaps I .had bettor consult my
partners first; in foot, t0 added, with
a gratuitous trutltfnlub¢ss all his own, "I
hardly know wllatho$ they will take it
of a ale, think so I
I11 Wait. !t.
,r
Carta r r was stagger ci
This gq would
dearly notel
o. 1•I
p •e00 r
vO o(i hi
lnself
with an ins in
.:
inuat s>1ii1.
g 0 Pott pulled
me up too short," M. Barker. I'nl a
business lnaur but, In t it all! what's
that among friohds? I . you reckoned_ I
ive m word attwo II
;,
bared—Why,
My3 nr
there 5a
r
e o I ,. no Moto t —
y it tiro alritrn s
yours. I'll make you ut a bill of sale
at (Ina: 13111," itosita d Barker, '"you
see I haven't got the in or yet, and—"
Barker."
"Dear o1(1 mail !''
"Good o1c1 chap!"'•
"I'vo been wontloring if ono of us
oughtn't to havo Bono with him. He's
just as likely so pour tea money into the
first tap that (pens tor it," said Stacy.
"Tito more reason why we shouldn't
prevent hint, or seonl "to prevent him,"
Said Demorest, almost fiercely. "There
will be knaves and tool: onough who
will try to put the idles of our using him
into bis simple heart without that. No.
Let him clo as he likgs with it—but let
him be himself 1 I'ci rather have ]rim
come back to us, oven pater • he's lost the
money—his old self, atnd empty-handed,
than try to change the tuff God out into
hila and make him hoe like others."
Tito tone and manner were so different
from Demorost's usual .brevity. that Stacy
was. silent. Afti+r a ,pause, he said:
"Well, wo shall miss hila ou the hillside,
won't we."
Demorest did not reply. Reaching out
his hand abstractedly he wrenched off a
small slip front a sapling n0"sr Klin and
began slowly to pull '10 ]eaves off one by
ono, until they were /114 gone. Then he
switched it in the air, struck his bootleg
smartly with it and t said, roughly:
"Come, let's go to work," and strode
awa.
11loayntimo Barker on lids way to Boom-
vilie was no less singul4 in his manner.
He kept up his slightly-. fectod attitude
until ho had lost sigh of the cabin.
But, being of a simple attire, Iris oleo•
tions wore loss complex. If ho had not
seen the undoubtod look f affection in
tho eyes of his partners to woniti have
t
1 na ine
c1 that ti
my
r'.
g wee enrolls
of his
�J
good fortune. Yet why had they refused
his offer to share it with thorn? Why had
they so strangely assumed that their
partnership with ]1i111 had closed? Why
had they declined to go with him? Why
had this looney—of which he had thought
to little 7bnt1 for which he had cared so
little-•-ahangcd Ilona, towards him? It
lull not changed. him—he was the same!
He r0n>oiaiberc'ct how Croy had often
talkacl Hort laughed o et a "prospective
stroke" in mining si d speculated what
the
would d ,
y o w •
its •lr
t 0 ]r1U7t
0
And
no h
,r
Y
wtn "luck" uck
hit:, ,
occurred to ono of
thorn, individually, the effect was only
to alienate them! lie could not n)ako it
o111
1 Ile was
hurt, t
otut¢c—
y oddly
enough he tons contemns now of a certain
power within Ilial to ]lust and wound in
rotrihtltion, Ile was tiolr; he would let
1110111 see he 00111(1 do Without them! Ho
totts quitofree notv to
rill'
k only
111
n
Fellnd Kitty!'
a lit.
!
ata itmust be rear(
d that,
With t all
the young gentlon"nn s slanpliolty and
nnselfishnoss; with allbiis loyal attittitlo
to his partners, his firs thought at tho
n1OmOnt he graved l ' 1
e( t!o fact lY oYhl
P s•e t
tt nth
was of a young lad , It writ •It 1tty
Carter, the daughter o tiro hotel -keeper
et Boonville,. Who 0 ned the claims
that the partners had utuaily caroted.
That a pretty gtrl'e taco eilould flash utoon
�" "Mtotoyf'- aimed Carter, bluutiy,,
what'e thatltmong fronds? Gitnur0 your
nate at thirty days—that's goo
de ou
g1
>ror 1ne. A»' we'likell fisenisttlehing thea hdolt all thin
flow -^nothing wl)itu
��rro.1i r(1 bout it, And bolero tiro bowil-
aoreti auci t oubtful visitor could protest,
ii had tilled up a promissory note for
'I•larker's signature, and himself signed a
bill of 55110 for the chain, "Woultt you
like, to take your partners by surpriso
about this yor littlo gift of yours?" be
added smilingly, "Well, 1r1y mossongor
is starting for the Gulch in five minutes;
he'sgoing by your cabin, and he can just
(trop this 13111 o' sale, as a kind o' sottlea
fact, on 'eel afore they can say anything,
son? 'There's nothing lila actin' on the
arpill those, sort of things. An(1 (lon't
you hurry 'bout. shout, either. You 5100,
you sorter OWC us tt friendly coli—hnviu'
,7;k1:00
ltlralppod inter the ]tocol only as a
customer—so t'o'll she
here coot
and 110cl:on, as the old 1t'o.na)) is
busy, why bitty will try to make the
til°,e pass till then by playiu' for you on
het naw phtlu.,r
Doighted, yet)orbewildorod by the unex-
pocta(1 invitation and opportunity, Bark -
0r neohaprpally signed the promissory
note, and tis' mechanically addressed the .
onvolopo of the bill of sale to Damorost,
which Carter gave to tiro messunger.
Then he followod his host across tho hall
to tiro apartment known as "Miss Kit
ty's parlor." Ho had often hoard of it as
1. 8(0)02(011 impervious to the ordinary
guest. Whatovor functions the young
girl (ltisar111011 at the hotel and among her
father's boarders, it was yagnely 1111der-
st od that sho dropped
p them on crossing
that sacral threshold, and b'icanio `"Miss
Carter." Tho county ju(lgo had boon on-
tortaiitod thorn and the wifo of the bank
manager. Barker's Admission there was
consequently an unprecoclontod honor.
He cast his eros timidly around the
room, rodolont autl suggestive in vari-
ous charming little ways of tho young
girl's ?reggae). There 'MIS the cottago
Piano, which had been brought up in
so0tions on the books of •mules from the
foot of the luontain; there was n crayon
head of Minerva, clone by the fair occu-
pant at the ago of twelve; thorn was a
profile of horsolf done by a travelling
artist; there
tvoro nett little hi
pretty (rhino
l tllalll � :] •A
e t and many flowers, notably a
faded but still scooted woo(1laud shrub
eIFE \IEroun NOTE AT 80 DAIS.
whioh Beaker had presonred bar two
weeks ago, anti ovor which Mt:s .Kitty
had diiscreat•ly thrown her. white hand-
kerchief its he 0htcr0(1. A wave of hope
passncl ovor aim, at the act, but It was
quickly . spent 58 :11r. Carter's 'roughly-.
playful voted iutroducacl ]7110.
"Yo kin 'Mivo 11i1: Barker n tuuo or
two to pass tinio afore lunch, Kitty. Yon
kin let htio see whltt you're doing in
that lluo." But you'll have to sit up now
—for this young I11512 IS CO100 later s0111e
property, and will be sa.shoying round in
'Frisco' aforo long with a bilott shirt
and at stovopipo and bo givin' the go by
to Itootnviile. Well! you young folks
will excuse ',no for awhile,, as I reckon
I'ite:lust toddlo ovor,and get the recorder
to - put that bill o' sale -oils record.
Npthin' liko squarin' things to onet, Mr.
aka, "
As ho slipped away Barker felt his
heart rink. Carter hurl not only Woolly
forostailud him with the news and taken
away his excuse for a confidential inter-
view, but had put an ostentatious eon-
struotion on his visit. What could she
think of Liar now? Flo stood shamed
\
i
•
ate
-
I�r
THE TOUNG MAN IIAD CO\ID INTO
I'IIOi E 1
1Tx
and embarrassed before ber.
But Mist Kitty, far from noticing his
0mbarrasrnent in .a Helston (roman re.
gardiiig the "hors d,' :untidiness of tipr
nom
whhad ndl'
r$ hor s quit
r
q
tt
SOME
S
Uteri Carter," etanunerei i13Irk+r ",
1 c , '%u
.,
oe *-•h i L s
et etre i
F e t d. But Miss C
U 117 11tt saW
y
perfectly; He wanted to toll trot, and,
soeiug her, he askest for her fathorl Not
that it mode the slightest (litteronco to
hor, for ber father woul(i havo boen sure
to have told her, It was also kind of hor
father to invite. lain tolnuohoon. Other-
wise she Might not have sceh hien before
ho loft Boomvl11e.
But this was more than Barker could
stand. With the Sante desperate clirect-
110AA a11(1. simplicity with which he haat
atyro:whoa hor father lie now blurted
out his whole boort to hen Ho told lfer
how be bad loved her hopolessly front
the first tiino that thoy had spoken 0 -
paler at tho 0hureb pionio—did shm ra-
111011tber it? How he and sat anti wor-
shipped 1101 — and nothing else at at
Wrath! How lior voice in the church
choir bad sounded like nu angel's; stew
bis poverty trod lits uncertain future had
kept Mtn from p 11t t seeing , hor attar, lost he
should bo tomptod to betray his hope-
less passion, Flow, no soon as 11e realiz-
ed that ho had t► position—that his levo
for hor need not make her ridiculous to
worldly, c+yes-410 canto to tell her all.
Ho did not even daro to. bopo, But she
would bear hint, at least—would she not?
Indeed, there was no gotting away
from his boyish, simplo, outspoken dec-
laration. In vain Kitty smiled, frown-
ed, glanced at her pink shooks. in the
glass and stopped to look out of the win-
dow; the room was tilled with his love--
it
ove—it was encompassing ber, and, (10spite
his shyn t rust seamed t i a 51(0 c to
be almost
embracing her. But she managed at Last
to turn upon h 10 a fnec that WILS now as
white and grave -as his own was eager
and glowing.
CFIAPTER II.
"Sit down," she said, gently.
He did• so, obediently, but wonderingly.
Sho thou opened t110 piano andtook a
soot upon tho music 81001 Lavoro it,
placed sono looso sheets of music in .the
rack and ran hat fingers lightly over the
keys. Thus introuohod, silo let hor
]lands fall idly in. Igor lap, and for the
first time raised hor oyes to
h
ie.
.owlistontoaa, be gooda
and
don't
t
interrupt! Thom 1—not to near; you ca11
hear what I have to say well enough
where you aro. That will do."
Barker had halted with the ohair he
was dragging towards her, anal sat down.
"Now," said Miss Kitty, withdrawing
her 0y0s anti looking straight before hor,
"I beliuvo everything you say; perhaps 1
oughtn't to—or, at least, say it—but I
do. There! But because I do believe
yon—Lt seems to too all wrong! For the
very reason that you give for not having
spoicon to mo hefore, If you really felt as
you say you did, are tiro solo reasons
why you should not speak to mo
You
w-
You see, all this time you let nobody•
but yonrsolf know how you felt towards
3110. In overybody's eyes you and your
partners hnvo boon only the three stuck
up, exclusive, college -bred men who
mined t► poor 01(5i1n iu tho gulch, and
occasiolanlly calve hero to this hotel as
customers. In evorybody's eyes I have. •
boon only the rich hotel keepor's popular
daughter, who sometimes waited upon
you—but nothing more. But, at least,
We were then pretty much alike, and as
good as each other. And now, as soon
as you havo beconie•sncldonly rich, and,
of course, the sttparior, you rush down
hero to ask no to ao'knowledge it by ac-
cepting your'
"You know I never meant that, 1iliss
Kitty, " burst out Barker, vehomontly,
but his protost was drowned in a rapid
roulade from the young lady's fingers on
the keys. Ho sank back in his chair. •
"Of course, you neva meant it," she
said, with an odd laugh, "but everybody
will take it that way, and you cannot go •
round to everybody in Boomvillo and
make the pretty declaration you have
just made to me. Everybody will say I
tt0eepted you for your money; everybody
will say it was a ;►ut-up job of my
father's. Eveyrbody will say that you
throw yourself away on lee. And I don't
know but what they would be right•. Sit
down, please! orI shall play again."
"You 800," 8110 wont on, without look-
ing at him, "just now you like to re-
member that you fell in love with mo
first as a pretty waiter girl, but I1 I be -
mune your wife it's just what 5011 would
liko to forgot, And I shouldn't. For I
should always like to think of the time
when you canto here,whenovor you could
afford it, and sometimes when you
couldn't, just to see ate. and how we
used to snake oscuses to speak with
each other over the dishes. You don't
know what those things mean to a
'
w011tan tvllo—�
r
She hesitated a moment,
and then added, abruptly: " But what
does that matter ! you would not Care to
o reminded of it. So," sho sold, rising
it with ill a rev �•
o smile mid Pgrasping .ill her
g sp a i r
Bands tightly behind hor, "It's a good
cleat better that you should begin to for-
a it now.. Boa good boy, and tato my
dvico: Go to San Francisco. You will .
moot s0mo girl there in a way you will
of afterwards regret. You aro young
nd your riches—to say nothing," she
sided in a faltering Voice somewhat in-
coherent with the mischievous smile that
playod upon her lips, "of your kind and
simplo heart—will secure that which tiro
world would call unsolfish affection from
ne moro equal to ou, bu
t wouiaad
ways
olievo was only bought if it 051210 from
"I suppose you are tight," ho said,
im 1 .
Py
Slip 1
snood quickly at
g him and
q yhe'
r
eyebrows straightened. Ho had risen;
is face white and his blue eyos wicloly
pened. ""I suppose you aro right," ho
ent on, "because you aro saying; to 3110
wbat my partnors said to nut this morit-
n When offered . 1 if ed to
gshore
nr
Wealth
y
ith them— .. o
d
G now
y� as to
•4 � ne9
l .sly --ns Y
offerecl'to share my heart with volt•
appose that roti are both right; tliltit
;hero must be some curse of pride or
el sones do
ti d u the
Pmoneythat
i
have
of --but I have ono
v t felt it
t a
5' nd h
to tit-dQfty not He With rue." tho
b
g
a
.n
a
a
O
13
n1
s
pink ill one spot a d bllgod hor to tak, h
and sot;down in ex 4 ctly tho san10 place o
seVoral articles wa oxc0edin l c' w
gy
delight g
ed, Tn fact sho did not relntlmber eve,
having boon so plea d before in hor life i
These h n
t i s
wore a
ways s
gcul
1
tl
k octad W
Justlike P
the 1
went 1a
for instance. I
was quite Cool last night—and now I s
was Aust stifling. And to dusty 1 Ha,
Mr. Barker notice(" the heat 0oullnt 5
from the ale —
h or
perhaps, h s beings orf
p r cl
f3
man, he—with a '.0azz1113g vmile—wit,
above walking now f It was sr kind 01
hind to collie herfirst ant toll her
father.
�"'t teall7 Worried to telt only—yeti—
[CONTINUED.)