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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Herald, 1908-04-24, Page 3*"s0 7s" teteflii'41.teleetieli" ate 9Lle'"' 11, Lavarick was not a digger, had never had a claim or taken a• pick in hand, anti seeing that he did no work of any kind, nor kept a store, and that he had • never been caught actually stealing, some slight curiosity was felt by the camp as to how he lived. But it was only slight. •Persons living in glass houses are not only careful not to throw stones, but shut their eyes when they pass one. Some said that Lavarick did a little gold dealing now and then, and that he inade a little with the cards. He wore what 'had once been a suis of black broadcloth, and the wit of the camp declared that Lavarick had "done" -six months in England by mak- ing off with the money he was collect- ing at the door of a dissenting chapel. He looked something like a broken clerk, and had been riot infrequently called the Undertaker. HIe edged and glided among the crowd until he had reached the end of the table, and with his left eye still on the girl, listened to Lockit and the two men with an intent -expres- sion of suppressed eagerness and excite- ment, and when Lockit shouted: "Three pound nine—going, going! Ned, you've got a handy parlor maid in the future, cheap as dirt. (ening, going!" Lavarick held up a dirty paw, and with a sickly smile of assumed indifference, said: "Three pounds ten!" "Hallo!" exclaimed Lockit, "here's an- other. Bravo, Undertaker! But ain't you rather premature? It's a live or- phan we're disposing of." The roar that followed drowned a faint cry of terror that eseaped the girl'' quivering lips; but Neville heard it, and his face grew pale and hie eyes flashed. He pushed aside the Loco in front of him and stepped forward, "Pour pounds!" he said, quietly, but hie voice was clear and distinct enough, though low, to be heard by all; and there was a ring in it that caused the laughter to stop suddenly and draw every eye to him. The child, after that one glance et Lavarick, had turned and hidden her face against the breast of the woman to whom she was clinging; but she moved her head and looked over her shoulder at Neville, and- he caught the look of anguished entreaty in the big gray eyes. ".And the young un, too! Cupid ver- sus the Undertaker and Long Ned! .And four pounds! Four pounds! No More • shillings, gentlemen. We'll have pounds now I see that hospital, Doc, in my mind's eye, I do" Lavarick looked at Neville With an ugly sneer. He knew that the lad had had a run of bad luck, that his partner bad left the claim in disgust, and he .smiled contemptuously. Videll, five pounds," he said. "Six." ::even, eight, ten, twenty, forty. An intense silence prevailed as the bidding rose. The two men stood, divided by the rickety table, looking at each other; Lavarick with the Fame sickly smile on. his face, and the suppressed eagerness about his ill -shaped mouth, Neville with his lips set square and his blue eyes sterni and determined. The burlesque had died ent of Lock - it'.: manner, and a grim seriousness had taken its place. Every man in the crowd recognized that a change had come over the spirit of the dream and that waht had begun as a piece of fun had developed into terrible earnest. "One hundred!" said Lavarick. The crowd exchanged glances of amazement, and .waited breathlessly. "Has he got the money? And where did he get it?" tau round. "One hundred and fifty!" said Nev- ille. "He's got the money or ho wouldn't bid. He's straight enough, the young nun is; but where did he get it?" "Two hundred!" dropped from Lavar- ick's lips. Quick as a thought, Neville retorted with: • Two hundred and fifty." Lavarick raised his eyes and looked at Neville with a cunning suspicion. "Iti it a game of bluff?" he said. "Is the young un just a -drawing me' out for the fun of -the thing?" An angry .murmur rose. "] should recommend any gentleman inclined to play tha game to drop it," remarked Lockit, grimly. "We are ser - ions now, This is business, eh, boys?" h .A shout of assent arose. t "Oh, I'rn all right," said Lavarick. c "I've got what 1 bid. I'm not bluffing, d not." b Neville did not condescend to assert y his solvency. "Is the bid .against mc?" he asked, m looking up at the auctioneer. "If not, s I claim---" s "Three hundred!" broke in Lavarick. 1 "Four!" was the sharp response from 0'1e le ^ st Neville. The crowd drew a long breath. "'We shall want that lunatic asylum, anyhow," remarked the wit, dryly, but no one laughed at the sally. "Five!" snarled Lavarick. Neville bid six. The crowd pressed close up to the two men the excitement became fever- ish. Lavarick, his face pale and distorted, paused a moment, then said, "Seven." A roar went up, but as it died away, Neville's voice was heard with the "Eight." Ile, too, was pale. He had weighed his nugget. There was not a thousand pounds in it say nine hundred and sixty, after deducting the agent's charges. It was just possible that Lavaricic possess- ed more—he was a "dark horse"—and would overbid him. He could see the girl's eyes fixed un hen as if she had not power to withdraw them, as they seem- ed to be burning his heart, and sentling fire instead of blood through his veins. He would save her, if it cost hint every ounce, every pennyweight, of his pre- cious nugget. Lavaricic stood, his hands writhing at his sides, his eyes looking first at Nev- ille and then at the child. "Eight hundred and fifty!" dropped slowly from his lips, The crowd waited the auetioneer stood with upheld hand. "Going at eight hundred and fifty," he said, grimly. "Going, going(" "Nine hundred!" said Neville. A shout arose. Lockit commanded silence. A dense stillness fell in:ttant!y. and all eyes were fixed. on Lavarick. He turned red. then white; his lips opened as if he were about to speak, then with a sinister smile, he turned aside. "Going! gone!" cried Lockit. The tent shook with the roar that rose in a deafening volley, and rose again as Neville grimly unbuttoned his coat and dropped the nugget' on the table. The crowd pressed forward with a re- newed shout—this time of amazement and delight in the dramatic finale. "Bravo, young un! Bravo!" they yell- ed, and a dozen grimy hands were thrust forward toward him. "Tell us, young un, is it your pile, or is there more behind?" "When did you get it?" "What's its weight?" These and a seals of similar questions were yelled at him. Neville held up his hang or ` "There's no more. It's my e said, as quietly as usual. "Ther ly a thousand pounds there." He laid one hand on the nugget beckoned to the bank agent w other. "I leave it in your charge, Mr. " he said. "Pay for my bid and h the rest to -morrow." The agent nodded. The crowd closed round the , staring at it. Neville turned to the group of , and held out his hand to the ch' "`'Pill you come with me?" he The great eyes stared at hi moment vacantly, and with no sense or comprehension, then so in his pitying blue eyes seemed t en the intelligence which the pr teror had numbed and almost slain, she leaned toward him. He took her hand. It was cold and quivering like a leaf in th but she staggercr'd, and he took he his arms bodily and strode tow opening of the tent. As he did so. Lavarick glided. o ways with a hand thrust in his pocket. Neville slung the child quick gently over his left shoulder, leaving right hand free, and quietly drew Ids revolver. "Go back and stop there," he Lavarick, with an affectation prise, drew out the remnant of a handkerchief, as if he had only iu blowing his nose, but he shrank and Neville passed him, and with child still over his shoulder and t volver still in his hand, went ou the open air. shelf u' pile,". h 'There's near and with the Smith,' and nm nugget women rid. said. m for a sign el ntething o awak- en and as ice, e wind, rupin and the out side - breast quickly but his CHAPTER III. out said, of sur- pocket - tended back, the he re- t• into The night air cooled Neville Lynne's xcitement somewhat, and as he made is, way over the rough, uneven ground oward his hut, walking as quickly as he ould, he began` to realize what lie had one. He had spent his whole fortune arring a few pounds, in buying the oung girl lying across his shoulder, and he asked himself the question which any a man has asked upon finding him- elf the purchaser of some "lot" at a ale, "What on earth shall 1 do with t?" Nine hundred pounds! His alit He t00 4 i€ 000 000000 i9 0 el A New Orleans woman was thins. Because she diol not extract sufficient nourishment from her food. She took Scolte.s. Emulsjo Result: She gained a pound a day in weight. ALL DRUGGISTS: SOc. AND SS1.00 0 0 0 0 ,1.Jp{y+��ryq���y(�+.,M1(,yp .1�,A�gY, �ljpq.(y���yw.{�p ',{fi,,�yy��,1, .N L, 000 '1, 000 } M,* -U :rill •,( Y'l1 1'Y, ,�00 . laughed grimly, and.yot if it had to be lone again he would have done it. Standing' opposite;at cadaverous, evil - looking face of Lavarick's, with the child's wonderful grey eyes burning their way ^into .his own heart, he had felt that he would have bid the clothes off his bac(: before Lavarick should have had her. She lay quite motionless and inert against his heart, and Neville deemed it best to say nothing. to hex•. He could feel her heart beating against Itis, and her breath coming still in frightened little pants against his neck:; and onee, when a digger stumbled past', them, her hands clutched Neville's shirt spasmodically. The inspired idiot who invented the copybook headings sews that the truly courageous are always humane, and youngNeville Lynne, with the pluck of a bulldog, possessed.the tender heart of a woman. They reached the' hut, and at the sound of his footetep Mrs.Meth appeared at the doorway, holding the tallow can- dle above her head and peering at then. "Is that you, young un? Law's sakes alive, what yer :got there? A. sack o'' meal?" Then, as 'she' saw what it was, she uttered a screech and nearly dropped the candle. , "Why, it's a girl! Is she dead?" `. "No, no!" said 'Neville, cheerfully. "She's worth half a dozen dead ones, aren't you, little one? She's only tired and frightened. Now, Meth, pull your- self together," he went on, as he car- ried the girl . into the hut, "rand let us have some supper." "But where's that yere nugget?" de- manded Meth, her eyes still on the child. "That's all right, . Meth," he replied, as cheerfully as before, "You'll get your share to -morrow. Now then, little one," and he attempted to loosen the hands from his neck, but she clung close with a little shiver, and he drew a box f•'rward with his feet and sat down, .-;tying: "All right. We'll wait a bit. Plenty of time. Now, Meth, hurry up with tat cake, and sone milk, or tea, or whatever you've got." • The old woman saw that he didn't want to be questioned, and began to ret some tea. Neville sat patiently, now and aeeten patting the thin little arm or strolling the thick, dark hair then when the tea was ready ho spoke to her. "How are we now, eh, little one? Not frightened still, eh? You're all safe now, you know. Come, drink a little tea and you'll feel better and more plucky. You're all safe now,' you know. You're —you're at holue!" The girl seemed to listen to the mus- ical voice with all her heart as well as her ears, then raised her head, glanced at him with her solemn eyes, and slid down to the floor, ,.t "I do not war. tea, thank you," she said, in a Io'; which, however, startled Neville ?t as if it had been a ,trumpet ' as the voice, not of a dig , of a little lady, 1e' tidd '1'e him an (4'it a,. ;'' `y "No?' he suss,, 'i tale some to please me, wt r .y the way, what is your na ,c• -ver mind, I won't bother you questions to- night," he added,.'e �iderately. She raised the w x der'ful, grey eyes and looked at him. "My name is Sylvia -Sylvia Bond," she said. Neville nodded with his pleasant smile. "That's awfully pretty," he said. "Weil, Sylvia, you are not frightened now?" "No, not now," she • replied, glancing round the dimly-lit hut and drawing a long breath, "not now." "That's all right," he said, "and you'll have some tea and get a good night's rest, won't you, A good long sleep is what you want, Sylvia." She sank down in front of the fire, her eyes fixed on the, blaze, her small hand loosely clasped in the lap of her tattered frock, and Neville got up, placed the box so that she could lean against it, and sinned to Meth to give her some food, putting his finger on his lips to indicate that she was not to bother her with questions. Then he turn- ed to leave them alone, but at the sound of his movements the girl turned quickly and half rose. He went back and laid his hand on her head. "All right, Sylvia," he, said, reassur- ingly, "I am only going outside to smoke a pipe. When you halve had your tea you tumble . into bed, Don't be afraid. I shall be just outside, you know." She sank back, but as she did so she put up her hand to his and drew it down to her lips. Neville blushed like a girl, and . got outside and lit his pipe, He walked up and down for the best part of an hour, thinking over and real- izing—for at the first blush the whole j thing seemed like a ridiculous dream— what he had done; then he went into the but, knocking first. ' Mrs, Meth was sittingbefore the fire. She jerked her head invard the inner compartment of the hut which formed her sleeping -room. ' "Asleep?" said Neville. "Like a blessed top,"' replied Mrs. Meth, "Be it true that she tells me, that you giv' that .yere nugget for her, young u n?" "Yes, but we won't say anything more about that. Meth. Your money's all right you know," "Now say'! If I was to die for it I'd be bound to say you was a darned young fool, young un," she croaked, "Yes, I know," he assented,,eheerfnlly. "])id she say anything else, By the way, i told you not' to worry her, you old idiot!" "No mare 1 aid! She lot out about the nugget of her own accord; She's English, ain't she, and a swell. Leastways, I judge so by her talk. She slings it.. jest like yourself, young un, and you're a swell, you are, you know." "Yes, she's English. I think," said Neville, ignoring the reference. to himself. "And what are you going to do with her? Keep her? Why, there nin'r enough for we two! Unless that yet. claim turns out a pityin' one," "Never mind," said Neville, "li'e shall manage, I daresay, Is she comfortable? Poor little thing!" he added. !'tore to himself than to Meth. "I wonder who she .is, and how she game here?" "Don't.appear as if she loners," said I\[eth. "Says her father wasn't a digger; seems as if' they was just on the limit after anything that turned up." After a pause, and in a husky, cautious voice: "S te've got something strung round her neck, a small parcel. Seems as if she set mighty store by it, too. Wouldn't let me so much as touch it. Reckon it's valuable, eh, young un?" Neville looked up. "Leave it alone, Meth, whatever it is," he said, sternly. "And, ne I told you be- fore, don't ask her any questions." "Oh, all right," assented the old wo- man, sullenly, -Neville got up after another pause, and, taking the candle, entered the in- ner room and looked at the child. She was sleeping the sleep of exhaustion, but even in her deathlike sleep it seemed as if she were conscious of the packet lying on her bosom for her hands were olasped over it as i£ to protect and to shield it. Neville looked down at her, all the tenderness and pity in his heart showing in his blue eyes. "She's right down pretty, ain't she?" whispered old Meth, in his ear. `Never see snob lair in all my born days. Like a• --a waterfall, ain't it. And eat as silk. And them black lashes. Don't often see them kind o' brows with that colored eyes. Reckon she's a born lady. too. But horn ladies ent as mueh as other folks, young u^, and—" IIe motioned her to silenee, and, /dos- ing the dear, buttoned up his peajaeket. "Pm ga,ing to sleep outside to -night Meth." he said. He stretched himself on the threshold, his revolver in his stand. but: it was dawn before he fel losicep. Iii, brain was too full of his new purchne'. Diel he dream and ei >•h over the loss of that little farm in green and smiling England. the fcxrnx he had "swapped" for the orphan of Lorn Ilope? CHAPTER. IV. Neville rose the next morning, bate a wash in the river, and resumed work in the hole which yesterday he had said "Good -by" to, as he thought, forever. When he went in to see if any break- fast happened to be about he found Syl- via making the coffee and old mother Meth "tidying up_." but looking over her shoulder now and again at the slim, girl- ish figura in a kind of wonderment. Sylvia glanced round at him with her large, expressive eyes as he entered, but she said nothing, and proceeded to lay the breakfast ei cold pork, meal cakes and ellee on the table of • sough deals supported by trestles. • Neville saw that she -rad been crying, but she had dried her eyes,;and was now simply gravely shy. "Why, you•re quite a little housekeep• - er, Sylvia," he said. "What splendid coffee!" His sally Was not very succesefule She look ed at him intently, her lips moved as if she were about to respond, but no sound came, and he ate his breakfast and got back to his claim as quickly as possible. After he had been at work half an horn• he saw Lockit approaching. The two men exchanged nods. "Get that nugget out o' this, young un?" said Lockit, "Yes," replied Neville, cleaning his spade. rare sline of luck, young un! and you went and planked it down for that girl! Well, I admire your pluck, I do. But, pard ,that fellow Lavarick has been at me this morning—you know what we're going to do with the money—tire nine hundred?" he broke off. Neville shook hie head, No. It doesn't natter to me." "Well, we've reckoned to divide it square and fair, share and share alike all round" "All right," said. Neville, indifferently. "But, young 'un, Lavarick has made the boys an offer." !Neville leaned on his pick, and looked u.p at the man attentively. "He's offered a thou—goodness knows where the nigger got the money ! but he's offered it for the girl. Seems to take an interest in her, somehow. Says if you'll take his money he'll send her to 'England to school, and--and--dashed if I ain't forgot, the word. Oh, adopt; adopt her, that's it. What do you say-? Strikes me you'd better jump at it, Reckon you were just playin' it off high with that nugget last night and 'ud be glad. to see it back, .eh, young 'nn? Better take the undertaker's offer." Neville's face reddened—that is to say, his trot grew duskier and his blue eyes darker. (To be eontlnued.) pa0- Free electricity tre els at the sante rate as light -180,000 mile, 'a second. Through wire, only 10,000 miles a sec- ond. BANISH PIMPLES AN ERUPT IONS Fv'ryone Needs a Tonic in Spring to Purify and Build Up the Blood. If you want new health and strength in spring you must build up your blood with a tonic Medicine. Indoor life dur- ing the long winter mouths is responsi- ble for the depressed condition and feel- ing of constant tiredness which affects so many people every spring. This con- dition rneans that the blood is impure and watery. That is what causes pim- ples and unsightly eruptions iri ! some, others have twinges of rheumatism, or the sharp, stabbing pains of neuralgia. Poor appetite, frequent headaches and a desire to avoid exertion is also due to bad blood. Any or all of these troubles can be banished by the fair use of such a tonic medicine as Dr, 'Williams' Pink Pills, Every dose of this medicine helps to make new, rich, red blood, which drives out impurities, stimulates every organ, strengthens every nerve and brings a feeling of new health and new energy to weak, tired out, ailing men and women, Here is proof that Dr. Wil- liams' .Pink fills is the greatest of all spring medicines. Mr. Henry Baker, Chipman, N. B., says: "Last spring I was so weak and miserable that I could hard- ly drag myself about. My appetite was poor; I did not sleep well, and dreaded work. My blood waS in a terrible con- dition, which caused pimples and small bails to break, out all over me. These would itch and pain and cause me much trouble. I tried several medicines, but without the least benefit, when one day a friend asked ore why I did not try Dr. Williams' Pink Pills. IIe spoke so high- ly of this medicine that 'I decided to take his advice and give the pills a trial. I got a half dozen boxes and the result was that by the time they were finished I felt like an altogether different Ivan. They purified my blood, built up my whole system, and I have not had a pimple on my flesh, not a sick day since. For this reason I can highly recommend Dr. Williams' Pink Pills as a blood - builder and purifier." Sold by all medi- cine dealers or by mail at 50 cents a box or six boxes for $2.150 from the Dr. William's Medicine Co., Brockville, Ont. w-� Does Ma Wish She Was Pa? "1 wish I had a lot 0' cosh," Sea pa, one winter's night; "I'd go down south and stay a while Where days are warm itn' bright." He set an' watched the fire die Till ma brought home some fresh pine knots An' made a cheerful blaze. "1 wish I had a million shares I' stock in Standard 011," Sez pa; "I wouldn't do a thing." Via made the kettle boil, An' mixed hot biscuits, fried some haat An' eggs (smelt good, you bet!) Fetched cheese an' doughnuts, made the tea, Then pa—set down an' et! "I wish I was a minfonaire," Sex pa; "I'd have a snap," ` Next, from the lounge, we heard a snore: Pa—at his ev'ning nap! Ma did the dishes, shook the cloth, Brushrdi up pat things away, An' fed the cat, then started up Her plans for baking day. She washed an' put some beans to soak, An' set some bread to rise; Unstrung dried apples, soaked 'em, too, A11 ready for her pies; She brought more wood, put out the cat, Then darned four pairs o' socks: Pa woke, an' sez, "Its time for bed; Sia. have you wound both clocks?" —Mary F. Ii, Ilutchison, in March Woman's Home Companion, @ • to A HEALTH FOR THE BABY A mother who has once used Baby's Own Tablets for her children will al- ways use them for the minor ailments that come to all little ones. The Tab- lets are the best medicine in the world for the cure of indigestion, colic, con- stipation, diarrhoea, teething troubles and breaking up colds. And the mother has the guarantee of a government an- alyst that this medicine contains no poisonous opiate or narcotic. Mrs. 'Wm, F. Gay, St. bleanors, P. E. I., says: "I have used Baby's Own Tablets with the best of results and know of nothing to equal them for the cure of stomach and bowel troubles. I do not feel safe unless I have a box of Baby's Own Tablets in the house," Sold by medieine dealers or by mail at 25 cents a. box from the Dr, Williams' Medicine Co.,~ Brockville, Ont. Children's Shoes. e Never on any account should chile dren be allowed to wear boots or shoes which are not absolutely comfortable. If boots are at' all tight or too short, corns, of course, will be one inevitable result; but, what is a still greater evil the child will acquire an awk- ward gait, which will probably cling to it all its life. Care should be taken, too, that boots are not buttoned too tightly round the ankle, ns this will often cause great suffering to the little wearer. TO DUNE A COLD IN ONE DAY Tako LAXATIVA BROMO Quinine Tablet, Druggists refund money if et fails to euro. 71. W. DROVE'S signature is on each box. zee, Quick -Growing Seed, A turnip seed increases its own weight 15 times in a minute. On peat grounds turnips have to be found to increase by growth 15,999 times the weight of their seed each day they stood upon the soil. A large arca of peat land has been found in Madison county, Montana, The owner of a fau'ni ill the peat region has experimented in drying the peat, and samples of the fuel dista-ibuted in Vir- ginia City have met with mueh favor. The fuel will ire prepared in large quare- tity and can be sold at a low figure. A coal faauine, due to lack of oars, has been threatening the region and thediis, covery of so elleyu and efficient a subeti- tute just at this time is considered a godsend.