The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1870-07-17


At length Phnbus tinted the mountain
top with crimson glints, and the weird
melody of the drowsy baud blended its
crack e echoes with the jubilant voices
of the dispensing reyelers. Ben Hassan
and his partner hurried through the dense
crowd to his chartered vehicle. But
what must have been his establishment
when he found his seat in the possession
of the woman whom he had so basely be-
trayedi Ii was with very different
feeling from that which animated Captain
Macheath, he ascended the box of the
driver and warbled
How happy l d be. with 'oiher dear charmer
away
Some men would have bundled the
bold intruder into the road; but across
Bens Chesterfeldian mind, no such
coarse and ungentlemanly Thought fash
ed. There was room for No. 2, but not
for him.
He mounted the hurricane deck, the
whip cracked, and the anxious steeds
headed for home.
Ben sat beside the driseT IN dreamy
mist of meditation. Atone time he rev.
eled in the delicious lsnitnbrance of the
moments spent in the society Of his new
love; but anon would come reproaches
for his ungallant betrayal of No. /, and
an unpleasant feeling that she would get
even with him. Qnalms of conscience
mingled with his new enchantment, and
dread of something after the ball-a
misty glamour of beautiful fairy in
white, interblended with an avenging
angel, h adi1alibus, took possession of
him. Ben, indeed, realized that the
pangs of despised love might eliminate
in terrible consequences.
As he was trying to whistle up his
courage his ear was suddenly assailed
with n loud, shrill, piercing shriek-a
long, sharp, agonizing scream, at which
the very cayuses took fright
Stop, driver, stopp came from within.
There is dying woman hereH shout
ed another.
Help, Ben Hassan, help thundered
third.
Ben jumped from the box, and in n
second took in the whole situation. No.
| had tainted. She had succumbed to
the studied deceit Of the man who had so
fiagrantly betrayed her. She was over
come with suppressed Indignation, and
had fallen into n spasm of unconscious
hysteria. No time was to be lost. She
must have air. Pulling ont his knife,
quick as thought, he plunged it into her
robe, and laid her breast open to health
ful ventilation.
Water, water. Quick! he cried.
There was nothing of liquid kind, but
flask of whisky, in the party. Ben
poured it ON her breast, sloshed it over
her face, dashed il in her eyes, and rub
bed the poor lady until signs Of returning
respiration were visible.
She remained in state of coma until
her residence was reached. when she was
packed to her room by the frightened
Ben Hassan. A doctor was summoned.
and the shamefully wronged lady was
restored 10 consciousness. She looked
at the doctor, and glanced wildly around
the room. She then put her lily white
hand within the bosom of her dress, and
suddenly broke forth in rhapsody Of
words:
All, hau she exclaimed, see it all.
lou, sir are a gentleman and doctor.
Nou will bear witness that have been
robbed. My watch, as Won may see, is
goner
The doctor saw no watch, and very
naturally agreed that it was gone.
Doctor, who was in this room when
you entered2'
No one but Ben Hassan. replied the
perplexed medico.
Aha, Then It's he"
who-what? p stammered the man
of medicine.
Why, that wretch in human form
that thing too vile to name that. that
Ben Hassan Error-fudr
Calm yourself, dear madam, he said
in tremulous tone, thinking he had n
first-elass lunatic to deal with. What
has Ben Hassan done?
Doner she echoed; done she
screeched. He slighted and deceived
me, the insinuating wretch; and now he
has added another infamy to his ignoble
behaviour by stealing my watchn
The situation was becoming serious,
and the doctor took advantage of the en-
trance of female friend to make him
self scarce.
sKyEN DAYS LATER.
| have Just returned from the building
wherein malefactors are quietly immured,
and have had mournful interview with
Ben Hassan. Notwithstanding he is
aware of the full extent of his crime, he
bears himself with an effrontery which
is astonishing. | wished to assure my
self that he was not the guilty wretch he
was charged to be, and asked him the
time of day. He drew q hdy'S ,rdtch
from his vest and beheld the proof of his
damning guilt, | left him to his fate;
but shed tear to the memory of his bet
Ter days, and never expect TO see him
again. this side of Carson.
SEVEN YEARS LATER.
Seven years have elapsed since the
eventful Christmas of which we write.
Our yigilant detectives have Just fer
reted out the real culprit who appro-
priated the missing watch.
1t was not the innocent Ben Hassan!
[ RAJ by the supes.
1t was in aet-nobody.
1t turns ont now that the lady-who is
a wife and mother--during her parox-
ysms in the stage, ON the day of the sup
posed robbery, had secreted the watch in
one of her stockings, and accidentally
found il yesterday. The hands on the
dial marked the hour of s, SO that no
doubt can be had of its identity.
The discovery has re-instated Ben
Hassan Error-fud in the confidence of
the people of the Bailiwick, and am as
sured that Mustapha Abou Beattie will
recall him to his old position of pro-
thonoiary.
Ben looks older now than he did on
that eventful morning. Besides his
glossy black ringlets are clipped short in
the style which obtains at the Hot
Springs. His face shows but few lines
Of its former manly beauty, although his
cheek is as extensive as ever.
He will doubtless marry the other girl,
as he is reputed to have saved heap of !
money during his seven years of retire.
ment from fashionable society There |
will ha n fitness of thinoe in this upion