Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1871-11-23

was SLOW Sork for an old and feeble
man, driving a tunnel through the fin
,y slate ro. k, unassisted by younger
hands, and he had progressed in all
only about two hundred feet fron his
original starting-poin
lie was in debt to Bill Duck. the
Slide store-keeper, to the amount of
two thousand collars. The security OF
this debt was the Home Ticket itself.
Bill Duck knew his man-knew that in
his perfect honesty the simple promise
of such a man was worth more than
any written Instruments could be. and
the manner in which he secured him.
self would have hugely disgus,ed the
entire legal fraternity. All he exacted
was simple promise il writing. that
II Uncle Ben failed TO pay him two
thousand dollars at stipulated time.
the home Ticket should be delivered
into his possession. absolutely and un-
reservedly. lie was safe in doing this.
Uncle Ben had no other creditors. and
he WAS the soul Of honor. Bill Duck
was the only moncyed man around the
Slide, he was judge of quartz. too,
and unlike the rest OF the Soap-Sliders,
considered the Home Ticket the most
valuable piece of mining property in
that locality. The money was due on
the lst of August, and only two weeks
now remained until that time.
As the bands of yellow light gradu-
ally faded and disappeared. Uncle Ben
arose To 90. He was quite absorbed
IN thought-so much so that he failed
t. discover 10. Grey, who had come
silently down the trail, and was lean
ing with folded arms against the oak
tree near the entrance of the tunnel
ncie Ben, before retiring cast one
looh at the fragments OF the car. In
running out the last load of rock the
track had given way, prccipitating the
car down the deep embankment. One
OF the wheels coming in con,ac, with
a boulder, had been broken. and the
woodwork was almost completely de.
mollshed.
Don't seem 10 be much use irwin
muttered the old miner. all unconscious
of his auditor fortune is agin' me.
Jim Stubbs has got the only car around
here that could be had for love or
money. and he and ! amt on good
terms. lie wouldn't begin to lend it
10 me 'twould take iifty dollars TO buy
it, and that hsyn't got. don't
know Of enney body that would lend
me the money. Ii they was willin'
they hadn't got it 10 lend, for its dread
ful hard times ON the Slide now Won
der where Vi is? Must be she amt
-c-rrsn>- risir---fts KINDER strange.
though. for she alters wants 10 walk
home with me-
80 saying. b. turned away. and was
soon lost 10 view among the thick
bushes skIrting the trail. The bands
Of yellow light were all gone by this
time. save one faint line falling at the
feet of the motiouless form leaning
against the wide-boughed oak There
WAS rustic among the dogwood boughs
in the ravine below, and in n moment
more 1.-THE figure, ascending one OF
the piles OF quartz, stood on its sum
init. and a pair OF dark eyes looked
anxiously around.
oh, dear I'm quite out of breath
running ; and pa has gone after all. :.
How disappointed he will be not to
have me 20 home with him. That's
what comes Of sunset reveries.'
Quite pretty picture she made, as
she stood there watched by the setting
sun. the now silent squirrel, and last,
and decidedly the most interested spec
tator of all, 10. Grey. Her skirt,
slightly caught up in one hand, re-
vealed symmetrical foot and ankle.
1t must be confessed that her face was
slightly sunburned, and even bore sug-
gestions of freckles; but these were
slight defects TO set Off against the
crimson lips, the dark ewes, wavy hair,
and the willowy grace of the slight
but perfectly rounded form.
wiz '
why, 10, what do you mean by
frightening me in that way DO you
know how long papa has been gone:'
Only about ten minutes but don't
hurry off, Vi. l want the answer to
the questisn asked you the other day
.Indeen = with a toss of.the curly
head, and coquettish side glance out
of the dark eyes Are YOU in hur-
ryT
Now. vi, I'm not going to stand
this any longer. don't know whether
you care anything for me or not /; but
YOU know love you, and you must de-
eide the matter this very night. I
tried to get to speak to you this fore
noon. but you were SO busy flirting
with that IDIOT Fred Vane, that you
couldn't see me-
Fred Vane! Why, you mustn't speak
of him In that way. He's the hand
soonest man on the Slide. Such mag
nificent whiskers y
Her companion checked himself on
the point Of profanity. A sudden
movement brought him to her side, and
before she was aware of his intention
his arm was around her waist and his
eyes looking beseechingly into her own.
Tell me once for all, vi, must l go
or stay?' She disengaged herself with
suddenness that nearly made him
lose his somewhat precarious footing.
.Jo. Grey, I'm astonished at you.
How could you have the assurance to
dream Of such q thing? l don't love
YOU one bit. There, now!
Then with the grace IS well as with
the rapidity of a startled deer she de-
scended from her position and disap-
peared in the direction in which her
father had already gone. Not, how
ever, without casting back look, the
meaning of which 10. being q man in
love. and consequently, rs he mentally
phrased it, q 'cussed fool failed to in
terpret. With q savage look, express
sive of profound despair, he stood
staring at vacancy. Presently his
glance fell on Uncle Ben's shattered
car he remembered that individuals
lost words. and n new idea took DOS.