Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1872-01-16

aud sat DOM close at my side, took his
string, and the old dog again thrust his nose
between bis knees.
.You see"-aud the man leaned over to
me, aud began, IN whisper aud . strange
ness Of manner that suggested that hl'
mind was wandering see, we all
come from Boston tvgsthvr-GodffeT, hats
The Gopher, Wilson, that's Curry, and ].
things didnt 20 right with me there after l
came away, so | just let them drift hert.
Lost my 'grIp,' as they say didn't have any
snap sny more, as people call 1t. Godfrey
and Wilson got on very well, though, till
Wilson was killed.
"rill The Gopher killed him?" added.
"Well, nov, there's where il is" said old
Forty nine, and he shuddered. 1hs dog too,
seemed TO gros nervous, and erowdsd hi, |
ugly head up tighter between the cid mans |
legs.
InAriistic as it 10, must add that here be |
sgain handed me the string, sod, rising |
solemnly, went deliberately through the
process of removing the candle and cou-
temp plating the contvnts Of the bottle. Again
| dschned mis- offer. was wondering il
whAt part of that wretehed cabin wers The
bags of gold.
ne mAu uONu, anu COuhtuuou MI
story exactly as before.
There's where il is. Godfrey did not
kill Wilson. The Gopher did not kill Cur y
10 more than did you. You see, Curly Wa,
young, bright, beAutifIi. sunny faced boy
that had been petted to death by his mother
aud house full of sisters, and, someho~.
out here, he fell 90 gambling and taking
bit too much, add one night. whea Godfrey
tried to get him away from a game. . act of
roughs got upa row, upset the table, and
Curly got knitted BY some one Of the set
who made rumpus to get q grab at the
money, Godfrey was holding the boy at the
time to keep him from striking, for be WAS
mad with drink. Poor Curly only said
'Don't let them know it at home and died
in his arms. Every body was q stranger to
every body then, and no one took stock 10
that which did not directly concern him.
People said Godfrey was right-that il was
. case Of self-dsfense, and Godfrey never
said q word, naver denied be killed him, bui
f went back 10 the cabin. took possession OF
. everything, and had il all his own way. He
worked like = Chinaman, aud never took
. any part in the miners meetings or any
> thing Of the kind, aud people began 10 fear
r snd .hun him. By aud by all bis old &C.
= uuaiutauces had gone but me, and he was
DOLLY known as This Gopher
= Again Forty-uiue paused, and the dog
erept closer than before, as If be knew the
!, name Of his master.
/. Once more the man arose, lifted tbs
candle. Contemplated the beads in tbs
. bottle as before, aud returned. He DID
' uot sit down, bat toOk up aud pulled back
|. the blankets at the end OF tbs boik.
nj 81 thought as much" said | 10 myself
, The gold is hidden IN the straw"
4 "Look 1t them" said be /; aud he Tires
d down . bundle Of papers aud held the din
q candle for me TO read.
o There we're hundreds OF letters, all writ
" ten in fine steel plate lAdy's hand. som
addressed 70 Godfrey aud some TO Wilson
/. Nov and theh was Que with border u
10 black, telling that some one a. home q,
h longer waited the retuT,. Some Of the let
n ers read. Come home, eUms home.
/. was st the bottom Of them oil. 1 chance,
/. on one addressed 70 Wilson, Of = receu
- date, thanking him with oil u mothers Gn'
d sisters Tenderness for the money he had 81
d constantly sent them through all the wesr
Years. did not understand II, aud looked
i'll up at Fory-uins. He bent over the
II at on The bunk beside the bundle OF letters
, With his candle.
70 That WAS 1t, you see; that vas II. A
}, Godfrey, that's The Gopher, IS dead, Hu'
can send them no more money, nd AS yo'
~As go,rC TO the States, | thOuGht brs
hat you should dr0? 10 AID tell the ts'
= families gently, somehow, that they wer'
\ both dead Say that they died together
de sent them the last ounce he had th'
= week before he died, and made me tax
:, these letters TO keep them away from tn
, Coroner, so that they might not know hi
:, address and so they nigh; not know n
rome that Curly had died long $50, au
lied gambler. Ike one Of the letter
> ,lonQ aud that will tell you where the
are.n
Again old Forty-nine resumed the tow
= string. He looked toward the door, snC
!, when | had stepped across the sill, he pu
= out the light, and we stood together.
: The Old dog knew there was bat the on
. Place for his master outside his cabin >
= .Och a time, and, blind lssdjnz the bind
thi,ber he led him through the dsrt
: -STibner's '&onHp