Litchfield enquirer., 1875-10-14

ley, quickly. .'She never loved anybody but me. To be sure, she had admirers how could she help that and be what she is?-but she loves me truly. You can see it in her eyesi'
 Lumiey's Pardner turned deathly pale. He caught the table by one hand as if to steady himself, and fairly hurled the plc- ture across to Lumley. It missed its mark and fell to the floor. As;he saw it fall all the ferceness died out of his eyes, and frightened look crept into them.
 "Pick her up" he said, with timid ap- prehension, as though it were human being to whom, in moment of passion, he had committed some act of violence. "I didn't mean to do that.-poor little mother! the last words seemed to give hum stronger footing with himself. s.I was thinking how my wife married anoth- CT man, and never let me know"
 Come, come, old man, don't take it so to heart" said Lumley, soothingly. "Theren be pleasant home, a dear little woman, and bright eyed children in the future for you yet"
 Lumley's Farther brought down his fist luke sledge- hammer; then he leaned forward in his seat, with . feyerish eager ness in his manner which he tried hard to keep out of his voice:
 "rell me. how would you have given up your Lulie?"
 ''Lumley laughed with easy, careless good nature. 'sYou put me in a tight place" he said.
 "But, supposing the case, the first question should ask would be, did she go over to the enemy's camp,--in other words forsake me for an old rival?"
 '.N-n-o" answered Lumley's Pardner slowly. ''lt was some one I had never seen. I've nothing ag'in the man"
 "Why. then," went on Lumley, '.truth sometimes cuts hard, old fellow,-I think it was your fault, and not the girls. It's a mans privilege to speak hls mind; a woman's destiny to fold her hands and wait. She can never be quite sure unless he has spoken out. Then perhaps anoth- CT who has learned to love her, does speak. She feels the need of love in her life; wo- men as often marry to be loved as because they love. Then instead of wasting her life for that which may never come to her, she takes up the fate lying at her feet. Does she go very much astray?"
 Lumley's Pardner dropped his head up- on his breast. "Poor girl! I never thought ! of that, he said.
 do not know just how it was that I re- membered all the words so plain. There was no more said, and, feeling gulty-hke 1 for stealing 0 mates secret which it was not meant for me to know crept to my | shanty, bunked in, and let the broken pick lie over until morning. always felt sorry for Lumley's Pardn- CT after that. We'll for time things went on in the old way. Then Lumley's Pardner came | came down with mountain-fever, and LumIey nursed him through it. He was as tender as a woman, was Lumley! When l used to drop in of nights, occasionally, to lend hand at watching. the sick mans eyes would follow him about the room, in helpless beseeching way that was pitiful to see.
 It was only the ghost of Lumley's Pard- ner that got up from it. but the two men were higher together after that.
 When Lumley got back to the claim. crawl about, they came into a wonderful streak of luck. Lumley struck into big pocket, and there they were, in the turn of a die, rich men. Mining after all is game of chance-you buy your ticket, but 1t does not always win; there are plenty of blanks to every prize.
 It does not matter the exact amount this prize netted, if had remembered it. Lumley was jubilant oyer his ''pile, anx- lous to sell out, and leave mines; so mo- body was surprised when his partner bought him out for good round sum, saying, in his quiet way that he guessed he'd stay and see the thing through. It was very quiet in camp the morning that Lumley went away. The boys were sorry to lose him, for he had not any but we'll wishers among us. We'll, six months went by, and then came a little white letter, ''scribed" in a dainty woman's hand, to Lumley's Pard- ner. The man trembled all over like a leaf when it was put into his hand, took it into his cabin and shut the door. Within the next half hour he came out again in . desperate hurry, saddled his mule, and rode off down the trail. Unexpected businessi" was his nasty explanation. Could not say how soon he might be back.
 The news came to us at last by a party of traders, stopping to noon in camp, Then knew what those marks of weak ness about his mouth stood for; Lumley had never left the city at alli He had sat down to the gaming table one night. and gotten up from it, the next morning, poor CT than he had come into the mines. He had first won, then lost, and lost and won again; and then that last total blank star ed him in the face.
 Lumley could never give up at that He must win it all back! Luck was sure- ly in store for him yet! He haunted the gambling hells, playing reckleslsy, des: perately, so long as he could win enough to keep the ball rolling, pavning his watch, his ring, even his clothing when | other resources failed.
 So Lumley's Pardner found him-heavy eyed, with seedy fashiness in his dress. marks of dissipation on his fair, woman ish face-a pretty nearly played out indi- vidual.
 The blood rushed all over his face, for the manliness yet left in him could. but feel the shame of that meeting. But there was no backing out now. Lumley's Pardner took him to one side. "I'va heard of you, old man," he said m his matter-of-fact way, "and I've come to see you out of this. How much do you say will clear you up and have trifle ahead?"
 Lumley never raised his eyes. | ''Old pard," he answered, choking up, "you're a better friend than deserve. Don't ask me to take anything from you. I went in with my eyes open, and thanking you all the same, I'll have nobody's help out.
 Lumley's Pardner laid broad hand on each of the pitiful dropping shoulders.
 "Old man, when the fever had me down, I'd ha' gone under if it hadn't been for you. So help me God I'd rather ha' died than have taken what I did at your hands. Do you dare to deny me this small return, now? Whats paltry sum ? of money between you and me, and the little mother waitin' at home ?"
 Lumley put down his head upon that, and cried like a baby, the which, if it be not manly, I like him the better for. There are tears, am thinking, that are far from disgracing even the eyes of a man.. H1e4 70 4l
 ''Tm ashamed of myself, through and through for what's gone by, ,"were Lumley's next words, "but can't give it up now. Matters can't be any worse. and there's a