, 1875-07-25
LUMLEY's PARDNER.


nave forgotten the name he brought Will
hlm from the States, for nobody here erer catlet
| him anything else but - sLumley's Pardner."
We mlna1s have = familiar knack Of reohris-
! ten!ng. and name onco altered sticks to mar
az long as be sticks to the mines so even after
Lumley had thrown up his claim and lett the
diggings. good three yeas ago Lumleys Pard.
ner still remained. \ fnger-post to trace the dis
tance back. After all, John Jones, or Lun,Iey's
Pardner. what mattared it, in that doubtfE! ::de
Of immigration setting in toward the will re-
gions, where the fret confidential question, after
intimacy seemed to warrant the liberty, was in
! rarisbly, "Saay, comrade What uss your name
before you came hero ,"
You see, knew Lumley's Pardner when he
first came into the mines. Was up ut Wood q
Diggngs at the time he and party Of two or
three or more came around prospecting. re-
member thought what fine stalwart young
fellow he Was, straight as a young pine tree,
and no foolishness about him either, for ho bad
beon roughing it a year or two down On the
Texas border. I never saw the boys more
downright pleased over newcomer than when
he bought claim and went in with us. He WAS
not man to talk much about himself, nor ono
you would feel free to question but there vas
honest s9uare-deaiing looking out Of his clear
gray eyes, for nil the trouble and unrest laid up
behind them.
Lum1ey Was ss different as man could be. ]
have often noticed that men take to uulikes in
mating among themselves, rs well as IN choos-
ing mates for life. He came into the diggings
week or 80 later, and they somehow fell IN to-
gether. Lumley was what you might call an
extra clever fellow. Ha looked scarcely more
than boy-theEe fair-skinned people never
show their age-with his handsome, womanish
face, bright blue eyes, and trim-built figure !;
but h6 had confidence until you could not rest,
plenty OF the gift OF CAB, and something about
least when you were with him you believed just
AZ he did, and then wondered At yourself alter
ward for doing SO.
Lumley always had knack OF twisting folks
round his little finger for all that the lines Of
drmncse were quito lacking about his mouth.
Lntnleys Pardner now, with his close-set lips
and square massive law-you might as well hope
to move mountain as him against hia will. He
would be strong to do, or to bear; you could
easily see that.
I do not know al it was exactly fair! I never
mennt to eavesdrop. but 1t happened IN this wise:
Ono uight went over to Lumleys shanty-lt
WAS amazing strange how soon his name got
tackled to eyerythlng-to SEQ about broken pick
he wanted mended. used to do the smithiug
in those days. As I opened the door, saw there
work. dropped down on loG just outside, lit
my pipe aud sat leaning back against the pine
boards waiting for Lumley to come back. I
guess must have got drovsy and fallen asleep,
for the first thing I heard was voices, and Lum-
ley'B Partner speaking out bitter and ehort, in q
way We seldom heard him speak.
II reckon it's Of no use to ask if there's. any
letters come to my nsme," he said There's
no one to write to me-
rubbed opon my eyes and saw two CLEANS OF
the one loop-hole of window, aud then knew
that Lumley and Lis mate must hare passed me
by and neyer seen me in the twilight. Raising
myself up, saw Iumley through the window,
sitting down to the pine table beside yellow
dip, with two or three letters lying before him,
aud one open in bis hand THEN it flashed
across my mind that one Of the boys from camp
beyond had gone into the station and Was due
with the mail that night.
L.umley's Pa1dner sat over the far side Of the
table with = gloomy look in his eye. Being in
the same boat myself, knew how lonesome it
was never to have news from home, and won-
dered to myself how q manly, fne-1ooking fellow
like him should be without wife or sweetheart
waiting with woman's pride in him somewhere.
Lumley, was busy reading his letters. thought
l had better stay outside. He was that intent
at first that he seemed not to have heard the
others words but after moment he lifted his
face With one OF the proud, bright looks that
we're Lumley's own. ''Ay, comrade!" he cried,
choerily; "aud don't tell me i: isn't all your own
fault. Don't dare to eaTy me my uife and
child
There Was no reply; but, looking over. saw
such bitter, aorrOwful look on the face of LrEn~
iey's Pardner that, scarcely knowing what I was
doing, Istood and matched and pitied him. ]
heard lumley read aloud; words Of love and
trust, watching and waiting. and of happiness in
him and the child. I SAW his face a. he read
Ho might be q weak man. but he loved the
woman and the child, From shalast letter there
dropped out 3 carte do ylsite. Lumley caught it
up with boysh eageruess.
"Old paid, !" he cried, "you shall see my two
treasures. Here they are-Lulie and the boy!"
He tossed the picture across the table. The
other picked it up. I BaW . man due once,
stabbed through the heart. just such 3 look
came into the face Of Lumeys Pardner, as ha
glanced at that picture in his hand Lumley,
bending over his letter. never saw it. When he
had finished reading, tie held out his hand. The
other did not even rinse his eyes, but kept them
f1edly on what he held.
Il, too once thought to haTe = wife and
child, he muttered presently, less to Iumley
than to himself.
TIC words, following that look we're aho1e
book Of revelation to me: Happily, Lumley did
not notice. His face showed some SURPRISE
mingled with that placid satisfaction the sue
ceasful man always wears.
s'Ah!" he returned, shaking his head know
insly, Ills that the way the land lies? knew
you were always close-mouthed but dsap-
pointmept-I never suspected that She, Who
aver it was, had precious bad taste when she
looked the other way!" and he ran his eye ad-
over the others splendid proportions
and manIy, handsome face.
tsShe never refused me, y broke in Lum1ey's
Pardner, in . low, smothered tone, his eyes stu
fastened intently on the picture. "l--neVer
asked her /; but she knsW my mind, and thought
I knew hers was sure she would whit for
me until came back. It was for her went
away"
aBut you wrote to her ?" questioned Lumloy,
With genuine interest. ...
stNot 8 word-not line, am poor sclibe. |
But she know me we'll enough to need no writ |
ten assurance OF my intentions. Every day |
would be lived for her, There could be no |
doubt of that ia her mind"
Lumley made hasty gesture Of dissent. |
81 Aud there, old man, was precisely where you |
failed to connect! It don't do, you know, for |
wome n to take too much for granted. They Ike |
to be- well fortified; and then you are sn1est to |
win il you take them by storm. Why my |
luIie--"
s.She don't look as though she ever walked
over true heart with her dainty feet, and that
glad little emile just curving her lips!" broke IN
Lumley's Pa1dner, his white face still bent on
tho picture. His deep voice trembled little
aver the last words.