The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1875-08-06

there was no n IN, and, beng urea VIII
NY days work, | dropped down on a loo
lust outside, lit my pipe, and sat leaning
back against the pine boards waiting FOL
i-umley to come back. | guess must
have got drowsy and fallen asleep, for the
ti"St thing | heard was voices, and Lum'
jey's Pardner speaking out bitter and short
IN a way we seldom heard him speak.
Il reckon it's of no use to ask if there's
any letters come to my name" he SAID.
There's no one to write to me-
| rubbed open my eyes and saw two
LEANS of light streaming out throughtht
Dpen door and the one lOOp-hole of a WIN
low, and then | knew that Lumley and his
rate must have passed MT by and never
cen me in the twilight. Raising myself
p, ! saw Lumley through the window
sting down to the pine table beside a tai
-ow dip, with two or three letters lying be-
ore him, and one open in his hand. Then
flashed across my mind that one of the
Doys from a camp beyond had gone in to
..:e station and was due with the mail
lat night.
Lumley's Partner sat over the far side
OF the table with a glOomyloOk in his eye.
iieing in the same boat myself. | knew
how lonesome it wa eve to have new
from home, and wondered to myself how
a manly, tine-lOOking fellow like him
should be without wife or sweetheart
waiting with a wOman's pride in him some
where.
Lumley was busy reading his letters. |
thought | had better stay outside. HewaS
that intent at first that he seemed not to
have heard the others words, but after Il
moment he lifted his face with one of the
proud bright looks that were Lumley's
"Ay, cOmrade !" he cried, cheeri-
ly; land don't tell me it isn't all your
own fault. Don't dare to envy me my wife
and child"
There was no reply; but, looking over
| saw such a bitter, sOrrOwful look on the
face of Lumlcy's Pardner. that, scarcely
knowing what | was doing, | stood and
watched and pitied him. heard Lumley
read aloud; words of love and trust,
watching and waiting, and of happiness in
him and the child. | saw his face as he
read. He might be a weak man, but he
loved the woman and the child. From
the last letter there dropped out a carte de
visite. Lumley caught it up with bOyiSh
eagerness.
"Old pard," 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. saw a man die
once, stabbed through the heart. just
such a look came into the face of Lumley'S
Pardner, as he glanced at that picture in
his hand. Lumley, bending over his let
ter. never saw it. When he had finished
reading, he held out his hand. The other did
not even raise his eyes, but kept them fix
on what he held.
Il, too, once thought to have a wife and
he muttered presently, less to
Lumley than to himself.
The words, following that look, were a
whole book of revelation to me. Hap
DIlS LulIlltJ utu HUI IlcIICC. lis ldOS
showed some surprise, mingled with that
placid satisfaction the successful man al
ways wears.
"Ah :" he returned, shaking his head
knowingly, lis that the way the land
lies? | knew you were always close
mouthed, but a Disappointment never
expected that. She, whoever it was, had
precious bad taste when she looked the
other way !" and he ran his eye admiring-
ly over the others splendid proportions,
and manly, handsome face.
"She never refused me-" broke in Lum-
Partner, in a low, smOthered tone,
his eyes still fastened intently on the pic
ture. "I-never asked her; but she knew
my mind, and [ thought | knew hers. |
was sure she would wait for me until |
came back. 1t was for her | went away"
but you wrote to her?" questioned
Lumley, with genuine interest.
"Not a word-not a line. | am a poor
scribe. But she knew me well enough to
need no written assurance of my inten-
tioss. Every day would be lived for her.
There could be no doubt of that in her
Lumley made a hasty gesture ofdissent.
L" And there, old man, was precisely
where you failed to connect! 1t don't do,
you know, for women to take too much
for granted. They like to be we'll forti-
fled and then you are the surest to win
if you take them by storm. Why, my
Lulie-"
"She don't look as though she ever
walked over a true heart with her dainty
feet, and that glad little smile just cuIving
her lips!" broke in Lumley's Pardner,
his white face still bent on the picture.
His deep voice trembled a little over the