Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-09-10
7Tco.clpded from FIRST page.

i.,s pori. Lumney's Pardner betkoned
Mamie Bilfr aside Ct reckon you have
heard OF Monte Bill the best brace deal,
er and shor. card player west OF the old
Mississippi), and some secret understand
ing passed between them.
In the midst of game, Lumley's fard
ner lett his post. which was something uh-
usual, passing Monte Bill on bis way 10
the door. 1t was not generally no'ice9l,i
but as he passed he dropped small com
pact package into the gamblers nan" Nc
left the hall.
30 Pausing in the street, IunileN Partner
looked anxiously down 1t would nave
been dark but for the street lamps, ior 1t
was full two hours TO moonrlse nut GOWN
hy the wharf shone out the CLEAN OF new
signal-lght, which. poised at masthead
pjowered through the dark like The hery
: eve of gigantic Cyclops' the ocean
Belle was in. Ten minutes later, push
ing his way through the busting crowd
that thronged the deck, he hurried across
the plank and made his way straight to
the cabin
The past seemed all dream, AS he
stood again with wildly beating heart be-
fore once familiar form--famliar, though
bearing the maturer crown of motherhood
Her face--familiar still, though. her lace
was even fairer than of old, blushinS WIN
its own wild-rosc tints of lovehhess' hef
soft eyes shining up in glad eXpec'au9n
The broad sombrero, sloucheu oser MS
forehead, shaded his features. She saw
only bronzed cheeks and strong, brown
beard. The tremor 10 his voice might
have meant dffidence.
Pardon me, madame, you are--l believe
that is TO sav-I am Lumley's Pardner.
She held out white hand cordially.
''And my husband ?
lis well. am to take yon to him.
He took tlmidly the hand she extended,
awkwardlv the little woman thought, and
then let it go.
'sGive me the child.
He took the sleeping boy iii his arms,
aud so burdened piloted the way to car
rage close beside the wharf. Putting her
inside, he laid the child gently, almost
reverently, upon her lap.
"Were to drive round and take up
Lumlev. 1t is only a few minutes ride. y
One last searching glance from under
the protecting sombrep, and he closed
the carriage-door, mounting to his place
beside the driver.
Oddly enough. Lumley had just finished
a winning game with Monte Bill when
Lumley's Pardner came hurriedly in. As
ne slipped quietly back to his post, Lum-
ley sat cycling tie "piIe"-twenty- five
hundred dollars. He put out his hand to
rake it up, paused. drew it back, picked
up the cards, and began to shuttle for an
other stake; not that he had forgotten his
oath, or the woman and child he loved.
but a long way ahead of anything else
was the thought that luck had turned
that he had only TO follow it up and win
back all the past Lumley's Pardner
stopped to his ear:
You'd better throw up the game. The
little mother and your boy are waiting
here. outside.
Lumley started-half rose to his feet,
looked up into his partners face, then at
the door, then wistfully back upon the
cards and the gold. AS with Il heavy sigh
he sunk into his seat again, Lumley's
Pardner, dashing the cards from his hand
raked up the stakes and forced the money
! ipte Lpmley's pocket. e rs#
Z s'How long will You keep your wife and
child waiting alone, at night. in strange
city before the door of a gambling-housa? ?"
ia The tArust struck home. Like man
awakening from dream, Lumley sprung
up, crushed on his hat, and flew to he
door.
Once in the little woman's arms, he was
safe. Lumley's Partner knew him well
enough TO be sure of that. He never fol-
lowed him, but slipped out OF the side
door, aud the next day, saw him back i'll
+ camp, trite paler and sterner THAI was
his wont. but the clear gray eyes daun
iessly honest and brave.
- AndI reckon, to this day, Lumley never
knows how much he owes his old mate.
Or that his Iinlie had one true lover, whom
he once knew and appropriated 10 him
self In the person OF Lumey's Pardner.