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

was LIlHhiHS HOW Wy "Co II" aiF-
other man, and never let me know"
"Come, come, old man, don't take it so
to heart" said Lumley, sOothingly.
" ThereIl be a pleasant home, a dear little
woman, and bright-eyed children in the
future for you yeti"
"NEvER!"
Lumley's Pardner brought down his
fist like a sledge-hammer; then he leaned
forward in his seat. with a feverish eager
ness in his manner which he tried hard to
keep out of his voice:
Tell me, how would you have given
up your Lulie?"
Lumley laughed with easy, careless
~gOOd-nature. "YOu put me in a tight
place. he said. But, suppoSing the case,
the first question | should ask would be,
Did she 90 over to the enemy's camp
in other words, fOrsake me for an old
rival?'
"N-n-or' answered Lumley's Partner,
slowly. at was some one | had never
seen. I've nothing ag'in the man."
"Why, them" went on Lumley-'truth
sometimes cuts hard, old fellow think
it was your fault. and not the girls. It's
a mans privilege TO speak his mind a
wOman's destiny to fold her hands and
wait. She can never be quite sure unless
he has spoken out. Then perhaps an
other, who has learned to love her, does
speak. She feels the need of love i'm her
life women as often marry to be loved as
because they love. Then, instead of vast
ing her life for that which may never
come to her, she takes up the fate lying
at her feet. Does she go so very much
astray?"
Lumley's Pardner dropped his head
upon his breast. Poor girl. | never
thought of that" he said.
do not know Just how it was that | re-
membercd all the words so plain. There
was no more said, and, feeling g~uilty-like
for stealing a mates secret which il 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 Pard-
ner after that.
NCli, u tiiC IiillC. tIllISN NtHD VII Ill
the old way. Then Lumley's Partner
came down with mOuntain-fever, and
Lumley nursed him through it. He was
as tender as a woman, was LumlcY!
When | used to drop in of nights, Occa-
siOnally, to lend a hand at watching, the
sick mans eyes would follow him about
the room, in a helpless, beseeching way
that was pitiful to see.
1t was only the ghost of Lumley's Pard-
ner that got up from it, but the two We're
always higher together after that.
When Lumley got back to the claim,
and Lumley's Partner wa just able to
crawl about, they came into a wonderful
streak of luck. Lumley struck into a big
pocket, and there they were, in the turn
of a die, rich men. Mining, after all, is a
game of chance-you buy your ticket, but
it does not always win; there are plenty
of blanks to every prize.
1t does not matter the exact amount
this prize Melted, if | had remembered it
Lumley was iubilant over his "pile," anx-
iOuS to sell out, and leave the mines; so
nobody was surprised when his partner
bought him out for a good round sum.
saying, in his quiet way, that he guessed
he'd stay and see the thing through.
1t was very quiet in camp, the morning
that LumIey went away. The boys We're
sorry to lose him, for he had not any but
Well-wishers among us.
Well, six months went by, and then
came Il little white letter, ''scribed" in a
dainty wOman's hand, to Lumley's Pard-
ner. The man trembled all over like a
leaeEhen it was put into his hand, took it
into his cabin, and shut fast the door.
Within the next half hour he came out
again in a desperate hurry, saddled his
mule, and rode Off down the trail.
Unexpected business" was his hasty
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 all! He had sat
down to the gaming-table, N night, and
gotten up from It, the next morning,
poorer than he had come into the mines.
He had first won, then lost, and lost and
won again; and then that last total blank
stared him in the face.
Lumley could never give up at that. He
must win it all back! Luck was surely
in store for him yet! He haunted the
gambling-hells, playing recklessly, des-
perately, so long as he could win enough
to keep the ball rolling; pawning his
watch, his ring, even his clothing, when
other resources failed.
So Lumley's Partner found him-heavy-