Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-08-18

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CLEAN of new signal-light, which,
poised at mast head, glowered through
the dark like the fiery eye Of a gigantic
Cyclops; the Ocean Belle was in. Ten
minutes later, pushing his way through
the bustling crowd that thronged the
deck, he hurried across the plank and
made his way straight to the cabin.
The past seemed all a dream, as he
stood again with wildly beating heart
before once familiar form-familiar
still, though bearing the maturer crown
of motherhood. Her face was even
fairer than old, blushing with it's own
wild-rose tints of loneliness, her soft
shining up in glad expectation. TIE
broad sombrero slouched over his fore;
head shaded his features. She only
saw bronzed cheeks and strong, brown
beard The tremor in his voice might
have meant diffidence.
"Pardon me, madame, you are-I
believe-that is to say am Lumley's
Pardner." 80
She held out white hand cordially.
"And my husband 2.
els we'll. I am to take you to him. y
He took timidly the hand she ex-
tended, awkwardly. the little woman
thought, and then let go.
ssGive me the child"
He took the sleeping boy in his arms,
and SO burdened piloted the way to a
carriage close beside the wharf. Put
ting her inside, he laid the child gen
tly, almost reverently, upon her lap.
We're 70 drive round and take up
Lumley. 1t is only few minutes ride. !"
One last searching glance from under
the protecting sombrero, and he closed
the carriage door, mounting to his place
beside the driver.
Oddly enough, Lumley had just fin
ished a winning game with Monte Rill
when Lumley's Pardner came hurriedly
in. AS he slipped quietly back to his
post, Lumley sat cycling the "pile"
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 another stake; not that he
had forgotten his oath, or the woman
and child that he loved, but long way
ahead of anything else was the thought
to follow it up ard 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 Pardner's face, then
at the door, then wistfully back upon
the cards and the gold. AS with sigh
he sunk into his seat again, Lumley's
Pardner, dashing the cards from his
hand, raked up the stakes, and forced
the money into Lumley's pocket.
Chow long will you keep your wife
and child waiting alone at night, in a
strange city, before the door of a
gambling house2"
The thrust struck home. Like a
man awakening from a dream, Lumley
sprang up, crushed on his hat, and flew
to the door.
Once in the little woman's arms, he
was safe. Lumley's Pardner knew him
well enough to be sure Of that. He
never followed him. but slipped out of
the side door, and the next day was
back in camp, a trife pale and sterr CT
than was his wont, but the Gear gray
eyes dauntlessly honest and brave.
And, I reckon, to this day, Lumley
never knows how mach he owes his old
mate, or that his Lulie had one true
lover, whom he once knew and appro-
priated to himself in the person Of
Lumley's Pardner. satsl