The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-09-18
VOLUME XII.


for her I went away"
"But you wrote to her ?" guestione,
Lumley, with genuine interest.
"Not a word-not a line. / am
poor scribe. Bat she knew me vel
enough to need no written assurance O
my intentions. Every day would b
lived for her. There could be No doub
of that in her mind"
Lumley made a hasty gesture Of dis
sent. "And there old man, was pre
cisely where You failed to connect 1
don't do, You know, for women to TAX
to much for granted They Like to b,
we'll fortified and then you are sures
to win if you take them by storm. VII,
my Lulie-"
"She don't look as though she esel
walked over q true heart with her daint,
feet, and that glad little smile just curry
ing her lips r broke in Lumley's Pard
ner, his white face still bent on the pic
ture. His deep voice trembled little
over the last words.
"Lulie is truth ITSELF" answered
Lumley, quickly. "Sbe never loved
anybody bat me. To be sure she had
admirers, how could she help that and be
what she is ?-but she loved me truly.
You can see it in her eyesT
Lumley's Partner turned deadly pale.
He caught the table by one hand as il
to steady himself, and fairly hurled the
picture across to Lumley. It missed its
mark and fell to the floor. As he saw il
'fall, all the fiercenees died out of his
eyes, and frightened look crept into
them.
"Pick her up," he said, with timid
apprehension, as though it were a hu-
man being to whom, in q moment OF
passion, he had committed some act OF
violence. al didn't mean to do that
poor little mother; )" the last words
seemed to give him a stronger footing
with himself. "I was thinking how my
wife married another man, and never
let me know"
"Come, come, old man. don't take
it so to heart" said Lumley, sooth-
ingly. "There'u be pleasant home,
q dear little woman, and bright eyed
children in the future for you yeti"
"Never !"
Lumley's Pardner brought down his
fist like q sledge-hammer; then he
leaned forward in his seat, with fever
ish eagerness in his manner which he
tried hard TO keep out of bis 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 I should ask
would be, did she go over to the ene-
my's camp, in other words, forsake me
for an old rival ?"
emo !" answered Lumley's Pard-
ner, slowly. est was some one had
never seen. I've nothing ag'in the
man."
"Why, then" went on Lumley,
"truth sometimes cuts hard, old fell
low-I think it was your fault and not
the girls. It's a mans privilege t
fold her hands and wait. She can never
be quite sure unless he has spoken out.
Then, perhaps, another. who has learned
to love her, does speak. She feels the
need of love in her life women as often
marry to be loved as because they love.
Then instead of wasting her life for
that which may never come to her. she
takes up the fate lying at her feet. Does
she go very much astray ?"
Lumley's Pardner dropped his head
upon his breast. Poor girl I never
thought of that" he said.
do not know just how it was that I
all the words 30 plain.
There was no more eaid, and, feeling
guilty-ike 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 lay over Until morn
ing.
I always felt sony for LumIey's Pard-
ner after that.
Well, for q time, things went on In
he old way. Then Lumley's Pardner
anne down with the mountain fever,
md Lumley nursed him through it. He
vas rs tender as a woman, was Lumley. |
When used to drop in of nights, occa-
to lend band at Watching, the |
mans eyes would follow him about the |
DOM, in a helpless, beseeching way |
hat was pitiful to see.
It was only the ghost of Lumley's |
osrdner that got up from it, but the |
wo men were always higher together
fter that.
When Lumley got back to the claim,
nd Lumley's Pardner was Just able to
rawl about, they came into a wonder.
al streak of luck. Lumiey struck into
big pocket, and there they were, at
be turn of a die, rich men. Mining,
fter all, is game of chance-you buy
our ticket, but it does not always win;
here are plenty of blanks to every
rize.
It does not matter the exact amount
his prize melted, if had remembered
!. Lumley was jubilant over his
pile," anxious to sail out and leave
be mines; so nobody was surprised
hen his partner bought him out for
God round sum, saying, in his quiet
'ay, that he guessed he'd stay and see
he thing through.
1t was very quiet in camp the morning
hat Lumley went away. The boys
ERE sorry to lose him, for he had not
ny but we'll wishers among us.
Well, nix months went by, and then
anne q little white letter. "scribcd
q a dainty woman's hand, to Lumley
'ardner. The man trembled all owe
Ike leaf when it was put into his
abin and shut the door. Within the
ext half hour he came out again in a
hurry, sadaled his mule and
ode OF down the trail
Unexpected business % was Lis
asty explanation. Could not say when
u might be back.
The news came to us at last by a
'arty OF traders stopping to noon in
.~~fs AAeA allow Wuhb JQOb6 mhthb |
4 weakness about his mouth stood for
.umley had never left the city at all
de had sat down to the gaming table
ne night and gotten up from it the next
norning poorer than he had come into
he mines. He had first won, then lost
nd lost and won, and won again and
hen that last total blank stared him in
be face.
Lumley could never give up at that.
Ie must win it all back. Luck was
urely in store for him yet. He haunted
be gambling bells, playing recklessly,
SO long as he could win
nough to keep the ball rolling, pawning
is watch, his ring, even his clothing,
hen other resources failed.
So Lumley's Pardner found him
with a seedy fashiness in his
ress, marks of dissipation on his fair,
face-a pretty nearly played
ut individual.
u I