The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1876-04-26

but thought detected a false ring in
his voice. IS q" s&@s&
However, little more was said on the
subject then, and Charlie and I return
| ed to our labor. :@s|.@ss
Time passed on, and no further news
| reached the lover concerning his fiance.
The young fellow was growing moody
and anxious, and did my best to COM
fort him.
At last, suddenly starting from the
bench. on which he had been seated
during our morning meal, he said:
See here, old fellow, [ can't stand
Edith. It's now over six weeks since
I.haye- heard a word from her and I
am worried to death -
Charlie,' you are wrong to feel so.
You have sent the money to bring your
Edith here, and if she followed your
directions, she could hardly have COM
municated with you yet. You'll find
that am right, SO don't be down.
heartfelt
Charlie did not answer, but pretend
ed to be satisfied with the view which
had taken of the case.
The next morning as we were on the
way to out claim, we saw large
crowd of miners gathered in the vicin-
ity of tall old oak tree which had
been left standing in the camp.
Curious to know the cause, we hur-
ried up and forced our way through
the crowd.
In moment the scene was made
plain to us.
A tall rutfian, a miner, was standing
in the midst of the circle with his
grasp on the shrinking shoulder of a
lad who appeared to be about fifteen
years of age. The poor child was
trembling from head to foot. and Sob
bling as if his heart would break.
Charlie could stand it no longer, nor
could |, so making our way to the side
of the lad, we asked the cause of the
tumult.
The miner frightened the grasp on
the lad, and then said:
''Why, you see, mates, this young
hound broke into our tent this morn
ing, and he has stole our gold and hid
den it away. Amt it SO? We little
varmint, ye!''
The lad could hardly speak for his
"Oh, gentlemen, do not believe him!
It is true that l was in his tent, for I
had just got into camp, after having
been robbed and beaten on my way
here. saw that the tent was open,
and creeping in, lay down and went
to sleep. When l aWOke, | saw this
man standing over me. That is the
truth, SO help me God!'
Charlie did not hesitate for a mo-
ment. Said he:
''You hear, my men! Can't you see
that the childs story is true. If Big
Ben has been robbed, I'll make it
good, but he must give me up the boy.
Come, Ben, how much did you loose? %
But this was not what the rutfian
wanted. He wished to see the boy
flogged, and then turned over to his
tender mercies as a drudge.
So he turned contemptuously to
Charlie, and said:
aye can't have the boy. He is my
prisoner. I caught him in my tent.
So let us alone, and go on your ways.'
Charlie looked thoughtfully at the
lad for moment and then said he:
''You cowardly scoundrel! Will you
fight for the boy 90
Eyes III fight for him, provided
that if you lose, I get him and that re-
volver you year, and the ruffian
looked at the crowd with a wink.
At this, the boy broke away from
ging him not to fight.
But Charley quickly gave the boy
over to my custody, and making ready
for the contest, stepped up to his ad-
versary.
For few moments the battle waged
fiercely, but Charley was much the best
boxer of the two, and in a few mo-
ments, big Ben lay at his feet insensi-
BILE, the blood rushing from his mouth
and nose.
The miners declared the fight fair
one, and my chum and I took the rad
to our tent, while Ben's friends took
charge of him.
Little was said between us till our
tent was at last reached, and Charley
was wondering what we would do with
the boy.
But no sooner were we under shelter
and free from the gaze of outsiders,
than the lad rushed up to Charlie, and
clasping him around the neck, he ex-
claimed:
''Oh, Charlie Charlie, my dearest
Charlie do you not know who it is
you have saved? l had such hard
work to refrain from telling you be-
fore that dreadful crowd of men. am
Edith. and have done as you command
ed mel
l will not attempt to describe the
G.. Il T.