The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1876-01-15


the open door and the one loop-hole of
window. and then | knew that Lumley
and his mate must have passed me by
and never seen me in the twilight kals-
ing myself up, I saw Lumley through
the window. sitting down to the pine
table. beside n tallow dip, with two or
three letters lying before him. and one
open in his hand. Then it flashed across
| nv mind that one of the boys from Il
camp beyond had gone in to the station
and was due with the mail that night.
/ Lumlev's pardner sat over the far side
of the table with gloomy look in his
eve. Being in the same boat myself, 1
knew how lonesome it was never to have
news from home. and wondered to my
self how a manly. fine-looking fellow
| like him should be without wife or
sweetheart waiting. with woman's pride
in him. somewhere.
Lumley was busy reading his letters.
| thought had better stay outside. He
was that intent, at first, that he seemed
not to have heard the others words, but
after moment he lifted his face with
one of the proud, bright looks that were
Luuley's own, and said, cheerily:
SAY. comrade don't tell me it isn't all
your own fault Don't dare to envy me
my wife and child"
There was no reply; but, looking over,
/ saw such bitter, sorrowful look on
the face of Lumley's pardner, that,
scarcely knowing what l was doing, l
stood and watched and pitied him.
heard Lumley read aloud; words of love
and trust, watching and waiting, and of
happiness in him and the child. l saw
his face rs he read. He might be weak
man, but he loved the woman and the
child. From the last there dropped out
cayte de risite. Lumley caught it up
with boyish eagerness.
cold pard," he cried, ''you shall see
my two treasures. Here theyare-Lulie
and the boy
He tossed the picture across the table.
The other picked it up. / saw man
die once. stabbed through the heart.
Just such look came into the face of
Lumleys pardner, rs he glanced at that
picture in his hand Lumley, bending
over his letter, never saw it. When he
had finished reading, he held out his
hand The other did not even raise his
eyes, but kept them fixed on what he
held.
81, too. once thought to have wife
and child" he muttered presently, less
to Lllmley than to himself.
The words, following that look, were
a whole book to me. Happily, Lumley
did not notice His face showed some
surprise, mingled with that placid salts
faction the successful man always wears.
"Ah." he returned, shaking his head
knowingly, sis that the way the land
lies? | knew you were close mouthed,
but disappointment never suspected
that. She, whoever she was, had preci
Gus bad taste when she looked the other
way And he ran his eye admiringly
over the others splendid proportions
and handsome face.
"She never refused me-" broke in
Lumlcy's pardncr, in low, smothered
tone, his eyes still fastened on the pie
ture. 'I--never asked her; but she
knew my mind, and l thought L knew
hers. | WIS sure she would wait for me
until | came back. 1t was for her / went
away.
But vou wrote to herr" questioned
Lumley, with genuine interest.
scribe. But she knew me well enough
to need no written assurance of my in
tentions. Every day would be lived for
her. There would be no doubt of that
III her mind.
Lumlev made Il gesture of dissent.
And there, old man, was precisely
where you failed to connect! 1t don't
do, you know, for women to take too
much for granted. They like to be well
fortified and then You are the surest to
win if You take them by storm. Why,
my Lrlie -"
"She don't look as though she ever
walked over true heart with her dainty
feet, and that glad little smile Just curry
ing her lips" interrupted Lumlcy's
parlncr, his white face still bent on the
picture. His deep voice still trembled
II little over the last words.
''Lillic is truth itself. answered Lum-
ley, quickly. "Shc never loved anybody
but me. 70 he sure, she had admirers
how could she help it and he what she
is-but she loves me truly. You can see
ii III her eyes,
Lumley' parlncr TUNED deathly pale.
He caught the table by one hand, us ii
to steady himself and fairly hurled the
picture across to Llmley. 1t missed its
mark and fell to the floor. As he saw it
fall, ali the tierccncss died out of his
eyes. and Il frightened look crept into
them.
Pick her mp" he said, with timid
apprehension, rs though it were Il human
being to whom. i'll moment of passion,
he had committed some act of violence.
Il didn't mean to do that-poor little
mother, / was thinking how mv rife
married another man and never let me