Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-06-13

son OF smiling when her heart ached worst.
The two Mexicans, cattle herders, who had
seen him, were eagerly questioned but they
could tell nothing that she did not know,
save that they were quite sure that it was
Jim, and not some other unfortunate, whom
they had seen.
They gave a stupid assent when asked by
Marian to secure him and bring him into
town the next time that they saw him, and
a 81, Senor," considerably less stupid in
subsequent private interview with Jack, who
promised them cheap money" for their labor.
Marian had the books which Jim had left
in the cabin; commonplace Greek and Latin
books, which might have belonged to any
body, save that on one fly leaf was written, in
a scrawling hand, "J. G. Wilmer" and this
yellow page, and this faded ink, she covered
with her kisses and baptized with her tears.
And another weary week crept by.
The Doctor noticed with disapprobation
strongly expressed how pale and worn-look-
ing the pretty woman grew. Not profes-
sionally; indeed, his title was merely hon
orary, bestowed in recognition of his services
in prescribing the "Golden Anti-bilious
Pills for Bob Jinks, which, or nature in
spite of them, had effected cure, and re-
'tored to bereft Mariposa society an efficient
md valuable member.
The Doctors interest afforded considerable
amusement to the habitues of the "Grand"
bar-room, and they fairly roared with sym
'athy when he profanely expressed his sor-
row to see her wasting her beauty in tears
iver another feller."
One Saturday night two weeks and a day
| ince Marian's arrival, the whole population
| ,f the town were at the Grand either drink
ng, gambling or purchasing provisions Of
f,,ta. a. ~
| IAN department with activity and grace;
md ALL whatever their occupation were
| wearing vigorously and increasingly.
Marian sat upstairs in her tiny room
turning with feverish anxiety. Her long
ears of home-wating, the comiortless jour
icy, even the first week of uncertainty, had
| 1een easier to bear than this anxious wait
ng. The Mexicaus had not hesitated to
| av that he must be dead by this time but
| hat she did not believe; he might be starv-
| ing, crazed, nearly dead, but surely she
might see him once more and hear him say
that he forgave her; perhaps even nurse
| 1im back to reason and health and hope
igain.
The brawling and laughter downstairs
made her shudder. If was only man l''
she whispered, hercely, cienching her little
hands. Can do nothing but sit here and
wait? Oh, God, be merciful !" she cried.
Then suddenly a thought flashed into her
mind, She did not stop to think of it; she
acted upon it.
The Doctors partner, profoundly study
ing his cards, was somewhat disconnected to
see the table kicked over, aud the Doctors
hand " on the floor. Without question,
he put his hand back for his pistol, when
the sudden stiffness in the room caught his
| attantinn on1 oil that follnma1 naueaI him,
| to forget the affront.
| In the centre of the room, her disordered
hair flying about her face, her clear eyes
| flashing with excitement, her cheeks fam
| ing with color, more beautiful than they
had ever seen her look before, Marian stood
waiting for silence. Men crowded up to
| the doorways and filled the windows, certain
| from the sudden quiet, that something
| was up"
"Won't you help me :" she cried out.
''What can do to find him? He may be
starving to death He would not have left
YOU to starve! You she gasped and
| drew her breath hard" you---whom he was
good to--you remember hundred things,
but you forget him and let him-rave his
life away-and starve to death-alone."
She choked. She could not speak another
word but she stood with her lips parted,
her eyes flashing, looking eagerly, almost
angrily, from one face to another.
Circus Jack bounded on to table; it
was rickety, and reeled with his weight;
but Punks and Bob Jinks steaded it they
were friends of Jacks.
Fellers !" said Jack, " to-morow's Sun
Law I'm going out ter hunt for poor jim,
and amt coming back till find him. Them
as wants ter 'comp'ny me kin call at my
cabin tonight"
81 will go with you, Jack" said the Doc
tor, impressively.
Me, too, you bet % cried Scotty.
"Connt me in growled bass voice from
the window.
ME too" squeaked Punks. "All as'll
20 say, Ayr
Aud an "Ayl" came from those rough
voices with such a ringing burst of good will
Is must have startled the very birds asleep
in the distant trees.
Nay some faint echo OF it may have been
heard at the very gates of heaven itself. The
tears rolled down Marian's cheeks. She
rried to say, God bless you p but the tears
iad the right of way, and the words broke
into something unintelligible.
A sudden shame came over them that
they had not thought of this before. Memo
res of homes, of mothers, of wives, came
kuDckluB hJ lHtlT hearts, anu Noulu lut Dt
i-nied. The sleeves of rough and not over
clean flannel shirts were drawn across eyes
that had scorned tears through sickness,
discomfort, and disappointment.
Cutey came to the rescue.
Gentlemen ' he said, waving his hand
over the bar, " help yourselves My j'ints
are stiff, aud cant go; but I'll treat
the crowd. Free drinks, gentlemen -
Aud leaving his bar to the tender merces
OF his thirsty friends, Cutey offered his arm
to Marian, and escorted her to her own door,
where he took leave of her with low bow.
: Then he went down stairs four steps at a
time, lest his choice liquors should be ami
hilated in his absence.
| 1t was Monday noon when they returned
Marian sat at the window IN the easiest
chair the house afforded, sickening with fever.
She watched them coming into town with a
restless, helpless anxiety. She watched them
, scatter to their cabins, aud saw Circus Jack
| coming on toward the hotel alone
: She buried her face in her hands. lie had
said that he would never come back until
he found him. Had they become discour
aged Or
r She could not believe that they had found
5 him. Her heart seemed TO cry out, No
r no" Jack came up with little Mrs. Sharpe
at his heels.
r BE keerfull" said the faded woman
l She's mighty poorly"
Jack came in as lightly as his heavy boot'
l would allow.
l "The boys said fur me ter tell yer they
r wus all dretful sorry for yer. We buried
him Just whar we found him. He'd bel
3, dead nigh onto couple of weeks, reckon
= Don't yer look so, lady Poor Jim he
= warn't never happy, even when he wa,
drunk. He's better off up thar. We flung
D a few stones together to mark the place, anC
a III guide you and Mrs. Sharpe thar an,
S time"
= Then, lowering his voice to a whisper, h,
= added, tenderly, " And tux the ring Offer
q his finger. lie couldn't fight for it now
r an thought as mebby you'd like it,"
: lie took it from the corner OF his handker
4 chief she held up her finger for it and h,
slipped it on. Then he saw that the let
j ters spelled Faith" Tibet Punks " h,
! thought TO himself, contemptuously.
9 She looked up into his face with a stonl
= smile--no tears now.
e "Thank YOU" she said.
Four weeks afterward the Doctor lifteC
e Marian into the stage. She was stron,
e enough for her journey now, she said. Tw,
days before she had visited the lonely cairn
t 1t was a tiresome horseback ride, too. Sh
= seemed TO be getting well very fast Th
e Doctor told her so