The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1879-12-27

with us always. Please don't cry any more,
and then she, too, burst INTO tears
"Well will dry my tears Jessie don
know what would do if 1t were not for IN
little daughter, as you are all | have LEI
now. Richard is in the hands of higne
lpowcr than mine, and if il is His Will my DO,
will return safe to his home again"
In week they received "a letter from Dick
which he had posted just before the ship sail
ed Six months passed ere they received an,
further tidlngs from the absent one anC
long, weary months they were to the two watch
ers in the little village. He had arrived il
Australia, and was about to start tor the mines
promising to return in few years with a ME,
| little fortune. Then month after month slip
ped by, and year had gone before they heard
from him again. He was still in the mines
and was rapidly accumulating fortune.
|
; Five years have rolled around since Richard
| Fenton stood at the gate in the little village
awaiting the arrival of the stage coach 1t is
New Years night, and amid the rugged hills
of Australia, in miners camp, aman Is seat
ed IN a tent. He is sitting before a rude table
writing, and IN the faint glimmer of the lamp,
by whose ilickerlng light he is pennIng let.
ter, we discover, in thcsunburned and bearded
miner, no other parsonage than Richard Fen
ton.
Dick has had n wonderful streak of luck
since he wrote his last letter home Among
the gang of miners that started for the mines
was one Gerald Norton, a man near fifty years
OF age, though as strong and active as most
men at the age of thirty. During the journey
from Melbourne to the mines the party had
been attacked by band Of robbers, but, after
sharp fight, the bandits were repulsed and
driven of. The contest had been short and
fierce, and several of the ruflians had been
killed, the miners escaping without any lives
being lost, although several of them had been
wounded; and but for Dicks timely aid
Gerald Norton would have been slain. by
burly bandit, who was about to deal him
a blow from behind, when Dick shot him.
After they reached the mines and got to
work, Nortons luck was unbounded, as every
thing he touched seemed to turn to gold, and
1t was not long before he possessed one of the
richest mines in the diggngs, A month pre-
viOus to the time we find Dick in his tent,
however, Gerald Norton had fallen INTO deep
pit, and been injured so seriously that he died u
few days after the fall Before dying he had
called Dick to him, and said;
Richard, | AN going TO die, tor feel that
my hours are nearly numbered. You are the
snly friend have IN the world you are the
only man ever knew whom could trust i'm
plici,ly, and to you, Richard, ! leave all pos
sess in the world. As have accumulated my
wealth have turned It into valuables that can
DC easily taken care or | sold my mine few
months ago. and the money | received had
turned INTO bank notes, and that with what
possessed before, will amount to over q quar-
cr of million. You will find It in the large
money belt in my chest. The other miners
little dreamed OF me wealth had about me |
is all yours, Richard | make you my heir" |
The next day Norton died, and Dick had
lls remains conveyed TO Melbourne, where
hey were inferred IN one of the cemeteries
We lett Dick writing letter To his mother
ND Jessie, telling them of his good fortune,
md that in the spring he was to start for home,
which he would never leave again to wander
bout the world. SO intent is he in his writing
hat he does rot notice a slight sound at his
ent door, nor see the canvas part and a man
reep sealthily into the tent, then crouch
moment behind HIM. But just as the figure
8 about to spring upon HIM, DICK turns his
cad. AT that instant the man sprang, and
rasping his knife, which lay on the table,
)ick aimed a blow at the assassiaD, which,
instead of reaching the mans body, severed
niger from his left hand. The knife of the
intruder was plunged deep INTO Dicks back,
nd with groan he fell upon the ground.
gain the knife sank into his side, and then,
stening a few seconds and discovering no
lgns OF life, the man went to Fcntons chest,
Dok out the great money belt, which he fast
ned about him, and Selling small iron.
ound box, he fled from the fearful scene.
We will now return To the village of C.
is the latter part Of June, and lust at pres
Mt there is quite an excitement in the village,
n not u week ago Tom Hood returned home
ON Australia, and il was reported that he
al come back immensely rich One day,
ION after his arrival, he had called upon Mrs
enton, and on her making inquiries after her J
IN, Tom said I
Jay not be true-that Dick had met IA sad fate !
short time before left for home"
Mrs, Fenton turned deathly pale and could .
1t speak for moment, then she whispered |
Fell me all, SIR" I
Il heard that he had been murdered IN the
ines and" i
He did moi finish the sentence, for the poor v
other had swooned and fell In Jessie's arms. y
hen she came to, reason seemed To have de- 4
rted her, and for many weeks she lay be- S
'een lite and death But after time, with v
'ssle's tender care and nursing she recovered II
ne day she said: d
Jessie, you are my only comfort now. iii p
ere not for you, darling, oh, how willing u
Duld be to die" y
Don't talk about dying, mother" said Jes- 4
e, her eyes filling with tears; at seems to me Il
at Dick will come back again. Tom Hood A
I'd he only heard he was dead h
We'll, child, we will live on in hope" repi- Il
Mrs Fenton And the long, long years u
ore on, and still no word from the missing g
10, and yet the mother waited.
r.
Five years more have sped by, and it is il
cw Years eve. 1t will be ten years on the t
Drrow since Richard Fcnton left his home n
eat changes have taken place in the village 81
ice then. II now claims the name OF city,
$ two railroads running through 1t, and e
my handsome buildings have been erected al
thin the last few years, one Of the finest be IL
2 that built by Thomas Hood h
Tn this New Years eve, as the tram stops at h
: depot, among other passengers that get of, b,
one whom we will follow. He Is So muf 81