The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1880-02-04


leave the Sunshine .idle-I can't afford
it."
"Why don't you sell her to old
Stacyp" said. Hes got some ready
cash."
But he's going out shortly and wants
to sell his own mines"
"Going out-StacyP" 1 demanded,
wondering why Nellie had never alluded
to it.
Yes, going to take that gal of his
back to the States. This amt no fit
place for pretty little thing like she is,
you know"
Nellie going to leave camp! By
Jove, that wouldn't do. No, if she left
| would, too. / shouldn't lose her, now
that / had all but won her, so said:
i tell you, Bob, don't know that /
shall stay much longer myself. Per-
haps you would like to make me an
offer for my interest in the Ajax and let
me attend to your business in the East,
if can; would be very glad to-"
mo; much obliged, partner, but no
one can do what am going out for ex-
cept myself. Same time might be able
to handle my own property better if
had the Ajax too, seeing as how the two
claims join each other on the same vein.
l wonder il o,d Stacy would sell out
cheap enoughP"
ooh, guess so," l said; especially
if he is at all anxious to get away. I'll
speak to him for you"
"He said the other day." continued
Bob, as though he were carefully weigh
ing the proposition, "that he'd sell to
me on time if I could get good man to
go my security"
Would he take me, do you tllinkPn
"Take youP A great sight sooner
than any other man in camp"
"Well, then, Bob, you give me a
mortgage on the mine, and ifhis figures
are not too high I'll indorse your note
and turn you over my interest beside.
The mine is solid yet, 1 guess, though 1
haven't been to it for a week"
"That's the gals fault" grinned Bob;
"but ii she wasn't good / wouldn't
want to buy. l believe I'll go down
and see the old man-it won't take
long," and Bob buttoned up his coat
and started out.
Half an hour later Bob returned with
the necessary papers by which Stacy
conveyed his third interest in the Ajax
mine to him for eight thousand dollars,
payable within thirty days. / iDdorsed
Bob's note for the amount, he assuring
me that If the mine continued to pay, as
it had in the past, he could easily take
it up when due, besides which, / rea-
soned to myself, that / would soon be
Stacy's son-in-law, and, in case of Bob's
failure to meet the note, the old man
would not be hard on me. / also trans
ferred my third interest 10 Bob for n
like amount, and secured myself for
both sums by mortgage on the prop
erty, and so l went to bed that night
and dreamed of the little wife l soon
expected to have.
/ saw Nellie the next day, and though
she smiled sweetly and blushed most
prettily | wasn't satisfied, rs owing to
her getting things in readiness for the
trip next morning there was no oppor-
tunity for a quiet little conversation. /
told Stacy l was going out, and he
laughed and said Nellie had spoken of it
and he didn't know but what it was
good scheme for his gal, cause it could
hardly be expected that me and Bob
would be good company" and so the
matter was settled and | collected my
traps together, and those din't care to
take with me, distributed among the
boys. They all knew what l was going
out for, and good-natured witticisms
were freely INDUCED in ut my expense
But liked it, and rather enjoyed my
triumphs over the colonel and the
win the little treasure that had carried
off, but had miserably failed.
sat in my cabin that evening-the
last should ever spend in Mineral City
and somehow l got terribly blue and
out of spirits. 1t felt like parting with
old friends. Every tree and every rock
seemed to have hold on my affections,
and the rough logs of my little home
had warm place in my heart. /
! couldn't shake off my low spirits, and so
l went down to see my little one and
from her sweet face and pretty eyes
draw the consolation felt needed.
found her looking tired from her ar
ranging and packing efforts, but she
! seemed most glad to see me, and we sat
! on the doorstep and were soon chatting
in warm, confidential way. AS was
about to go | took her little hand in my
big palm and said
6 Are you really glad that l am going
out with yOuP"
"You know l am," she said, earn
estly, her eyes dropping and her soft
! little fingers involuntarily pressing
mine, and somehow before l fully real
lied what l was doing had leaned for
ward and pressed hot, passionate kiss
on her pretty lips, and with a little ex-
clamation expressive of surprise and
not of anger she turned and vanished.
Twas happy fellow that night.
Our trip was begun the next morning
and in due course of time we all of us
came to halt in New York. What
delicious time had had of it, and how
considerate Stacy and Bob were to me.
They never intruded their presence, but
let me have Nellie to myself, as though
they had no connection whatever with
us. l felt grateful to them and medi-
tated often upon what l could do to
show my appreciation of their thought
fulness and good feeling. Nellie was a
little paradox, however-an enigma l
couldn't solve. 1 had proposed to her
half dozen times on our way East,
but though she showed that her heart
was mine and permitted me to squeeze
her hand, whisper soft nouhings and
kiss her goodnight when she retired,
she would give me no answer to my