, 1880-07-12

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lation among the boys. Then Roney,
whose lead lay near the Alice, remem-
bered that the hermit had not been to
work that day or the day before, and
when night came on and the keg in the
corner remained unoccupiod the boys
concluded that Investigation was nec
essary.
i" Pards. reckon the hermit may be
q leetle off aud might kinder need
help" said Georgia, can it sorter
strikes me we might call in an see."
As this met the approval of ali the
men, Georgia and Roney started up to
the Hermit's little cabin. A dim light
crept around the edges of the old -four
sack that acted as a curtain for the lit
tie square pane of glass constituting q
window, and, after consultation, the
two messengers concluded to take q
peep before making their presence
known.
Georgia put his face to the glass and
peered intently within. The Hermit
sat on the earthern floor enveloped in a
torn and miserable blanket. His hat
was off, and his long gray hair was
tangled and unkempt. His eyes, which
Georgia could plainly see as he sat
nearly facing the window. combined
with their usual pleading expression
sort of feverish glitter, and the whole
attitude of tho man was one of despair.
In his hands he held what appeared to
be photograph and an old letter, and
he never moved his eyes from them.
The rest of the room that came with
in GeorgiA's field of vision betokened
cleanliness, but at the same time ex-
treme poverty for even that rough
country. Georgia withdrew his head
and his companion took q look, after
which they both retreated some little
distance into the timber and paused.
"Well ?" said Roney.
"Deuced queer" said Georgia.
Kinder slck-looking, eh ?"
Georgia nodded his head thought
fully.
Lets see the boys about it" said
Roney, and then they retraced their
steps to the saloon.
The boys listened with interest to the
report and pulled their boards and
scratched their heads in attempts to OBJ
tain solution as to what allied the Her
NIT. Many and various were the ex-
plantations given, and then they decided
that Georgia and Roney had better GO
back and knock at the door and in
quire, at any rate. if anything was
wrong; SO thereupon the two once
more started up the trail. They
knecked-first softly and then louder
but elected NO response or caused any
show of life within, save the extipguish
ment Immediately of the light.
"Ne use," whispered Roney, and
without further word they left the lit
tie cabin and its solitary occupant and
Joined their comrades.
The next day passed and the next,
and the Hermit gave no signs of exist
ence. That evening the mail came in,
and among the letters was one, in a
woman's hand, for John Harmer, Min
eral City, San Juan county, Colorado.
There was not such parsonage in the
county, so far as the boys knew, but
Georgia, after a moments hesitation,
put his shoul der to the door and with
as little noise as possible burst the
wooden button off that served as lock.
The next instant and Georgia was in
the room. The Hermit lay extended
upon the floor. his face flushed and hot
with fever, and his long, thin fingers
nerveusly grasping and relaxing again
the torn .lanket on which he tossed.
What's the matter, old pard ?" said
Georgia. as he raised the old mans
head.
The fevered eyes slowly turned to-
ward the face, the emacisted fingers
opened and the poor, lonely old fellow
said huskily:
"DOn't tell her!"
" Who-tell who?"
Tablespoon little thing-she don't
know"
Thinking of his folks in the States, I"
muttered Georgia; and then tenderly
and carefully he lifted the sick man in
his arms and strobe away to his own
cabin.
The news of the Hermit's sickness
spread through the camp, and blankets
and food came from all quarters for his
use. The store was ransacked for the
best that it could afford. A terrible
slaughtering of mountain grouse took
place that rich broths might be made
for the invalid. One man travelled six
teen miles to Silverton to secure q can
of peaches, and the men almost fought
in their anxiety to act as nurses and
watchers. Georgia thanked the b.ys,
but Kept them away, admitting only one
or two 10 aid him in the care of the old
man. But despite all this attention the
old fellow sank and sank, and it soon
became evident that the mountain fever
had one more victim.
One night Georgia sat smoking his
pipe and musing. The owner of the
letter had been found, for in his rawlings
the old man often mentioned the name
Harmer. but the boys feared lest he