The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1881-11-12

| eohuoN bOb mcheAy toNhbu LIB OWu1 bue
with sympathy that reIohes to all help:
Less, suffering creatures, hew great 1t is !
Il Was t'inkin'," said Bat, gravsly,
bot dat Providence you been spikin'
abo't 1t, why II ain't take care Of doctors
horses de same time"
After the Doctor and Bat had crossed
Fraser's Creek, the stealthy figure that
had followed them thus far, with some
thing In his hand, stopped, covering Le-
meath fir tree, till the eleam of their
lantern was like q FREELY In the distance;
then he Approached the bridge, and, with
eyes grown accustomed to the darkness,
examined the end that lay upon the bank.
he could see sufficiently well for his pur-
pose, which was soon apparent, for, taxi
ing up his pick, he commehced digging
into the bank and displacing the rocks,
working with fendish energy.
Course him." he said, between his
teeth, "I'll dx him so that no doctor can't
save him."
And so, with muttered curses, with the
hoarse, believing torrent beneath, and
the shrieking pines above, the work was
done, and TIE timber left in such posi-
ton that one attempting to cross upon it
would cause its fall. 1t was horrible to
think of-plunged into that hell Of wa
ters and vhirling debris, to be dashed
against the sharp rocks or carried swiftly
down the dark ravine to death as sure
and cruel If not rs sudden.
"There, you Internal Canuck," said
the man, "you bet you've done yer last
love maxim" I'll take that little busi-
ness of your hands," he added, with an
ugly laugh;
"But FRS. you'd better repair that
bridge"
1t was Maria, with her lantern sudden
ly turned fully upon him.
He uttered one fearful oath, and shrank
trembling like the coward that he was be-
fore the girls cleaning eyes as she held
her light aloft.
Il know what you have been doing.
and what it is for. Now 90 to work and
make it safe again"
"I'll be damned if I do" grouied Jake,
The only answer was the click of re-
volver that her firm little hand held
steadily enough.
She knew how to use It; Jake was we'll
aware of that. More than once he had
seen her bring down her game, with a
skill that many an old hunter might well
envy.
"If this fails have something else at
my belt. Do as tell you, or will kill
you as would wild beast that threat
etied NO."
"She'd do it, the little Spanish devil"
I'm tempted to do it now. click,
"oh, how quickly I could send you down
there where you meant to send him.
can hardly keep from doing it, / hate you
SO; but I'd scorn to have such dirty
blood on my hands. Now go to work"
Stung seriously through and through
with her contempt, cowed and unnerved
by the threats that he knew were not id.
lie ones, Jake set about the work, and it
was soon completed.
"Now go home" she said stsrnly.
There was no choice but to obey, and
still under cover OF the girls revolver, he
went before her like silky convict driv-
On to his dark cell.
'1ll release you in the morning." she
said. as she drove him into a suRk ritit.
building, and fastening the door securely
she left him to bis meditations.
The rain had ceased. Up through the
green cabSons hoated the mists of the
beautiful morning. Tinged with rosy
light. they sailed away through the blue
ether. Up rose the sun. shining graudly
on the mountain, and through those
floods OF gold came the doctor, and Bat
coroling his gay song, proud as trouba-
dour home from the war. going to kneel
at his lady's feet
by golly, we've saved that baby" he
dried sptiuging through the open door.
"And how is Jake7 A bet he's been most
sick of loansome widout me. Eh, what
he is, dat Jake1" be shouted.
But Jake did not appear.
"And though, Marie, my little one, he
murmured in his own language that she
had learned in childhood, ''hast though
no smile for me1 These beautiful eyes,
have they nothing to say to ME this morn
ing' They were so eloquent last hight,
my heart was aching with joyl Look at
me, Slarie-but thou art pale. Were
thou troubled for me, my little lover"
Swiftly the color rose to cheek and
brow, slowly the long lashes were uplift-
ed, and frcm dewey eyes and parted;
rosy lips, smiled tide glad welcome home.
Jake. just then appearing at the door,
saw it all, and with q stified groan of
jealous passion and defeat. he turned and
fed. half blind with rage. he knew not
Where--to get away from that madden
ing sight, that was ali bis thonght--away
to the caves of the mountains. where he
could crouch like . wounded wolf and
howl out his despair.
Orashl down through the tfeaoher-
ous bridge of poles and barki Down.
down the shuddering depths he whirled,
and the stream, scorning to bear such q
burden. hurled him aside upon the Jag
ged -oOks, where the long ferns tfAiIed
their brokon plumes and the ivy wound
its poisonous bands.
They'll never aud me. !" he thoaght.
"but it's right-it'sjust. It's what was
goin' 10 do 10 him. ctlrse-no. can't die