The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1883-06-07

The two men were deeply moved a.
they listened TO the story Of her suffer-
I ings, and, after much persuasion. in.
duced her to return to camp with them
promising that one of the miners would
60 the following day to Kiwanna, about
10 miles distant, and make inquiries con-
corning the person she supp osed was
her husband. Without fur Their cere.
m0ny Flynn wrapped the boy in the
Blanket he had brought for the purpose
and Bagly trudged along with Maggie in
his arms.
When the party reached camp it was
past the time set for SINNERS return.
but he had notarrived. A bed of brush.
wood covered with blanket was ar
ranged for the guests. and after they
had lain down the men lighted their
pipes. and gathered around the fire con-
versing in low whispers, and listening
| eagerly fer the sound of the horses
footsteps.
''He oughter bin here long afore this"
said Bagly rousing himself from q brown
| study. "Boys he's scooted."
| The suggestion fell like bomb-shell;
no one spoke for a moment, then Bagly
Hes got your watch, Flynn-my pis-
tol and Fleetfoot. He's gone sure as
| shootin'. saw the devil a shinin' in
his eyes when he drew the Slip"
| The others were 10th to accept their
comrades suggestion. but all crept to
their resting. places with heavy hearts.
| I'VE kin live on BEANS" muttered
Bagly, "but what in thunder will become
OF the woman and her kids"
In the, morning there was consider
able excitement in Eureka camp. Two
of the men, Bagly and Reed were mis-
sing. After protracted search the lat.
ter was found near q clump" of bushes
some distance away In an unconscious
state, having apparently fallen in q fit.
They carried him back to camp; laid the
limp form on bramble bed and gazed
at each other In blank dismay.
Call the woman; praps shell know
what to do" advised Tom Knowles.
| The woman did not wait to be called.
| Seeing that something was amiss she ap-
preached the group The next moment
9 heartrending cry burst from her lips.
| Falling upon her knees she threw her
arms around the sick man and kissed his
still white face in a will distracted way.
A slight tremor passed over Reeds
frame: He opened his eyes, looked
wistfully at the woman bending over
him. Then CLEAN of intelligence illu-
minated his co1ntenance; he recognized
the faithful wife from whom he had been
90 long separated by singular freak Of
fate. For one brief moment soul met
soul. He raised his hand heavenward,
murmured family. Cup there, Mageie,"
| then earned his soufiquet Of Silent
Reed.
| Asolemn stiffness prevailed around Eu.
reka camp when Flynn and his comrades
returned from their unsuccessful search
for Bagly. The remainder of the party
were sitting around in respondent atti-
tudes, while Mrs. Reed, with the sick
child on her knees and one hand fondly
resting on the dead mans face, looked
the very embodiment of inconsolable
grief: Flynn-tender-hearted Tom
Flynn-how his bur|y frame shook with
sobs as the touching death.scene was dc.
scribed to him.
"Boys," he said huskily, 1--WE must
face our hard luck like heroes. I have
insisted all along that the Eureka held d
fortune for each of us, because I
believed It. But" it cost him strng-
gle to utter the next words, which were
the extinguishment of the hope that had
enabled them to endure privation and
hunger without a murmur. "But," he
went Oh. II was mistaken. After that
poor creature has grown accustomed to
her sorrow we will bury poor 81 and pull
up stakes. We won't abandon them,
those he loved"
The men heartily agreed to the last
clause. While arranging their plans for
the future, little Maggie bounded down
the hillside singing 6lithely, unconscious
of the bereavement that had befallen her.
"Look" she shouted gleefully, 'what
nice stones have found. Full Of bright
specks jes like eyes"
Flynn took the stone sha held toward
him. His face rough and weather-beat-
en-, grew pallid with sudden Joy.
Boys" he whispered, in tone of
suppressed excitement, 'she has struck
it, Where did YOU find it. Maggie2"
"Way up there, past the big hole"
she replied, vaguely wondering at his
white face.
In a moment the men "]ell in line,"
Maggie leading the way to the spot
where she found the precious stone. AS
they passed the mouth of the pit, the
scene of their fruitless labors. Flynn
stopped to get a shovel. The others fol-
lowed his example, carrying with them
the implements they had cast down in
q hopeless way ia night pre- vious.
They set to work ;lently, being 100
much excited to 81 :. II disappoint-
lnent awaited then IT, No, two or
three blows, such a. 81. never been
dealt before, told them that they had
'struck it" at last. They paused, looked
at each other for moment, then the
bills echoed with the shout of triumph
that burst simultaneously from their
lips.
They returned to the camp, Flynn
carrying Maggie ON his shoulders, Just
as Bagly appeared in sight with bag of
provisions on his back. IL a few words
he explained how. before daylight, he
had started for Kiwanna to beg food for
the woman and her children. After q
hasty dinner some of the men went to
select q pleasant spot in which to lay
the remains of their c0mrade, and Flynn
set out for town to make arrangements
about having the camp supplied with
provisions.
Several hours later he returned in
high spirits and related how he had en-
manded the return of the horse, watch
and pistol that had been entrusted TO
him. He clustered and swore for awhile
and tinallys agree i to sell his claim for
the articles he had already appropriated
to his own use. Flynn did not apprjse
him of the lucky turn of fortunes wheel
but took precautions to have the ex.
change legally drawn up and signed.
He played US mean trick" conclu.
ded Flynn, 'but got the best of him,
and now propose to transfer his share
to the widow aud orphans OF our old
friend"
No dissenting voice was raised against
the proposition; furthermore they all
declared that Maggie should henceforth
be called the Ward ofthe Eureka Mining
| Company.
The next day 81 was buried, and q
week later, when the success of the
mine had become an established fact,
| Mrs. Reed and her children were taken
| back to Sacramento The sudden change
of fortune, coupled with the death of
her husband, proved too much for the
poor woman, and the two orphans be-
| came actual wards of the Eureka Mining
| Company.
ID0n't Believe 1t.
| Said scabby dyspeptic to q friend who had
just told him that DR.. Guysotts Yellow Dock