The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-08-02
Maxon, weary and hollow-eyed, offered

q man.
Proctor did not add that the watch
man he had engaged was no other than
himself, but when the rest had gone
home he remained there alone. Sep
arated as it was from the rest of the
town, by night the place was a dreary
solitude. Once the call of hooking
bird thrilled in the distance A fiery
eye, miles away over the level plain.
developed into the headlight of the To-
connective of tho evening train, which
Numbered past on its way to the depot
below. The moon came up and threw
into weird relief the blackened ruins.
4 John Proctor, who had been slowly
pacing to and fro, sat down upon q
bunch of shingles and buried his face
lin his hands. He knew, what not even
MaXon had guessed, that this disaster
had wrought his irreparable ruin. 1t
would require every cent of the insur-
ance money to settle his outstanding
liabilities, for he had done business on
the rushing Western plan, and had car
ried stock out of all proportion to his
capital. If he could only have saved
that five thousand, or if he had not been
so ambitious. Annie had been ready
poor little girl! She had even proposed
bringing her piano to this raw Southern
town, and eking out their income with
I've result of her own labors. On one
point he was resolved. Whenever he
got square with the world again he
would put his pride in his pocket, and
humhy present himself before the little
woman, ask her to share his fortunes,
for better or worse. O, God! how long
would t be? A stihed groan escaped
his lips
Suddenly he rose and stood erect.
His quick ear had caught the sound of
some hesvy body slowly moving over
the ground.
'Who IS there?'
A wavering voice replied
"Only ne. Is that you, boss?"
John Proctor bent forward and per-
ceived man slowly crawling along in
the shadow of a pile of joist. As the
figure emerged into the moonlight, he
saw that the fellow dragged one leg
helplessly after him. His suspicious
melted away beneath his natural
warmth of heart
care you hurt?''
''Only falling timber, boss, but the
fire got into my eyes and | can't see
very we'll"
He had drawn himself to Proctor's
feet and stopped, turning little upon
his side, his head propped up with his
hand.
"You see when l come through the
door something fell against me, and
not seeing you, and not being able to
get about very well, there were so
many of them cussed Mexican thieves
about, | was afraid they might make
off with this"-holding out a flat
leather book which John Proctor seized
with q glad exclamation. The man
went on, talking IN an absent way.
81 wouldn't have liked to have YOU
think i'll of me. You're the first man
got down. l want always loafer,
sir. You spoke of my knowing some
thing about the business, and to be sure
l ought, if fifteen years as 'sorter' in
the Wisconsin lumber region can teach
man anything of lumber. But when
my wife died | struck off out West. Its
been hard luck ever since-and my lit
tie girl-back there with her grand
parents
His voice seemed to fail from weak
mess.
what have you eaten to-day"
asked the other sharply.
THE man answered reluctantly and
almost in a tone of apology.
| ~, Il Al, a.
lumber piles how could u
John Proctor was a man more
given to action than speech. He adj
dressed the man now in clear, decided
tones.
do you think you could hold on to
my back while l carried you down to
the hotel?"
"Why, sir! it wouldn't be fit"
"Shut up! Put your arms around my
neck"
The office and bar room of the hotel,
a pretentious structure of Eastlake
architecture, held its usual quota of re-
spectacle loafers, when John Proctor
entered, with the uncouth figure on his
back. A gurgle of laughter ran through
the crowd. The majority fancied the
young lumberman's brain had been
turned by his recent losses, and that his
dementia had taken the form of a vio-
lent development of the weakness with
which he had hitherto been accredited.
Their laughter suddenly ceased when
the young man went straight to the
clerk, saying, in clear, ringing tones:
"Give me the best room you have.
This man, who saved my life last night,
is badly hurt Some of you," turning
to the idlers, ego at once for the sur
geon of the Atchison road"
A dozen men sprang forward to re-
lievc him of his burden, to help him
carry the poor fellow to comfortable
room, where he was gently laid upon
the bed. The sufferer received those
attentions in silence. His dim eyes
stared incredulously about the room,
and into the kindly faces bending over
him. That anything like this should
happen to him! How long would it last?
Would they let him have one good
nights rest before turning him out
again? When once more on the desc
late plain, wandering through sage
brush, mesquite and soap-weed, it
would seem like some strange dream.
But what was this? The stalwart young
lumberman speaking huskily to the
doctor:
i L