The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-11-04

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| had aided many settler in building n's
primitive home. The logs were cut, sqnareo
| and fitted together with q nicely, rareIy
| seen, forlove and strength united n tnt
task. The interior was partitioned into
| two apartments and the kitchen nrepiact
made wide and ample for the kindling oitne
i, alter-fame of home. -,
1.-THE roof shall be q shelter IN truth,
said Stein to his helper. "WeIl make every
shingle with our hands from the ciear
est grained pine, and they shall taper &C
nicely and evenly that never a drop OF rail-
or fake of snow shall find entrance"
And so the cabin was built and Stelr
spent much oil the long winter in FURNISHING
the interior, adding such touches oil grace
and convenience as his rudeskill perm'uteo
A%lumberman took the great : sticks nj
had prepared at q fair price, and he wal
happy in the thought that he had accom-
plished his part Of the contract and wat
approaching the reward OF his b
He now oftener visited Annette, Wit
treated him much as she had in the past
yet made him happy by p~raising the results
of his work. Her inward thought was:
"Oh, how big. red and uncouth ne has
become! He does not look hall SO nice al
when he worked in the grocery store (,
Mother Warwick was polite, but cool
| and Farmer Warwick took everything as a
matter of course in his quiet, stol'd way:
| Stein also took everything as a matter o.
course in his honest way, and tune was
passing, bringing on the hour OF happi'
ness.
When the winter was waning a stranger
appeared IN Edgeville. He soon became
generally acquainted, and had the art u
| winning popularity. The fact tn vt he de-
| posted So, 900 with the man who did the
banking OF the village added greatly to his
/ prestige.
Apparently he soon made himself the
master Of current gossip; learned OF STEIN &
enterprise and of Annette's engagement
These facts did not prevent him admiring
the girl and seeking the acquaintance OF
her family. Indeed, he soon became a ire
quent caller. At last, complaining OF the
accommodations of the tavern, he was
taken by Mother Warwick as a boarder.
He was a man who could talk. During
the long winter evenings he enlarged upon
his plans and prospects. He wished, ne ex-
| plained, to find a good location for a home
in the lumber district, and to employ his
capital in getting out logs. He dwelt upon
his purpose to settle, marry and grow up
with the country, also ~insinuatlng that ne
would be no common labOrer. so far from
this, he would give. employment to many
ndnOS luu Dc a UCIlCu w Vl1C IA
All this was listened to eagerly by Farmer
Warwick, Annette and her mother. Ever
since Rodney Mackrin had first been talked
about in the village the thrifty Mrs. War
wick had again begun her refrain.
"Nette, you might a done better"
Now she resolutely set about Annette's
doing better.
We need not dwell on the girls startled
conscience and strong computations when
the idea of sharing the log cabin with Mack
rim instead of Stein was first formally
preached. III the secret OF her heart she
had already regretted that she was not
free, but not until her mother suggested the
thought, had she dared to dream OF acting
as if she were free.
Instead of Indignantly casting this i'm
possibility from her mind, she dallied with
temptation and accepted attentions from
Mackrin. This tells the whole story. She
was partly talked into the plan and partly
drifted into it from the impulse Of a nature
toe. like mothers.
. Mackrin was a cool and crafty schemer.
No village gossip about the affair for him
until it was contaminated. He was very
undemonstrative toward the girl in public
and, when Stein came to see her, was quite
oblivious OF the young people.
Stein never dreamed OF treachery.
The hardest task of all was the bringing
over Farmer Warwick to the scheme. He
was a heavy-witted man, however, and was
at last made to feel that his old-fashioned
scruples should not ''stand in the way OF
his daughters. doing better" He finally
yielded a sort OF remorsefui consent. but
always shook his head over the project.
One spring day Mackrin brought a fine
o of horses and light wagon to Mr.. War.
wick's door, and all the family admired
them greatly.
"Whose are they?" was the general ques-
ton.
'Come here, Annette" he SAID.
She approached, wonderingly.
yours" he whispered, leaning out of the
carriage, and then drove to the barn.
She retreated to the house with scarlet
cheeks. Father Warwick shook his head.
but Mother Warwick exulted.
The next day Mackrin and Annettedrov
eastward and returned man and wife.
To Mr.. Warwick was given the heavy
task OF breaking the tidings to Stein
Walden.
"He'n law you," said the farmer,
gloomily.
ale hasn't a scrap OF paper to show for
anything" replied Mackrin, cody. "You
can tell him, though, that III pay him back
all the money he put into the cabin and
give a hundred for his labor. l always cal
culate to do the fair thing"
The buds were swelling on the trees, the
grass beneath them growing green and span
gled with flow ers, when Farmer Warwick
drove out to the cabin, looking and feeling
as il hi was assisting at his own funeral.
When he approached the dwelling and saw
evidences of loving labor on every side;
when Stein came bounding forth to meet
him, the sunlight gave the hue Of goldt to his
tawny hair and beard; when he saw the
young mans face aglow with the richest,
sweetest hope of the heart, his own sunk
like lead, and he felt as guilty as if aboutto
commit murder.
His downcast look and silence arrested
the glad youths attention and he stared
for a moment at the conscious-stricken
farmer.
"What is it," gasped Stein. "Is Annette
sick?"
There was such a depth of feeling and
anxiety in the tone shat the fathers slug
gish soul was pierced with the truth.
"God!" he groaned, Its worse, worse
than if she were dead. She's married."
There he stopped. He had meant to
soften the blow with many words; he had
been coming over smooth phrases all the
way, and now he had blurted out the truth
just as it appeared to him under the
wronged lovers eyes.
For a time the two stared at each other
if appalled, at what was between them.
Then the farmer began in hesitating and
trembling tones:
~ s'pose we must make the best of a bad
bargain. Macriah said he'd give you the
money"
DO you consent to this?" growled Stein,
like a wounded lion, his fingers working con-
vulsively.
swell, 1 can't say don't know. They
kind O. drew me into it," the farmer
faltered, backing away.
"Old man," said Stein, briefly, "get out
these woods quick. You amt safe here"
and the farmer obeyed the hint with
trembling alacrity.
Stein tottered back into the cabin, sunk
into a chair. and stared at the floor with
wide, glaring eyes. The day declined, night
came on, deepened into midnight and light
ened into day again, but he did not move a
The friendly backwoodsman found HMM
this attitude, spoke to him, shook him be-
fore there was a change Or sign OF recogni-
ton. Then the stricken man drew and
gave out such a long, deep breath that it
seemed as if his soul was departing.
"Stein, man, dan't act this way all along