The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-11-21

SOUSttLncS tOAu me tnat am nOt 1nQulS itive, yet have of.en thougst that you were not always-not always"
 Not always ArizSna Dinl' he ex- claimed. No, siree; [ was not. You would hardly think it, Lester," he con. tinued after pause, and in voice and with an accent totally different from his usual style; "yet was once a respect able member of socie,y. It does not seem possible, does it? Yes, I once had home, was law-abiding citizen n-and once" he said slowly, after another D ause {: then went on with again change of tone 1: We'll, l may tell you even that some day, but not now. l am glad have you for friend, Tom it will b. some com fort to have an honest man about me when die"
 "Die!" I exclaimed, with laugh which was far from being real; i've will talk about dying when we are score of years older, when"
 " Don't drop into that false and useless style, Tom," interrupted my companion |" am doomed. kno it; and think you know it. We will talk more another
 day for to. night want to sit and think of the past This IS somebody's Dir hdAy"
 Ot course after this was si ent, and at last fell asleep; but as long as my eyes were open l saw Arizona D ln sitting and breeding moodily over the fire.
 This conversation had broken the ice between us as regards the past and as Dan grew weaker, which he did from day to day, he seemed to rely more on me and cling more to my society. At last he fairly broke down in strength, SO that he could no longer go to the claim, and i, was plain that the end drew near. Athis wish sent for Five Ace Jemmy but the latter had moved on to some more dis tant town, and although my message was it was not likely that Jemmy would be with us very soon.
 hope he comes while am alive,' said Dan; "if he does, will speak my wishes before some of the best men in the city; and Frye Ace Jemmy must abide by them. If not, he will cheat you, Lester, and would not mind killing you 10 help him in it; for he is dangerous man."
 l had known that intuitively from the first time spoke to the gambler; but soothed Dan as we'll as l could by the utterances about hoping for the best and so forth. Dan smiled sadly at these shallow consolatlons, and then turned away to doze.
 One night, however, he had not spoken in his usual manner, had indeed scarcely spoken at all, and thought he was sleeping. l knew, too, the time was a, hand when he would not wake from his sleep, and this final slumber might come at any time, might even be now, so was revolving many chances and changes in my mind, when suddenly Dan sat up in bed and exclaimed: Are you awake. Lester2-I see you are" he continued, as moved in answer. "l have male up my nina to tell you something of my life thought would go with my history un- told, as could do no good to any one by revealing it; but feel an irresistible longing to speak freely to some one, and my strength will not hold out many days longer. So come o yer here, and Arizona Oan will tell you who and what he was before he became the bully and ruff ID you have known him; of what he was when DO one foresaw in him the whisky drinking rowdy of the mines"
 sat and listened. His story would perhaps interest the reader, as all such histories of decline and ruin have a pain- ul interest and moral in them but there vas nothing very new. The fault was all on his own side that was plain enough rom his narrative nor dio he seek to dis ,uise it, or excuse himself in the least. Yet he said he h Id not told me all, per- laps not the very worst; he lacked cour- age to do so then; on another day he night have more nerve.
 My heart ached for him when he told ne what he ad lost, what harm he had lone, and spoke with such bitterness of lis present condition. He detested his Five Ace Jemmy; but it ap- oea'ed that they had known each other n the past, that the bold between them vas the bond of fevil doing then, strength :ned and forged afresh by much ot the same kind since. He sent no messages, lrged me not to try and find out those who | snew him, although he told me hls real name. It would be better, he said, that 1othing should ever be heard ot him by hose to whom his name could only bring painful recolleciions, shame and disgrace. | All through he manifested the same | strange friendship for me which had | marked our intimacy. hardly like, for ear of appe airing egotistical, to say why his was so, but he fAncied was better md honester man than perhaps in reality |
 am, and so he liked to have me about lim
 ca the next day Five Ace Jemmy ar ived; and Dan must have arranged all for Jemmy's appearan ce was signal which called together tight or ten of our most prominent ciu- ems, men who could command ten times hat number of n1es and in their pres- .nce the fast sinking miner dictated his wishes, and explained the share Five Ace emmy had in the claim and other prop .rty. It needed no great penetration to ee that this was very unpaiatable to the alter but there was no help for It. He vas only there on sufferance, and no raudulent pretenses were likely to find avor with the leaders of Big frees ss- iety.
 The settlement was none too soon