The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1889-06-15
CHAPTER XVI.

|
| mi nuteS to
identify them,
| Swinging along at good four miles an
hour. and dragging the Kid along by the
wrist. or letting her trot on behind. | should
have recognized the Judge Immediately at
| a quarter of a mile of. But walking at an
| old mans pace, with his daughter leatiing
on his arm, he was not easily rec5gnizable.
But in Lola the change was still greater.
| She was no lohger batefooted, ragged lit
tie SAVAGE but a young lady, with some pre-
! tension TO elegance i'll her dress; and. thus
| altered, she looked a woman rather than
| child.
Her head was bent she leaned for sup,
port on her fathers arm. She walked
SLOWLY, and with an air of fatigue; and, re-
Numbering the buoyant elasticity of her
gait, the rebellious Independence OF her
! spirit. l asked myself with doubt if this
| could indeed be Lola.
| followed them into the hotel; from the
| vestibule saw them enter room upon the
| first floor. / ran up, and stopped at the
| open door. Lola had seated herself on a
| couch; her face rested on the pillow, her
| eyes were closed,
1t was the pretty little face L Knew so
| well, but oh. so changed Her cheek was no
| longer round; the russell bloom had gone
| from her compilations: there was n purple
| tint about her closed lids, and the YER
| million of her lips was unnaturally bright.
/ | was struck by the delicate beauty of her
I
| heart with sorrow, like the fading away of
| divine melody
| entered the room noiselessly, and seated
| myself in "a chair by her side. j heard
| Brace moving about in the adjoining room.
| She was unconscious of my presence, and
| as | sat with my eyes dwelling upon her
| beautiful face my thoughts wandered back
| to the old days at the Cap, when L lett my
work from time to time to see how the lit
| tie un" was getting on, as she law exhausted
! ia plp1m II teeth
| between the parted lips, the curl OF the
| long lashes that swept her check. the crisp
| little lock above her ear-these were all the
same, yet, with the undefinable trait of
womanhood, 50 different The bud had
opened-only to die? | had asked myself
before if she would live! 1t was doubtful
| then, but the hope was fainter now.
| She opened her eyes, and, seeing me,
| sprung up with cry of Joy, and threw her
arms roun my neck and kissed me- for she
WIS indeed, still child at heart.
oh, it is true!" she cried, between her
| kisses; Il was asleep, and saw you come
to me, and" She stopped abruptly. and.
| drawing back. said In wonder. as she looked
in my face, Why, you are cryingl
| Hearing her voice, Brace came III from
| the next room.
say. now, what did tell you?" he ex-
| claimed The Kids took it into her silly
| little head as she wouldn't see you no more,
| sir"
"She will see a good deal of me if | have
my way" | said, holding out my hand to
Brace.
His countenance changed; he dragged
| his chin tuft thought.ully for a minute,
then turning to his daughter. he said:
Lola. my gel. we must have it out now
| straight off. Here's Gentleman Thorne
holdin' out his hand to me. aud | amt no
right to take it till you let on what's como
| of the big diamond"
Not now-not now." she said, beseech-
| ingly; "a little while-a week-no more"
| No, my gel; faint to be put off like it
| was a dose of phvsic. See here-see here.
| When we parted Gentleman Thorne refused
| 10 give me his hand-for why, he knew we
wasn't playin' square," and turning to me
he said; You knew we'd got the stone,
| didn't you, sir?"
Il saw you hide the case" l replied.
| Consequently you knew we'd got the
thing among us somewhere Come. my
| gel think how Gentleman Thorne nussed
| you out there In the hot sun; member how
| l.. stood by you and pulled you through.
| Don't let the best friend you ever had think
| yer; don't let him think you amt got no
| kinder gratitude or lection In yer"
oh you shall not think that. she cried.
starting to her feet. I'll take you there
not to day. it is too far: but tomorrow I'll
show YOU where it is, and you shall take it
| to her, and never see me again"
Il will take you with me if go. Lola" l
said.
She shook her head, and covered her face
| with her hands.
No, no, you will never see me again" she
said, and then violent fit of coughing at
| tackled her. and she left the room, closing
| the door after her.
| Brace looked at me significantly. and in a
| low voice, that faltered little, said:
| 1t amt natral for her to give in like that;
it amt like the Kid, not bit. Her contra
| riness and obstinacy used to make me
| wild, but it didn't make my heart ache like
| this"
Lola came back in a little while, weak AMI
| exhausted, but with smile upon her poor
| face. She sat close to me, slipping her hand
| under my arm and resting her cheek against
my shoulder. Her love was too innocent,
or she was too ignorant OF social usages, to
| know restraint.
| I don't want to talk: it hurts me-" she
said. Il Just want TO sit here quiet" And
| she closed her eyes. nesting still closer
| You've come to a ruined and an onhal-
| lowed country, sir" said the Judge; burned
| il | skercely knowed it again-nothing but
| machinery and ChineSe-not a decent white
! placer in all Nevada-them yaller varmint
| amt left anythin' worth lookin' for. not in
! the Urinary way. It's got to be looked for
| in Urinary places, and fetched out in
| Urinary ways, as I've said moren once
| before to you; and my meanin is that
could do the same if l had the means, and
ii so be the Kid keeps her promise
| as | do believe she will" Lola nodded
without taking her head from my shout
| der or opening her eyes. and a little sigh
| futtered up from her heart As ] know
she wll-1'll do it; not for the sake of the
| gold, cause that won't be needed when
/ We've got the diamond, but Just to prove
| the preneeple of the thing. It's down an
| almighty hole up the Sierra, nearly up to
| the snow-line, and I've been there pros
| pectin it day after day, and studyin' the
| thing out, an | didn't leave il till the snow
forced US to come down. and now the holes
! blocked up for months"
Suddenly raising her head, and turning to
her lather With eager eyes, Lola exclaimed:
| "Blocked!"
All. blocked for full three months by the
| snow, and for another by the swelled fall;
| it'll be pretty well June afore l kin get
| down it.
Lola burst into a fit ofhysterical laughter,
| and. clapping her hands with JOY. cried:
1t is down there-tbe diamond! You
| must wait-months-almos st till June" Then
I growing suddenly grave, she looked visit
| July at me, as if to see if were angry with
| her.
CHAPTER XVII.
| Naturally they We're astonished when
| they heard had been in the State a couple
| OF months. When l told them l had come
| there TO seek my fortune. and was farming
| III the south, where | hoped they would
| come and stay with me during the winter.
| Brace said
Well, hear there's a Twin to be made
| say. Howsoever, it won't be none too long
! Tor me to hoe long of you. and so be you re
| $agreaoie TO hayln our company, it amt
| likely III hold off"
Lola's eyes dilated with eager delight.
fancy her imagination pictured return of
! the Iransyaal times, the happiest she had
known. when rude necessity knit us to-
! gether In close companionship. | did not
lhink II necessary to undeceive them then.
and the next day l took them with me to
! San Diego. The sun was shining when
/ we got there, and the air was soft and
| warm; II was like an early day OF English
summer.
| The effect on Lola was miraculous; she
| seemed inspired with new life. had never
| seen her so animated and CAV.
| her countenance fell as We passed through.
/ the beautiful plantations and entered the
| richly furnished house. 1t was an unhappy
| diSillusion for her. Brace. who never Iat
/ anything in the world surprise him, stroked
| ms chin reflectively as he looked round him,
| and said:
| Thornef-
shall be better able to call it mine when