, 1889-02-28

he walked out. | dropped into seat by
the side of the lad and began talking To
him.
young man ?" I asked.
Only this" an he drew out u pistol all
pearl an filligree, about big enough to
hang on watch chain.
mot much use. 1t ;but IL was present
TO me when left homep' and his voice
kind Of trembled as he slipped IL back in
bis pocket. He was bright lad and as |
had seen q bold one, 30 we RAPIDLY beca ame
good friends and parted with the promise
that / would give him advice In looking
up a claim. We found one in few days
in rather an isolated place. but II looked
promising and Joe went to work with q
will. Joe" was his name and soon. we
all got to calling him "Gentleman, Joe"
for some way no matter how rough he was
dressed he always looked like u gentle.
man, you could see there was good blood
there. Fall and winter had passed and
summer came again. Life went on much
as 1t does in most mining camps. Many
came ana many went. We all Rambled
and swore and drank when we were
in luck. and when luck was hard we
ran In debt or went hungry until we
struck it again. "Gentleman Joe" was
among us, but not one of us. He worked
hard and spent little. either stayed in his
cabin at night or was out tramping up
the mountain. star-gazing. At first |
kept one eye on the lad to see that he did
not get into trouble, but he seemed to let
alone and be let alone, 40 my vigilance re-
laxed, until one day it dawned upon me
that had not seen anything Of him for
sometime, SO that night as was going
home went around by his cabin. When
I ss~a a,,.ht oil h,.k apI
looked deserted, but going up closer ]
thought I heard faint eroan. Peering in
at crack In the door | saw q form
stretched on the rude bunk in the corner.
My counscience gave me big
thump. and it didn't take many
minutes to burst the door in. Aroused by
the noise, the sick man raised himself up
and saw in q moment what was the mat
ter. He had the mountain fever. Give
me drink-ch, give me drink Of water"
he moaned family, dropping back. Look
the pail was almost falling to pieces. from
heartedness, grabbed lineup and started
for the spring. | was back again in
few minutes, and raising his head as gen.
tly as could, held the cup to bis lips.
Poor fellow he drank as though he could
never get enough. When he had drained
the last Drop he sank back on his bed.
Hastily folding coat for pillow.
| started to get him something
TO- eat, for l saw, he had
for q number Of days. After feeding BIN
caoin to look things up, for had deter.
mined that the best thing could do was
TO stay with him while he needed me.
which | feared would not be long.
Through the short. chill nights, and long
hot days | stayed, making him as COM
Portable as possible and doing what
could with the few medicines procurable
It was pitiful tn hear the poor fellow talk
of home and old scanes. He would moan:
Give me Hope, If you will only give
me Hope
And as he seemed half conscious l
would reply as cheerfullv as | could:
of course there is hope. I've seen lots of
felo VS. as bad as you.'
But he would only go ON moaning and
asking for hope. He used to be conscious.
though very weak through the day and at
one of these times he asked me to bring
him small box from his valise. and open
ing it ! took out q bunch OF letters and
placed in his hand, then went 10 the door
and looked out. In few moments looked
around and he was motioning me to him.
When got there he had the letters spread
out before him. and propped up against
the blanket was the picture of one Of the
prettiest girl ever saw. such frank. open
eyes that looked straight at you.
'Is 1t your sister," l asked, though
knew it wasn't.
1T is Hope Rayburn, the one person in
the world have to love, and whom was
going to marry, but shall never see again.
he answered with sob in his voice which
the tears rolled silently from his sunken
eyes, which he shaded with the picture, too
proud, even then, to let ME see him weep.
felt lump in my own throat as drop.
ped on my knees beside him.
Come. old fellow, don't be discourag.
ed" tried to say. though knew very
could see no hope TOR him. Sobs which
he could not wholly suppress shook his
weakened form. and again and again !
had to rub the tears from my own eyes.
At last he grew more quiet and reaching
out his hand to me said:
IL know can trust you, but can ask
a stranger who has done 30 much for me
already, to do still more?" ASK any.
thing you want and If it is in my power.
it shall be DONE" answered. ''Is there
any one aroundp" ''Shut the door," he
whispered. thinking he must be wan.
derine again, but that would humor
him. | went out and looked about; there
was no one in sight, then coming in
closed and fastened the door. "Now old
boy hadn't you better let me put these
things away and you try and 90 to sleepP"
mo, want to tell you something," he
answered impatiently; ~ must tell it now
while can think. TO- m orrow may be 800
late"
saw his growing excitement, go said
compliantly: well, then, what Is it?"