The Helena independent., 1889-11-03

! is brave. He loves you. lie Will make this
journey for you, my love, For what is gold
to me when you are goneY'
Manuel reused himself as from dream
and staggered back from the path and
threw himself ON his face among the graves
in the churchyard.
Nothing, Pablar'
Nothing"
For three DAYS Manuel and his friend had
followed the rocky sides of the mountain
gorge. picks in hand. For three long days
they had found gold score OF times only
10 see il turn into worthless quarts beneath
their blows, and the long lost mlne was as
far away us when they started,
In silence they prepared their evening
meal. In silence they broke their bread
and ate, and in silence they laid themselves
down To sleep. There are times. my son,
when the heart is to heavy for speech.
Another day of disappointment followed
by another, and so the week wore away.
Ii was the Monday after they had left their
, home. One pocket alone remained un-
searched. II wis high up in the gorge, and
Manuel had fastened his rope around
pablo's waist. and WIS lowering him over
the side of the steep rock The rope WAS
strong, and Pablo was light. but II is no
light task TO lower man down precipioc
when the slightest slip means death, So
Manuel thought, and at the thought of
death his brain reeled and his heart gave a
bound that wenched his breast Were the
rope to slip-it would be such an easy
thing, il really would not be his fault-and
were Pablo 10 die. who would know how he
died? With Pablo dead, he alone would
| find the gold, and with Pablo dead Angela
would be free. Who was Pabl"f lhls
fair-haired boy. with hands like woman,
and n heart like a babe. Bah! How he
hated him.
Hark! Was that cry? No, il WIS only
the rope scraping on rock. What makes
his hands so mostY Ii is hard to hold a
slender rope with hands that are wet. The
rope slides quickly. II would not take
much 20 loosen his clasp. Shall he let gof
Who would know What is thatr cry
and sudden pull. Great Godl the rope has
slipped whirr in the ears reeling III
the brain, and a sudden blackness.
How long Manuel was unconscious he
could not tell. When he awoke he found
himself at the brink of the rocks. What
was he doing therel At his feet lay the end
of rope. With shudder of horror he
closed his ewes. He knew it all now. lie
had killed his friend. But where did the
body liel Was il in n little heap at the loot
of the rocks. or had the rope caught IN the
gorge, and was il hanging there IN mid-alr
swaying in the wind from side TO side, ike
the man who was hanged on the village
plaza and left there as Il terror to evil doersF
de dared not look.
lie crawled slowly 20 the edge and was
about 10 look over. when with n cry of
horror he shrank back and hid his eyes with
his hand. He saw Angela before him
white faced Angela, and heard her ask him
what he had done with Pablo-her Pablo,
and his soul sickened within him. lie
tried TO pray but he could not. The words
of Padre Noster slipped from his memory,
and only a sense of his own unutterable
misery remained in their stead.
Finally he drew himself to the clih and
forced himself to peer over the edge. The
rope stopped ut the mouth Of the pocket
where il disappeared from sight. AT the
| foot of the craig there was nothing but the
stones his pick had turned up the day be-
fore. Where had the body fallenI
Emanuel! Manuel
The guilty man started. His heart
stopped beating. Who was that?
Manuel Manuelr' called the voice
again.
you hear? There's no gold here" and
Pablo thrust his head out of the rock-side
cave and waved his hand.
"It was Pablo. Hal Ha! Hal Pablo
safe. Pablo well. The rope had lot slipped
after all. II was only dream. He was
not murderer. Ha. Ha! Hal'
wait moment. I'll pull you up
Quickly he gathered up the rope, and
swiftly and surely he pulled The rope
frightened and fell coil by coil at his feet
until Pablo's shoulders came in sight. Then,
catching him by the hands. Mannel drew
him to him and, gathering him in his arms,
kissed him on both cheeks, and wept upon
him ms a father 10 long lost child come
/ home.
II would not be wise 10 waste more time
in this accursed gorge. They both agreed
to That, the next morning when they awoke.
The Indian had deceived them. There WIS
but one more thing to do. Upthe rocks two
miles or more there WAS cleft that had not
been carefully explored. One of them
should spend the day in searching il while
the other waited below the cave. IL was
Manuel who went. All that weary day he
| CROPPED among the rocks and piled his pick.
until his broad back ached and his arms
were stiff and sore. All for nothing.
Rocks, and nothing but rocks. Not even a
trace of gold. AT nightfnll he returned,
sick at heart and despairing. As he ap-
preached the camp he stopped and listened
for the sound of Pablo's voice or the ring
of his pick. He is resting, he thought.
Yes, Pablo was resting. Lying ON his
back under the trees, he was DOING, Man
uel came to his side and spoke to him.
Il found nothing, Pablo" he said
Nothing, Manuell Then let ne 60 home.
L am 10 tired, and my head pains me. My
arms are racked with agony. Let us 90
home tonight
Manuel stopped and felt his head. His
brow was hot and his eyes were bright with
fvsr.
mot tonight Pablo. Tomorrow we will
go home" and he stroked his head and
fetched him water from the spring.
During the night Pablo rapidly grew
worse. He rolled and tossed on his bed of
leaves. and called upon his father and his
mother and mingled the name of Anpeln
with theirs; Then he fell asleep.
"Angcla!'
Manuel started from his feet and lis
tened.
angela, love, why don't you answer me ?
Are you not herefn
The sick man WAS dreaming.
"Nes, am here, Pablo" answered Man
uel.
"Tnke my hand in yours. There. I'm
so glad TO be ~ home one once more. And
| won't have 10 90 AWAY again, will !, dear?'
'No, Pablo
"And the gold, Angela-the gold. More
of it than you ever saw before Great round
nuggets, rich and pure. All yours and mine
and Manuel's. And we can be married now,
my Angela.
"Yes, Pablo"
eve found it only yesterday. II lay at
our feet. and gathered it up for yon."
"Yes, Pablo"
why, Angela, you are weeping. This is
no time for tears, my love-
"No. Pablo, il is not" replied Manuel
simply.
"Then let me wipe your eyes. Now, don't
cry, love-don't cry. am home once more.
and shal never leave You again"