The Press., 1889-02-28
BILL BUsHNELL's LASS.

Josh Fields and Tom Willis were both dead in love with Bill Bushnell's pretty lass, Moll.
 If there was anything peculiar about this circumstanee, it was not in the fact of | their infatuation, however, but in the fact | that Josh and Tom were partners -joint owners of mining claim-and to see | couple of boon companions develop into rival lovers struck some of us old miners | about the camp as queer business. They were such brotherly chaps that. ifl it had been anything but love affair, Fl reckon either the one or the other would1 have given up to his chum; but they didn't in this case. Neither seemed in- clined to budge an inch, and. in this man. ner, several months went by, with each one doing his best to make an interesting impression upon his inamorate. J
 At laat, however, Josh made up his mind that the matter had dragged long enough, and, not wishing to hurt his pard's feelings by rushing ahead impetu ously, he decided to take him into his con- fidence. .
 r.. The time chosen was just before they were going to quit work for the day, and while the scattered tools were being gath cred up and put away.
 y pards since we was boys, an not only pards, but the closest sort O friends. There's never bin hitch b'tween us on enny pint, an hope there never will be. Fur them reasons I'm goin' to speak right out in meetin', SOS to make myself under stood. The fac is, Tom, you an me hev bin so unfortunate as to fall dead in kvs with the same gal-old Bill Bushnelps lars an, as it's agin nature fur ns both to marry her, we've got t 6gger out some way out O the muddle. How can We dn it, Tom so's to keep squar' friendS an d f justice 10 each feller's love an to Moll r.
 Toms face kind of clouded as though he wasn't overglad that the subject had been brought up, and fell to thinking and pull ing at his pipe, without making any i'm mediate reply.
 r.. .sits hard nut to crack, Josh" said he, at length "what would you suggest ?'
 "Well," answered Josh, "eince some. things got to be done, an done on the squar', suppose we draw lots. The feller as gets the long cut has the first chaDce.to ask fur the gal; if he fails, then the loser can try his luck. What dye say?" 1 Again Tom meditated, and puffed vigor- ously at his pipe. .
 ''Its about the only thing to be done, I l
 "You're satisfied with the plan, aint you?' 2. 5%
 "Oh, yes."
 "W eli, then, you fix the cuts; short one an long one, an I'll try my luck on the draw"
 Tom set to work, slowly and thought fully, and, after considerable delay, held up the two twigs for Josh to choose be- 1 tween.
 "Well," said Josh, as he put forth a very nervous hand, "here goes l don't wish you any harm, pard, but I hope I9l get the long one.''
 "You didn't, though '" cried Tom, tri- umphantly, casting the remaining stick to the ground. "You've got the shortest one and lose '"
 ''Hold! What are you throwing that cut away for afore see it? Bet yer life I'm agoin' to compare them sticks afore l give in p exclaimed Josh.
 "Oh, we'll p said Tom, impatiently, "here's the stick throwed down. an you see it's half an inch the longest"
 : "No, you don't, Tom Willis!" cried Josh. ''That ain't the one you flung away. Here it is, an its shorter'n mine l by big odds.'' .-.-.. ..-... . "Bah you can't come it over me like that, Josh Fields r returned the other, hotly. "I'd be 8 man if war you, an not try to sneak out of the thing in that way p : you didn't mean to trick me; but you're know it When I was finRerin' the two cuts afore I drawed out, I creased the oth- CT one with my thumb nail, so's I'd known it again. We'll, here's the mark on the short stick, which proves my side of the case." : "You lie, cuss you.!" retorted Tom, boil- ing over with anger. "You haven't the sand to acknowledge you're beat, an' you're tryin' sneakin' game on me.
 "You talk like tarnal fool," blurted Josh, also losing his temper. "You tried robbin game y'self, an now, when you're caught at 1t, you squeal!"
 "Liar I" missed Tom, seizing a hand drill lying at his feet and raising it, menac- ingly, over his partners head. ''Say that again an, pard or no pard, I'll brain ye ]"
 Well, you did, an you know it. You hadn't the nerve to-"
 The sentence was never finished, for, al that instant, the drill descended with a. crash upon Josh's head, and he fell like a log to the ground.
 For moment Tom frenzied with rage, stood over thessprostrate form, an almost devilish glitter lighting up his coal-black eyes, but presently sudden change took possession of him.
 "My God Almighty !'' gasped he, his eyes riyeted in horror upon the white, up- turned face and gory locks of his victim. 'I have killed him I have murdered my. pard Oh, how could do it-how could forget m self an do such an orful deed ?" A new thought seemed to force it's way into his peturbed mind at this juncture-a consciousness of his portland he cast a furtive glance around him.
 .I must not be caught here," muttered he, ,esfor my life won't be wuth burnt match. l must get awsy-but where?' l He thought moment and then re tuned his distracted soliloqny:
 "No; 'twon't do to leave, for that would only convince 'em O my guilt, an posse ! d be after me in no time. I'm in deep'. rit bad fix, that's sure, an I'll have to GOV. CT up all traces of the crime an say Josh has skipped
 After another searching glance about, to make sure that his movements were not being watched, he stopped down, lifted the limp form into his arms, and then slunk away with his burden toward an unused part of the mine.
 He paused moment later at the brink of an old, abandoned shaft, and, after once