, 1889-09-06

her poor, trembling, nervous fingers
made little Roadway with the task.
When Tony came with the two horses,
Wright and his wife took one while the
tramp held Joey in place on the other.
There were three miles to ride to the
river md. safety, and all but the boy
looked with anxious eyes at the line of
laundering fame, while the farmer
sighed as he thought of the destruction
that fringe of ragged fire would do his
place.
But there was no time for sentiment,
so away they started, leaving all but
hope behind. For two miles the horses
kept almost side by side, and then it
began to look as If the race was not
going to be an easy one for the heavy,
well fed animals. Steadily the fire had
gained until now, as they were almost
in sight of the river, a sweep of the wind
seemed to hurl the flames at them and
their threats became so parched they
could hardly breathe. Tony's horse,
bearing the lighter burden, sped ahead,
but the struggles of the other animal
were becoming so labored that he
Stacked. Wright beat with his fists at
the tired beast, who, faithful enough
under his double burden, tried hard to
respond by an increase of speed, but it
was no use, for with the effort he went
down on his knees, throwing the two
heavily to the ground.
As the woman shrieked in her down
ward flight the tramp heard, and turn
ing in his uncertain seat he looked in
time to see two m~otionless forms, the
struggling horse, and then, like a thing
of life bending to grasp its prey. the
wave of death swept over them.
Everything seemed a blur to the tramp
after that, for when he opened his eyes
an hour later he was lying on the oppo-
site side of the creek, with Joey near by,
watching with wondering eyes the glare
of the embers on the blackened waste.
He remembered nothing but the going
down to death of the farmer and his
wife, and realized the fact that he had a
new burden to bear in the care of the
orphan boy.
When strength came back to him he
picked Joey up in his arms with a feel
ing of tenderness he had never known
before and made for the ranch of the
nearest neighbor, some miles away,
where he told the story and found will
ing hands to help in the sad ceremony
of consigning the charred remains to a
decent grave.
AS for himself, Tony was for going
over into the Colorado diggings, leaving
the boy with the new friends, but Joey
refused to be separated from his pro-
t~ector, so with u little purse donated by
the big hearted farmer and with a re-
solve to devote himself to his charge,
the tramp took the orphan up into the
mines and prospected with the hundreds
of others for natures wealth.
The erection of a new cabin announced
the fact that he had como to stay, and
during the months which followed the
boy grew strong and hearty under his
foster fathers care and became the life
of the camp. AS a miner, poor, mex
perienced Tony was an Indifferent sue
cess, although he managed to keep a
sack of flour and n rasher of bacon in
the provision box, and occasionally made
n barter with a wandering Jew for little
delicacies for Joey.
But even this poor luck was not des-
tined to last, and when one night the
boy cried because he was hungry, and
the tramp knew there was nothing in
the little place to eat, he became desper-
ate and walked out in the cool night air
of the mountains to think what was to
be done.
There had been days in his life when
he had little respect for the eighth COM
%mandment, and it was very natural then,
at this critical period, that his uneducat-
ed mind should urge him to taxi from
others to supply himself and the boy.
He tried to reason that it was right
enough under the circumstances, but his
logic was not powerful enough, and he
put an end to the whole matter by say
ing to himself as a sort of mental apol-
ogy:
"Ef it wasn't for Joey it 'ud be diff
ent, but he's got to be looked after some
how"
After that the provision box in Tony's
cabin was always full to OVERLOOKING,
and the tramp grew SO e~xtravagant as to
send to a far away city for a new suit
for the boy, who, delighted at the new
prosperity, was happier than ever and
forgot entirely the pangs of hunger
which had racked his little frame. One
morning, however, the boy, who was
well on to @ years old, woke and found
himself alone. He lay a long while wait
ing for Tony and then dressed himself
and went out.
1t was but natural when he saw a
GROVE around the Red Light saloon that
he should make for that point, and he
did, calling all the while with his shriIl
little voice for "Uncle Tony"
One of the men picked the boy up and
carried him back to the cabin, while the
rest were gathered about the PROSTATE
figure of a man which lay partly propped
up by a folded blanket in front Of the
saloon. The man on the ground was
saying in a weak, thin voice:
Il allus tried to do Their squar thing,
pards, although l hev made some slips
in my life. don't mind going hungry
myself, for that's nothing new, but I
couldn't see the kid want, and 1 had to
do somethin'."
After a brief pause he continued, al
though in n fainter voice:
"a don't blame Jim for pullin' on me
cuz l admit | was in his place to do him,
but he done me. i know I'm going fast