Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-05-02

"You're saving my life," said he, gaily.
'I should have starved. didn't think IL
at the time, but now know I should. ]
| thought I could hold out, between belt and
,baccy, but couldn't now, anyhow, II i
hold out till the damper's baked, It's all I
can do now. It's like my luckl never saw
anything look quite so good before. There
now. bake up. Got any tea2"
"Yes"
"Meat?"
"No"
swell, we could have done with meat,
but it can't be Eelped. I'm lucky enough
to get anything. It's my luck all over.
I'm the luckiest man in the colony, let me
tell you. But we could have done with
chops. Cad, but I'd have some yet il
saw a sheepl They're all wethers in this
paddock, but they don't draw down toward
the gate much"
He turned his head, and knitted his brows,
but it was difficult to distinguish things
beyond the immediate circle Of frelit sand,
and he saw no sheep. To do the man justice,
he would not have touched one il he
had; he had said what he did not
mean; but something in his way Of say
ing it made the old man stare at him hard.
"Then you're one of the gentlemen fron
Dandong Station. are you. sir?"
at am, said Deyerell. "My horse is fresh
off the grass, and bit green. He's knocked
up, but he'll be all right in the morning;
the crab-holes are full of water, and there's
plenty of feed about. Indeed it's the best
season we've had for years-my luck again,
you seeP
The tramp did not seem to hear all he said.
He had turned his back, end was kneeling
over the fire, deeply engrossed with the water
bag and the quart pot-which he was filing.
1t was with much apparent preoccupation
that he asked:
'Is Mr.. Deverell, the boss, there nowf"
HE is" DeverelI spoke drily, and
thought q minute. After all, there was no
object in talking about himself In the third
person to man who would come applying
to him for work the next day. Realizing
this, he added, with touch Of dignity,
"I'm he"
The tramp's arm jerked, small fountain
played out Of the bottle neck Of the water
bag and fell with q hiss upon the fire. The
tramp still knelt with his back to Deverelt
The blood had left his face, his eyes were
raised to the pale, bright stars, his lips
moved. By great effort he knelt as he had
been kneeling before Deveren spoke; until
Deverell spoke again.
"You were on your way to see me, eh7'
"I was on my way to Dandong."
uoEkt oAAg yO0 snail hotS
IT," said Deverell, with decision. 81 don't
want hands, but I'll take you on; you've
saved my life, my good fellow, or you're
going to, in q brace Of shakes. How goes
the damper?"
"well," said the old man, answering De.
verelps last question shortly, but ignoring
his first altogether. "Shall sweetsn the
tea or not?"
"Sweeten it"
The old man got ready handful of tea
and another Of sugar to throw into the quart
pot the moment the water boiled. he had
not yet turned round. Still kneeling, with
the soles Of his boots under DeverelIs nose,
he moved the damper from time to time,
and made the tea. His hands shook.
Deverell made himself remarkably happy
during the next half hour. He ate the hot
damper, he drank the strong tea, In way
that indicated unbounded sonfdence in his
digestive powers. A dyspeptic must have
wept for envy. Toward the end Of the meal
he discovered that the swagman-who sat
remote from the fire. and seemed to be re-
gardine Deverell with q gaze Of peculiar
fascination-had scarcely broken his bread.
'Aren't you hungry?" asked Deysrsll,
with his mouth full.
mo"
Bat Dsvsren was, and that, after all, wss
the main thiDg. If the old man had NJ %.