The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1891-08-06

appeared 10 defeat all their calculations
eventually developed into the very key
stone Of their fortunes, for the men, in
despair of getting away, fell to digging
where they We're, and stuck at it pluck
lily, working with moro hope and luck
than knowledge. The goddess of chance
justified their faith in her and guided
them 10 a find the fame whereof went
abroad through tho Land and swelled
with its going, 50 that before the lucky
miners had learned to wear their good
fortune with ease the world, or that por-
tion Of it which deals in mines, was
about their ears and clamorous to
share it.
The nucleus of the city--the rough old
log shanties-stin stood away up the
gulch. the abode of Cinnamon and va
grants, on whom, for various incompe-
tencies, Dame Fortune persistently turn
cd her back. In tho first year of his
coming, when the spell Of the place had
/ been fresh upon him, Royal had been
fond of poking about III the old town
and tracking out the evolution of the
city fathers.
| He had made his home in the place be-
! cause the sister next him il age, and
! his special favorite, had married man
| Of the place and was SolicitOus to have
! him settle near her; in addition to which
| the town appeared to offer Inducements
to a man of his profession. He liked
the place and. probably because Of that
liking, had prospered in 1.-THE variety
and vigor of the life formed fit accom-
! paniment to the impulses which domi-
mated his nature.
During those eight years his parents
| had died, his Odd home in tho southwest
had been broken up, and the members
of his family scattered far and wide.
! Apart from the sister who lived here,
and in whose life he was OF necessity a
factor of secondary Importance, Royal
was adrift from all domestic ties. Oc-
casiOnally, when work was slack or his
| physical condition disOrdered, q sense of
| loneliness would settle around Royal
like gray cloud, and the longing for a
! life apart from that of his profession
| would cli,1r 70 his spirit like the yapOr
| OF which the cloud is formed. His life
was full. but not full enough; he cared
| for his profession, taking vivid pride in
| it's every branch, but it only satisfied
| his brain, while his heart stood empty.
| Having the intellectual life in full meas
ure, he cravel the emotional life-the
| strength and virility of the man demand
! ed fuller exercises and larger opportu-
| mites
Particularly had this been the case
| since his return from the East the pre-
vious winter. The knowledge that he
| had a wife and should have home
made him rCttiye, because, as yet, he
was debarred enjoyment Of either good.
His eyes, rs he gazed away into the dis
tance, had Il wistful look, his figure
dropped in the saddle, and, involunta-
| rily, his face turned eastward.
A noise close at hand caused both
horse and man to start and stand at at
| tention. Near the roadside was pile OF
dirt and rubbish thrown up by some san
guine and unsuccessful prospector in
years gone by. The noise appeared tt
come from behind it, and had curious
| ly human sound. Royal touched hi
horse with the spur and rode around the
heap to rpconnoiter. On the farther side
near the edge OF the old excavation, sa
brawny looking man. in miners garb
rocking himself backward and forward
and muttering or swearing in sort o.
grooming undeEtOne. His back wa
toward Royal but at the sound of tn,
horses step he glanced sideways over hi
shoul1er. Then he siouched forward
again, and Royal, from the elevation o
| a L. Lol l.,
drawn up and was feeling it slowly from
knee 10 ankle.
Good day, mate" Royal called, witt
the ready freemasonry of the frontier
''Is anything the natter
Blessed If don't believe it's broke,
the miner made answer.
What's broken?'
my leg"
Royal was off his horse in an instant
and went 10 the mans side.
How'd you manage that
The miners face was pallid, under
meath its tan and dinginess, and his eye
showed that lis pain was considerable
but his mouth twisted into a quizzics
smile as he a.iawered:
Il gueas / must ha' been pretty fu
last night and missed the trail gwin
into town Sumthin' seems to ha' hal
pened, anyhow. / come to myself
while ago in the bottom o that infernf
, trap" - indicating the hole - ''sorte
screwed round, an mighty uncomfort;
bic, an nary notion inside my skull ho'
l got thar"
Royal dropped his rein and came
> the mans side. The horse moved off
: step or two and snuffed the grount
nosing the half dried grass dainty.
, He'll stand" Royal said. noting th
, mans expression. Now let's have
look at the leg. I'm a doctor"
, He cut away the miner long boot an
| ripped up the leg of his trousers. Th
} leg was broken in two places, and til
2 bones grated as Royal moved the linn
about; the bruised flesh was swollen an
5 much discolored.
f "It's bad job, amt it, doctor?" que
E toned the man impersonally.
, Eyes. It's a good many hours sint
f the mischief was done, you see, and til
D legs swollen. It's pretty painful, isn't it
D The miner nodded.
t "'Tain't so bad as twas whenst W;
f scramblin' out'n that hole," he observe.
: Il had to let her swing-wantin' N
4 hands for climbin'. That let the bloc
: down, an felt like I'd get a bootful
/ hell fire, an every time she struck agt
u the rocks (an' she struck pretty ofte
i seemed like the devil had the poker a
0 was chunkin' her up"
y Royal had the leather leg laid straigl
q along the ground, and was busy cutti1
q the upper from the sole of the mar
d (Continued ON Second Page.J