Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-04-26

The circumstance which at the time
appeared to 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 were, and struck at ii pluck
( lily, working with more hope and luck
than knowledge. The goddess of chance
| justified their faith in her and guided
them to find the fame whereof went
abroad through the land and swelled
with It's going, so that before the lucky
miners had learned TO wear their good
| fortune with ease the world, or that
portion of il which deals in mines, was
about their ears and clamorouS TO share
it.
The nucleus Of the city-the rough old
| log shantieS-stil stood away up the
gulch, the abode of Cinnamon and va
grants, on whom, for various incompe-
tencies, Dame Fortune persistently tHrn-
ed her back In the first year OF his
coming, when the spell of the place had
been fresh upon him, Royal had been
fond Of poking about in the old town
and tracking out the evolution OF the
"city fathers"
u
because the sister next him in age, and
his special fayorite, 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 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 old home In the 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. DC
caSionally when work was slack, or his
physical condition diSOrdered, sense Of
loneliness would settle around Royal
like a gray cloud, and the longing for q
/ life apart from that Of his profession
would cling to his spirit like the vapor
of which the cloud is formed. His life
was full, but not full enough, he cared
| for his profession, taking vivid pride in
1 its every branch, but it only satisfied
/ his brain, while his heart stood empty.
| Having the intellectual life in full meas
ure. he craved the emotional life-the
strength and virility of the man de-
manded fuller exercises and larger OPP
portunitieS.
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 FESTIVE, because, as yet, he
was debarred enjoyment Of either good.
His eyes, rs be gazed away into the dis
lance, had wiStful look, his figure
dropped in the saddle, and, involunta-
rlly, 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 aud rubbish thrown up by some san
guine and unsuccessful prOspector In
wears gone by. The noise appeared to
come from behind it, and had curious
|lv human sound. Royal touched his
/ horse with the spur and rode around the
/ heap 10 recOnnoiter. On the farther side,
near the edge of the old excavation, sat
la brawny looking man, in miners gar0,
rocking himself backward and forward,
and muttering and swearing in sort or
Grooming undertOne. His back was to-
ward ROYAL. but at the sound OF the
horses step he glanced sideways over
his shoulder Then he slouched for
ward again, and Royal, from the eleva-
tion Of the saddle, could see that he had
one leg drawn up and was feeling 1t
slowly from knee to ankle.
Good day, mate, Royal called, with
the ready freemasonry OF the frontier
us anything the matter?'
Blessed if | don't believe it's broke, "
the miner made answer.
Whats 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 eyes
showed that his pain was considerable,
but his mouth twisted into quizzical
smile as he answered:
IL guess must ha' been pretty full
last night and missed the trail gwine into
town. Sumthin' seems to ha' hap
pened, anyhow. l came to myself a
while ago in the bottom O. that Internal
trap" - Indicating the hole - "sorter
screwed round, an mighty uncomforta-
BILE, an nary notion inside my skull how
got thar"
Royal dropped his rein and came to
the mans side. The horse moved of =
| stem or two and smiled the ground,
nosing the half dried grass daintily.
Hell stand" Royal said, noting the
mans expression. "Now let's have a
look at the leg. I'm Doctor
He cut away the miners long boot and
ripped up the leg OF his trousers. The
/ leg was broken in two places, and the
bones grated rs Royal moved the limb
about; the bruised flesh was swollen and
much diScOlored.
ITS a bad job, amt it, doctor?" ques-
toned the man impersOnally.
Eyes. It's good many hours since