The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-11-08

have: never have | ceased TO love my
Jennie with the most fervent love, although
she has been so false to me-"
Ny friend stopped again and rested his
head in his hand as though TO hide the
tears which were trlckLng down his
cheeks.
In few moments he went on.
Il STAYED in B but few hours, then
mounting my pony started for another
town a few miles distant 70 get the pro-
visions and tools | had come after, as |
did not wish 10 procure them at B, for
fear Of arousing suspicion.
Il bought another horse TO pack my
supplies To camp. and set out as soon as
possible, intending 10 return to B again
in two or three weeks to receive the letter
which / expected would come from Jennie.
/ was almost certain that she would ex-
plain everything and say that she still
| loved me.
The thought had occurred TO me that
/ her letters might have been delayed or
uIiscarried. bur il did not appear consist
ent that all which she must have written
while was away in the mountains would
go astray.
Il had no trouble in finding the camp,
and Hawkins greeted me most cordially,
saying that he nearly died from loneliness
while | was away. | had never taken him
into my confidence concerning nv love
affair. and thought best not TO tell MIN of
my disappointment. which | concealed,
partially with the hope that / would surely
get letter when | returned TO B, ex-
planning away my trouble.
I'VE worked our claims during the next
three weeks, and they proved TO be far
richer than We expected. / knew we could
sell for a handsome sum any time We
wished 70 make our discovery known, and
| was in favor OF doing so at once but
Hawkins wished to hold on q while and
take out as much gold as possible,
and sell out only when our secret
was discovered, as il must be
soon. | consented to this. knowing that
We could not remain undisturbed long,
since We would be Obliged 10 go 10 town
often to dispose of our dust and after sup
plies, and these trips would soon excite
comment and suspicion. which would re-
suit IN our being followed TO camp.
Three weeks after my arrival with the
tools | told Hawkins that either he or |
must go TO B, as | expected some i'm
portant mail, which l must have as soon
as possible. Hawkins preferred that I
should go, so | took what dust We had
panned out and started.
''As soon as l entered the town dis
posed OF the gold, then made bee-line for
the postoffice, as on my former visit.
The old postmaster handed me a letter
before | said word.
You're all right this time, my boy
he said.
He had guessed the cause of my disap-
polntment before.
The letter was from Jenniel
My heart gave great leap of Joy when
L recognized the handwriting on the en-
velope. l stepped TO one side of the room
and tore out the letter with feverish
haste, while conflict between hope and
fear was raging in my heart.
Darling, kaOW you are true to mer
exclaimed to myself, as l unfolded the
letter.
How sadly was mistaken
'Oh. my God! l cannot describe how I
felt when | saw how the letter began;
''Mr Jas. II. Wallace, b, Cal.-Sir:
This cannot be from my Jennie!' I
gasped.
Il looked at the signature:
yours respectfully.
miss JIMMIE NJ. STEELE.
''AI hope had fed. My whole being
underwent a great change, and from that
moment L have been another person.
81 have often wondered how / lived
while reading that letter, but some kind
spirit seemed to take possession of me,
and, strange as it has ever seemed to me,
| was as cool as ever before in my life, and
l even felt a sense of relief in knowing
that the matter was at last settled.
This Is what she said
''Yours under date of December 10 at hand
In reply would say that your supposition that
my letters written during the last six weeks
have been lost is incorrect, since / have not
written any to you during that time. will also
say that from this time our friendship must
cease; at least on ny part, and hope you will
not show yourself SO foolish as TO think of me
again, for shall forget that such person as
you ever lived. II will avail YOU nothing to
write to me or to call on me. Remember thdti''
That was all. 1 folded the letter and
replacing it in the envelope thrust it into
my pocket and walked out Mounting nv
horse | tad for
when | arrived there | found that our
strike had been discovered the day before
by band OF prospectors, who had located
claims adjoining ours.
II will shorten my story by saying that
the news of the great find spread rapidly,
and the camp was soon swarming with
miners and spectators. Hawkins and I
sold our claims for princely sum and left
our Old camp at once to seek freSher
fields and pastures new.
1--WE drifted together to Carson City, and
while there Hawkins concluded TO go back
East. l remained TO see him off, then
started for San Francisco. Arriving there
| invested all but few thousand dollars of
my money in real estate, after which |
took passage for Australia, having con-
{ Ided TO wander around the earth, hoping
in this manner to forget my sorrow; but |
have been unsuccessful. | have visited
every civilized country and many I'M
civilized ones, but my grief is no less than
it was when | finished reading that letter
in the postoffice in B"
My companion stopped and drew deep
sigh.
| spoke for the first time during the
recital of his narrative.
Didn't you ever think that that letter
might have been written by some one else
for some evil purpose ?' | asked.
Yes I've thought of it, but il was her
handwriting. l could swear TO that, for she
writes peculiar hand, which could not he
initiated perfectly, and | have compared it
closely with her other letters. She wrote
IL without doubt"
Have you never learned why she acted
SO falsely?'
Never"
But did you not go to her and in
quire?"
DO you suppose my pride would let me
after what She said ?"
meaning. He preferred to bear his sorrow
in silence rather than suffer further
humiliation by personal repulse.
"Oh, Will! he exclaimed after q few
moments silence, II would rather die
than suffer five years more of such sorrow
as | have experienced since / read that
terrible letter. | have contemplated sui
eide many times; still lite IS sweet 10 me
although it is blighted. l have done
everything TO forget my troubles, ami at
last thought Of going on the road again,
and my mind IS easier HOW that have
something 10 occupy 1t; bur | shall never
again be the Jim OF old And he smiled
family.
You ought not to feel like this. - said;
"what is the use OF letting girls false
ness wreck Your life in this manner. You
should be glad that YOU found her out be-
fore You had the misfortune 10 become
bound Ia her Tor life. -
l.. 4 r~f, Mt III