Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-03-09


but enough for a start Dan thought in
some new place. A horror of the hurry
ing, heartless city in which his fortunes
had suffered shipwreck seized ON him
for the time. and his home in New
Brunswick being broken up he went
out west and roved about for several
years. Although he failed to add much
to his store of material blessings, he
contriyed to get considerable enjoyment
out of life, for the same traits which Sc
rured him popularity in his youth won
him affection in his manhood.
1t was during this portion of his
rareer that he made the acquaintance of
Ned Anthony. 1t was in a saloon in a
little mining town in one of the terrific
'ies kept by an Irish bully named O'Hara.
party of roughs were drinking and at
small table in one corner four men
plas ing poker. Dan noticed one of the
players particularly, because of his being
stranger in the plac, and because of a
certain rough grace il the poses of his
splendid athletic figure, the beauty of
his silky brown beard, and a trick he
had of lowering his lids and looking out
through half shut eyes. He was won
derlnS who the man could be, when
there arose cry of foul play in the cor
ner, and he saw the brown bearded man
quick as "A flash pin the hand of one of
his opponents to the table with long.
keen, double edged knife which he had
whipped out of the breast of his hunting
shirt
In less than a minute, a scene of the
widest confusion was inaugurated;
blows We're struck, shots fired, and the
ar surcharged with threats and pro-
family. Dan, whose every instinct was
to espouse the weaker side, forced his
way to where Ned Anthony stood with
his back to the wall, fighting with cool
ness and science, but at a terrible dis
advantage, because of having emp
tied the only loaded chamber of his
revolver in the beginning of the affrav.
1t would have gone hard with the
pair in Il very short time, for the roughs
were heavily armed and growing dan
derous, but for the interference of the
Irish proprietor. who with a Don4ybrook
fair taste for fighting combined Il warm
regard for his own possessions. IN Ian
guage that reeked of birthstone be pro-
claimed that the personal welfare of the
cOmbatants was a matter of utter indif-
ference to him. but that he objected to
having his furniture smashed or his
saloon turned into slaughter pen with
any of their fooishneSS, and rushed into
the melee, followed by his bartender.
With the aid Of this Reimbursement our
two friends did such effective work that
il a comparatively short space of time
the roughs found themselves thrust IL
gloriously into the street.
The acquaintance, from This stormy
beginning. developed into queer kind
of friendship and some intimacy. The
men had little in common. save physical
courage and high animal spirits, unless
a love of adventure and of the solitude
of nature and a mutual taste for sport
be taken into account.
In character and intellect they were
totally dissimilar. although both were
strong men. The causes Of their attrac-
ton for each other might have repaid
investigation had either man been given
TO analysis or interested in psychological
sabtletieS. Unfortunately, the oppor-
tunity was thrown away; for Ned's ac-
quaiutance with the word analysis"
was confined to its appearance in the
columns of the dictionary and lis appli-
cation to minerals. and Dams mind was
without the twist which leads 20 morbid
research and subtle investigation. HUI
man emotion thrilled and interested him.
but he had 10 promptings TO examine 1t
under pocket lens.
Perhaps this was as well for poor hui
manity, for Dams nature was so sylnpa-
thetic, his interest so warm and his tact
SO perfect, that had his tastes directed
him to emotional dissection he would
never have been without a subject.
Men. women and children cOnfded in
him copiously; to know him was not
merely to love him, but to lay bare the
mental and moral anatomy to him also.
Given 4 pipe, n camp fire in a lonely
canyon and Dan Stewart for a compan-
ion, and the most reserved man on earth
would forget his caution and turn him
self inside out, like glove drawn from
hand too large for it.
1t is not surprising. therefore. that
during their lonely mountain expeditions
Ned Anthony's heart should open to his
companions sunny influence. and that
all of his history should pass into Dams
possession, even to the tiny vein of pure,
true gold that enriched the rugged quartz
and grit.
The discovery of the existence Of this
vein was delightful to Dan, who had all
clean natured mans reverence for ro-
nance. 1t gave his companion a deeper,
more individual interest for him, and
drew closer the bond between them.
The cherishing Of an emotion so tender
and fragrant touched him. from its
sharp contrast TO the rest of Anthonys
character; it was ing a pale,
sweet arbutus flower in the clefts of a
granite cliff
You must make a lot of money,
Ned, and go home and marry the young
lady he said, trimming over with en-
thusiasln. Let me see; it's fifteen
wears since N-O11 pauua ayravo- coy for,,.