The record-union., 1893-11-18
Il ounI ssnkitts 3nn,nDer.

was anxious over Carlos; the mule
Pronto had returned, but not her father.
Dan had strong suspicious of foul play,
and when Mike found the end OF a bit OF
fuse he was certain, but they never
breathed a word OF it to Carlos daughter.
When Carmelo went to prepare the meals
! to bring to them they would speak OF
their suspicious in this way:
mo, sirree," said Dan, this amt no
natral cave-in; it's put up job of that
warmint Carlos to get the mine. [ heerd
him call the young man all the vile cpl
taphs he could swing his tongue on"
'Thrue for you," returned Mike. ''Me
own moind was pridicated on the same
whin | found the fuse beyant, the hay
than divil, bad cess to him."
1 ''Ain't the gal a right pert sprinkle to
work ?" asked Dan. Nothin' like love
! to bring out the grit in a crtter," he con-
| tinued.
SIS she commitherin' round the young
boss ?'' asked Mike.
Yes; kind of in the insipid stage yit,"
returned Dan, with knowing wag of his
head. But he's got another gal in his
eye, for he warnt hangin' round this
one. and most men wonder, | take it. Pm
a bacheldore, but [ knows what's what.
Draw the fust breath of luv, and scoot,
ger lang, goes feller's WISDOM"
|
! lookin', L found flattery would take 'em,
but its pernishus, like ode cologgne-it
must be snutfed at. not swaller'd, whin
the gals give it" said Mike.
"1hats so, be gosh," returned Dan. Il
| knows some fellers so saft, if woman
put her foot on 'em she'd m re down;
but, praise the pigs. wasn't one of lem.
I've found single life satisfactorial, and
Pm nj sixty"
"Yis; but the tinder passion never got
the blaze on yer, likely" said Mike.
''Wimmen is handy, if it's only to kape
the buttons on and grub ready" he
added.
whats the matter with my buttons
l keep 'em on good as any pesky rattle
barrow-load of earth before wheeling it
/ off.
Carmelo, coming back with their din
ners, put an end to their talk till Carmelo
observed, After dinner, when | help, we
will do much more, for l can work steady
all day.
"Yis, an ingine of one-cat power run
ming stiddy all the tonne is better thin
forty-horse candle power idle,' said
Mike, as he cut off the bread with his
| jack-knife.
! Carmelo's bright face clouded. The girl
was evidently thinking her fathers alb
sence strange, and a suspicion of his
crime seemed to be gathering in her mind.
AS she returned to, the house for more
water Mike said: 81 blave in me soul
she's caught on to the villains schame.
She's sacret sorrow, skeleton in her
midst.'
Yes. We've all got Skeletons" as
sented Dan, cheerfully. "These thin men
show 'em most"
So they talked and worked by day, and
at night took turns through the long
| hours. Poor Joe could hear the click
and tinkle of the shovel and pick, but
his CHEEKY courage was almost gone. He
! was feeling weak and sick and despOnd-
ent. 1t will soon be all over" he
| thought, as on the fifth day he sat with
| his head buried in his hands. He had lit
the lantern, and the dim, smoky light lit
up only a small space around him. Joe's s
! heart was heavy as he reviewed his life
and the Thoughts Of the bright future he
! had deemed 50 near. "Ah, it is hard to
| die SO young, and in this way, too; buried
alive" for he had no hope of surviving
| till they opened the tunnel. He groaned
as he thought of Edith Haverly and her
| bright loneliness. Likely now she will
marry some other fellow more worthy,
perhaps, but oh God, he would never love
her as well as do. Well. God bless her,
any way" and Joe's thoughts wandered
in WEAKNESS, and in his deiirium he was
song he had heard Edith sing to the ac-
compartment of her mandolin:
Farwell forever, farewell to thee
Mountains may sever, many a lea,
Bright tho our dreamingS, twas not to be,
Farewell forever, my own to thee.
Then all was blank; and Joe for the
| first time in his life tainted. 1t was only
the beginning of the end, he thought, as
he slipped OFT into uncon sciousness. And
| when Carmelo called he did not answer.
and it was with despairing hearts and
| little hope now that the men worked and
worked, for they thought that before
night the tunnel would be opened and
Joe's life saved. But now, twas it all
uselessp'
'Papa, have quite made up my mind
to go dove-shooting with you this season.
You do say / may, like a dear" And
] Miss Edith Haverly perched her pretty
self on her fathers armchair, and coax ed
that worthy parent to give his assent.
| Mr.. Haverly just dotted on his motherless
| daughter and only child, and never de-
MED her anything reasonable. She had
| been rather dull Of late, and he shrewdlv
suspected Joe Howe's silence and alb
sence the cause. He had noticed the
| young peoples fondneSs for each other.
and knowing Joe was a bright, energetic
young fellow, likely to make his way in
the world, saw no objection. But now
! the bank had failed. Joe had disap-
! peared and gave no sign. Perhaps il
was just as we'll to take up Edith's
attention with new pursuits and
later on new suitors. But he was
reckoning without his host' in this case.
for Edith was true-hearted girl, whose
affections, once given, gave no signs of
change or shadow of turning. Her whole
! heart had been given to Joe, and she
knew that he loved her and would be
true. His long silence rather worried
her, but then, she reflected, he must have
| good reasons.
Mr.. Haverly and Edith had started. and
circumstances, or fate, over which they
had no control had led them over the
same road, and, on the evening OF Joe's
| rescue. to the same house 10 ask for ac-
Communications, which were granted. Here
! they heard of Joe's deliverance from
| death, his illness, for he was found in
sensible and now delirious with fever.
| Mr.. Haverly'S strongest sympathy was
aroused. and Edith's fearful pleadings
/ to him to stay and see the result ended in
them both being here over month. Mr..
! Hayerly had seen the mine and was
much impressed with the gold in view,
although shocked at what might have
been Joe's fate.
Carmelo and Edith were fast friends.
! Carmelo, though, with her jealous, low
| ing instinct, saw at once that Edith was
the same one Joe called for constantly:
but. with the warm, ardent temperament
/ of her race, was already half consoled by
| Mr. Haverly's evident admiration of her
! beauty, to which Joe had seemed so in
different.
| But as yet Joe did not know of his
| friends being with him. He had youth
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