Arizona republican., 1893-02-10

with .rrru blinds Here Captain Jim
| stopped. aIi l..nuring the bell knocked on
the door with his gl7i;t Suuckles.
The door was opened 10y very pretty
lady, who luul,rl none the worse that Der
eyes bore evidence, OF recent weeping; she
beckonrd her visitor in, and as soon rs the
door WAS closed she held before him IA rude
picture and whispered
"Caprnu BaIlantyue where did you get
thisy
1t was the painting by Whistling Billy
The lady had been weeping her voice was
tremUlu us, she was distressed A great
puug Of self reprouch struck Jim's heart.
She was offended that he had sent her
such thing rs Il present Why hadn't he
listened TO his sister;
Il am sorry. Ella. | sent It," he STAN
mered but We see my pard painted it.
and thought" -
Your pard' Who do You mean An
swer met
Jim was nopclcssly embarrassed He
strobe into the little parlor and seated him.
self, while the lady, with an agonized face
repeated the words. who do you meany"
Il mean WhiSrIing Billy" answered jim
at last tine best fclicr as ever lived Me
and him rUughcd it in the mourtngs.
Ella and IN Ar2Ony, and then be died. >"
"Oh, you VIII madden mel" cried Miss
Fauslcr tell me where you got this pic
ture"
Fila. replied Jim piteousy, lat telling
q story I'm like "a coyote catching a hen
| have 70 do il my own way or not at all"
And then Jim told the story Of his pard.
and the painting Of the picture in the desert
by the moonlight, and the rife shot, and
the lonely grave he followed out TO lay the
once merry Billy in.
And when he had finished Miss Fanser
sank to the floor and sobbed and pressed
the rude painting to her lips, while Jim
gaLed in mute establishment. And after
awhile the lady arose and went to an
album and drew from it a photograph
which she handed to him silently. One
glance and Jim sprang to his feet and cried
hoarsely;
"Whistling Billyp'
My lover, William Clark" sobbed Miss
Fansler, ''he whom | promised to marry
and be true to. Oh, thank God you were
with him that cruel night, and that you
buried him"--
And that | avenged him." muttered
Captain Jim sternly
There was 10 answer to this Miss Fan.
sler rested her head upon her hands and
sobbcd quietly until Jim, thinking that
she would be better alone, started for the
door But she called him back
Don't 20. jim" she said She had never
addressed him as "Jimn before. THE
poor dead boy loved to sketch, and | have
several Of his paintings. The letters
kr-a-l-c mean Clark spelled backward
When ! received this yesterday and from
you it wasa positive blow longed to send
for you or 20 TO you for an explanation,
but dreaded TO also, for | felt that there
was tragedy connected with it; there has
been so much tragedy in your life-and
mine"
She closed her eyes and leaned her head
perhaps uncunsciOusly, upon his shoulder
He grasped one of her delicate hands in his
great, hard fingers
William went away to the west" she
resumed, "und never heard from him
more. All, he was true to mel If had
been unworthy Of his devotion. how could
| have survived this day."
For ten minutes after this the silence
was 40 intense that the ticking of clock
in II distant room was audible through it,
Then Captain Jim bent his shaggy head
over hers and said
ELLA. l've packed up to go out thar to
the mountings and the prairies; it's too
lonesome here without have We. Ella, my
pard is dead that was to he your pard. |
loved him like he was my brother; he has
told me about his sweetheart in the wilder
ness under the stars, and have loved his
sweetheart just as brother would be
l,a 10 !