The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-10-30

placer lisglngs were, the largest building
of all being the saloon in which he had
nightly gnmbled away and spent fer drink
the dust secured by hard labor through
the day. Last Of all, he had wagcred his
claim on the turn Of card-aud lost
Then he became bum, n sot, stumbling
wreck. His former friends turned their
backs on him as he sunk lower and lower
in the scale, until the horse he had once
owned but long since hartered for whisky
was the only creature that seemed to take
pleasure in his company. And Bunker,
the new owner Of the animal, drove him
away whenever he was found lingering
near the dumb brute.
1t had come at last-he was driven out
of the camp, warned that to return meant
the same thing as signing his own death
warrant He felt II thrill of anger as he
thought of this looking down on the town
and the men at work 10y their rockers mt
the creek He saw little knot standing
in front of the saloon, evidently watching
to see that he surely left the Pocket, and
with a sudden burst of fury he shook his
fist at them, snurling:
Course YOU ALI You have druv me out,
but I'll come back hyar some day AN show
We I'm as good man rs the best among
YET Not another drop Of liquor ever goes
down my throat I swear it! From this
day | lead new lifeN
Then. with one more downward glance
at the town, he walked on and passed over
the ridge.
The men in front Of the saloon had been
watching his wretched figure, cut clear
against the sunset sky, and long breath
was drawn when he vanished from view.
"Thar." cried Xeb Bunker, ~ reckon as
how that's the last of the emery, no count
critter. I'm dern glad he's gone, fer
wuz allus lowin he'd steal back that thar
hawse of mine what he ulster own. Come
in an drink on me-
There was no cause to repeat the invita-
ton, and tho entire crowd filed into the
saloon TO drink and forget the poor wretch
who was plodding along the trail toward
Niger Gulch.
When darkness came and he could walk
no farther, the outCast Crept down in "A
little hollow and slept on the hard ground,
his only covering being the star Despair
gled sky. He slept better and more peace
fully than for many n week, and no kind
spirit warned him of what the morning
would bring.
He was awakened by the sound of hoarse
voices close at hand and he opened his
eyes to discover the new day had dawned
fair and sweet. As he sat up and glanced
around to his unbounded amazement, not
two rods away he saw horse feeding in
the little hollow. The animal wore no
halter nor strap, being at liberty to wan
der as it chose, and he recognized the crea-
ture as the one he had once owned
He was given no time to speculate how
the beast came there, for, at this moment,
II i. IN.a.. Il. I
angry men burst through the brush ON the
side of the hollow toward the trail, and
the outCast recognized citizens of Black
Pocket. As he arose TO his feet Bunker
roared:
"Thars the onery galoot, an thars my
hawsel"
\ dozen revolvers were turned on the
outCast and he was soon in the clutch of
the mob, while the moose of rope they
had brought along was drawn tight about
his throat. They dragged him beneath
tree, over the limb of which the rope was
flung. Not word came from his lips, for
he well knew how useless it was to protest
his innocence.
Ten minutes later the lynchers turned
back toward Black Pocket, taking with
them the animal that had strayed so far
and thus brought about the death of hui
man being. The morning sun shot golden
lances of light through the leaves of the
trees down into the little hollow where
dark form swung, pulseless and silent, at
the end of the rope. y sweet perfume, the
breath of nature, was in the air, and a
tiny bird trilled a joyous song from a
branch above the dead mans head.
In all the world no human being knew
this man died innocent OF crime or evil in
tention just as he stood on the threshold
of a new life.