The Portland daily press., 1894-12-29
after you now and again, won't you, fer

after you now and again, won't you, fer
Rube's sakep"
The handsome cowboy, straight as dart,
tall and strong as a giant, clad in the pic
turesque rough clothes of his calling, bent
like reed before the tiny blue clad figure
of the postoffice mistress, who laid a slen-
der white hand in his great palm and lift
ed her violet eyes to his dark ones.
''Surely, Paul Harding for Rube's sake.
you may look after me when / can't look
after myself
With that soft glance burning into his
brain and those gentle words pulsing in
his ears Beauty Paul swung himself into
his peaked saddle and sent his horse full
speed down the hill to Ffolliott's saloon.
1t was for Rube's sake that the follow
ing Sunday Paul dressed himself in his
best, brought a little two wheeled cart
gay with bells and bright colors to Mary's
door and asked her to drive out with him.
The day was fair, and Beauty Paul
amused her with stories of Rube, and
when they came to an end he told her Of
his own home in the heart Of green
county in England. He made her laugh
with his tales of college life and shudder
Egypt which he had gone through. Only
he did not tell her how he, an English gen.
tleman and gallant officer, came to be loaf
ing and drinking and gambling away his
days and his health in Great White can
yon. Paul Harding-degraded as he was
and lacking in reverence for women-at
least had too much respect for the little
postmistress to tell her that black page in
his life.
The day was an entire success, but it
left bitter after taste in Mary's mouth
when she heard the next morning that
Paul had spent the night at Ffolliott's
drinking and brawling till dawn.
The next Sunday Mary shut herself
within her log cabin, and neither the blue
sky nor the gay cart and smartly caparl-
soned hose nor Beauty Paul himself could
wheedle her out. She would not be seen,
she said sternly, with one of Ffolliott's
lot She however, relented and forgave
him on his promise to amend for her sake.
AS weeks and months went by and the
green of the canyon changed to red and
gold Paul found that if he was to ''look
after Mary he had to give up the saloon.
And indeed for space Ffolliott's knew
him not till one October morning his al
low duCo--eu0 iuOuGy WAlCu pouSuo hAo
family freedom from his disgraceful pres
ence-arrived from England. For the next
week Ffolliotts was a pandemonium,
with the Beauty as a presiding demon.
Mary heard of it and refused to speak
to or look at him. Then it was that he
flung himself before her one day and pray
ed her to save him from that from which
he was powerless to save himself-from
J,;,, 1,o1 mir And
she did what other good women have done
before her and will do again. She placed
her hand in his, and with her heart full
of RUDE Halse she promised to marry Paul
for his souls sake.
All through that long, bitter winter she
held to her promise. At Christmas he
broke from her control, and she did not
speak to him for days, but she ended by
forgiving. When he was with Mary, he
vowed to reform, not to set foot in Ffol-
liott's again. never to taste another drop
of whisky nor look again at a card. But
once beyond the sound OF her low once,
the touch of her small hand, and his reso-
buttons melted like the winter SHOWS.
The eve Of their marriage day arrived
and with it Paul's allowance from Eng
land The occasion and the opportunity
suggested carouse and Paul informed
the boys" he would be standing treat at
Ffolliott's that night for the last time.
The bar was soon crowded, for the Beauty
was just the song singing, yarn telling,
whisky drinking scamp who would be
popular among the wild crew, especially
as he stood treat so long as the bartender
would stand him.
Paul was full of liquor. He had drunk
Mary's health with every man in the place,
and he was also full of luck for once in
way A pile of gold lay before him on
the table, and he was just proposing an
other round in Marys honor when big
Bill Redfern strobe in and was greeted
with shout of Hello, Bill! You back?
What luck, pard?"
Luck, my lads? leave luck to fools
and deadbeats. I've been working, and
thank God I've worked for something.
I've put my sweat and muscle into the
ground, and I've struck ore. None of
your dust or pockets, but a vein as broad
as an oxs back and as long as river,
and SO I've come back with Rube''-
Paul looked up with start. His eyes
flashed. and he seemed to grow sober in
moment as the situation presented itself.
Here was he drunk in gambling hell on
the eve of his marriage with Mary, and
Rube had come back.
''What did you say?" he muttered.
81 said RUDE and had come back. But
don't let me disturb the game.
1.-THE game is up!'' cried Paul, with an
oath, as he struck the table and made tho
money jingle.
"Had bad luck, eh'" said Bill. "Sorry
for you"
"Keep your sorrow to yourself and your
partner, Reuben Halse.'
Come come, +" said Bill good humored-
ly, "have a drink. I'm standing treat,
and, as to Rube, here's his health and
Mary's."
"I'm standing treatl' shouted Paul,
springing up. Have a drink with me!'
And with this he flung his liquor in Bills
face and made rush at him.
A pistol flashed, pale blue puff of smoke
died in the hot air, and Beauty Paul lay
stone dead on Ffolliotts floor.
Some of them went up to the postofice
to break the news to Mary. There was
light in the window, and by it they saw
Rube and she sitting talking Quietly
and with bowed heads they left the cot