The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1895-07-25

IN t1uth uo o. Nv 1to
asking him to pay a visit in their COM
pany. "But I've a secret to tell you,
Ned he added. II have done with
mining in this section. Luck has ia
vored me beyond my hopes. l can af-
ford to TURF my back upon it. l shall
take my daughter to San Francisco.
l have thought of settling there"
AS he spoke the little tie of com
radeship between us was shattered;
in a moment we were sundered as the
poles, so quietly he brushed it away.
No rest was mine that night; evil
was i'm the air. So, as l could not
sleep, l got up and went out. Not be-
ing a fool, / kenw / must keep my
misery to myself; but my life was
empty!-empty! You see, I was hard
hit. What was Miss Amy Warning to
me-could she ever have been to me
a shiftless vagabond not worthy to
kiss the dust she trod on? But | must
90 back and watch the cabin that COW
cred her for this last night; so l re-
turned to the ravine. In it were many
little dells swarming with wild flow
ers. Now, in one of these same dells
what dc you think l saw? A dead
mans face. Yes, / knew at once that
he was dead, but so easily the major"
rested on the damp grass that the song
1 had heard him singing might still
be on his lips. His pockets, turned
lining outward, were empty. Snatch
ing up his pick, l dashed on to the
cabin, knowing well whom 1 should
find there. My long knife was In my
belt. / raced round to the back; the
little kitchen door was undOne; the
two scoundrels were there, and a
stranger, making free with some whis-
ky which the major" had kept in a
cupboard. Where was Miss Amy?
l found her in the front room, tied in
a chair, her lips bleeding over her
white teeth. The cursed hounds had
struck her.
"There are three of them" she whis-
pered; chose two who came and an
other man. They watched for my
father and murdered him; they told
me so. Hark! they are coming. Ned,
they have pistols, and will shoot you
where you stand. Go away this in
stant-only-kill me first;' and then
she lifted her white pillar Of a throat.
"Now, my beauty" roared a drunken
voice through the thin partition, 1--WE
are bringing you a sup of whisky to
drink our healths in. Amt you longln'
for us to make love to We? Well stow
away the rhino first, and then-you
shall have your turn"
BE quiet" 1 whispered back to her,
cutting the cords with my knife, and
in a few seconds I had her out of the
chair, and we dashed out of the house
together.
On, and on, and on, until the last
tree was at our backs. Then we made
eo, , @ro;I x,rI;nJ, In1 70 Tnhncnnse fa ".
ern, leaving the yells faint in the dis
lance. There we stopped and there
Amy told her tale.
News spreads quickly at the dig.
gings, and Judge Lynch is for immedi
ate action. Before moor of the mex
day the stolen gold, including the two
big nuggets, had been recovered, and
three figures dangled from an oak by
the wayside.
AS soon as It was possible Miss Amy
started for San Francisco, whence she
was to remain until she could commu
nicate with some friends in New Or
leans.
About a week later I followed her
and called upon her at the Lick house
She greeted me kindly, even warmly
and | blurted out that l hoped she
would not be offended at my coming
but-and then l shut up.
"Ned," she cried; brave Ned! dear
kind, good Ned! There are debts which
can never be repaid, and l am you
debtor always-always, Ned" and
holding out her hands to me, she
bowed her head upon my big brown
fists and sobbed.
''You are very kind, Miss Amy"
spoke with a quiet voice. 81 wish
could have been a gentleman for jus
a little while, so that l might have
served you better"
"a gentleman" she cried, lifting he
face and looking full at me, and theI
she raised these hard fists of mine tt
her soft lips and kissed them.
Yes, she kissed them; and I!-hov
was l to help it?-the touch of thos'
lips broke me down smash. Yet sh'
was not angry-not offended. She pu
out her little hands to me again, meal
ing-I knew it-both to silence ant
comfort me. She did not speak; TO
what could she have said-what cOul(
any fine lady such as she have said?
Well, from that Ny Amy Warm,
and | were close companions, pledged
lovers, and we rambled to the variou
points of interest in the vicinity, see
ing the sights.
After three weeks of courtship sh'
became my bride, and our honeymoon
trip was across the continent to he
!. old home in New Orleans.
|, We liked the improved appearance
of the city so much that we decided t
settle there, and purchased a coz,
home on Valance street, where tn
majors" daughter is the reignini
queen.