Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1895-04-04
HER FIRST HUSBAND.

were at the end OF our string,
that's sure enough"
but to sell for such ridiculous sum
as 81, 900 down. We have sunk three
times that much apiece, besides all our
hard work !"
Tough, friend. but it strikes me it
would be tougher to tramp back to the
States. Nobody but greenhorn would
give thousand for that hole in the
ground as it stands. We've got to close
with him. that's all of it, and, for my
part, I'm done with mines and mining.
I'll strike back for the old farm as soon
as get $500 safe in my pocket.
We've concluded to take you mp, -
said Homer Craft, the bigger and bluff
or Of the two men, when it came to the
final transactions, "but feel it in my
bones that we are doing mighty fool
ish thing. If hadn't agreed with Will
lard here not to hold out beyond this
date. I'd go back on the bargain now. i
was a fool not to stand out in black and
white for couple OF Thousand more in
case you strike it rich before our tracks
are cold.''
This was only intended to keep the
newcomer up to the mark, as Willard
very well knew. but the buyers sympa-
thy was touched, and he answered ear
nestly:
II give you my word, gentlemen, in
case like that should offer a bonus
in proportion to the value of your work
in the mine. As it is, / am putting
every dollar | can command into this
venture, and If my luck runs as yours
did I'll be worse off than you are, as /
have wife down in Denver depending
on me.
1t was late in the day when the trans
fer was made. but the new proprietor
pulled off his coat and went to work as
soon as his predecessors left the mine.
He tamped in the charge of giant
powder and set it off, working awk-
wardly, as one unused to such labor,
and undoubtedly he failed to step back
to a safe distance, for the exploding
blast caught him and killed him in
stantly
The two miners, packing their few
belongings in the little cabin near the
tunnel. heard the reverberation and
looked at each other.
IF he don't strike lead, it won't
be because he's stingy of powder. said
Craft dryly. Come along, Willard,
let's see what the fool has done .
There was moment of blank dismay
when they saw what had occurred
Then Craft swooped down to grope
among the broken ore, while he turned
an excited face toward his companion.
Look here, Willard Look herei It's
the leadl the leadi say, it's lucky
matter that no one in the camp knows
we made the transferr'
'Why?" asked Willard, with dry
and trembling lips
Because We'll just retransfer it,
that's why. Here is the deed in his
pocket 1t is no robbery to take it back
and put his Thousand in its place. A
thousandl wouldn't take $40, 900 now
mo, nor $40, 900 for my share Why,
Willard, it's richer than we ever hoped.
It's plain Intervention of Providence
in our behalf To think how near we
came to cheating ourselyesp'
And Willard, feebly protesting, al
lowed himself to be overruled by his
stronger minded partner, but his CON
science was sore over that breach of
faith.
No one appeared to claim the 81. 600
which the stranger left, though it was
advertised in the Denver papers, and he
was soon forgotten by all except Will
lard, whom remorse preyed upon, but
not TO the extent of prompting him to
restitution until it was too late.
He was seized with a chill one day
while at work and the next was on his
back, raving with mountain fever.
1t was known very soon that he could
not recover.
TITS the evil that has come of our
treachery, Craft, and it will come on
you, too if you don't make restitution
They that are near to death see clearer
than the living, and tell you that /
won't rest quiet in my grave unless you
hunt up that woman and give her back
her own. IL you lie to me, Craft, if you
promise to do that and fail, tell you
that my footsteps shall haunt you till
the day of your death. ~
He had promised simply to quiet Will
lard and had no intention of keeping
that promise.
In due time the fever did its work,
and Willard was laid at rest in the
apology for cemetery. Craft seemed to
be the only claimant for his partners
earthly belongings, and he availed him
self of his opportunity.
While at work one day in the mine,
now panning out in great shape, there
was a premature blast, which those who
heard it believed had ended Crafts ca
reer
Yet amid the shower Of bursting rock
which flew all around him ne suffered