Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1895-05-03
@isCellamenms.
HER FIRST HUSBAND.

W. IC az ihG 'uA VI stttilks
that's sure enough"
"nut to sell for such ridiculous sum
as 81, 900 down! We have sunk three
times that much apiece, besides all our
hard work"
though, 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 up"
said Homer Graft, the bigger and buffer
of the two men, when it came to the
final transactions, "but | feel it in my
bones that we are doing a 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 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 earn
estly:
II give you my word, gentlemen, in
case like that ! should offer bonus
in proportion to tho 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 III be worse of than you are, as |
have a 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.
lie 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 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 be don't strike n lead, it won .
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 dismly
when they saw what had occurred
Then Graft swoopcd down to grope
among the broken ore, while he turned
au excited face toward his companion
Look here, Willard Look here !
It's the lead the lead | say. it's
lucky matter that no one in the camp
knows we made the transfer r.
"Why2" asked Willard, with dry
and trembling lips.
because we'll just retransfer it,
that's why. Here is the deed in his
pocket II is no robbery to take it back
and put his thousand in its place. A
thousand | wouldn't take $40. 900 now
no, nor 800, 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 ourselves"
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 $1,000
which the stranger left, though it was
advertised in the Denver papers, and he
was soou forgotten by all except Will
lard, whom remorse preyed upon, but
not to the extent of prompting him to
restitution until il was too late.
He was seized with a chill one day
while at work aud the next was on his
back, rsving with mountain fever
IL was known very soon that he could
not recover