Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-04-30
THE LOST Mine.
By JAMES KNAPP REEVE.
Copyright. isos. by the Author,


brilliantly at the street corners. but
there were no, many passers. An coca.
sionai pair Of belated lovers came IN.
willingly beneath the glare OF the
lamps. and then strolled away into
shadowy by paths.
Rockley caught glimpses Of the pretty
faces Of the girls and scented the per-
tune from their garments. and heard
bits OF musical speech. and IL made MN
feel Ike an outcast. But an hour ago all
these had been his. and now nothing
was his. and the whole world was dreaE
ard desolate.
II am awfuily sorry, Dick" said
Norah Dale. I'VE have been such good
friends. like you ever so much. but
but
Eyes. I see. said Dick ho,ly. There
ia some ono else. You have only been
amusing yourself with me-"
That is not true" said Eorah who
had a temper Of her own. There Is no,
any ono else. Only"
Go on" said Dick Never mind
re.
Well, I suppose I had hes: now.
When / marry man. Dick, it shall be
one who has done something"
Now this shot told home. And so
Dick flung himself off the vine covered
porch. where the glinting moonlight
and the odor OF the roses had tempted
him into precipitatoly foolish act, and
out tho gate and down the street with
less ceremony than he had ever before
displayed VIXEN leaving the presence Of
pretty Norah Dale.
Ho walked rapidly, and the action
stimulated him, so that he began to
whip matters into shape mentally. His
first impulse was to put distance be-
tween them. There was nothing to pre-.
vent him from carrying this into i'm
mediate effect. Ho was young, strong,
had no ono to whom his coming or CO.
ing mattered. and fortunately possessed
money enough TO do very much as he
chose.
The limited express for Chicago would
pass Wayneland about midnight. Chi
caso was "a great, big, busy town, and
there lac might find some diversion that
would quiet this aching down arannd
his heart. lie was taking the matter se-
riOusly.
Going TO his rooms, he put some things
together hastily and was at the station
just IN timo to catch the train.
OF course sleep was ont II the cues
tion with such n tumult in his heart and
brain, hut from force of habit and "a nat
ural inclination To travel as a gentleman
should he took u berth IN the Pullman.
n few hours later he was much sur
prised to find himself awaking from n
sound and untroubled sleep. The sun
was shining brightly IN the window, and
the train was running smoothly over the
prariCs Chicagoward. The world look.
cd brighter than 1t had the previous
night. and Dick was conscious that he
was hungry. In the dining car his Wis
avis was man twice his own age, with
"a grizzled, shrewd. yct kindly face, and
with a strong disposition toward To-
quaeity. This. in Dicks present mood,
he was somewhat inclined to resent.
but, in spite Of himself, no was soon in.
tcrcstod in his companions talk.
This il pretty fair, was the opening
remark, indicating broadly the viands
spread before them. "They don't seem
To have much elbow room in their kitcl,-
en-. but I've Jared worse out in Arizona,
where we lad all creation to cook,in."
"Ahi You are from the west?" said
Dick politely.
"Yes. I'm from the west. a good long
way" The old man let his gaze wander
toward the western horizon. and Dick
fapciod there was u BIT Of homesickness
IN the look. "But I'm getting back there
pretty fast" He watched admirincly
the witches dance Of the telegraph poles
and the landscape that was flying away
behind them so fast
"Thirty.six miles an hour is our
schedule" said Dick CHANGING at his
time card. THAT is living ut q pretty
rapid pace.
81 wish could go all the way at
that rate" said the other. but after I
leave the railroad it's slow work. and
not quite So comfortable rs this either. "
$50 you don't stick very close to civ.
ilization?" asked Dick. Now that in.
torests me. Twas never 90 miles from
a railroad in my life. I can hardly
imagine how it would seem"
He had sudden inspiration that
this was the sort Of tlring he needed
just now-such complete isolation from
all the trammels of civilization rs his
companions words suggested.
Us is interesting" said the older
man grimly. II leave the railroad NJ
Flagstaff and cross the Mogollon noun
tains. There II Is mere good luck If l
don't die N n snowdrift on the other
side OF the mountains. II get there
alive. so miles Of desert stare me in
the face. Fifty miles Of desert. young
man. Do you know what that means?
Not n drop Of water is TO be had from
ono side TO the other The sun glares ut
you all day and scorches your eyeballs.
The sand is so hot that IL blisters your
feet. The Indians call it the Malpais-
the evil place
why do you co:" Dick pu. ont the
question involuntarily, as he had been
awed little by his companions ORA
matte manner.
Because. answered the other. with
a CLEAN of humor in his eyes. "becanse
j am an old fool ! am hunting for the