Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1897-02-25

nut, at the close Oh u long SuiAulei oeiS :,
gazing out to sea with a mournful look
in his eyes. He needed not the time
of day, or the beautiful sunset when
was coloring all nature with Its aEl.ls
glory. for his thoughts were FAR away
Suddenly cheerful voice broke IN On
his revery, mailing him from the shoFe'
and growing more and more distinct
as the figure OF d nlaI approaehea'
What be YOU dcin', standin thar
like a statue? declare y cen most
scared me. | thought you was your
own ghost. Come along, old nan. III
as hungry as bear.
Harold turned and confronted the
sneaker and then without q woru
walked slowly into the house, where
his companion. Sam. Newceme, tol'
lowed; and soon a saVory smell OF COOK
ing was waftei thu ough the open door.
The men had been friends for some
rime. having become acquainted eight
wears before in mining dlstlct, Wnere
they had both come in search ol
wealth. They had so far succeeded III
obtaining their desire as to enable them
to return to their homes, when about
six years before this story began,
fever broke out among the men, ana
numbers succGmbed to the disease
The men became frishtebed, and mauy
He'd. leaving the sick behind with only
a few of their friends 10 care for them
Sam was among the unfortunate ones
and Harold, whom the men called hal,
would no. leave him, hut stayed on,
and at length nursed him back to
health; although it vas a long time
before he recovered. BY that time the
last Of the miners had left.
AS soon as Sam was we'll enough TO
be safely moved, Hal and he Jcurneyed
on and finally decided to settle on TINS
ouiet. lonely shore, near the mountains,
a mile away from the little village,
nestled down N the valley. Here for
six years they pursued their quiet llfe,
living at very little expense, and stor-
ing their mon~y away in secret hooks.
They also found employment in the
village, going early in the morning and
returning to the evening meal.
After supper the two lighted their
pipes and sauntered down to the shore
where the waves were making merry
in the moonlight. Sam was at first as
talkative as ever, but after while,
casting a glance of surprise at his
companion, he said uneasily:
Whats come over you, pard? You
haint said a word for more'n half an
Cd >
Amt hardly your way to keep still so
long. Sort of ZONES cine without hear
ing any voice but your own cutting the
air. I'll have to ask and answer my
own questions soon, to sort of take the
edge off the solitude, or peg up my
own mouth and be silent, too, which,
as you know, amt my way, and it's try
ing to go agin nature"
Hal. turned to him with the same
look in his eyes, and replied:
See here, Sam! We have been part
ners for eight years and have never
questioned each other about our past
life. Our knowledge of one another
all dates from that first day in camp.
You have always respected my secret
and have never questioned you. As
for the reasons why we decided to stay
together and live in some quiet place
in the wilderness instead of returning
home as we intended to do when we
left the mine, they, too, are secret.
Your reasons / know nothing of, nor
shall l ever ask. and you have not
questioned me-"
He paused and gaZed out to sea, but
added, as his con panion still looked
fixedly at him:
You won't question me If l am 81
lent at times. I've been thinking of
the past today, that's all" His voice
broke a little and he faltered. And
home, you know-and-b there,
shall not trouble you any more. | am
poor companion tonight. / think
will just walk up the hills way. You
won't mind, will your"
His companion, with a puzzled coun-
tenance, answered in the negative, and
as Hal. was starting he looked back
and added,
Queer how man will wilfully bury
ulLl6tll III cDue Odu place. dilu 81 lObe
himself that his friends could not send
a letter or message to him il they
wanted to. l suppose new all our old
friends think we died of that fever, as
they have never heard from rs since.
For a moment San, thought he would
follow his friend ana see il he were i'll
Then he turned, and walked slowly
into the house where he sat for long
time looking into the fire. What
could It near, This was the first tim
IN the whole eight years that the past
had been alluded to by either OF them.
It had been tacitly avoided by both
What was the secret of his companion 5
life, and why should X again come up
to torment him nov after lapse of
eight years, and what had brought it |
up tonight? Sam moved uneasily in
his chair. Was the ghost of his own
past wholly laid?
Meantime, Hal on the mountain was
crouching on a rock, with his face /
buried in his hands and his whole |.
great frame convuised with sobS, His /