The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-06-24

solid d.pigskin belt and pouch. intact and
unharmed.
"'poor old Bobp muttered Farley. I'M
der his breath: thank God his reason
came before he died
"Farley would not leave tho remains,
so Webster climbed up the side OF the
gorge alone and walking across TO the
humpy, returned shortly afterward WIN
u blanket and sheet of bark Ihen.
together the two men reverently lifted
the remains of the dead Englishman on
To the ground above; and, having re-
moved the belt and pouch, they buried
the skeleton at the foot of the fallen
black butt tree. -
Kerr loaned back in his deck chair, ex-
haustod bY the effect upon himself OF the
story he told. seepy-looking steward
stepped up TO warn us of lights reing
turned on; but begged Kerr TO continue,
and so, bending forward again, he said
Well later on in the day. Wesbter and
Farley examined tho contents of the denu
mans pouch, and found them ID lie moth
ing but "a few pieces OF rough gold. and
the pocket diary which Carter had always
carried when prospecting for the purpose
of note taking. That diary, hnwover,
contained two stories. First in he c)n-
else and technical phrases OF miner
writing Of his work, was the story OF
lnarvelously rich gold find, in the gully
where stood the cruciiix In Ion-bark ana
IN full particulars OF the exact position OF
tho gully itself Then in language OF
growing incoherence, ending at last in
unintelligible wanderings, came the
pathetic story of IA man who was pushed
the history OF "a man who was lest In
the Wilderness, and recognized the fact
Every line IN this second story spoke OK
but ono anxiety, one longing desire. In
the mind OF the man who wrote It, NO
sign was there of fear on his own behalf
nor of dread of the horrible death which
q. hA 10 haaa I'm
every word one read the impatient longing
of the dead man to clasp again the hand
OF his friend, ami TO tell of tho newly
discovered wealth which TO him had
seemed as much Farley's as his own.
Later. when his own death mad seemed
certain TO him, and exhaustion had
almost turned the brain of the man, his
anxiety To leave some clue by which his
friend might find the gully, in discover
ing which no had forfeited his own life
this had evidently become the one motive
of Carter's daily struggles.
"Ihen, under tho strain of 10 all, when
he had chewed sassafras Dark, and even
managed To Kill and eat a few birds, the
lost mans reason had left him-perhaps
only few hours before he pulled the
greenhide cord Of the humpy door and
stood before his friend laughing. stary-
ing maniac. Even then there was only
one desire in the crazed and unhinged
mind; only one half formed thought OF
sumething-the weak brain could not tell
the loving heart what-thaJ made him
want to lead his friend to some place he
had seen"
Kerr paused. and sighed.
"Well what followed then you know;
and while Farley lay unconscious under
the black-butt tree. Carter, too utterly ex-
hausted TO move. must have recovered his
reason-for "A few moments, at all events
and managed Co scribble the words / told
you of before he died. The rest is history
Ronald Farley. with Jack Webster, took
up 'Crucifix Gully, as it was called; and,
before they sold their right in it had
each cleared q considerable fortune Then
Farley came home tn England and placed
his people in a comfortable position. y
And the girl, FlorenceY" l said, ques-
tioningly.
"Ah, Florence Carrollp' Kerr raised
his thin brown hands and clasped them
behird his head. Farley settled n
handsome sum on tho widow, her mother;
anu ho went To SEQ Florence once To toll
her Of Bob's death. And Yes, that
was all. Ho said no could not take ad-
vantage of his friends death. Truth To
tell. | think he buried his heart along
with those white bones that are lying in
the Warroo Hills. Anyhow. he seems TO
as far as / can tell, has spent his life in
wandering But-no, i should not say
that friendship did not come within the
scope Of his philosophy
Then Kerr said good night, and left me;
ami whenever | have met Ronald Farley
since that night l have felt like barring
my heal before him ana asking FOR his
pardon j. Dawson, I'm tho Pail Mall
Magazine.