The Opelousas courier., 1897-05-29

4 toiu nam 40, lGAJ sue treated III
like the sand under her feet-neve
noticed me at oil. Father walked u
10 and down the porch as il driven by tn
wind, but hating SUI ldenly in front o
" me he said:
"'You would better go away. How
a would you like a trip to the gold mine
among the Rockies? The mountain
might put you straight. Suppose nov
y you go, l am sure your mother cou.t
get your things together by Thurs
$ day
1.-THE idea pleased me, pleased me-
no little, and when Thursday came !
was on my way to the Rocky Noun.
, talns. I'pretty soon fell in with Il
party OF young bloods like myself, aud
for while l did not bother much
about my attractive enemy-not much.
All the time, though, / was travelling
just rs directly as I could toward an
event that would bring her wildly be-
fore my mind, and would show me in
q white light a truth I was then look
ing at through a very fogggy atmosphere
very foggy.
perhaps it was two months after l
LETT home l became separated from my
party during a hunt md WAS lost. 1t
was an unhappy experience, young
man. l hallooed until I Was hoarse,
climbed q tree and tied a handkerchief
to its highest limb, and did all the
other things that lost people do, you
know. At last, striking aimlessly down
a r%avine, I found myself at sunset
emerging into an almost circular de-
preston among mountain peaks. And
right at me WAS a wigwam. It startled
me so that [ jumped behind o tree.
h next moment some one called to
me, told me to come on; that l would
meet friends. An Indian boy advanced
toward me, and III the wigwam I found
a sick Indian. Both spoke English,
and I was glad OF the good supper the
lad gave me-. None OF US cared to talk
much, and l vas soon fast asleep, worn
out.
II suppose it was long toward mid
night when l awoke, feeling some.
thing punch me in the ribs. 1t was
the sick Indians bony hand. Enough
light from the fire without came
through the crevice= to make the in
terror OF tho wigwam dlmly discerni- j
be.
"'What is it," I askel. Shall T
call the boy?" !
"'No, I beg he answered. Give a
me water. I believe I ana DYING I
81 gave him the water promptly d
enough, meaning to call the boy Just q
as promptiy-iust as promptly. But s
while l was putting down the tin cup p
uttered words that were paralyzing
their effect on me. 1 sank down p
IN my blanket and clasped my hands tt
round my knees, and gazel as best I n
could at the poor fellow. b
"l am not an Indian; I am white W
lie said. My name is Garland Grant. Sc
and, and because l killed by acct. CT
lent the man I loved best in oil
he world, I WAS forced from home to T.
i've an outlaws life. Under nv head fe
3 a tin box; 1 trust Its contents to u
on ",
"He began gasping painfully then, ia
l tried to raise him. though I was <
rembling violently. Il
promise to help the Indian bury en
he, and to bury me Deep he said. ye
IL promised him that he should be
urled as nearly as possible like the
aople back at home were buried, and
lat the box should be nv care.
here were a few struggles, poor fell
", and he died while trying to thank al
e. Then | sat there and thought
'out him until my heart throbbel wi
self tender. II seemed to me I had bu
aveled all those miles from home
st for this. Life is a strange mix. sa,
re, young man, a strange mixture. thu
don't know what your faith is, but ,
me is an %oyer-lul1ng Providence. air
medltations during that night de- m
'oyed my enmity toward the Grant. wi,
ads. va.
u buried Garland two days later, at A..
And I buried him in o she
fin. Yes, it was a rude affair; the ian
y and I made it from the seasoned III
inks OF trees long since fallen. The
cd was not difficult to split with the Mu
Dis they had concealed among the II
,ks. The lad was greatly impressed VIII
my care of the body of q half. l
sed, as he thought his one-timef friend the
9, and it won his devotion-won his At
the
lie finally guided me to a camp OF clea
ners, and he would have followed q
home had I allowed it. I was so enn
tunate at the camp as to hear of nv Int
'ty who were searching for me, and save
communicate with them, letting whe
m know my Intention to return con,
ne. First. though, I had a secret 400!
mission to falfl,
In the dead mans tin box I had
nd a letter addressed to his mother. ZOE
a note addressed, TO the friend Wv.
receives this box Both had eyi. .1'OI
tlY been written during his illness, WE na
the contents of my note made nv su,
ng. hot blood Jingle in my veins. os.a
minute directions as to asIIa
to reach q certain place, and to 80,
q certain crevice between two Ao'
ntic rocks, a crevice not extending Al
lght down, but almost at once curry 1t Is
westward. With a stout, sharp rier
attached to q pliable rod, I was mesh
rag this creyice and fish out five glass
Gags containing gold dust and flame
l was to have my choice of not