The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1898-11-17

sAhiS anu iut itAtfi u
Il reckon you've led n wild life. Gus"
said the mate. seating himself on a
locker. "Seems to me | heard some
thing of that yarn myself. Didn't you
promise TO marry her and do your best
10 make her set her heart on you. and
then leave her a letter TO say you We're
never coming back"
why yes. Perhaps | ought not TO
have done it; but It was jolly fun 10
make love to herr Marry her:
wouldn't do that: for | had n wife in
Bedford. hut didn't tell her that
oh. no. no.
And then he broke into n careless
song. such n one as n sailor loves, and
the mate got up and went out. with
such n look as | never saw on a mans
face before, and never want TO see
again. He didn't say anything to me,
and | noticed he never looked at Gus
Williams again.
| knew evil would come of 1t. and |
didn't know how | could Stop 1t. but
If Gus Williams had known the danger
he'd drawn on himself, | think he'd
have jumped overheard.
Things went on all right, until one
September day, when we were lying
off the Alaskan coast. the captain sent
three boats ashore for some timber he
wanted, and | went In Toms boat. Gus
Williams, who was harpooner in the
second mates boat, went. too.
| saw Tom come up and speak To
William after they landed, and they
went away together, and something
put 1t into my head TO follow them.
There had been a light snow. and 1t
was easy tracking them; and after |
had gone a mile / heard their voices in
a little gully. and crept up close.
You told a queer story the other
night when you were drunk, Williams"
the mate was saying. about n girl
named Mary Blake. in Nantucket. Was
II truef"
why. yes, as far as this: I made
her think | was n single man, and
made her love me. and then ran away
from her"
Didn't you know or didn't you hear.
that she had a lover-a man that would
have died for ler If she asked him -
at seems 10 me, now l come to think
of it, that | did hear something about
a tar that had a fancy for her. But
what did | care for that? | wanted
my fun"
Did you never hear what came of
1t, them
NO. ! never bothered myself about
1t much. I've wondered sometimes II
the tarry jacket came home and mar
ried her.
I'm tell you the end" Kissed Tom.
"When she got your cruel letter she
dropped aud faded. and when the man
who loved her truly came home from
a cruise she was very near the grave.
Then, one day, when the burden Of her
life grew too much for her TO bear,
she told him of your deceit, and de
scrlbed you. and then died. with her
head upon his bosom. Then he tool
n vow that If you and he ever met he'd
kill you"
I'm glad we never metz cried Will
Jams.
I'm the man that loved her and tool
that VOW continued Tom, land now
| mean to keep my word. Down upon
your knees and pray for you have not
five minutes to live"
Then | saw a spectacle such as I hope
never TO see again. as Tom slowly drew
a revolver and waited. The harpooner
fell on his knees. weeping and begging
for his life, but that stern face never
changed. The self-apEointed Judge and
%executioner did not know the name of
mercy. The wretch crawled upon the
ground and buried his face in the snow
at Toms feet, and l couldn't stand it,
and stepped out In view.
Don't come nearer. Jack Ratlin."
cried Tom, "or as there Is n God
above, I'll give you shot. This man is
doomed and he shall die"
Tom | said before you fire. think
a moment You say you loved Mary
Blake?"
You'll never know how much, Jack
words cannot tell"
'Then listen to me. They say the
good and pure, looking down from their
bright homes above. are witnesses of
the actions Of those they loved on
earth. II your dead love beholdS you
now, do you think 1t would make her
happy to see you stain your hands with
the blood of this base wretch? Can
you hope to join her up yonder?'
He stared at me n moment and then,
raising his hand to heaven. he cried:
MARY. | do what you would have
done. See. l forgive your murderer,
and leave his punishment TO God. Go
back, Williams; from this moment you
are safe from my vengeance
The man skunk away shaking like a
leaf, and deserted at the first port we
entered. And Tom Dalton. with a new
light on his face. the hope OF meeting
her he loved In a better world than this.
did his duty m~anfully until his death.
three years after. in a battle with a
giant whale. He has entered into his
his rest. Whether Gus Williams lives
or died, | do not know, bur his two
victims are safe in port.-Spare Mo-
ments.
Coal Statistics.