The Bourbon news., 1899-11-07


Keep up till 1 reach you'll" he shout
ed to encourage Avery, who was fully
so yards away.
There was no reply, and when Tom
was within dozen strokes of his friend
the latter suddenly threw up his arms
and began to sink.
Tom reached the spot just in time to
grasp his hair and drag him to the sur
face, where he lay utterly unconscious
and unable to assist himself. Tom sup
ported him as best he could, but his
clothes soon began to drag him down,
and his limbs felt like lead. He was
nearly spent when something white
swept before his eyes on the top OF
sea, and he saw that it was the life
buoy. With a last effort he struck out
and succeeded in grasping it.
In the meantime the Seabird had'been
brought TO the wind and boat lowered
with all possible speed, but 1t is slow
operation at best, and the craft was
half mile distant before the boat struck
the water with Capt. Coffin in her stern.
Although the buoy supported Tom
easily, he found it no easy task to keep
| the unconscious mans head above the
surface, and when the boat reached
them he was pulled from the water in
a state of utter exhaustion.
Avery showed no signs of life, and
when the vessel was reached he was
| taken to his berth, where the old cap
tain gradually rcsuscitated him, Tom
having changed his clothes in the mean
TIME and regained the use Of his limbs.
When he reached the stateroom he
was shocked at his friends face. There
was a look there which comes but once
to humanity, and which froze the words
on his tongue.
"Scott, sit down. said the old miner
''I can see by your face what you read
in mine. have no time to waste. I'm
a dying man, Scott. Something has
given out inside and my time is up
Don't interrupt me. please. must tel
you something while L have time
He paused an instant to press his
hand to his side, saying:
''When that hit me something snapped
in here [ think q rib is sticking intt
my lungs. Take off my belt, Scott
Hurry up! Don't stop to ask questions
nOw!"
Tom obeyed, and with trembling
fingers the dying man drew forth
folded bit of paper, whispering:
ITS yours, and it means a forum
10 you! Get me pen and paper ant
then write what 1 tell you!''
His request was soon complied with
and with faint voice he dictated:
Il, John Avery, being about to Gle
give my share in the gold mine discov
cred by my partner. Dick Reed, to th
bearer. Thomas Scott, who has riske
, II his life for mine twice"
When this unique will was on pape
he added:
''Give me the pen. There needn't b
any witnesses. Dick Reed knows n tis
and he's as square as die. This paper
! q map to tell me how to reacn the min
3 It's a secret trail leads to it, and on.
three men know of it. You will be ric
- if YOU live to reach it. Trust no on
o but go by yourself. Take the money
y
T You may find my brother Bill at tn
mine He was sent for, too. You'll g
my share
: \ violent fit Of coughing interrupte
: him, and before it ended the handke
o chief he pressed to his lips was staine
: with his life blood.
o Tom hastily summoned the captai
inf
scious state, and before morning To
g was the only living occupant of the Ii
o tie stateroom.
\ But behind the thin partition whit
separated it from the mates room s
D. that worthy himself with a look of Il
: umph on his evil face.
There were no witnesses, and VIII
! is to prevent my being MIR. Tom Sec
=. and becoming a mine owner" he mi
- tered to himself Il must have that +
y, PER if have TO kill him % get i'll"
On the following day the remains
- the old miner were consigned. TO t
va deep. and. as Tom saw the weight
Il canvas disappear beneath the blue "
IF ters. his grief Outweighed every 9th
: sentiment and drove all thoughts OF
81 inheritance from his head. He h
-. grown to love the rugged old man II
No a brother, and it was the first time
had been brought face to face WI
death.
That night as he was about 10 reti
he remembered the slip Of paper Civ
him by his dying friend. and which
ed had not yet examined. He had plac
be it in the belt and tossed the latter IL
.c- his chest at the time, and huge lul
ed swelled in his throat now as he llt'
the lid and drew it forth.
he Carefully arranged in the varit
he compartments were bills to the am OF
ly of S. .0GO. and these he transferred
Mt his own belt at once. The paper v
10. evidently torn from blank book,
,lv contained these lines in bold hand
ri, "Old Partner: If you haven't forgot
the old days and the bargain we ma
eI cCme out and share my find with
llt 7 have struck it rich. | have writer
ST Bill I have new chum with me,
Come 70 Dyea and take the old Dal