Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1901-11-21


| there1l be shootin"
"All right, Ugly, it's bargain" !"
| Bob drew long breath. We'll stick
by the spin of that there dollar"
1--WE will. Shall I throw?" asked
Sam quietly.
"Yes," came from Bob in the same
tone.
Call while it's high" said Sam, and
up it went-spinning round and round
in the air.
"Women!" cried Bob.
Down it came with ring on the
floor and rolled into corner of the
room.
"See what it is," said Sam.
Bob crossed hesitatingly and peered
down into the corner.
"It's heads" he cried, "Ive lost"
"And I've won," cried Sam, rushing
over to the place and picking up the
dollar, my dear old lucky coin," and
ne put it to his lips and kissed it
then went to Bob who was looking
out of the window.
"Shake!" he said, holding out his
hand.
Bob turned and took it, gripping
hard.
Here's the key of the chest-you've
got the nugget" said Ugly Sam.
"Yes-thats right enough" replied
Bob the Beauty with a choke; "Pll be
off in the morning"
1t was early when Bob got up next
morning-so early that there was
only very faint tinge of light in the
east-but he hadn't slept wink, so
II was as good as tossing about for
another hour or so.
He unlatched the door of the shanty
as noiselessly as he could, for fear Of
Weakening Sam, who was snoring away
on his back, and slipped out into the
open. He wanted to have last look
around, and straighten things up for
his going-he'd have to make some ex-
cuse to the boys, he thought, they'd
think it strange, and so he walked
down to the claim.
Although he had gone out SO quietly,
the click of the latch had been enough
1or Sam, who woke to find himself
laughing, positively laughing, he was
so happy
He didn't get up Immediately, but
lay there planning out his future hap
piness. He was sorry, very sorry, for
Beauty, but perhaps the nugget would
be some consolation to him; besides,
he didn't think Bob liked the girl as
much as he did.
Quite an hour passed before he
dressed himself bit smarter than
usual and went out. He even picked
a little yellow flower that was grow
ing among the grass by the side of the
track and put it into his buttonhole.
He had been walking for some time,
now and then breaking into song in
his deep, rough voice, and hardly no.
ticing where he went-till he looked
up and found himself by Peep Hollow,
some way out of the camp; so he
sat down with his back against a
big pine and lit his pipe.
"As happy as a king I'd be-" he
started to sing between the puffs of
smoke, when he stopped suddenly, for
coming along the path toward him he
saw slight figure in big straw hat.
His heart gave bound. 1t was Lii,
Ugly sat very still as she ap-
preached, and she didn't see him, be-
ing very interested n something she
was talking to-he strained his ears
to listen.
you dear, dear, old fellow-how |
love you-better than all the world
Sleepy Camp thrown in
1t was photopicture she addressed
these remarks to, Sam could make
that much out.
There, back to your little hiding
place and nobody knows nothing about
yer" So saying she kissed it and
slipped it into the front of her blouse,
then, turning from the path, cut off
through the pines.
Sam had stopped his song to listen,
and it was some moments before he
thought of getting UP to follow her,
but he did after time, and tried to
make out the way she had gone.
He had been breaking through the
underground for few minutes when
he saw something on the ground few
yards ahead.
Its the picture she had," said Sam
to himself, so he forced his way
through the spot where it lay. 1t was
face downward-he picked it up and
turned it. over-it was the Beauty's.
Sam let it fall with half stif1ed cry
and put his hand to his throat, then
kicked his way out to the track again
and made for the shanty.
He met two or three of the boys
who were off to work, but never raised
his head to their greetings. Reaching
the hut he pushed the door open and
stumbled in. Bob hadn't returned CHS
things were still unpacked); he took
long time to say goodby to his
friends.
Sam dropped into a chair, and
stared hard at the door-then he
jumped up and rummaged in the lock-
or. ffN,. !,