Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1902-06-28

and came on to San Francisco. In an
other and evil days, and it was not
long till the old fever came upon him.
In vain Nelson warned and pleaded.
The reaction from the monotony and
poverty of camp life to the excitement
and luxury of the San Francisco gam
ing palaces swung Graeme quite off
his feet, and all that Nelson could do
was to follow from place to place and
keep watch.
"And there he would sit," said
Graeme in a hard, bitter voice. "wait-
ing and watching often till the gray
morning light, while my madness held
me fast to the table. One night
here he paused a moment, put his face
in his hands and shuddered, but quick
~ he was master of himself again and
went on in the same hard voice-"one
night my partner and I were playing
two men who had done US up before.
l knew they were cheating, but could
not detect them. Game after game
they won till I was furious at my
them. Happening to glance at Nelson
in the corner, 1 caught a meaning
look, and, looking again, he threw me
a signal. l knew at once what the
fraud was and next game charged the
fellow with it. He gave me the lie.
I struck his mouth, but before l could
draw my gun his partner had me by
b0 hoy Ivy
know. While l was struggling to get
free l saw him reach for his weapon,
but as he drew it Nelson sprang across
the table and bore him down. When
the row was over, three men lay on
the floor. One was Nelson. He took
the shot meant for me-"
Again the story paused.
"And the man that shot him?'
l started at the intense fierceness in
the voice and, looking upon the girl,
saw her eyes blazing with a terrible
light.
He is dead" answered Graeme in
Graeme looked at her curiously and
answered slowly:
Il did not mean to. He came at me.
I struck him harder than 1 knew. He
never moved"
She drew a sigh of satisfaction and |
waited.
Il got him to a private ward, had |
the best doctor in the city and sent for |
Craig to Victoria. For three days we |
thought he would liye-he was keen to |
get home-but by the time Craig came !
We had given up hope. Oh, but I was
thankful to see Craig come in, and the
Joy in the old mans eyes was beautiful
% see! There was no pain at last and
40 fear. He would not allow me to re-
0roach myself, saying over and over,
You would have done the same for
ne as would, fast enough, and it is
peter me than you. l am old and DONE
lou will do much good yet for the
,oys.' And he kept looking at me till
could only promise to do my best
But l am glad l told him how much
;Ood he had done me during the last
ear, for he seemed to think that too
,OOd to be true, and when Craig told
i'm how he had helped the boys in
he camp and how Sandy and Baptiste
nd the Campbells would always be
etter men for his life among them
be old mans face actually shOne as if
ght were coming through, and with
urprise and joy he kept on saying:
DO you think SO? Do you think so?
Perhaps so, perhaps So At the last he
llked of Christmas night at the camp. :
GU were there, you remember Craig
ad been holding a service, and some
ling happened, l don't know what !
ut they both knew" !
81 know" said, and I saw again the t
lcture Of the old man under the pine, '
pom his knees in the snow, with his
ace turned up to the stars.
"Whatever it was, it was in his mind y
the very last, and l can never forget :
is face as he turned it to Craig. One \
ears Of such things. I had often, but +
ad never put much faith in them. But E
", rapture, triumph-these are what p
ere in his face as he said, his breath +
1ming short:
"'1ou said-he wouldn't-fail me-you "
ereright-nOt once-nOt Once-he stuck
me-f'm glad he told me-thank :,
Od-fOr yOu-you shOWed-me-Tu "
.e hin-and-tell him And Craig,
1eeling beside him so steady-I was W
ehaving like q fool-smiled down Il
rough his streaming tears into the F
ID eyes so brightly till they could see
, more. Thank him for that! He help So
the old man through, and he helped a
e, too, that night, thank GOd!' al
And Graemes voice, hard till now,
oke in sob. II
He had forgotten us and was back u
eside his passing friend, and all his -.
If control could not keep back the -
)Wing tears. ",
''It was his life for NINE" he said p
lskily. P,
The brother and sister were quietly tn
eeping, but spoke no word, though l ty
lew Graeme was waiting for them. lie
took up the word and told of what
had known of Nelson and his infu-
90 17Don tho mon Of Black Rock