The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1902-08-07

He obeyed, looking up at me with
burning. sleepless eyes My heart wa,
sore for his misery, and said: DOM
mind, old chap. 1t can't be so awfully
bad. You're here safe and sound a,
any rate" And so l went on to give
him time, but he shuddered and looked
round and groaned.
Now. look here, Graeme. let's have
II. When did you land here? Where
is Nelson? Why didn't you bring hin
up;"
'lie is at the station In his coffin
he answered slowly.
In his coiiin:" l echoed, my beautl
ful pictures all vanishing. How was
it,
Through my cursed folly" he groan
ed bitterly.
What happened:" l asked.
But, ignoring my question. he said
II must see his children. l have no,
slept for four nights. hardly know
what l am doing. but l can't rest till
I see his children. promised him,
Get them for me-"
Tomorrow will do. Go to sleep now,
and we shall arrange everything to.
morrow" l urged.
NO." he said fiercely; tonight, now"
In half an hour they were listening,
pale and grief stricken. to the story of
their fathers death.
Poor Graeme was relentless in his
self condemnation as he told how,
through his Cursed folly" old Nelson
was killed. The three-Craig, Graeme
and Nelson-had come as far as Victo-
ria together. There they left Craig
and came on to San Francisco. In an
evil hour Graeme met a companion of
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 Gracme 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
Gracme in hard bitter voice, wait
ing and watching often tin the gray
morning light, while my madness held
me fast to the table. One night
her" he paused moment, put his face
in his hands and shuddercd, but quick
ly he was master OF himself again and
wont I'm tho hn nrI
night my partner and l We're 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 | was furious at nv
stupidity In not being able to catch
them. Happening to glance at Nelson
in the corner, | caught n meaning
look, and, looking again, he threw me
Il signal. | knew at once what the
fraud was ana next game charged the
fellow with :. He gave me the lie.
1 struck his .louth, but before / could
draw my gun his partner had me by
the arms. What followed l hardly
know. Wh''' | was struggling to get
free l saw j reach for his weapon,
but as he CIV it Nelson sprang across
tie table and bore him down. When
I'll row was over, three men lay on
= . floor. One was Nelson. He took
tie shot meant for me-"
Again the story paused.
"And the man that shot him"
started at the intense fierccness in
the voice and, looking upon the girl,
saw her eyes blazing with q terrible
light.
He is dead" answered Graeme in.
differently.
"Iou killed him?" she asked eagerly.
Graeme looked at her curiousy and
answered slowly:
Il did not mean to. He came at me.
/ struck him harder than | knew. He
never moved"
She drew a sigh of satisfaction and
waited
Il got him to private ward, had
the best doctor in the city and sent for
Craig to Victoria. For three days we
thought he would live-he WAS keen to
get home-but by the time Craig came
we had given up hope. oh, but | was
thankful TO see Craig come in, and the
JOY in the old mans eyes was beautiful
TO see! There was no pain at last and
no fear. He would not allow me to re.
proach myself, saying over and over,
You would have done the same for
me, as | would, fast enough. and it is
better me than you. am old and done
You will do much good yet for the
boys And he kept looking at me till
l could only promise to do my best
but AIN glad told him how much
good he had done me during the last
year, for he seemed to think that too
good to be true, and when Craig told
him how he had helped the boys in
the camp and how Sandy and Baptiste
snd the Campbells would always be
better men for his life among them
the old mans face actually shone as if
light We're coming through, and with
surprise and JOY he kept on saying.
DO you think so: Do you think so?
Perhaps so, perhaps so.' At the last he
talked of Christmas night at the camp.
You We're there, you remember. Craig
m Il hnn, LnlJipr