Middletown transcript., 1903-05-23
AGNES
quite unconscious; he cannot live
By Eta ". PIERCE

quite unconscious; he cannot i've
an hour.
A man came round the bed
and paused beside the kneeilng
trag edy-queen, brown of face
and rough of look-the one whom
she had seen in the church on
her wedding night, the one whom
Doctor Brandt had called Cara
by.
I've somewhat to say to you,
madame, he began, laying his
hand on the shuddering shoulder
Of the girl; I've heard the story
of this man. I was on the North
Fork in camp with him and that
other--March, your father. It's
about him I'd like to speak.
Brandt would have died sooner
than have told you; but you re
not so dainty but what you shall
hear the truth from me. He
came out there, you see, under
the name of Colter-a wild young
blade enough, but honor to the
core; and March-cuss him a
bad lot he was, anyway. Well,
we three were working a claim
together, and one day we fell on
luck in the shape of some mug
gets, the like of which no man OF
us had ever seen before. There
wasn't a better workman in the
mines than Golfer, slender and
high-bred as he was. Our camp
was in a gulch, lonesome like,
and miles away from another.
We took our luck to bed with US,
and lay down to sleep on it. and
a happy lot we. were, for twas
our first streak, you see. About
midnight something awoke me
the crack of a Derringer, and
I leaped up and ran outside, and
there stood Golfer, with his pis-
tol still smoking in his hand.
I've shot him! said he.
Whom? said I.
[ don't know, said he, for he
seemed confused with sleep; but
somebody has made off with our
luck.
Then we both ran out, and, a
rod or two from the door, found
March lying, face downward,
clutching in one hand the bag Of
nuggets. While we two slept,
the thief had started to sneak
off with them all; and, as God
hears me, Golfer nor | didn't SO
much as suspect twas he till we
turned him over, and struck a
light, and saw his Judas face
| convulsed and dead. Well, ii
didn't go to effect me much,
MAJ am, for March was no favor
ite Of mine; I'd seen too many
of his mean ways; but Golfer was
powerfully cast down.
He's got a little girl at home
said he, and he was fond of her,
and he's shown me her little let
ters, and she idolized him, and
for that child's sake, I wish to
God it hadn't been.
So what do we do but send of
the whole luck to her, every
farthing, and Golfers bottom
dollar with it; and says he, I shall
settle a sum on her, to be sem
from this place every year; and
as for telling you about the shoot
ing matter, or how your father
lost his life, he'd have cut his
tongue out sooner; but it sick
ened him of the mines. He went
back to the east, to his own peo
pie, and they were of the riches
and proudest, 1 heard, and
never saw him again till tina
night of his wedding.
| A shreik-a wild, awful shrek
rang through the room, as Agnes
cast herself upon the uncon
-scious body of the dying man.
Eric, she cried, forgive me
forgive me! o my love, m.
lord, my life! speak to me one,
more! But her voice fell on
dull, unheeding ear. Eric, TAX
me with you-let me die will
you.she prayed.
| Silence, silence; he answere,
nothing. The wonderful pal
face, which had escaped disfg
urement, shone in the light, bu
the eyes thereof were closed
| Itwas too late now for penitenc
or tears. Without, the fountain
babbled on in the court, and tn
palm trees whispered, and mid
night moon peered in at the oil
| Moorish easement, to see
woman, who would never ol
this earth know peace or jo,
again, crouching in a heap besid
the body Of a man lying there
| voiceless, and cold, and dead. :
| Au1pYic0n WO1nnn.