The Elk Mountain pilot., 1903-02-17

patches, and the result was tnaI ne
had adventures enough to fill book.
The party got through alive, but every
man of them was wounded, including
| Jones, who made the last forty miles
He found Templeton fiat on his
back and raving with fever in a quaint
century old church that had been turn
ed into a hospital. The surgeon in
charge told Jones that it was prac-
tically all over; the man was as good
as dead. Will he be conscious again"
asked Jones. And the surgeon said
that it was possible.
"'When is it likely to happen?
"'Heaven knows answered the sur
geon.
"'I'll wait said Jones. And he sat
down on the foot of the bed. OF course
they tried to take him away, but he
wouldn't go, and as everybody was
pretty busy he was presently forgot
| ten.
"Templeton raved and tossed. and
he said some things that might go to
feeling mans heart, considering the
circumstances, but he mentioned no
name. About 8 O'Clock he became
ing he seemed to be sinking down to
death Then he stirred and half raised
himself
"'Hello, Jones' said he. Where did
you come from?'
GIVE got letter for you, George
was the reply. 1t came after you
left
"'Give it to me- said Templeton,
extending weak, thin hand.
He took the letter and raised it to
his breast as he sank back against the
pillow. Jones waited, but Templeton
did not move. He lay there smiling,
with the letter on his breast. The man
was dead.
This is a valentine that some one
has sent to him from home, said
Jones when the surgeon came.
think we ought to bury it with him.
"'How do you know what it is?
asked the surgeon.
Jones could not answer.
1--WE ought to open it, said the doc
tor, in order to communicate with
the writer. Some one might want to
know that he got it
He took the envelope out of the
dead mans hand and opened it after
some hesitation.
Dear George he said in a whis-
per. Mail this to Frank Jones If you
know where he is, and never tell him
who sent it. l don't know how to ad-
dress him. but you can find out
That's mine said Jones in a
dream.
"The doctor put the inclosure into
his hands. 1t was in a separate en-
velope, unaddressed.
This is a friendly letter from a
mighty fine GIRL said the doctor. I'd
like to take something of this kind
with me when l CO.
He put 1t back into its envelope
and laid it inside the rough woolen
shirt which was the dead mans gar
ment.
"'He has delivered your message,
little girl, said he, and he'll never tell
who sent tt
so that's the whole story. Jones
has come back to this country, and he
has that valentine-a pretty card with
little love verse on it, but not
scrap of writing. He doesn't know
who sent it, but if he did l think he
would find that girl. feel quite sure
that he would find that girl"
Not bad, as such things co. said
Breck rising, but conventional"
Conventional bel beg your par
don," said l. why, the thing is true"
'I don't see that that helps it any"
replied Breck. However, that's
neither here nor there. I'm hard up,
and if valentine story's what you
want I'll go home and see what can
do for you. By the way, it wasn't Tenn
pleton's girl, of course?"
"The one who sent the valentine?
Certainly not" replied. when Jones
got back to this country he looked up
Templeton's affairs a bit to see
whether he could do anything for his
family and that sort of thing, and he
happened to discover that the girl for
whose letter he had waited was really
waiting for waiting, as l have
| faith to believe, very near that rude
church in Luzon where the man closed
his eyes so happily to open the eyes
of his soul next moment in her pres
| ence."
You mean she had died." said
| Breck.
Precisely" I replied.
"And Jones hasn't 1ound the one
girl who remembered him upon the
far side of the world?"
No" said |, but he will"
Breck lighted another of his deadly
cigarette.
"Why can't I write this thing for
you?" he inquired.
Not for your life, my friend" said l.
"Why not?" he demanded.
Because l am JONES'" said l, "and