The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-08-22

kitchen to see about things for break
 fast, and incidentally to hide a strange light that came to her eyes.
 Jack did not come home to dinner the next day and Lucy wondered. Could they have come across 1t be- fore noon?" she asked herself. Tt must be. though. and Jack has taken the fever worse than ever. Poor Jack" But down deep in her heart it wasn't
 poor Jack" During her autumnal spells she secretly blamed him for talk ing her away into the wilderness blamed him for not getting the money to send her home, and almost blamed him for not finding gold on a goddess claim.
 Here her thoughts drifted from mines to the old home. The leaves were turning yellow there now and sho imagined her sitting on the old bench in the garden, and the haze on the mountain side was that which quivered over the meadow which stretched away before the old favorite resting place. But the seat by her side there was not vacant and neither did wish 1t to be. She could even hear Jacks voice in her revery as she had often heard 1t in those old days. Suddenly his voice grew louder. She started up and found that Jack was really near.
 "Hurrah for the Lucy Baker mine"' he shouted as he caught sight of his wife. She's a hummer. and no mis-
 take this time!" and Jack Baker tossed
 up his cap and in his excitement fol-
 lowed 1t with his water-1ug. Leaving
 both to light according to gravitation,
 he rushed toward his wife who stood
 speechless. for a moment realizing the depth of his disappointment when he |ah trx,th spoke at last 1t was with an effort ana the words were: Now I can go hom. tomorrow" A strange expression came over Jack Bakers face and his excitement died.
 "Yes. you have surely waited long enough. Can you be ready for the 3 o'clock stage?" And that night Jack brought out from their hiding place the last $100 and gave them to Lucy. The twenty-mile ride to the little new station was a long one for Lucy Baker. Many things troubled her in spite of the fact that she was going home at last. One was that Jack had been so quiet and irresponsive. "Oh, well, he Is anxious about the mine, ' she concluded. and doesn't realize what this day means to me-" But the eviEsptrit. nowFthat the deed was done. seemed to have taken the place she had at first commanded to it and con- science had again the upper hand. The joy of the trip lessened with every mile, and by the time she reached the station Jacks disappointed face rose before her. He knows the truth by this time." she thought as she sat wait ing for the train, which was three hours late. For the first time 1t came to her that she was not acting an hon. est part. Was she the woman who had left all to follow her husband even to the far west? Now she had not on- ly deserted him but deceived him as well. These and many other thoughts went through her mind as she waited for those three hours to go by. It was a long time to wait especially when the joy of the journey had ned and Lucy didn't have much patience after three sleepless nights. It was not strange then that. when the coach made a stop at the station before re- turning to the mining camp Lucy hur- riedly threw in her boxes and bundles while she gave the man orders to load her trunk.
 If the Journey down had been long. the way back was longer, and Lucy had plenty of time to justify her re- turn, but how to explain to her hus- band-the time was too short to plan that TOT even as acute mind as Lucy's.
 Everything was in it's accustomed place. even to her faded wrapper, and supper on the table when Lucy heard her husband laughing just outside She ran to the window and gazed in astonishment at Jack and his comrade who carried well-filled bag What
 could it mean?" she wondered. and for
 getting that she was to play jack-in-
 the-box at the right moment. she ran excitedly out to meet them.
 Is 1t really a mine after all?" she gasped by way of greeting.
 Why. yes. didn't I say it was a
 hummer But I want to know what you are doing here. I thought you were going over the mountains by this time"
 And then the whole story came out T was desperate. Jack. and had to do something" she concluded lamely. and, Jack understood.
 T thought at first that you did 1t to encourage me. but when you mentioned going home as soon as I spoke of the strike. I knew then, when it's all mS fault anyway for keeping you away out here so long"
 But. Jack" she exclaimed in aston ishment. how did you know I had salted the shaft?'
 My dear, after making that little vein which led us right down to the real 'stuff.' you forgot to take the bag ~uvNN