Morris tribune., 1905-05-13
HER FIRST
HUSBAND

| ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS esSSeSe$sSsScSs'
"We're at the end of our string
that's sure enough"
'FBut to sell for such ridiculous
sum as 81 900 down. We have sunk
three times that much apiece, be-
sides all our hard work.
| though, friend, but it strikes me
it would be tougher to tramp back
to the States. Nobody but green
horn would give thousand for that
hole in the ground as it stands.
We've got to close with him, that's
all of it, and, for my part, I'm done
with mines and mining. I'll strike
back for the old farm as soon as l
get $500 safe in my pocket"
'We've concluded to take you
up" said Homer Craft, the bigger
and buffer Of the two men, when it
came to the final transactions, "but
l feel it in my bones that we are
doing a mighty foolish thing. II
[ hadn't agreed with Willard here
not to hold out beyond this date I'd
90 back on the bargain now [ was
fool not to stand out in black and
white for couple of thousand more
in case you strike it rich before our
| tracks are cold"
This was only intended to keep
the newcomer up to the mark, al
Willard very well knew, but the buy
er's sympathy was touched, and he
answered earnestly:
Il give you my word, gentlemen,
in a case like that I should offer a
bonus in proportion to the value Of
your work in the mine. As it is, [
am putting every dollar [ can COM
mand into this venture, and if my
luck runs as yours did I'll be worse
off than you are, as | have a wife
down in Denver depending on me"
It was late in the day when the
transfer was made, but the new pro-
prietor pulled off his coat and went
to work as soon as his predecessors
left the mine.
He tamped in the charge Of giant
powder and set it off, working awk-
wardly, as one unused to such la
Dor, and undoubtedly he failed to
step back to safe distance, for the
exploding blast caught him and kill
ed him instantly.
The two miners, packing their
few belongings in the little cabin
near the tunnel, heard the rever-
beration and looked at each other.
''If he don't strike lead it won't
be because he's stingy of POWDER"
said Craft dryly. "Come along, Will
lard; let's see what the fool has
DONE"
There was a moment of blank
dismay when they saw what had
occurred. Then Craft swooped down
to grope among the broken ore,
while he turned an excited face to-
ward his companion.
'Look here, Willard! Look here!
It's the lead, the lead! I say, it's
lucky matter that no one in the
camp knows we made the transfer"
"Why?" asked Willard, with dry
and trembling lips.
because we'll just retransfer it;
that's why. Here is the deed in his
pocket. It is no robbery to take it
back and put his thousand in it's
place. A thousand! [ wouldn't
take $4,000 now-no, nor $780,
0OO-for my share. Why, Willard,
it's richer than we ever hoped. It's
a plain Intervention of Providence
in our behalf To think how near
we came to cheating ourselves"
And Willard, feebly protesting,
allowed himself to be overruled by
his stronger minded partner, but
his conscience was sore over that
breach Of faith.
No one appeared to claim the 81
900 which the stranger left, though
it was advertised in the Denver pa
pers, and he was soon forgotten by
all except Willard, whom remorse
preyed upon, but not to the extent
Of prompting him to restitution un-
til it was too late.
He was seized with chill one
day while at work and the next was
on his back, raving with mountain
fever.
It was known very soon that he
could not recover.
sTt's the evil that has come of our