The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-08-23
BY FREDERICK L. cOWLEs.

hurt some, but / didn't say anything
then-thought I'd wait awhile; I'm
little bit slow. being a Graham.
But one evening made up my mind
il had TO come, and ] might as well
face the music. Nellie l says, 1T
strikes me you amt caring as much
for my little game as you used to-get-
ting a little tired of it, and would cash
your chips if il wasn't for the looks of
things Am | right or am / Wrong?'
I don't understand you. Mr.. Graham.
she said, kinder huffy like; you use so
much slang it's difficult for one to ar
rive at your meaning sometimes You
didn't have SO much trouble before
John Cameron came here, Nellie I
says. But you know what l mean all
right, and you understand the rules of
the game. Let's don't pretend any
thing now: it's too late for that. You
know that there isn't anything in the
world | wouldn't do to make you happy
Now if you want me TO pull out and
leave him clear field all you got to DO
is TO say So 'Well.' says she, perhaps
oh, Tom. 1 don't want TO hurt your
feelinSs-dont you see how different
everything is L know, Nellie
says; everything is different but me-
and my-friendship for you 1 don't
think we ever had the nerve to call it
anything else, just friendship. L am
going. but l will always be your friend.
Don't forget that
Il don't think 1 ever saw her any
nicer to me than she was after l told
her that. Before went she kinder
threw out something about a new pi-
ano, as the old one was pretty badly
used up, so l blowed four out of my
five hundred for new one as present
to her, and lit out for the mines. She
married Cameron, and l guess lives
east somewhereS now. Frank Davis
wrote me the other day that the old
Francis place is for sale, and l guess
this thousand will just about buy II.
have always had an idea I'd like to own
IT. l want t. fix it up and make it look
kinder honey, for she may come back
some day to take peek at it, and
guess she would kinder appreciate its
being kept up. Women are more SEN
timentaler than men about such things
and generally, you know"
Il understand, Tom" l said as
shook hands with him. 81 feel safer
aoout you taking care of your money
now that L know your plans. Let me
know when you get settled, and If the
mine pans out well we may help you
toward stocking your ranch. Good-by."
so long," he cried with a wave of
his hat as he swung off down the road,
and that was the last saw of him for
month. l think it was just about a
month after that when / overlook him
trudging up Berthoud pass with a
miners outfit on his back. Being
mounted 1 gave him a lift with his
things to the top of the pass, where
we made our camp for the night. 1t
was evident he was too poor TO buy a
pack mule, and was curious to know
how he could have gotten away with
his money in so short a time, but wait
ed for him to tell his story in his own
way. for 1 felt sure there was a story
After supper, as we sat smoking our
pipes in silence by the campfire, he
finally said tentatively:
Little surprised to see me today.
wasn't you?"
'Some-thought you were ranching 1t
down on the Picketwire"
That's it," he said, blowing a cloud
Of smoke. only place for white man
to live. It's bound to come after a
while. l was pretty close to it the last
time 1 saw you, wasn't I?'
1T looked like a go; you had the
price all right
That's so. Don't look much like it
now, though, do 70"
Not much. What kind of a game
was it?'
"No game at ALL
''Whisky?"
He shook his head
Women" / quered, a little puzzled.
for he never struck me as that kind
of a boy.
"One-and a kid"
'Ah, a confidence game?"
No I knOwed what / was up against
all the time, but the money had to go.
Reck'n I am a fOoI-cOme of a fool
family, yknow-but I amt none sorry
about this, though Then he con-
tinued all the while carefully refilling