The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-03-02
THE SAVING OF
NED PARKER.

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Jcepyright. NOS, by American Press Asse.
eiation.l
Timothy Burke and Edward Parker
were partners in a hole In the ground
h Colorado. Burke was an oldish
man. and Parker was thtrty-ave
Burke lived with his family In a cabin
Bear where his interest lay. and Par
ber lived In cabin By himself. Ellen
Burke kept the cabin for her father.
be being widower. She was comedy,
but the Burkes were not refined fam.
ny. and despite her olive complexion
and red cheeks she was not good to
look upon. She had lustrous black
eye. which puzzled most people who
gazed into It 10 know whether she
was friend or enemy. She would new
er be either IN half hearted way.
Ned Parker was q young man who
Ind como out from the east with
means to engage in mining. burke
had met ham and persuaded him to
grub stake him while he made some
dlggings in region where he sus-
pected there was gold. Burke was
under contract TO give Parker a half
interest IN any paying mine he might
Btrike.
While Burke was working with bis
pick and shovel Parker was paying
more attention to Ellen than was good
Tor either of the two young people,
considering the difference in their sta
lions. There was something wild
about the girl that fascinated Parker,
and at the same time he felt that IL be
won and Tilted her she would prove
dangerous person to east of. Not
that he had any intention OF doing
anything Of the kind. He was simply
permitting himself TO drift TO the edge
Of cataract
The day came when he felt that 1t
was time 10 break with her. He told
her that he had done very wrong 10 be
with her as much rs be had, for there
were insurmountable objections to a
match between them. II she thought
best he would 60 away. She listened
to him calmly and admitted the truth
Of what he said, but denied that there
was any necessity for him to so away,
They were sitting on bench outside
the cabin at the time, board with
four sticks for legs, and he bent for
ward to get beyond her unkempt locks |
falling over her temples to see into her |
eyes. He got view of them, and.
though what he saw he couldn't make |
out, It didn't please him.
While Parker was sliding ipto dan
gerous situation Burke was striking |
ore that paid better and better the |
farther he went down. He regretted |
that for paitry grub stake he should
have to divide with any one else. His |
mind was so intent ON his find that he
failed. to notice what was between
Parker and his daughter. The evil |
one, who is constantly lurking about |
gold. finally secured hold on the old |
miner, and he began TO wish bis part |
ner out of the way. The wish iDtensi-
fed until he began to think OF ways |
by which Parker could happen to elm
anate himself.
Parker was used after supper to 60
over for chat with his partner. At
least that was what be tried TO make
himself believe was his inteHtion,
though IL was really to be under the
spell Of ElleR's strange eyes. One
evening. az usual, he went over and
was chatting with the old man on the
very bench where he hRa told Ellen /
there could never be anything between
him and her. She was moving In and
out, putting things to rights, and Par
Ter saw that there was something
away down In her heart he couldn't
fathom. Presently he felt desire to
smoke and, going on. took up several
pipes that lay on a rude shelf, locking
then, over successfully. One, he no
Heed. was filed with tobacco.
"Don't smoke that un," said Ellen.
i've flled 1t for myself"
aYou smoker exclaimed Parker,
II never saw You do that"
she took It out Of his hand, and he
41led another. When he had lighted
Il he went outside. Ellen followed
with the pipe be had FIRST taken up
and a lighted match. She put the
pten, ii her mouth. and. was about-to