The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1910-07-15

Ha'1't seen her since she wux 1 sir
Of . girl. Course. she may be dead,
an the boy. too. though she wuz
younger'n me by four or i've year; but
you've got to try an ind EN-"
You never saw your sister aftea
she arrived in this country, and held
no communication whatever?" asked
the lawyer, making notes.
Meieen shook his head. Il wua
mighty poor myself in those days. Car.
boy. an'-oh. well. I'd troubles OF my
own. an then drifted west an out
here"
Where was this sister living when
you last heard OF herr"
IN York"
How many years ago would that
be?"
Bout 20. l reckon"
And her son. II living. Is to have
everything?"
That's I'll" was the emphatic reply.
Gosh! Ill bet he'll be astonished
wherever and whoever he isl"
"Doubtless!" was Carboy's dry com.
ment. But Had you no other kin. Mr..
Meleen?"
Mary KIM" was the reply. "There
was on'y me an Matte. an we wus
left orphans when l wux no bigger'n
shovel"
NO cousins. for instance?" per
sisted Mr.. Carboy.
Mary q cousin"
Were you ever married yourself7"
was the next query. Simple and nee
essary as It was under the circum-
stances. and put In a colorless, matter
of-fact manner, its effect on the re-
cumbent figure OF old Andy Meleen
was like that Of galvanic battery ap-
Piled to a corpse. His nervous and
shrunken frame twitched and Quiv-
cred; the once mighty chest heaved
as though It would burst asunder:
great beads Of sweat broke out on
face and forehead. and his strong
mouth and chin trembled with emo
lions entirely apart from causes due
to age and weakness. Mr.. Carboy
was genuinely distressed at the ef.
feet he had SO unwittingly produced.
Something In the question had
touched Andy on the raw. In hating
and fragmentary phrases he said:
God forgive me. Carboy. l wuz mar
rfed, an to the sweetest little woman
that ever trod God A'mighty's foot
stool! l wuz a man full grown then
As years old-old nun to know bet.
ter! wuz workin' In the Pennsyl-
vania coal mines. A month after the
weddin' we had main bitter quarrel.
There KEN strike. an l went out
along O. the rest O. the boys. Minna
didn't like my bein' out o. work. an
told me so. There wuz hot words. an
in a blindin' rage struck her an left
the house. swearin' I'd never 60 back!
Then. like q fule. went an listed for
Uncle Sam. At the fightin' In tn
Wilderness. my fust battle. l got hit
In three or four places. an tn am.
bylances left me on the field for dead.
But an old farmer picked me up, an
after putting In year O. hospital I
KEN out putty nigh as fit as ever.
TIL war wuz over. an then l heerd
that my wife. my Minna. had died In
her time o. trouble an her girl baby
with her. As heavens my witness,
I've niver squared myself with myself
for leavin' her alone at such time. l
tramped west-niyer showed my ugly
face east ag'in-an' you know the
rest"
Forgive me for arousing such pain.
full memories. Mr.. Meleen." said Car
boy. but the inquiry was inevitable:
We must know where we stand"
Old Andy signified that he heard
and appreciated. The strain Of this
long recital had come mighty near to
parting his mortal coil then and there,
and he lay as one indeed very near to
death. Mr.. Carboy waited few min
utes-he was not yet done with his
probings into the past. At length
Meleen opened his eyes once more
and turned them mutely on his In
Quisitor. who interpreted that a. .
sign for him to proceed.
Il presume these matters can BE-
veri1ed-the time and place OF your
marriage and the date Of demise OF
your wife and child"
For answer the old miner produced
q wellworn leather wallet from under
the blanket which covered him.
you'll find tn dates an names
there" he said family. "Anythin'
more y want t known"
"One other point must be settled:
Suppose this nephew Of yours Ia dead.
or cannot be found-who Ia to inherit
In that case?.
Another spasm contorted Andy
rugged features
1T goes to the state. / s'pose; that's
the law. amt it,"
carboy nodded.
cTo BE coNTINUEDo