Gilpin observer., 1916-06-22

he reached the fourth Level. Here
he rested awhile and started on.
Sometimes his mind was in a daze.
All the time he kent repeating, "I'n
die fore I'll Qudt." BY this time he
had reached the third level and fell
in a stupor on tie landing. He start
ed up wondering how long he had
been there. He started his first
step with. "INl die fore I'll quit"
HIS head began to whirl. 1t took
him longer to reach the second lev
ell. but he at last reached It, He could
see daylight. He lad only one bum
dred feet to go but to Art it seem
ed like one thousand. About half
way up he caught himself doing with
one hand on the ladder and one hold
ing Joe. Again he started cu with,
'I'll die fore I'm quit"
At last he reached the top and
stumbled headlong to the ground in
a faint. The engineer came running
up Mortified. Joe and Art were both
covered with blood and dirt so that
they could not tell which was the
one that was hurt. They threw wat
er on their faces and Art came to.
He Immediately stood UP, tho rather
sllakily, and told the men briefly of
the accident You carry Joe to
the boarding house," he commanded,
And I'll run ahead and Rave a place
fixed for him." With that he was
off. He ran to the boarding house
and told the cook of the accident and
told Him what to do.
Next he rushed to the stable, took
the swiftest horse there, jumped on
his back with nothing but a halter
to guide him. He must get a doctor
and in a hurry too. The closest one
was sixteen miles away. That ride
was the fastest one Art had ever ex-
perienced. He swayed from side to
side sometimes conscious, and some
tunes unconscious, but all the time
repeating, "I'll die fore I'll quit"
He awoke as If from sleep to find
the horse in front Of the stable in
town. With a jerk he sent him
ahead to the Doctors office, where he
arrived IN a few moments. He jump
ed, or rather fell off the horse and
rushed into the office. BAD acci-
dent at Vagabond mine. Hurry" he
cried and tainted. The doctor soon
brought him around with a restora-
tive and heard the story. He order
ed his car and put Art, who had
again tainted, in it. He made rec
ord breaking trip to the mine but
Art knew nothing about it.
The doctor Put Art in the bunk and
was soon working on Joe. He found
that one of Joe's legs and one arm
We're broken and his scalp badly cut
but this was all.
Two days after, Mr.. Collins was
sitting on the edge of the bunk lis
tening to tie story. Art slowly re-
gained consciousness with, "Ill die
fore I'll quit"
All the men were standing Ground
the bunk in awed silence. You didn't
quit" Mr.. Collins said, land am
proud of you. The boys want TO give
you Little preseni."
Big Bob advanced to the bunk and
handed Art little package. 'Frcm
the boys" he sad.
Art opened the package and found
the neatcst watch he had ever seen.
Inside the cover it said, From the
boys of the Vagahond mine, to the
boy who didn't quit."
Mr.. Collirs hended him another
package which was from Joe. In this
Art found chain to match the watch.
On the charm was engraved, From
Joe Mcdonald to Arthur Collins, the
boy who wouldn't quit"
Art tried to say something but
couldn't. The boys stole silently out
OF the room leaving Mr.. Collins, Joe
and Art. Son" said Mr.. Collins,
"You are no longer a gutter. You
can start for home with me in the
morning
Pm sorry, Dad. but I don't think
l can go. You know my time doesn't
run out until tie end of the month
and even then shall not come home
III stay here until school starts"
Mr.. COLLINS silently grasped Arts
hand and left the room more proud
of his son who he had once called
a "Ouitter" than ever
1t Is needless to say that when
Art returned to school he was no
longer considered a gutter. He was
the :dol of all the boys minds and
the next season he was elected unan-
imously the class president and cap
tain of the base hall team.