The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-11-08
bu kAu CLEANER
] STRAHAN
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him again
The next morning Sam started to
the county seat. He reached there
that evening. The following morning
he GOT his divorce. He came back TO
the Desert Moon on the third morning,
with his divorce and with preacher
He sent for Canneziano, and stood by.
while the preacher married Margar1-a
Stanley to Daniel CannezianO, decent
and regular, according to the laws OF
Nevada.
There II should have ended. II
didn't. because Sam never got over
loving Margarita So when, nine years
later, she came back 10 the Desert
Moon. with twin girls, Danielle and
Gabrielle. and said that Canneziano
had deserted her and the children
Sam took them all right in. I don't
know, yet. whether or not they took
him in.
Certainly he did not show much
surprise when, in about ten days,
CanneZian0 put in an appearance.
Sam allowed him 70 get a good start
with his threats. and then he took him
across his knees and gave him
sound spanking. and passed him over
to Margarita TO dry his tears. and
washed his own hands and went
fishing.
That evening he had one of the men
mitch VI and take the whole xii and
cabOOdle of CanneZianOs 10 Rattail in
time 70 catch the east-bOund train.
am ashamed to say that Sam gave
them money. I don't know how much
A tidy sum, I'll be bound. for shortly
after we heard that CannezianO had
opened the finest gambling house
south OF the Mason and Dixon line. in
New Orleans.
Sam wanted TO keep the children.
He offered TO adopt them Margarita
would not consider it.
When Margarita died. in France.
seven years after she had paid US her
matchmaking visit. Sam. the ninny,
wrote 10 CanneZianO and again offered
to adopt the girls and give them
good home on the Desert Moon. He
got few insulting, insinuating lines
for an answer. CanEeziano had his
own plans for his daughters. who had
developed into rare beauties
But. if Sam was soft with the wom-
en-, he was not soft with Canneziano.
He had showed up here, beaming and
broke. about three years ago. He
had left, suddenly. after having seen
Sam and 40 one else. less beaming
but quite as broke as he had been
when he had come { thought may
be, Sam was forgetting thar side of
the family. and that this might be
good time TO remind him
is CanneZianO planning to come on
later. too, and rest % asked.
Just at present he is in San Quen-
tin, serving three years term.
Danielle didn't say for what deviItry.
His terms up this summer Poor
little girls" Sam went on, 81 reckon
we haven't any idea of what they've
been through, all these years."
Il reckon not" | agreed But they
aren't little girls any more. Seems
queer TO me. with all the beauty their
father was Dragging about, that
neither of them has married. Tween.
| ty-four is getting along"
"Fll bet" Sam answered, lit Is be-
cause they have never had any decent
opportunities. Considering the life
that they've had to lead. and all,
think ii speaks pretty well for them
that they have come through straight
and clean"
Instead of asking him how he knew
that. | said. You'd be willing, then.
to have John marry one of them?"
John, Sans adopted son, was the
/ apple of Sans eye. He would have
the ranch, and Sans fortune. other
dependents provided for, when Sam
died. Whether or not the girl he mar
ried would be contented to live on the
ranch, and help John carry it on and
keep up its traditions, making il one
of the proudesf spots in Nevada. was
a mighty important thing to Sam
He waited so long before answering
my question that | was sure had hit
the nail IN the head.
John" he finally said, lis old
enough to take care OF himself"
With that be turned and went out
of my Kitchen. not giving me chance
TO -ay that, though had lived through
| fiffy-six years, had never yet seen
man at the age be had just men
toned. | knew that if these Can
| ueZiano girls came TO the Desert
Moon, they would bring trouble with
them. / was right. mercifuI Provf-
dence be thanked that, for time
at least, the knowledge Of how ter
ribly right | vas. was spared me.
am not an adnirer Of men. Look
ing at most any man. | find myself
thinking what a pity II was he had
TO grow up. since as a little. helpless
child he would have made complete
success
Sam Stanley is different. There is
some Of the child left In Sam, just as
there is, | think. in any good man or
woman-a little seasoning of SIM
plicity, really. is all it amounts to
but there is quality about Sam that
makes a person feel that be ser out,
early in life. To follow the recipe for
being a man. and thar be has made
thorough job of it
Why be, as young man, with
pretty fair education and a tidy sum
of money left him BY his father. who
had been a well-thought-of lawyer In
Massachusetts, should come our here
TO Nevada. take up his homestead
land. and settle content for the rest of
his life, has always been more or
less Of mystery TO me, unless You
take Sans explanation of il.