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THE LANCASTER DAILY INTELLIGENCER, SATURDAY, JULY 27, 1889.
MYSTERY OF DEflDMflN'8 FLftT
A ROMANTIC STORY OF THE FAR
WEST;
By the Auther of "Lets or a Lie," " Winning: Her In In
heriUnee," Itc.
v
She (greeted lilm with a smile, which,
while it made him the envoy of all the
ether men standing round, caused liim
towender,for a few mementa whether
he wcre en hia head or hia heels. The
group of relunteera drew off discreetly,
seeing that the two young people were
already known te each ether, and they
gathered round the driver instead, who
was being hospitably treated by the pro pre pro
prieter of the "Red Unicorn."
"Any news?" asked the driver, hand
Ins hack the battered pewter tankard.
The question was followed by a short
silence, as it was one that required some
mental exertion te answer.
"Tem Cairnes is gene," said one of the
minera at last, taking hia pipe out of Ms
mouth te give thla brief reply.
"Buried him away ever tliar, this
afternoon," said another, with his eyes
fixed solemnly en the men rubbing down
thn horses.
The driver stared from one of the
speakers te the ether, and then all round
the group of men about him. They met
Ills gaie with stolid solemnity, one or
two giving a curt nod te confirm the in
formation.
"Bullet through hia heart," volunteered
another. "He was found away thar in
the weed. Sorter looked as if he had
been dead seme days. Guess he wasn't
fit te remove hyar."
"lias the skunk that shot him been
found?" naked Driver Qeorge excitedly.
"Ne," said the same man, whose pipe,
having geno out, gave him the tirae taken
in refilling it te explain matters. "They"
with a jerk of hh thumb in the direc
tion of the hotel "are sitting en the
case new. Thcre was seme papers found
that p'r'aps may give a clew te the mur
derer." Driver Geerge looked relieved; and,
after taking off Ills hat and rubbing his
forehead with a red handkerchief, he
said qucstieningly:
"Ile'll swing when he h found?"
"Yeu betl" catne from a dozen voices.
Jehn Smith and Hiss Sqjircsbroek,
standing a little apart from the rest, ex
changing the usual commonplaces about
the journey and the heat, had becotue
silent. The gill had overheard some of
the men's conversation, and she strained
her cars in the hepe of hearing mere.
Her back was turned te them, and only
Jehn Smith could sce her face. It had
turned deathly white, and she was gazing
straight befere her, past him, as if she
had forgotten his presence. II is face
paled, tee, ns he looked at her.
Presently the men began te move, and
in his fear lest they should see her, he
spoke.
"Ilnve you any friends in this place?"
he asked hurriedly.
She turned slowly, ns if it required a
violent effort of will te recall her te the
present.
"I have my father," she said "Mr.
Snaresbrook."
"Mr. Snaresbroekl'' he echoed, think
ing of that limp, senseless drunkard lie
had pulled out of the trough. This man
her father! Herembered at oncetbat
he had been remarkably rough with, and
even had had a strong desire te kick, her
father.
Thotenoof hisvoiceand the expression
en his face told the girl his thoughts,
and she blushed scarlet a bitter, shamed
blush. Jehn Smith could net leek at
her; he stared helplessly about him, won
dering whom he could get te help her.
The few dirty, untidy women who formed
the female population of the place, hav
ing grown tired of staring at her, wcre
gradually straggling off from the square.
The proprietor of the "Red Unicorn" had
disappeared. He had a wife who, rumor
whispered, was the better horse. Prob
ably at that moment he was being haran
gued by the geed woman in their private
npaitmcntfer Gome misdemeanor. Mr.
Jehn Smith had seen her peremptorily
beckon him away a few moments before,
deprit ing him of the enjoyment of Driver
Geerge's conversation.
The mistress of the "Red Unicorn" was
a shrewish, sharp tongued woman, with
a tamper befere which the bravest miner
who frequented the heuse quailed. She
was, however, honest and industi ieus.and
probably her temper had been spoiled by
her surroundings slatternly women and
rough, dissolute men for she had come
from a icspec table home in a quiet Eng
lish village. Mr. Smith thought of her,
and wondered why she had net come out
te leek after the passenger. The fact
was, at that moment she was far tee busy
rating her husband at a back deer, en
the subject of Mr. Snaresbrook himself,
te attend even te lady passengers.
Mr. Snaresbrook was lying, a fercible
and patent text te her sermon, a few
dozens yards from them, peacefully
slumbering under her pump.
"If you like te have such things lying
about as them, Jeseph Kezah," she ex
claimed, pointing at the unconscious and
placid "thing" in question, "I don't! A
pietty ornament it is te your kitchin
gardiu! Such sights ought te shame
you! Why don't you turn him out?"
stamping her feet.
"He's sorter comfortable and quiet
like just new," legan her husband with
deprecating weakness. But his wife
flounced away from liim into the room
where she had been cooking the evening
meal, slamming the deer behind her.
Part of the domestic storm reached
the ears of Jehn Smith through the open
front d'jer. He shrugged his shoulders;
yet he felt that this woman was the only
friend with whetn he could trust thn
girl. Happily he did net knew that it
was the girl's own father who had raised
the whirlwind.
"De you knew where my father is?"
asked the girl anxiously.
"I I don't think you can see him
just yet. I'll go and tlnd him for you,"
he said awkwardly. "But, if you will
wait here, I will call Mrs. Kezah."
The girl understood, and her lip-
formed into the hard bitter line that the
thought of her father's degradation al
ways brought there. Mr. Smith turned
te go. But he suddenly stepped back.
"Yeu heard what they said about
. The body was found close te where
"ave were that morning. I think it would
be wiser net te say that we came that
way," he said, in a low constrained
voice, feeliug unable te raise Id eyes te
meet hers.
She looked at him inquiringly. It was
strange, but as they talked of her father
she lad quite forgotten Themas Cairnes.
It all came back te her new, however,
andiier face paled slew ly with the same
horror and fear that had fallen upon her
while listening te the conversation be
tween the men.
"Yeu tee" ha began, looking at
her with eyes scarcely less troubled than
her own. ,
"I see," she said, her eyelids drowning
- ?
octere hia gaze, and her cheek flushing
with unutterable ahame.
CHAPTER V.
The Hen. Jack Newenham, after a
railway journey of nearly three daya,
which scorching sun and dust by day
and stifling air at night made the most
weartsome he thought he had ever trav
eled, arrived at Venneville, the town
where he waa te take the stage coach for
Headman's Flat, about two heura after
it had started en its weekly journey te
that place. The prospect of spending a
week nt Vcnnoville, apart from the do de
lay in fulfilling the object of hia journey,
was tee intolerable te be entertained for
a moment. Further progress, however,
seemed difficult until he fell in with a
party of men who were traveling in
search of "luck," and then he found the
journey as pleasant aa he had anticipated.
The out deer life, the frank cordiality of
hia companions who, while they tacitly
owned him their superior in birth and
education, yet treated him with the
honest independence of their class
made the tiiue pass most enjoyably, and
he felt quite sorry, when he parted from
them seme miles cast of Deadmau'a Flat,
te push en alene, they making tlieirway
farther south.
He entered Deadman's Flat about sun
set, when there was apparently consid
erable excitement prevailing in the long,
straggling "High" street. Red shirted
miners were lounging or strolling about;
gaudily dressed or slatternly women
were shrilly discussing seme event nt
their cabin doers, while the children
were scampering te and fro, getting into
everybody's way. The excitement was
se great that even Jack Newenham did
net areuse much curiosity aa he passed
up the ctrect. After inquiring of a man
standing at the deer of his stere, he
made his way towards the "Red Uni
corn," as being the only place where he
could get feed and accommodation for
the night.
As he reached the square he came
upon a group of men who had just left
the "Red Uiiicern." They woiothocom weiothocom woiethocom
mlttco men who had been elected te try
the case of Tem Cairnes' murder. Among
the papers that had been searched dur
ing the first inquiry, te find seme clew
te his enemy, ene had been overlooked.
It had been discovered that afternoon,
and it gave another turn te the affair,
by proving that hii enemy was net a
townsman of theirs. This discovery was
all the mera iuipeitant, because it led te
the acquittal of a man who, in the zeal
ous and unwise liaste of ene of the com cem com
mittee men, had been arrested. New,
aa this man was popular among his fel
low townsmen, hh rrrc3t had caused
much ill feeling among them towards
the unfertunate committee man who had
suggested his guilt. The ether members
were all eager te make home atonement
for their luckless colleague's blunder,
and they wcre warnily net te say nois
ily discussing the case, when Newen
ham passed them. Overhearing seme of
their words, he stepped befere them as
they Etoed there, looking an excited and
rather wild group of men in the dusk of
the evening.
"What is that you are saying?" he
asked. "13 that scoundrel Tem Cairnes
dead?"
It was perhaps an unfertunate way of
putting the question; but Jack Newen
ham, tired, hungry, disgusted, was net
in the mood te act cautiously.
There wasn murmur of disapproval
from the men.
"Loek hyar, young man," growled the
possessor of a remarkably forbidding
countenance "a man that kin call a
murdered man names among his friends
don't nllers find his company pleasin'l"
"Murdered! Is that what you call it?
A righteous fate, I should say! It was
te tee him that I came here; and I don't
mind telling you that it is ten te ene that
I should have put a bullet through him
myself at the end of the interview!"
The tempers of the cemmittee men
having been inflamed by zeal for justice
and the copious draughts of whibky
necessary te make up for the dryness of
that afternoon's proceedings, and being
further irritated by their late failure,
they wcre net in a f rarae of mind te bear
patiently this outburst of anger from a
total stranger. They felt te a man that
the honor of Deadman's Flat was being
outraged in their persons.
"Justice is net te be trampled upon,
serr!" said one, with as much dignity as
a strong Irish bregue and a most 11 11
steadily balanced frame would permit.
"Our late depeirtcd and much esteemed
townsman was Lilt by hia murderer,
whom justice beaks. He shall die the
death of a deg when he is found!"
"Pity that any decent man should
swing for such a brute!" returned the
young Englishman cai elessly. He began
te see that his position was slightly in
secure, and in consequence became tuore
dogmatic and dating. "Only asetef duf
fers would cenwet liim, te begin with!"
This touched the cemmittee men en
their sorest spot.
"Serr," cried the Irishman, whose po
sition as spokesman was upheld by grunts
and growls 011 the part of the ethers,
"you spake like a teirant of the tolran telran
nical race e ceme from! What ia Eng
land but a tramplin', murdhcrlng couu ceuu
thry cuteirely! And you, serr with
bhame let it bospeko are a blayguard!"
The speaker wound up his speech with
se much energy that hia body swayed
forward, and was brought into sharp
contact with Newenham, who, without
waiting te consider whether the blew
might net have been accidental, hit out
blraight from the shoulder, and dewii
went the grandiloquent Irishman flat
upon the ground. His body was forgot
ten in the conflict that ensued, for the
sight of their fellow committee man
dropping down like a leg before the slen
der, dandy looking aristocrat waa mero
than they could bear quietly and with
ene accord they fell upon him te avenge
the cause of outraged law and order.
There was a fierce, sharp struggle.
Newenham, with one arm hitting out at
every head that came conveniently with
in reach, and parrj ing a perfect storm
of savage blows with the ether, though
fighting with all the pluck and dash of a
lace that lias never jet owned itself
Iwatim, could net have supported the un
equal contest another minute, when sud
denly n new element mingled with the
fray. This was apparently friendly te
the young Englishman; for in an unex
pected moment he found himself sup
ported by two men, ene of w horn, a3 he
dealt out blows indiscriminately, har
angued the committee men, in a rough,
bread accent, as a set of bullying, cow
ardly ruffians. The ether said nothing;
but Newenliam perceived tliat his blows
were no lew forcible, although w.
& r
dazed condition he could aee but little; In
fact, he waa scarcely conscious of any
thing mere until he found himself inside
the "Red Unicorn," te which place of
refuge he had been conveyed by his de
liverer. Fer a few moments he lay half stunned
en the fleer, where he had dropped en
entering. Then he struggled te his feet
and found himself face te face with ene
of his rescuers the young man who had
rated his assailants se heartily.
"I hepe they haven't damaged you
much," he said, in a pure tene and
with a faultless accent "the cowardly
brutes!"
SBBBBBsBvS V' YJfe
JsWflF7T?fc1sfgisFgi
"I hope they haven't damaged you much."
Newenham certainly did leek rather
"damaged;" in fact, he presented a
most pitlable appearance, with a swol
len noae and cut lip, his clothes nearly
tern off his back, and ene eye
faat losing up. He atill retained
consciousness enough of what had
happened te be slightly amused and
astonished at the difference between his
rescuer's present and past modeof ex
pressing himself. Although his counte
nance in its present condition was incapa incapa
ble of displaying much expression, it
must have betrayed hh surprise, for the
young miner bit bis lip, and, turning upon
his heel, walked off te the farther end of
the room.
Newenham, however, found himself
surrounded by ether sympathizers. Mr.
Kczali, popularly known aa "Quaker
Jee," having at last convinced himself
that he was net likely te hurt the feel
ings of the cemmittee men by attending
te the wants of the man they had just
chastised, had ceme forward with seme
brandy. One or two of the men attached
te the hotel also drew near te have a leek
at him, whlle a few straggled in from
the bar room beyend. They wcre all dis
persed, however, by a woman's shrill
voice, which, beginning in seme distant
corner of the heuse, became higher aa it
approached. It had a startling effect
upon the men present they nil lied be be be
eoeo it; and by the time the lady herself
burst into the room net a soul waa te be
seen but her legal lord and master and
Jack Newenham and his ether rescuer,
Mr. Snaresbrook, who, seated en n box
clese by, had been watching with much
interest the administration of the brandy.
In the confusion of tongues that fol
lowed Mr. Snaresbrook stealthily appro
priated the bottle, which still contained
seme brandy, and retired into the gar
den. When he was Bought for a little
later, he waa found slumbering near the
water butt he having been forbidden by
Mrs. Kczali ever te approach the pump
again. He was clasping the empty
brandy bettle tightly in hh hand, and, aa
they bent ever him with n lantern, he
stirred restlessly, opening his dull bleared
eyes.
"Oh, what a weary world this hi" he
said. ' 'Hew it tnakesh a pcashable man
long for quiet! Ge 'long! I'm a peash peash
nble" The hand that held the lantern was
sharply thrust en ene slde, se tliat its
rays should 110 longer fall upon the
spectacle of degraded manhood. Jehn
Smith, who held the lantern, understood
the reaseu of that bitter, passienate ges
ture of the girl by hh side. He set thq
light gently down upon the ground and
walked away through the dark garden
en te the read. Perhaps until that mo
ment, when he had seen its effects in the
agony and sliame of the daughter's ges
ture, he had never understood te the full
the herrible degrading power of drink.
He did net wait for the girl te join
him, knowing that she would stay out
there in the lonely night till her drunken
father should areuse himself sufficiently
te be led back te the shed where, by the
charity of the proprietor of the "Red
Unicorn," he waa allowed te sleep off
the drunken fits of the day. Net till
then would she go back with weary feet
and sad eyes te her own room. The
young man's face grew very gloomy in
deed as he marched along the moonlit
read out te the distant miners' camp
where he had made himself a home.
CHAPTER VI.
The acquaintance struck up between
Jack Newenham and Jehn Smith during
the scuffle did net end with it. Smith
came into town from hh "claim" away
in the mountains evcry day. Nobody
but himself knew why he came, because
the facilities for gambling, drinking and
fighting, which were apparently the chief
attractions te the rest of hh mates, were
never made use of by him.
If he generally came in the company
of half a dozen miners bent "en the
spree," he nearly always went back
alone; and it was noticed tliat he was
usually alone during the hour or two he
btayed in the town. He would, in n
lazy, indifferent fashion, drop off from
the 1 est of the party when they reached
the outskirts of the town, and pursue hh
own course, which generally ended at
the "Red Unicorn." There he lounged
about the bar room, or leaned smoking
against the fence that shut off the small
iuclosure in front of the building from
the square until it was time te go home.
It was here, rather earlier than usual,
that Jack Newenham found him en the
evening after the scuflle.
The young Englishman thanked him
again for his aid, and Mr. Jehn Smith
received the thanks with coldness and
curt indifference. That sudden glimpse
of geed breeding and education displayed
the night lcferu was the only ene Jack
Newenham detected. Tonight Mr. Jehn
Smith waa no different from the men
who surrounded him. He did net re re
ceive Jack Ncuenham's advances in a
friendly spirit he even tried te repel
them. But Newenham, partly from
gratitude, partly fiem curiosity, was de
termined te keep up the acquaintance.
He had tried te express n nense of hh
obligation te Mr. Snaresbrook, who at
least bere unmistakably the stamp of a
gentleman. Hut during nil that day Mr.
Snaresbrook had U-en bimply incapable
of receh ing any thanks for favors con
ferred, and boNewenhum had been ob
liged te defer hh expression of gratitude
till a mere convenient time. He began
te speak of this gentleman te Jehn Smith,
when he liad nt hist succeeded in show
ing the latter that he had 110 intention of
being repulsed.
"liehageutlemaii," he bald; "at least
I theuld judge he from w hat I saw and
heard of him last night."
"Ue was a gentleman," was the curt
answer, as Jehn Smith knocked tha
jfat"s- -.J,V JEtr J 5? ...v- 1 - g
noun trea ius pipe, preparatory te re
filling it.
The young Englishman gazed thought
fully across the square, as he leaned hh
folded arms upon the fence.
"Such a llfe as this must be something
terrible te men who have been brought
up in civilized surroundings," he said,
abruptly.
He looked a little curiously at his com
panion as he spoke; he did net want te
pry into his affairs, but he wondered
hew he, who was evidently a gentleman,
could bear life at Deadman's Flat; hut
Jehn Bmlth appeared thoroughly indif
ferent. "There's something under it all," he
answered carelessly, "which isn't as rot
ten as the surface. I reckon you'll find
the men aren't all brutes and the we
men" De stepped abruptly, for Mrs.
Kezah had appeared in the doorway and
was bearing down upon them.
"I hope she isn't going te make a row,"
muttered Jehn Smith, preparing for
flight.
Mrs. Kezah, hewever, was fairly pa
cific and thoroughly anxious.
"A pretty sort of man you are, Jehn
Smith," she said, with much rustling of
her starched cotton gown, as she stepped
befere the two young men, "leading men
te perdition, as if they wasn't a-geln'
thcre fast enough of themselves, and
draggin' sweet innocent girls, who ought
te have a 'ome like 'caven for their good
ness, with them I"
Jake Newenham stared, considerably
bewildered and astonished at this con
fused if earnest form of address; but
Mr. Jehn Smith apparently understood,
for he flushed and looked very uncom
fortable Mr. Snaresbrook had paid hliu
an early visit at thr mp that morning(
and had rcqucste ' allowed te sit in
Jehn Smith's cabin a little while, te
sleep off the hcadache which his walk
under the burning mm had given him.
Jehn Smith, knowing that thcre waa
nothing mero dangerous in the cabin
than a little cold tea, had consented.
When he returned from hh work nt
noonday, he found that Mr. Snaresbrook
had decamped. With sundry misgiv
ings, and many prickings of censcience,
he had hastily searched n small hiding
place where he kept a trifling stere of
money, and, as he had oxpected, net a
cent remained. Mr. Snaresbrook had of
ceurse "made tracks" for the nearest
"bottling works." The discovery had
caused Jehn Smith much uneasiness nil
day. Between him and hh work would
rise the pole reproachful face of Snares
brook's daughter. He felt that he was
morally responsible for any state the
confirmed drunkard might new be in.
But for the uneasiness and discomilture
caused by this event he would net have
walked ever te Deadman's Flat that
evening, for he had reasons of his own
for net wishing te meet the Englishman
whom he had rescued from the tender
mercies of the Law and Justice commit
tee. Mrs. Kczah's vehement reproaches
confirmed hh suspicions. He listened in
silcnce ns she stormed at hh wickedness
in giving money te such a guzzling,
shameless creature, while hh peer daugh
ter waa breaking her heart ever him al
ready. They had found out that be had
paid that morning visit te the camp; and,
aa he had net a penny when he started,
and came home plentifully provided,
they all concluded that Jehn Smith had
given him the means te indulge in hh
pet vice.
"And only last night he premised hh
peer dear daughter that he wouldn't
drink another drepl He eves gave her
up evcry cent he had, se as net te be led
into temptation; and then the first thing
you de is te fling him into the mlre again.
De you call that generosity? I call it a
very bad plcce of work indeed down
right disgracefull"
Jehn Smith, taking alt the circum
stances of the case into consideration,
thought it was; but he did net explain
the situation, nor hew little his own gen
erosity had had te de with the matter.
The less of that small stere meant con
siderable disappointment te himself; but
that did net fur a moment treuble hh
thoughts. He waa abashed, confused,
dismayed. He could think only of Elaine,
and tliat, through hh unpardenable care
lessness, he had added te her pain and
sorrow. Newcnliam, although he did
net knew the rights of the case, was
quite sorry for him.
"It cuts her te the quick all because
of that solemn premiso of his the old
villain!" exclaimed Mrs. Kezah. "And
here you are sticking here like a leech,
when she is wandering about the place
te try te bring home the wretch whose
bleed may be en your headl Where en
earth Is the man going te new?"
While Mrs. Kezah spoke, Jehn Smith,
thrusting hh pipe into hh pocket, had
leaped ever the fence, and was striding
off towards the long red read, which the
darkness would seen hlde from view.
"What a firebrand he is I" exclaimed
the geed woman, turning te Jack Now New
enham; but that young man was also
disappearing ever the fence, and a few
moments Liter she taw him join Jehn
Smith, se she retired into the building,
shaking her head deprecatlngly.
Jehn Smith's opinion of her had net
1 ecu far wrong. When he had found
her, at the end of that stormy scene with
her partner, and had explained the con
dition of the friendless traveler outside,
she had first declared that no power ou
earth would induce her te receive into
her heuse the daughter of such a drunken
old scoundrel. Jehn Smith's entreaties,
however, uttered with all the old grace
that had ence made it se easy for him te
win favors of women In a very different
rank, had seme effect upen her. She
went out te sce the "minx," as she called
her, and then the "minx" did the rest for
herself. Half an hour later Elaine waa
established in the "Red Unicorn," with
Mrs. Kezah fussing about her aa if she
had been her own daughter, restored
(if ter a long absence.
Mr. Snaresbrook himself seemed te
have taken up hh quarters for geed
at the "Red Unicorn," in spite of Mrs.
Kczah's endeavors te keep him out.
Since the arrival of hh daughter, how
ever, she had made no further attempt te
drive him away, and she even confined
her nbuse of him te hh own ears.
Jack Newenham had net yet seen
Elaine. He bimply concluded that she
waa ene of the loud voiced, red cheeked
and gaudily dressed young women who
formed the marriageable lady population
of Deadman's Hat; and, when he saw
hew much Jehn Smith had been dis
turbed at the thought of having wounded
her feelings, he felt sorry for him. He
could net help thinking that there was
something mero in the yeunginan'u
mental disturbance than the simple
chivalrous vexation nt having disappoint
ed a woman.
He felt mero rerry than ever for hlni
when he overtook him 011 the red, dusty
read, and saw hew pile his face had
grown. This convinced liim that the in
terest Jehn Smith took in Miss Snares
brook must beiery htreng indeed. Smith
(seemed te knew where he was going, m
Newenham let him alene and inarched
silently by hh tide. IxjUi men smoking,
Jehn Smith walked 011 for seme dis
tance, paying but very little attention te
the scene around him; erhaps he had
grown accustomed tebtich sights, for he
came by this read i-u-ry day that he
walked ever te Deadman's Flat. Suddenly
turning an abrupt bund in the read, the?
- fe.tA.n.. t -t3Uv JJKr Wfrfcjd'. -
itmna tncmseivcs at the feet of a steep
ascent, en the summit of which, clearly
outlined against the yellow evening aky,
waa the alcndcr flguroef a girl, who waa
standing quite still, looking away from
them. There waa something ae intensely
pathetic in her patient attitude that even
Jack Newenham, although he did net
knew what vigil she was keeping, felt his
heart softened at the sight. As for Mr.
Jehn Smith, he muttered something that
sounded remarkably like an .impreca
tion, and proceeded hastily te mount the
steep incline.
Bbe heard their approach and turned
te leek at them.
The first glimpse Jack Newcnliam ob
tained of her face dispelled at ence all
feelings of surprise at and disapproval of
his companion's taste; the second glimpse
he obtained ns he steed by Iter side and
saw the flush with which she greeted
Mr. Smith made the lattcr's trouble at
having pained her seem perfectly nat
ural. Net wishing te be In the way, the
young Englishman turned hh back and
looked discreetly about him; in doing
se he came face te face with a new feat
ure in the landscape Sitting by the
read side, hh long legs stretched limply
In the dust, hh kick prepped up against
the great heap of broken rock which
crowned the summit, waa Mr. Snares
brook. There was a vacant leek In the mild
gaze of hh flne blue eyes; but Nowcn Newcn
liam, seeing that they wcre turned full
upon himself, felt bemnd te make seme
sort of greeting, urged perhaps by the
awkward silcnce that reigned .between
the young ceuple behind him.
"Geed eveniug, sir," he said politely.
Mr. Snaresbrook, vaguely recalling the
courtesies of the days when he "was a
gentleman," madp an unsteady Inclina
tion of his body, and with a violent ef
fort rese te hh feet
"Glad te see you," he said affably.
"Flne view from here peaceful rest,
evening sunshine. My daughter 'low
me te intreduce you, sir and I ceme te
enjoy the 'feet of iieacvful sunset. By
Geerge, sir, they talk se much of that
low murder down there that we can't
stand'it we ceme out here for a little
pcaceand beauty I"
Newenham made seme suitable reply
and tried te cor.tiuue the conversation;
but the Intensely bitter leek of reproach
cast at himself and Jehn Smith by the
girl when bIie slightly acknowledged her
father's introduction made the effort
difficult. Ner did the scraps of conver
sation between the ether two which he
unavoidably overheard make hh polite
commonplaces easier te utter. He wished
he had stayed and talked te Mrs. Kczali.
"Why did you come?" the girl ex
claimed in a hard tene. "Yeu came te
leek for us, I kuew, Why did you de it?"
"Why did you cemtt"
Jehn Smith felt a difficulty in replying
without alluding te the degradation of
the gentleman who was ee cheerfully, if
Indistinctly, discussing the view with
Newenham a f ew paces from them. Per
haps hh silcnce touched her. She sud
denly changed her tone.
"We are going back new," she said
with a fahe cheerfulness; "we wcre tint'
and sat down here te rest. Ia that your
claim away down there?"
She pointed te where the read dlpicd
abruptly, egaln winding down among
the red pines; from where they steed
they could catch a glimpse of a clearing
which she had been looking at when they
came up. The color rushed swiftly into
hh face and as quickly died away, She
had been looking for hh claim!
"Yes," he returned briefly, feeling un
abeo te say any mero.
"I think we will go," bhe said.
"Futher" stepping ever te Mr. Snares
brook and laying a blender hand op ep
pealingly upon hh trembling arm "will
you ceme new?"
"Certainly, my dcarl Shcntlcinen"
with much dignity, leaning heavily 011
the arm which had been slipped within
hh "I hepsh te have the pleasure of
seeing you both seen; if you will dlne
with us, my daughter"
"Come, father," she interposed gently;
then with a grave lww te the young men
she drew him forward.
Tiie read befere them looked gray and
lonely in the dusk, and Deadman's Flat
was a geed way off. As the two men
drew back te let the girl pass en with
the helpless, half drunken father, New
enham remonstrated.
1 "Yeu won't let them go alone!" he ex
claimed in a quick (ew tone. "Sce hew
dark It is getting; and It will be late be be be
eoeo they get te Deadman's Flat!"
, "She wishes it," bald Jehn Smith
1 curtly.
He preferred te fall in with Iit wishes
en this occasion, for always after the first
fuw moments, when, iKirhapa under the
impulse of sudden sympathy, they met
and speke frankly together, u feeling of
constraint would fall upon them nnd
they would beem te bhrink from each
ether.
It waa a relief te him te bce her pass
down the read, w here the fast gathering
shadow's w euld seen fehut her out from
hh eight. Jack Neweuham, however,
thinking of her unprotected, young,
beautiful and of the possibility of her
met-ting en that long, lonely read any of
these rough, perhaps drunken miners,
w ith only that wretched father te pro
tect her, could scarcely lx prevented
I from rushing after them.
1 When he gave hh leaseu for wishing
te de se, Jehn Smith looked at him in
half umused, half impatient wonder.
I "Theso men harm hcrl Why, thcre
hn't ene who wouldn't walk twenty mllea
te help her!"
CHAPTER VII.
Perhaps that bilent walk in search of
Miss Snaresbrook had formed a bubtle
1 bend of r.ympathy between the two
! young men; at nny rate from that night
Jehn Smith did net try te avoid Jack
. Newenham. Anether incident drew
1 them even closer together at least it
I considerably affected the young English
man, w he w as U-glnnlng te feel some
thing stronger than mere interested cu
, riesity in this new acquaintance of hh.
Jack felt certain that, though Jehn
! Smith mingled freely among them, liv
I ing their llfe aa completely aa though he
had been accustomed te It nil hh days,
he waa j et us really out of place among
the Inhabitants of Deadman's I'lat and
its outlying miners' camps fas Miss
Snaresbrook herself. He was indeed
deeply interested in them both, because
&. - t .--i-V jju. . ...
no waa considerably puzzled. Any pre pre pre
judlcohe had formed against the girl
befere knowing her had long slnce van
ished, and he new thought as highly of
her as did any man or woman in Dead
man's Flat, no could net understand
the state of affairs between herself and
Jehn Smith. He had first felt certain
that it was a decided case between them;
but after a few days looking en at what
he expected te be a comedy of leve mak
ing, he was obliged te ceme te the con
clusion that thcre was really nothing be
tween them after all. Indeed, thcre
were moments when they almost seemed
to(dhllke each ether. They scarcely
ever sought or stayed long in each
ether's society they rather nppeared te
avoid meeting, and the constraint upon
them when they did meet and talk to
gether was mero corapatlble with dislike
or even fear than the shyness of a leve
net brave enough te declare itself; and
yet, in spite of nil, there was no deuht
that Jehn Smith had la seme way con
stituted himself her protector, and that
she silently submitted te and even leaned
upon hh guardianship.
All the new Interests nnd excitements
In hh llfe still left Jack Newenham
plenty of, thne for his own affairs; and
thcre were moments when he could
hardly ferce himself te stay another day
away from that lonely little girl In New New
Yerk, chained te the bedside of an exact
ing, unsympathlzing invalid. He had a
reason for staying en which, springing
out of hh leve for her, was strong
enough te help him conquer Ida own de
sires. He had written te tell her of
Mr. Themas Cairnes' death, though he
had net Informed her of the manner in
which he met it He only said that
Tem Cairnes was dead, and that she need
fear no mero for her brother. That
brother himself was the reason of his
staying en at the "Red Unicorn." A
suspicion was forming in hh own mind
which he wished te verify. Subtle ns his
questions were, watchful as he was of
every word and leek, Jack Newcnliam
could gain no information from Jehn
Smith concerning hh past life. Hia
natural delicacy made it Impossible te
try te ferce 11 confidence; he could only
wait
In the mcantlme the would be aveng
ers of the late Mr. Themas Cairnes were
net idle. The letter that had been found
en the day of Jack Ncwctiham'a arrival,
in a crovice of the wnll of the cabin
honored by the prcsence of Mr. Cairnes
when nt home, was new considered a
certain clew te the discovery of the mur
derer. The letter was dated from Vcn Vcn Vcn
novileo, and ene of the committeemen had
himself geno there te make Inquiries, but
he had net yet returned nor sent nny
message. The Hen. Jack Newenham
heard a geed deal about the affair. Partly
from a hint given by Mr. Jehn Smith
and partly from hh own feelings en the
matter, he had given up all thought of
resenting the committeemen's inhospl inhespl inhospl
table welcome, and he had also, as Jehn
Smith had prophesied, considerably mod
ified his opinions en the rough mining
population. He had en several occasions
caught glimpses of tilings beneath the
surface which had made him consider
ably nshamed of hh previously drawn
conclusions.
Acting upon all theso considerations,
he had made advances te the Irishman
who had been the chief sufferer in that
slight difference of opinion, and who had
ceme out of the fray in a much worse
condition than the object of hh wrath.
The advance had been received with
such complete absence of resentment or
even recollection of that "trifling affair
of honor, serr!" that Neweuham was
slightly surprised, and could net help
laughing. Tliat laughter, in which the
Irishman heartily joined, dispelled nil
lingering distrust from his heart, and
they wcre new all en the most friendly
terms. 80 very perfect was the under
standing that Jack Newenham was in
vited te join the committee sitting with
closed doers, and te Inspect the Important
letter itself. Mr. Jehn Smith was also
included in the invitation, he having
gained tfie publie confldcnce by the de
cided genius he had shown en ene or two
critical occasions and the business like
way in which he bad helped te carry out
seme sentences passed in defence of law
and order.
The loiter, with much solemnity, was
laid upon the rude table in the room bet
apart for thla affair of justice until the
time when it should culmlnate Inanoeso
hanging from the branch of u certain
trce. Thcre was n cool determination, a
?ulet sternness in the dark, sunburnt
aces gathered round the table that gave
moral effect te the scene. Newcnliam
took up the letter and read it calmly
through, though hew he did it he could
net say. Perhaps the consciousness of
nil theso watchful, rcsolute eyes fixed
upon hh face steadied him, although he
might well hae shown seme signs of
discomposure, knowing the issues at
stake. The letter was from Red fern
Churchill, signed with hh full name. It
was written under the pressure of fierce
rage and despair, by a man who was evi
dently maddened by treachery and ruin.
The writer swere he would have hh ro re ro
venge, even if he had te hunt Mr.
Themas Cairnes down te the death. It
was dated about n w eck befere the mur
der. "Guess wo're en the trail, stranger,"
said ene of the men, aa Newcnliam at
last laid the letter upon the table.
"Yes," he replied, hh volce sounding
far off in hh own ears.
He drew back from the circle of stern
faced, resolute men, who would be that
brother's judges, and steed with hh own
face in the shadow. Jehn Smith, care
lessly advancing, took hh place. He
lifted up the letter and read it quietly
through.
"I reckon this gentleman Is cuchted,"
said the man who hud spoken te Newen
ham. It wua he who had found the let
ter, and he waa feeling very triumphant.
"Yeu bet," said Jehn Smith laconi
cally, laying the letter down upon the
table.
"Let's get out of this," whispered New
enham te him under cover of the buzz
of general con creation which then be
gan.
Jehn Smith nodded, and they left the
room together, making their way out of
the heuse into the square. They steed
for a moment lesslslug across the open
spaca towards the street, which was com
paratively quiet te-night.
At the farthci tud a llare of flaming
oil lamps from the open doers of the
gambling saloon lighted up the summer
evening dusk. Neweuham, restlebs with
u fercrhh excitement, harassed by doubts
and fears, felt that anything would be
welceme te take his thoughts away fiem
the scene he had just uitncbsed. He
suggested turning in there te sce what
bortef a pl.ice the ruloen was, ia he had
net yet paid It u islt.
Jehn Smith acceded by bimply turning
in ita direction.
Some ten mimiten' walking brought
them te the hopltable doers of Macuab's
saloon. As Jehn Smith unconcernedly
made his w ay through the bar room, nod
ding carelessly nere and thcre te theso
of hh acquaintances who, lounging
about, helped te make up the crowd of
smokers and drinkers, he followed tee,
with a regretful thought of the fresh
sweet air he had left outside.
They went en te a farther loom, where
tables wcre set about, each ene contain
ing its complement of silent, earnest
gatrdjlers, some of whom wwull th. nle.v.
"M'mu:
rsir I
ken only by words marking the ceurss)
of the ga me or occasional imprecations)
as the luck changed. The twoyeaag
men ftrelled up te the tables; Jehn
Smith, being greeted here and then with
a silent nod by seme mere of hi ac
quaintances at the tables, took up hit
place near one of them. A little later
Newenham, happening te leek up from
n game in the progress of which he him
self had become Interested, caught tight
of hh friend, and was startled at tha
clmnge which had taken place in him.
Jehn Smith, leaning against the opposite
w-all, was watching the play of four of
hh friends at the table clese te him. Hia
pipe had geno out, forgotten, though
clenched between hh set teeth. Hh face
waa pale nnd rigid with the Intense ex
citement of the unholy lust of play, aid
hh eyes were gleaming with a fierce
light.
O110 of hh friends at the table, glanc
ing up nt him as they proceeded te deal
out n fresh hand, saw the gambling fever
stamped upon hh face and said: '
"Take a hand yourself, beast Yeu
leek like playing stakes with old Scratch
hlsselfl"
'Ten loeh lik ptaying ttakti with old
Scratch hitulfi"
This remark attracted the attention of
the ether players at the table, Thsy
looked up tee, and with a laugh or aa
imprecation, according te their various
modes of speech, repeated their fellow
gambler's Invitation.
A sudden shudder shook Jehn Smith
from head te feet, breaking that rigid
terrible leek of eager excitement, and
he took the forgotten pipe from hia lips.
"Ne!" he answered curtly.
In a way he was popular, but the men
among whom hh lines were cast felt
that he lacked two things te make bias
a geed cemrade he neither gambled
nor drank. It might have been the
spirit of human weakness which deea
net like te feel itself in the presence of
superior strength, or it might have been
mero directly prompted simply by the
desire te win money from a novice, but
nt any rate they suddenly attacked Jeha
Smith, trying te ferce him by entreaties,
taunts, or jeering chaff te join thm. .,
Fer a moment or two, baited by them "
nil, Jehn Smith kept silence, hh breath
coming hard between hh aet teeth.
Then hh eyes, glittering with a atra&fa
brightness, were turned furiously upea
hia tempters.
"I will net play!" he said, drawing
himself up te hh full height. "Fer Fra
sworn te myself never te touch aaetbar
card as long as I live, and I'll keep iay
oath. But, it hn't te sava my pile, aa
you say. Take it all, and much geed
may it de yeul It will only carry you a
little faster te the misery theaa cards
havo'breught me tot"
As hh volce rang through the room ha
dashed down a handful of geld and sil
ver en the table, scattering the cards,
whlle the coins went spinning in every
direction. The outbreak waa se sudden
and unexpected he had gained the nick
name of Sleepy Smith that the mea
for a moment wcre silenced. In the
sudden lull Jehn Smith turned hh back
upon the table and passed rapidly down
the room and disappeared through the
doorway.
Newenham followed as swiftly as ha
could. He had been looking en at the
scene of temptation with an Interest se
painful In its intcutness that it could be
measured only by the relief he felt at
Jehn Smith's victory. He overtook him
outslde in the starlight, but they walke
en for some minutes in alienee, Jehn
Smith apparently quite unconscious that
he had a companion. Newenham was
at length forced te break the silence by
that new feeling of respect for his friend
which had suddenly grown up in his
heart.
"Why did you de that?" he asked.
"I don't knew," replied Jehn Smith, ,
thinking Neweuham alluded te what '
had just taken place at the card table.
He speke new without any of the affec
tation of roughness, and it was the re
fined, rather than languid volce of a man
accustomed te geed society. "I was
mad, I tldnk, for the moment men are
apt te make feels of 'themselves when
they are mad."
"I did net mean that I meant, Why
did you let me take you there? If I had
known"
"It's the first time l've been In such a
place since But it did net matter"
rather wearily. "I wanted te see
whether I could stand it; and" with an
echo of that terrible passion "I failed!'
"Nonsense, my dear fellow! I don't
knew what has brought you here, but,
after te-night, I would back you through
thick and thin!"
Jehn Smith stepped abruptly in the
read, and turned te Newenham, hh face
looking very white in the starlight.
'Yuu don't knew," he said steadily.
"If you did, you would net say that X
nm a thief. One night I was at such a
place as that, and a man was there who
had a bundle of bank notes. I found
them and took them,"
Newenham drew back a 6tep In the
read. It was a terrible confession for
an honorable man te hear, and, if tbh
man who made ic were the man he sus
pected him te be, it was tenfold mere de
grading and repulsive. Probably that
shrinking was unconscious, for Newen
ham was tee generous te trample en a
man who had fallen; but, unconscious or
net, Jehn Smith noticed it, and felt the
degradation keenly. He tee moved fur
ther nway.
"Don't think I shall expect you te
notice me," he said awkwardly, but with
a touch of patient humility which gave
the words a deep pathos. "It was be
caueo of that that I tried te keep you
off at first." Then he turned upon hh
heel and walked swiftly back towards
the catnn,
Qintinuttl nextjSatitrday.
aal.
LUn!SHn,SANUCAHB. WJgT
.UN 1IA1IU WOOWWI.tea-4 JIJUU,
Vt-ljil tit Water Huvet. Lancmtf r. fa.
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in tiieiu nil dayHcht. their sUenca"
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COAL DEALERS. . ;
Ornres-Na. 129 North QuenStiwt,ndNew j
& Nurtli l'rliu'e street. , (
YAieiw-NertU Prtuce btreet, near Ktadtaf j j -
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