A Wasted Life

I first met the deacou uuder rather odd circumstances. A persistent touch of rheumatisin uuder my left shoulder, which defled liuimeuts aud piasters, sent me to the Hot Spriugs, seveu miles uorth of Büouopoliü, southern (Jalifornia. To reach the Hot Springs the traveler crosses flve miles of desert country, j where tho cactus flourishes like the green bay tree, and the coyote shrills at night his peculiar lay. Then he cliinhs "the graiie," a rise of 1,000 feet in two miles. This part of tho way is over a mbuntain road which skirts precipices aud wiuds in and out amoug canyons iu a way that niakes tiinid people dizzy. One beautifnl winter afternoon Deacon Hardwicke starled for the hotel. That moriiiug he had procnred at Bocnopolis a livery team and a di'iver, and had been taken to different points about the valley, looking at lauds which were oiferecl fur sale. Having completed his inspection, he vas driven to tho foot of the grade, aud there he dismissed the team. He had in his hands a little black leather v.-allet contaiuing deeds, and, as he -walked along in his slow and dignified fashion, his eyes bent on the ground, he looked like a gentleman of leisure, perhaps a wealthy eastern tourist out for an airiug. At the foot, of the grade is a little ranch house, aud just ueyoud the road makes a tnrn almoït at right angles and skirts the edge of a canyon, where the traveler is bidden from view in either direction. In this angla of the way a man was waiting for tho afternoon stage, which was about due. It carried the mail for the hotel aud sometimes considerable express matter, to say nothing of the nassenaers. Bnt the deacon happened to coma flrst, and as he turned the comer, plodding slowly aloug, he heard a srnooth, olear, flrin, bnt not impatient voice say : "Wait a moment, sir. And kindly hand over that gripsack aud your money." Glancing np, the deacon beheld a big revolver pointed at his head. Deacon Hardwicke was surprised and grieved. He was not a coward. He had lived in mauy a lawless conitnunity, had seen men lynched, had himself been a target for bullets more than once. If he had been armed, he won ld have fought - aa lie afterward assured me. But the appalling fact flashed over him that he had no "gun," and that the gentlemanly stranger "had the drop" on bim. "Come," said the highwayroan in a more threateuing tone, "I mean business. Drop your wallet. Give me yonr moucy, or lïl let dayliglit through you. " The deacon halted and shook his fist at the man. What ho said is not material to this recital. Theu he turned and ran dowu the grade. The higbwayman fired twice, and the eaoon afterward staied that the balls whistled by in close proxiinity to his head. The shots flustered hiru. He stumbled, tripped and feil. He bruised his shins 'and tore the skin trom his wrists. The wallet flew from his hand, and he lay in the road, howling with rage and pain. The murauder advanced leisurely and picked up the wallet. Just then tho stage, which was a trifle late, as usual, rolled slowly around the turn in the road. The deacon 's assailant leaped clown the steep bauk of the canyon and rolled beadlong aaioug the chaparral. The reinarks of the passeugers on the stage, which picked him up and brought him to the Lotel, did not tend to ruake him better natured. "Guess it was all a fake." "I didn't hear auy shots. " "More scared than hurt. " These were som e of the whispered comments that cama to the deacon 'h ears. "If I liad only had a gun, " he said to ine, "tbat fellow would never have got out of there alive. It's the disgrace that hurts. I don 't see how I was careless enough to leave my gun at home these tim)3," he said, with tears in his eves. 'Do yon tbiak yon wonld kuow the fellow should yon see him again?" I asked. "I shouM know him anywbere. He is short aud wiry, dark hair, rnustache, no beaid, black eyes. And there is a great, red, flamiug scar across bis cbeek - knife wouud, I reckon. " "I'll tell you wbat we'll do," I said. "Let tis go to Boonopolis and find hirn. He will soou see tbat there is no parsuit, and will oertainly go there. Perhaps we oan arrest him yet." Boomopolis at tbat time was only an infant arnong tbe citiesof southern Cal ifornia. Tíiere were liugc gaps amoiig its busiuess honses, noW filletl witb stately edifloes. There were no pavements, and where 100 globes of electric fire now glare at night upon tbe passerby there wa.s tben only the dim and fitfnl gleam of laiups trom the Windows of the (icattered stores1. Af ter au elabórate supper at the Transcontinental, served by retired cowboys from Arizoua, we saliied forth to visit the saloons and gambling places in seavoh of our robber. We made three or f our circuits of tbe town without suc cess, and finally fouud ourselves in the Magnolia olnb rooms. I -was anjoyiua the cliaraeter of ! teur detective hngely. So far there wa j apleasiijttiugeof escitemeut - orraihei au expeotation of excitemeut - and very ; litt!e danger. But as we scamied tbe j faces of ihe compauy without seeing our man the deacon's brow grew black j with disappointtneut. It was nuw after inidnight. Thecigar S store waa closed, but tbe bar was kept open all night. Disappointed iu our search, we becanie absorbed in ing the game. There is soniething of tbe gambler in j 1 every man, aDd as I looked upon the tense, excited faces of the players the contagión of their example seized me, and I feit in ruy pocket for a ooin. Finding nothiiig bnt silver, which I did not like to stake, as there was none on the 1 table, I was ou the point uf borrowing a doublé eagle from the deacon wheti I j heard a quiet bnt distinct voice at the end of the room say : "Hands up, geutlemeu.if youplease!" Glancing aruund, I saw a man standing at the door leading to the bar, a revolver in each hand pointed at us. He I was a short, slight man, with dark hair and a flamiug scare across hie face. There was no confusión. Une oí the louugers quietly placed his back against the door leading to the cigar store and drew two revolvers, which he pointed aloDg tlie table. Two others, evidently coufüderates also, stood at ease awaiting the next order. The rest of ns lif ted our hands simultaueously. "The gerits that are seated will kiudly rise," said the voice near the door. The gannblers rose as one man. "Now, then. Evevybody right abont and face the wall," was the next comruaud. We advanced in two rows to the opposite sides of the room aud stood, as directed, rauged agaiust the walls Then the two confederates stepped leisurely to the table aud scooped the gold into a couple of little eacks which they produced froin their pockets. Haviug secured the money on the taDle, the btiganda proceeded to rob our persous. With a great show of politeness they requested ns to give up onr watches. money and weapons. The fellow tossed rny revolver and ïny few silver dollars into bis sack and grab'oed at my watch. Just then there was a crashing, explosive sound, deafening in the narrow confínes of the room - then another - auother - and auother Then carne darkness, a quick rush of feet, a tumult of shouts and groans. It was the deacon, of course. I knew it before the welcoined hurried arrivul of meu froin outside, with lanterns. He had "turned loose" at the leader. They had exchanged three orfour shots before the light went out, quickly aud mysteriously. The men with the Backs and the money were gone, but the deacou was bending over a f orín that was stretched upon the floor. The fellow tried to lift himself upon his elbow. "Ikuowyou, pard,"hesaid. "You're the man I stood up this afternoou. You've held over me this time. I'm gone. ' ' The deacon's eyes sof tened. He dropped his revolver, put his long arm uuder the other's head aud tried to turn him into a more comfortable position. "I am sorry for you, " he said slowly and siiuply. "Oh - it's - all- right," gasped the wouuded ïuau, evident ly speaking with great difflculty. "I oaiue - iuto - the - gune - on - a - hlulï - but - you've - called - me - sure. ' ' "Is there auything that I eau do for you'.'" asked the deueon. "Bend dowu here," said the mau. The deacon lowered his head, iiud the other whispered something to him. "I'll do it," said the deacon. The next day in the af ternoon the deacon aud I sat on the veranda of the ho teJ at Hot ypriugs enjoyiug a sun bath and admiriug the diversified landscape before us. "N ow there was that young fellow yesterday," said he. "Had he told me who he was I would have leut him $100 to go east, and there he might have amounted to somethiug. He simply threw his life away. " "What did that young fellow say to you'í" I asked. "Told me his name. You would know thefamily if Ishouldmeution it. Wantod me to see that he was decently buried, aud towrite to his father and mother. :'