"Or," continued Jack slowly, "shall I go back and wait to see whether things will turn and mend?"
"Do!" answered his friend at once.
If Jack had put more questions, he would have received clear and emphatic replies, but he merely said, "Pooh!" and when a man says "pooh!" to conscience, he is in a very bad way indeed.
At Higgins" store gold-miners a.s.sembled to buy and sell, to talk and drink and gamble. As the necessaries of life were procured there, miners of all sorts, from the steady to the disreputable, were to be found a.s.sembled at times, but it was chiefly the latter who "hung about"
the place. No notice was taken of Jack as he mingled with the crowd, except by one or two acquaintances, who gave him a pa.s.sing nod of recognition.
At the bar there was a.s.sembled a boisterous group, who were laughing heartily at something. Jack joined it, and found a tall, half-tipsy man offering to bet with another. When men are smitten with the gambling spirit anything that affords a "chance" will serve their turn.
"See here, now," said the tall man, looking round, "I repeat, that I"ll bet any man ten dollars--all I have in the world--that there"s not any four of the men in this store can prevent my lifting this tumbler of water to my lips."
He held out a tumbler in his right hand as he spoke, and straightened his long sinewy arm.
Some of those present laughed, but one, a short, thick-set, powerful fellow, said "Done!" at once, and stepped forward.
"Well, stranger," said the tall man, with a smile, "lay hold. You ought to be strong enough to prevent me by yourself, but come on some more of you."
Three strong fellows rose and laughingly grasped the man"s arm, while several of the lookers-on began to bet on the event.
"Now, hold fast," said the tall man, giving his arm a slight but vigorous shake, which had the effect of causing those who held it to tighten their grip powerfully.
"Oh! you"re not strong enough," he added; "come, another of you!"
Hereupon a fifth man rose, and laid hold of the arm amid much laughter.
At that moment a big, rough miner pushed his way through the crowd and demanded to know "what was up." On being told, he drew a bag from his pocket and exclaimed, "I"ll bet you this bag of dust if you can match it, that these five men will prevent you easily. They are strong enough to hold Goliath himself, if he were here."
"Sorry that I can"t match your bag, stranger," replied the tall man; "I"m only game for ten dollars, and that"s already staked."
"But _I_ can match it," exclaimed Philosopher Jack, suddenly producing his bag, which was much the same size as that of the big miner.
"Now, then, hold fast, but don"t break the bone if you can help it,"
said the tall man, giving his arm another shake.
The laugh with which this was received was changed into a roar of delight, when the tall man pa.s.sed his left arm over the heads of those who held him, and with his left hand conveyed the tumbler to his lips.
There was a good deal of disputation immediately, as to the justice of paying up bets on what was obviously a "sell," but it was ruled that in this case they had been fairly lost and won, so that the big miner turned his back on his bag of gold, and, with a deep curse, left the store.
Never before had Edwin Jack felt so thoroughly ashamed of himself as when he went forward and took up the two bags of gold. He did it, how ever, and, hurriedly quitting the store, returned to his tent.
There was a small portion of the tent curtained off at the farther extremity, as a chamber for Polly Samson. Jack was relieved, on arriving, to find that she had retired to it for the night. He was also glad to observe that all his tired companions were asleep, with the exception of O"Rook. That worthy was busy clearing up his pots and pans for the night.
"It"s late you are to-night," remarked O"Rook with a yawn.
"Yes, I"ve been to the store," said Jack; "hand me that candle; thanks."
Turning his back on his comrade, he opened the bag which he had won, and looked in. The first thing that met his astonished gaze was the identical nugget which he had contributed the evening before to the sick miner at Redman"s Gap. There was a name inside the bag. Holding it near the candle, he read--"Buckley!"
"They must have been robbed!" he muttered to himself; then, rising, said to O"Rook, "I"ve taken a fancy to go up to the Gap to see the Buckleys.
Don"t mistake me for a thief when I return."
"No mistake at all if I did," returned O"Rook, "for you"re stealin" a march on us all just now, an" isn"t it robbin" yourself of your night"s rest you are? ah! then, a wilful man must have his way; good luck go with ye."
Before the sentence and the yawn that followed it were finished, Jack was on his way to the Gap. He found the elder Buckley seated on a log by his brother"s couch, with his face buried in his hands. A glance showed him that the sick man was dying. Jacob looked up quickly. His face was haggard from the combined effects of dissipation, grief, and watching. He seemed rather annoyed than pleased by Jack"s visit.
"I"m grieved to see Daniel so ill," said Jack in a low voice, which, however, roused the attention of the invalid.
"Dying," said Jacob sternly, though in a voice that was scarcely audible. "What have you got there?" he added, almost fiercely, as he observed, and at once recognised, the bag in his visitor"s hand.
"Your property," answered Jack. "Have you not missed it? I conclude, of course, that it has been stolen from you, because it was gambled away by a big rough fellow at Higgins" store this evening."
A peculiar smile flitted for a moment across the rugged face of Jacob Buckley as he said, "No, he didn"t steal it. Not being able to leave my brother myself, I sent him with it to the store, to try his luck. It was my last throw, contained all I had, includin" the dust and nuggets you and your comrades sent me last night."
He said this in a hard, reckless, defiant manner, then looked suddenly in Jack"s eyes, and inquired with an expression of curiosity how he came by the bag.
"I won it, G.o.d forgive me," said Jack, a deep flush of shame overspreading his face, "and I now come to return what I had no right to win."
A sound from the dying man attracted their attention at that moment.
"He wants to speak to you," said Jacob, who had stooped down to listen.
Jack bent over the sick man, who said in a low whisper, with occasional pauses for breath, for his strength was almost gone.
"G.o.d bless you! You"ve saved his life. He said if he lost that gold that he"d blow out his brains--and he"d have done it--he would; I know Jacob--he"d have done it. Read to me--the Word--the only true gold."
Jack looked round. Jacob had sat down, and again covered his face with his hands.
"I have not my Bible with me," said Jack, "but I can repeat pa.s.sages from memory."
He began with the words, "They that trust in Him shall never be put to confusion," when the dying man roused himself, and with a strong effort whispered, "O, sir, I _do_ trust in Him! Will you try to save my brother from gambling and drink. Speak!--promise!"
"I will!" whispered Jack in his ear.
The man"s energy left him at once, and he fell back on the pillow, from which he had partially risen, with a deep, prolonged sigh. Jacob heard it. Springing up, he fell on his knees by the bedside and seized his brother"s hand.
"O Dan! dear Dan," he exclaimed, pa.s.sionately, "don"t give way like that. You"ll get well soon, an we"ll cut this infernal place altogether; we"ll go home and work with the old folk. Dan, dear Dan!
speak to me--"
He stopped abruptly, and rose with a stony stare of hopelessness, for Dan"s spirit had returned to G.o.d who gave it.
Without a word Jacob set to work to lay out the body, and Jack quietly a.s.sisted him. Having finished, the former put the recovered bag of gold in his pocket, stuck a revolver in his belt, and took up the door key of the hut.
"Come, Jacob," said Jack, purposely taking no notice of these actions, "you"ll go home and spend the night with me. Dear Dan wants no tending now. We will return together, and see to his remains to-morrow. Come."
Buckley looked undecided.
"You haven"t your flask, have you?" he asked eagerly.
Jack felt in his pockets, and with something like joy found that his flask was not there. "No," said he, "I haven"t got it. But come, Jacob, you want rest. I"ll give you something better than spirits to drink when we reach the tent. Come."