Page:California Inter Pocula.djvu/744



handed it to the saloon man, who thereupon marched back through the darkness.

The ruined young man hkewise stepped forth into the night. The cabin was too close for him; he could not breathe within those so lately happy walls. **It is like a dream; a horrid, horrid dream. So sudden, so accidental! Yet it is no dream, would to God it were ! Fool, fool, fool 1 No, not fool; fate! A pistol ball crashing through my brain as I entered that room would have been no less looked for, could have held me scarcely less responsible. Why fate, or providence, or almighty God could be so cruel as to tear from me my hard earnings, my consecrated gold, and give it to that thief, I cannot understand. Punishment ? I deserve no punishment. Punishment for what? I am an honest man, aye an honest man, and thou God knoweth it; that thing is a thief, and thou God knoweth it. This is omnipotent justice; hell is full of such justice. My gold, aye, my consecrated gold, consecrated to her. Ah, Christ! to her, my love! my love ! "

Long he sat upon a stone, his head buried between his hands; then slowly arose, walked into the cabin, took from his breast a well-worn picture, and holding it close under the dim light of the candle, drank from its lineaments the last draught of a thirsty soul. " Farewell, sweet angel; thine have I ever been; thine now no longer ! " Tearing up the pasteboard he scattered the frag;ments about his cabin floor, blew out the light, stepped forth, fastening the door after him, and took the trail up the river to the high divide, then zig-zag up the mountain. The moon w^as now abroad, throwing its pale, impotent light as far as it could into the black canon, at the bottom of which shone a thread of silver foam.

" Suicide ? Bah! I am no sick simpleton. I am a man. I am not afraid to live. I can suffer. Powers of heaven or hell, I defy you! As you have done to me, so would not I to you. Take from