CHAPTER XXVIII.
AMONG THE HILLS OF COLORADO.
Four long weary months passed, and George Alden, alias George Howard,sat in his room at the boarding-house in Chicago. His face was pale, andlines of sorrow were plainly visible about his eyes. Gazing intently ata photograph, his only companion in many a sad hour, he murmured:
"Lost! lost to me, all that I loved and adored! Four months ago I fledlike a thief from my native village; oh, fatal mistake, fatal mistake!By that act acknowledging myself guilty of a crime I never committed,I must now prepare to go forth into the world and battle for a newexistence."
Raising the picture to his lips, he kissed it again and again.
"Oh, that cruel letter! But 'grief never kills;' the fact that I amspared proves the truthfulness of the old saying. My wife believes mea villain, and all I might say or do would never convince her to thecontrary. And my poor sister has deserted me; she too must believe meguilty of crime."
He was much agitated, and rising from his chair paced the room for afew moments, when forcing a change of manner he said:
"No more of this--I must smother these remembrances of mine; henceforthI must conquer the feeling that overwhelms me. Farewell all past loves!Farewell all past joys and sorrows! To-morrow I go forth into the world,and as Mrs. Nash's door closes behind me the curtain disclosing the pastwill drop forever. It must be so, or I cannot expect to keep up with thearmy I am soon to join."
The next morning, rising early, he packed his satchel, and descended tothe breakfast-room, where he ate more than usual. Upon leaving the tablehe entered the sitting-room, where he glanced over the newspaper untilMrs. Nash joined him.
"Mrs. Nash, I am going away to-day."
"Going away? You must not go yet, for you are hardly strong enough."
"Do not think me ungrateful to such a kind mother as you have been tome, but I must seek a place where I can earn money. I have been dreadingdeparture from this home--the only one I possess in the world; but Ihave fully realized the need of active employment for my mind. I mustforget myself--forget I ever lived until I came to you. Do not ask mewhy. Some time I promise to tell you all; yes, open wide the book, thatyou may read every line upon the pages that to me are so sad and gloomy."
The good woman noted his sorrow, and saw the necessity of cheeringwords.
"Never mind all that," she said; "this world is full of sunshine, and ifclouds hide the light for a while, remember that the sun shines just thesame. I shall miss you, but wherever you go I shall always think of you,and hope to hear of your prosperity."
"Dear, kind mother--you are all I have now--the only link binding myheart to the past is your love and kindness. God bless you! God blessyou!"
His voice trembled with emotion, and Mrs. Nash, wiping away a tear,forced a smile, and replied:
"If I am your mother, you are my son, and as you are to leave me, Iinsist upon a promise."
"Name it, my good mother, and if it is among the possibilities I willreadily comply."
"It is this: you must try to forget all sorrow of the past and livefor the future. You must write me at least once a month, telling aboutyourself. You must, above all things, be cheerful and not give way todespondency."
Promising to obey, and regretfully bidding the good woman farewell,Alden turned his face westward from Chicago, to seek a fortune and begina new life for himself in the wilds of Colorado. A week later, he stoodalone in the streets of a small settlement in the silver hills, and,after walking about for a while, entered a hotel, and bargained for aweek's board. On entering the small room assigned him he was forced tosmile at the primitive style of the apartment and its furniture. The bedwas simply a "tick" filled with dried grass, over which was spread twocoarse woollen blankets. The bedstead was without posts, while an oldrickety chair and a barrel used as a table completed the furniture ofthe apartment.
The following day he met two young men who, like himself, were strangersin the locality and seeking a fortune. Sympathy drawing the threetogether, they mutually formed plans for the future.
The next morning the three, leaving the inn on a prospecting tour, firstvisited the mines in the vicinity. Every detail was carefully noted, andthey asked so many questions of those in charge, that, as they left theplace, a foreman remarked:
"There are three keen-eyed chaps, and I'll bet a silver brick they'llstrike a paying lead before they are much older."
Four days later they staked a claim, pulled off their coats and beganactive operations; a few old heads smiling at the three "tender-feet"turning miners.
Alden rapidly gained strength, and the bracing air and steady exercisegradually restored him to health. The paleness so long overspreading hiscountenance gave place to a healthy glow, and the clouds that darkenedhis mind were only visible at periods when he allowed old thoughts todisturb him.
His natural strong will-power reasserted itself as his physical vigorreturned. His principal thought now was to repay the sum which SenatorHamblin advanced him when he fled, like a thief, from home and friends.The amount he was accused of stealing he knew was not incumbent onhim to pay, for he now fully believed Senator Hamblin had reallymanufactured the charge to get him out of the way, that he might marryhis daughter to Walter Mannis.
Belle, he knew, was his lawful wedded wife, and could not, if shewished, marry Mannis; yet he longed at some future day to return toCleverdale and confront his false accusers, even though his wifehad turned against him. This thought often entered his mind, but hedismissed it with the remark:
"No, I shall never go back to be spurned by the only woman I ever loved."
His companions often inquired concerning his past life, and as he evadeddirect answers, they concluded his presence in Colorado was the resultof a love affair. Soon learning to look upon him as the very soul ofhonor, in all their movements he became an adviser with rare judgmentand foresight.
Operations were partially suspended by the three miners during thewinter, for the weather prevented much work. Being prudent during thewinter months, they made but little inroad upon their reserve fund, andwhen spring opened were ready to renew operations. All about them wereevidences of rich mineral wealth, and before summer came they had goneto a considerable depth into the earth. Day by day they toiled on, andold miners, straying through the gulch and watching them, changed doubtof the "tender-feet" to admiration at their plucky spirit. All throughthe region in that mountain-pass spread the fame of the new company, andwhen indications of paying ore began to develop itself everybody said:
"I told you so! those chaps will certainly succeed."
George Howard showed plainly that he was worthy of success. Nearly ayear had passed since his departure from Cleverdale, and during thattime, with the exception of the forged letter, he had received notidings from his native place. Could he have seen that silent moundin the Cleverdale Cemetery surmounted by a plain marble slab bearingthe name of George Alden, it is possible that he might have abated hisenergies, but his only ambition now being to succeed in his new life,right royally did he concentrate all his efforts to accomplish hisdesire.
He regularly wrote to his good friend Mrs. Nash, and the lettersreceived in return overflowed with sympathy and words of encouragement.Greatly prizing her letters, he read and re-read them until every wordwas indelibly engraved upon his mind. This was very unromantic, but itwas also very much to his credit.
One day, "Three Boys Gulch," as it was called, was the scene ofexcitement, for the efforts of the partners were crowned with successby the discovery of a rich vein of silver. The news travelled on swiftwings, and spectators looking into the shaft shook their heads at thethought of what they had missed.
The young men became lions at once, for were they not owners of abonanza? and George Howard wrote a short letter to his friend Mrs. Nashas follows:
"THREE BOYS GULCH.
"MY DEAR FRIEND AND MOTHER:
"I am a rich man, for we ha
ve struck a bonanza. Business may call me to Chicago soon, when I shall see you, and then, my good mother, I will tell you the secret of my life. Until then, farewell.
"Ever your friend, "GEORGE HOWARD."
Sealing the letter, he said:
"And now for a vindication of myself; even if I were guilty, everybodywill listen to me when I own a third of a rich silver mine."
The Cleverdale Mystery; or, The Machine and Its Wheels: A Story of American Life Page 30