THE BAIL ? BJEE SATDKDAY , JANUARY 19,188J. VAN BRUNT , THOM COUNCIL BLUFFS , A / TDTTTT 'T'TT'O A T xfLljrJXIO UJLj JL U JLn.JLj on GOODS ARE STILL IN THE LEAD , AND BOUND TO STAY THERE , It don't make any difference what our competitors say , for - . _ _ i.pw , , ' our customers know the N. C. Thompson goods are ahead of " * anything in their line. ' The N. C. Thompson Chain-Gear Mower. " The IT. 0. Thompson , Toneueless Cultivator This tojgueless Cultivator is n , new implemout , thoroughly tested and bound to succeed. This Mower we will soil together with f.lio Mower wo have sold heretofore. This Mower is The run by n Chniu & Sprocket wheel , milking it the 3ST. O. T Sprm ; IT IS T1IK LATEST THING OUT , AND WILL TAU15 THE PLAGE OF OTHER GEAR MOWERS. Will he about the same as lasb year , and everybody knows that it is as near perfection as any thing ever put on the market. You Should Have This Cultivator. Your Trade Needs It. I. C. Cite WE HAVE A FULL LINE OF Wo have the Single Row Cutter , but as everybody knowj the success oE these Stalk Cutters , tlC. THOMPSON'S SULKY AND COMBINED CULTIVATORS.65 we will not enlarge. * ' N. C. Thompson Double Row Stalk Cutter. " We would like to Show Cuts of all Our Goods , but space will not permit. If you need a TIKIDZDZE' ' wmJIft immniuillif mmUmmmf * I BK ( The N. C. Thompson is the one you Want. WE WILL STILL CONTINUE TO HANDLE WE ARE HEADQUARTERS FOR ANYTHING lOUWANT : 'in Iaffls ! Tni11 PHHIM . . i UllljJfo fj jj/j.j.il II U UlirJj Ail , , REAPERS , MOWERS , PLOWS , CULTIVATORS , UTC. Don't Forget ! We have the N. C. Thompson Hay Bake. 'The N. C. Thompson Hav Tedder. " COME AND SEE US. IT WILL DO YOU GOOD. "The Celebrated Ketchum Wagon. " VAN BEUNT &r fifl T . 12 to 22 Fourth Street. 1 Council Bluffs Iowa : ? , O UU. , I WftTOhnnsn Nflftr fl. & W. W. , LEFT OUT ON LONE STAR MOUNTAIN BV DUET HAUTE. [ Conclusion. ] The men looked at each other ; the di version vraa corn jileto ; a languid discussion of the probabilities of its being an earth quake or a blast followed , in the midst of which the Right Bower , who was - working ing a little in advance of the others , uttered a warning cry and leaped from the race. His companions had barely time to follow before a sudden and inex plicable rise in the waters of the creek sent a swift irruption of the Hood through the raco. In nn instant its choked and impeded channel Has cleared , the race was free , and the scattered debris of logs and timber floated upon its easy current. Quick to take advantage of this laborsaving - saving phenomenon , the Lone Star part ners uprang into the water , and , by dis entangling and directing the eddying fragments , completed their work. " "Tho Old Man oughtor boon hero to see this , " said the Loft Bower ; "it's just ono o * them climaxes of poetic justice he's always huntin' up. It's easy to sno what's happened. Ono o' them high- toned shrimps over in the Exolsior claim has put a blast in too near the creek. He's tumbled tho'bank into the crook and sent the back-water down hero just to wash out our raco. That's what I call poetical retribution. " "And who was it advised us to dam the crook below the race , and make it do the Bamo thing ? " asked the Right Bower ; moodily. "That was ono of the Old Man's ideas , I reckon , " said the Loft Bower , dubiously. "And you remember , " broke in the Judge with animation. "I allus said : ( G& slow , go alow. You just hold on and BUthin' will happen. ' And , " ho added , triumphantly , "you BOO suthin' has hap pened. I don't ' want to take credit to myself but I reckoned on them Excel sior boys boin' fools , und took the chances. " "And what if I happen to know that the Excelsior boys ain't blastin' to-day ? " said the Right Bower , sarcastically. As the Judge had evidently based his hypothesis on the alleged fact of a blast , he deftly evaded the point. "I ain't saying the Old Man's head ain't ' level on some things ; ho wants a little more sabo of the world. lie's improved a good do.il in euchre lately , and in poker H ell ! ho's got that sorter dreamy , liatenin'-to-tho- angels kind o' way that you can't exactly tell whether ho's bluflin' or has got a lull hand. Hasn't ho ? " ho asked , appealing to Union Mills. But that gentleman , who hud been watching the dark face of the Right Bower , preferred to take what ho believed - od to bo his cue from him. "That ain't the quojtion , " ho said virtuously ; "wo ' ' tomako acardnharn ain't takin' this itep out of him.Vro not Join' Cinnamon s work in this race to-day for that. No , airVo're ! teach la' him to paddle his own canoe. " Not finding the sjwpatlie- tic response ho looked for in the Right Bower face , ho turned to the Left "I reckon wo were teachiu' him our canoe was too full , " was the Left Bower's unexpected reply. "That's about the size of it. " The Right Bower shot a rapid glance under his brows at his brother. The latter , with his hands in his pockets , atared unconsciously at the rushing water and then quietly turned away. The Right Bower followed him. "Aro you goin' back on us ? " ho asked. "Aro you ? " responded the other. "No ! " "No , then it is , " returned the Left Bower quietly. The older brother hesit ated in half-angry embarrassment. "Then what did you moan by saysng wo reconed our canoe was too fulj ? " "Wasn't that our idea ? " returned the Left Bower , indifferently. Confounded by this practical expression of his own un- fonnulatod good intentions , the Right Bower was staggered. "Speaking of the Old Man , " broke in the Judge , with characteristic infelicity , "I reckon ho'll sort o' miss us , times like thoso. _ _ Wo wore allors runnin' him and bodovilin' him of tor work , just to gut him excited and amusin' , and ho'll kinder miss that sorter stimulatin. I reckon we'll miss it , too somewhat. Don't you remember , boys , the night wo put that little sell on him and made him believe we'd struck it rich in the bank of the creek , and got him so Jconceited ho wanted to right oil' and settle our debts at at once ? " ' And how I came bustin' into the cabin with a pan full of iron pyrites and black sand , " chuckled Union Mills , con tinuing the reminiscences , "and how them big gray eyes of his nearly bulged out of his head. Well , its aomo satisfac tion to know wo did our duty by the young follaw oven in those little things. " He turned for confirmation of their gen eral diaintorcstness to the Right Bower , but ho was already striding away , uneasily - ly conscious of the lazy following of the Loft Bower , like a laggard conscience at his back. This movement again throw Union Mills and the Judge into feeble complicity in the roar , as the procession slowly straggled homeward from the crook. Night had fallen. Their way through the shadow of the Lone Star mountain , deepened hero and there by the slight bosky lidgoa that , starting from its base , ciopt acroea the plain like vast roots of swelling trunk. The shadows were growing - ing blacker us the moon began to assort itself over the rest of the valley , when the Right Bower halted suddenly on ono of these ridgoa. The Loft Bower lounged up to him , und stopped also , whilu the two others came up and completed the group. "There's no light in the shanty , said the Right Bower in a low voice , half to himself and half in answer to their in quiring attitude. The men followed the direction of his finger , In the distance the outline of the Lone Star cabin stood out distinctly in the illumined space. There was the blank , sightless , external glitter of the moonlight on its two windows dews , that seemed to reflect its dim va cancy empty uliko of light and warmth und motion , "That's Biug'lar , " said the Judge , in an awed whisper. The Loft Bower , \ > y simply altering the position of his hands in his trousers pock ets , managed to suggest that ho knew perfectly the meaning of it had always known it but that being now , so to speak , in the hands of fate , ho was cal lous to it. This much , at least , the older brother read in his attitude. But anxi ety at that moment was the controlling impulse of the Right Bower , as to a cer tain superstitious remorse was the in stinct of the two others , and without hooding the cynic the throe started at a rapid pace for the cabin. They reached it silently , as the moon , now riding high in the heavens , seemed to touch it with the tender grace and hushed repose of a tomb. It was \\ith something of this feeling that the Right Bower softly pushed open the door ; it was with something of this dread that the two others lingered on the threshold , until the Right Bower , after vainly try ing to stir the dead embers on the hearth into lifo with his foot , struck a match and lit their solitary candle. Its flicker ing light revealed the familiar interior [ inchangod in aught but ono thins , ' . The bunk tliat the Old Man had occupied was stripped of its blankets ; the few cheap ornaments and photographs wore jone ; the rude poverty of the bare boards and scant pallet looked up at them unrelieved by the bright face and gracious youth that had once made them tolerable. In the grim irony of that ex posure their own penury was doubly conscious. The little knapsack , the tea- nip and cofTuopot that had hung near liis bed wore gene also. The most in- lignant protest , the most pathetic of the letters ho had composed and rejected , whoso torn fragmonta littered the floor , could never have npokon with the eloquence - quonco of this empty space. The men exchanged no words ; the solitude of the cabin , instead of drawing them together , seemed to isolate each ono in selfish dis trust of the others , Even the unthink- ng garrulity of Union Mills and the Judge was chocked. A moment later , when the Loft Bower entered the cabin , ; lie.presence was scarcely noticed. The silence was broken by n joyous ex clamation from the Judgo. Ho had dis covered the Old Man's rifle in the corner , where it had boon at first overlooked. "Ho ain.'t gene yet , gentlemen , for yor's ria rifle , " ho broke in , with a feverish return of volubility and a high , excited 'alaptto. "Ho wouldn't have loft this aoliind. No ! I knowod it from the first , [ lo'a just outside a bit , foraging for wood and water. No , air ! Coming along hero [ said to Union Mills , didn't 1 ? 'Botyour tifo the Old Man's not far off , oven if ho ain't in the cabin. ' Why , thu moment I stopped foot " 'And I said " coming along"intorruptod Union Mills , with oiually reviving mendacity - , " 'like ho'a ' round dacity , as not hangin' yur und lyia' low just to give us a BUT' priso , ' Ho ! ho ! " "He's gene for good , and ho left that rifle hero on purpose , " said the Loft Bower in a low voice , taking the weapon almost tenderly in his hands , "Drop it thon"Baid ! the Right Bowor. The voice was that of his brother , but suddenly changed with pasaion. The two other partners instinctively drew back in alarm. "I'll ' not leave it there for the first comer , " Bald the Left Bowercalmly"be- cause we've been fools arid ho too , It's too Rood a weapon for that. " "Drop itI aay"eaid the Right Bower , with a savagestiido toward him , The younger brother brought the rifle to a half charge with a white face but n steady oyo. "Stop where you are ! " ho Baid col- lectively. "Don't row with mo , be cause you haven't either the grit to stick to your ideas or the heart to confess thorn wrong. We've followed your load , and hero wo are ! The camp s broken up the Old Man's gene and wo'ro going. And as for the d d rifle " "Drop it , do you hoar ! " shouted the Right Bower , clinging to that ono idea with the blind pertinacity of ragn and a losing cause. "Drop it ! " The Loft Bower drew back , but his brother had seized the barrel with bntli hand. There was a momentary struggle , a flash through the hnlf-lii'htod cabin , and a shattering report. The two men fullback from each other ; the rifle dropped on the floor between them. The whole thing was over so quickly that the other two partners had not time to obey their common impulse to separate them , and consequently oven now could scarcely understand what had passed. It was over so quickly that the t\yo actors themselves walked back to their places , scarcely realizing their own act. A dead silence followed. The Judge and Union Mills looked at each other in da/od astonishment , and then nervously sot about their former habits , apparently in that fatuous belief common to such na tures , that they were ignoring a painful situation. The Judge drew the barrel toward him , picked up the cards , and began - gan mechanically "to make a patience , " on which Union Mills gazed with osten tatious interest , but with oycs furtiyuly conscious of the rigid figure of the Right Bower by the chimney and the abstracted face of the Loft Bower at the door. Ton minutes had passed in this occupation , the Judge and Union Mills conversing in the furtive whispers of children unavoid ably but fascinatedly present at a family quarrel , when a light atop was heard upon tfio crackling brushwood outside , and the bright panting face of the Old Man ap peared upon the threshold , There was i shout of joy. In another moment ho MUS half buried in the bosom of the Right Bower's shirt , half dragged into the lap of the Judge , upsetting the barrel , and completely encompassed by the Loft Bower and Union Mills. With the on- tlmsiustio uttcranca of his name the spoil was broken , Happily unconscious of the previous excitement that had provoked this spon taneous unanimity of greeting , the Old Man , equally relieved , at once broke into a feverish announcement of his dis covery. Ho painted the details with , I fear , a slight exaggeration of coloring , duo partly to his own excitement and partly to justify their own. But ho was strangely conscious that thouo bankrupt men appeared loss elated with their per sonal interest in their etroko of fortune than with his own success. "I told you he'd do it , " said the Judge , with a reck less unscrupulousness of statement that carried everybody with it "Look at him ! the gumo little pup. " " 0 not ho ain't the right breed is ho1' ? echoed Union Mills with urch irony , while the Right and ] left Bower , grasping either hand , pressed a proud but silent greet ing that was wholly delicious. It wan not without difficulty that he could at last prevail upon their to return with him to the scorn of his discovery , or oven then restrain them from attempting to carry him thither on their shoulders , on the pica of his previously prolonged exertions. Unco only there was a momentary em- imrrasmont. "Then you fired that shot to bring mo backi" said the Old Man , mtefnlly. In the awkward silence that followed the hands of the two brothers sought and grasped each other penitently. "Yes , " interposed the Jiigo , with doll- : ate tact ; "yo BOO the Right and Loft Bower almost quarreled to BOO which should bo the first to tire for yo. I disremember - remember which did. " "I never touched ; ho trigger , " said the Left Bower , hastily. With a hurried backward kick the Judge resumed"It wont oil Barter sponta neous. " The difl'eronco in the sentiment of the procession that once moro issued from the Liono Star cabin did not fail tonhowitaolf n each individual partner according to dis temperament. The subtle tact of Union Mills , however , in expressing iwakonod respect for their fortunate partner by addressing him , n-i if uncoil- iciously , us "Mr. Fold" was at first dis composing , but even this was forgotten "n their breathless excitement us they icurcd the base of the mountain. When , lioy had crossed the crook the Right Bower stopped reflectively. "You say you heard the slide comedown down before you loft the cabin ? " ho said , .urning to the Old Man. "Yes ; but I did not know then what it was. It was about nn hour and n half if tor you loft , " was the reply. "Then look hero boyB , " continued the light Bower , with superstitious oxulta- .ion , "it was the slide that tumbled into lie creek , overflowed it and helped us clear of the raco. " It seemed HO clearly that Providence Jiad taken the partners of the Lone Star directly in hand that they faced the toil * some ascent of the mountain with the as surance of conquerors. They paused only on the summit to allow the Old Man to load the way to the slope that .held their treasure. Ho advanced cautiously to the edge of the crumbling chfF , stopped , looked bewildered , advanced again , and then remained white and immovable. In un instant the Right Bowur was nt liis aide , "Is anything the matter ? Don't look so , Old Man , for God'fl aako ! " The Old Man pointed ttho dull , smootho , biack uiclo of the mountain , without u crag , break or protuberance , and said with ashen lips : "Its gonol" And it was gone ! A aocond slide had taken place , stripping the flank of the mountain , and burying the treasure and weak implement that had marked its side deep under a chaos of rock und do- briH at its base. "Thank Godl" The blank faces of his companions turned quickly to the Right Bower. "Thank God ! " I'o repeated , with his arm round the nock of the Old Man. "Had ho stayed behind ho would have been buried too. " Ho paused , dnd , point ing solemnly to the depths below , said- "And thankGod for showing us where we may yet labor for it in liopo and patience like honest men. " The men silently bowed their head and slowly descended the mountain , Bu when they had i cached the plain ono o horn called out to the others to watch a star that seemed to bo rising and moving oward them over the hushed and sleeping valley. "It's only the stage coach , boya , " said .ho . Loft Bower , amilinp ; "tho coach that was to take us away. " In the security of their now-found fra- ornity they resolved to wait and see it mag. As it swept by with flash of light , > eat of hoofs , and jingle of harness , the only real presence in the dreamy land- capo , the driver shouted a hoarse greet- ng to the phantom partnersuudiblo only to the Judge , who was nearest the ve hicle. "Did you hoar did you hear what ho said , boys ? " ho gasped , turning to hia companions. "Not Shako hands all around , boys ! God bless you all , boys ! To think wo didn.t know it nil thia while ! " "Know what ? " "Merry Christmas ! " BltllT ILUITK. II yon IiavoaHoro Thro.it , n Cough , or Cold , try It. II. DOUL-IOHS It SOIIB' Unjmlcum Cough Drops , they arc pleasant to thu taito , poitcctly harmless. Mnl will Hiirelv euro YOU. THE CHEAPEST PLAGE Iff OMAHA TO BUT One of the Best and largest Stocks.in the United States to select from. 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J113 uulVereallv admit ted to ba the FlnotJt fc-quippoci Rnllroad In thn World for ail CUvsses of Travel. V. varfEU all Vlco-tWiauanen'i MaiwnuPK1UJFV * ! . WWIif.Tj Uca. WM. Ais't. CM < W My Repository oiuUnUy filled with : cl8d | tock. UN ! Woikmuahlp fftunntitd , Office and Factory S , W , Corner 16th and Capitol Avenue Qwoba.