The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1871-09-01

slight aperture.
Two men lay on The floor, which was
covered with blood.
saw at glance that one was Bill,
and the other bore the same face / had
often seen in my dreams.
! thought at first that they were both
dead, but low groan came from Bill,
and | rushed to the door. / knclt down
by him and spoke.
1 did not do it," said he, "but !
meant to-
l asked him no question, only If he
was able to be moved,
Yes, but never mind"
We made q litter of Il door, and by
the help of some men the Spaniard
brought, we carried him to cur board.
ing place.
l summoned physician, who pro.
nounced the wound dangerous but not
necessarily mortal.
watched over him and saved him
in spite of his own desire. He chose to
die, but by care he came slowly back
and took up his burden again.
One day sat by his bed, took from
my pocket the little book 1 had found
buried under the green boughs. read
two or three chapters aloud, then put
it up without word. He became in
terested, and read on from day to day
as he could bear it, until the book was
finished.
Then he asked, "where did you get
?"
81 dug it from the ground" said l,
laconically.
He held out his hand for it, and so it
passed into his keeping.
When he became strong enough we
took walks together, which gradually
increased in length until we would
spend whole'days down by the bay.
| knew he would tell me his story
when he could bring himself to it. He
was two weeks going over it, some
times giving me single picture, and
at another time unrolling whole years,
like panorama before me.
His first remembrance had been q
hovel where rum had left nothing but
ruin. He never heard a kind word, OF
had kiss left upon his childish face
but he hated the meauness and filth
which surrounded him and ran away
to sea when only fourteen years of age
When he came back, grown to man
hood, his old home had been swep
away by the tide of Improvements, an(
his relations were all gone, save on,
fair sister, who might have
been his idol, but she vanished out O.
his life without word Of farewell, ant
for years he never heard of her or the
man who lured her away.
The year that met him he had beer
through the West; he couldn't tel
what for, except that he had made mon
ey and wanted to spend it. Vice ant
luxury were strangers to him, so hi
wants were few and simple.
lie came to a cabin, one night, ant
as it was late, asked to be allowed I,
stay; the man consented, and bade tn,
woman provide some supper for th
traveller.
His host went out, and his voice coulC
be heard at some distance from tn
front of the house. The woman eyet
him closely from window, then mo
tioning to Bill, led him to slide win
dow at the rear of the cabin, Whispered
to him that it was only a mile to tn
next house, slipped piece of paper in
to his hand and babe him run for hi
life.
lie said he could not tell how it haI
pened, but for the first and only tim
he ran from danger. He aroused tn
people, and was given place on tn
floor to sleep.
Saying nothing about his adventure
he managed to read by the light of tn
Goals the paper which the woman ha
given him. Imagiue his surprise whe
he found that he had seen his long los
sister. and that she had sought to saw
his life by getting him away from he
husband, who mistrusted that he ha
money, and would not hesitate to mul
der him in order to obtain it. She sal
she had witnessed dreadful things, bu
begged him not 10 try TO meet her, 8
his life would be imperiled.
The next morning he determined {
return and have an interview with he
and if possible persuade her to accom-
, pany him. The house was close,
boards were nailed up before the vii
dows, and no sign of life about Il
premises. He was about leaving whe
he heard means. Again he listene
, and traced the sound to the windo
out of which he escaped the previo
night. He tore off the boards and 500
) found the sister he sought, but she W
in dying condition. She had be,
: terribly beaten by her brutal husban,
, upon her had fallen the full brunt
1 his disappointment when he discover
r his victim had left. She told him
r terrible suflerings and crime, but dea
n hastily closed her recital, and poor B
n held lifeless form in his arms. /
J, called in the only neighbors, who we
a the people with whom he had spent IL
y previous night, Together they burit
}. the bruised and mangled body, al
o over the grave the brother vowed to +
h venge the life which had been saciific
for him.
h lie heard of "his man" crossing q
d plains, and so had followed, nursing
IS the time the deepest hatred in his hea
|. never doubling that he should fl
d him, and then the end was plain.
n lie held up his hands. 81 have SO
If his blood upon them all the way" 50
n he
" That night" he continued, :
Z could not sleep, and something VIII
y pered that he was not far from me.
went out and continued my search.
y heard his voice on the street. folio
l ed him TO his cabin and entered Gle
y behind him. / had something to $
Ia aEaa y