San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1883-08-16

in the darkness like giant. On,
spoke quickly "Out of my way, sir!
No answer.
Crack went the little pistol.
The figure never needed it.
Crack again.
"Great Scott, Eva, do you want t.
kill me?" howled Jack, as he felt
sharp pain rush through his uppe
arm. "Great Scott put up that gun
Don't you know me? Jerusha
Whew! You've blown my arm of
Don't you know me?" and Jack ca
pered around on the sidewalk hold
irg his arm, while the blood com
luenced to trickle out at his cuff.
Eva stood almost dazed.
"Oh John, why did you not speak
Why did you act so? Have l hur
you? Are you killed? Are you dy
ing9 Come hurry home, don't die
here in the street; let me carry you
let me support you. US only a shor'
way home. Here, lean on me-
And Eva clasped him around the
body and rushed him forward. Jack
felt as if he were being waited through
the air by fairies. They hurried W
the steps and into the house. Mrs
Bascom met them.
"Why, children, what is the mat
ter? John is as pale as a ghost.
What is it, Eva! Look at Johns
hand, all covered with blood! Where
have you been, and what has hap,
dened?"
They jerked off Jacks coat and
rolled up his sleeve. Sure enough,
there was little bullet hole in the
feshy part of the upper arm. 1t had
gone through, but touched no bones.
1t was not very serious, and Mrs
Bascom soon dressed and bound il
up. AS Jack marched off to his room,
he looked at Eva humorously and
said:
"You are a dandy, and no mis-,
take. But you can now see that PTS
tol is of no account"
"There were three charges in it,
Cousin Jack"
81 believe I don't want any more
of them tonight. I hope can use
my arm tomorrow.
Jack lay awake a long time thinking
over the matter. He had been very
stupid. He felt that. What would
Eva think of him? And what a girl
she was! What intrepidity and char
acter! That girl is treasure, thought
Jack, as he foated off into the land
dreams.
AS for Eva, she did not sleep a
wink. She could hardly accuse her
self Of wrong, and yet she could not
excuse herself. To think that she
had wounded Jack, was terrible. She
might have killed him. Even now
he might lose his arm, How dread
full! On her sleepless pillow she up
braided herself the whole night
through. One thing she determined
to do. AS soon as it appeared Jacks
arm was all right she would return
home.
Jack appeared at the breakfast H.
BILE, his arm somewhat stiff and sore,
but not much more painful than if
he had been newly vaccinated. He
tried feeble joke or two, but both
Eva and Mrs. Bascom felt too serious
for much conversation.
"Eva thinks she will go home, said
Mrs. Bascom.
"What?" said Jack, pain running
quickly through his heart, sharper
than the pain in his arm.
"Eva says she will return to Black
water in a day or two"
81 don't think you ought to go,
Cousin Eva"
eyes John, think l must"
A little later Jack and Eva were
standing side by side in the parlor. !"
Il suppose, Eva, it may be the
best for you to return home for the
present; BIZ. do you know l am
wounded incurably?'
Don't say that? Oh, it can not
be SO"
"Not in myarm dearest, but in my
heart"
"0h Jack!'
"If you go home now, may l come
for you soon and make this your
home?"
Eva looked up into Jacks eyes, her
own full of light and love, and gently
whispered:
"Yes, john
Then, said Jack as he clasped her
in has arms, at was the luckiest shot
in the dark that l ever heard of.