The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-07-07

lllCuoS, you ooO' ~ "aSu Aoi eAo OAS
mans talk or the water alone that I had
stopped there so frequently.
''They ar good fellows-they won't
drink too much. You will be safe with
them" l said, but she would not believe
me.
'.If can't trust my own father alone
with such stuff, how can trust them2''
she said; and she was right, for Charlie
and Ben both showed by their manners,
when they came in, that they had found
the jug. Their eyes were bright and their
voices were little thick. They were
lavish in their attentions to me, but they
handled my leg with singular roughness,
and Ben nearly fell over the lounge.
After supper they made another trip to
the barn and came back surly and ugly.
They took their seats by the stove with
their hats ON. When Mary went past
them with a pile of di hes Ben tried to
catch her by the arm. I couldn't stand
that
"You miserable scampr' shouted, and
tried to get up from the lounge, but my
feet gave way under me and I fell back.
I could not move.
Bring me that gun," I said to Mary.
l do believe I would have killed them
both if 1 could have got that gun in my
hands. But, before she could stir, Ben
rose with fearful oath and walked un-
steadily to the corner where the gun was
standing. He raised the weapon in his
drunken hands. could hear the lock
click as he walked uD to me and pointed
the gun within six feet of my head. I
tell you, boys, if you want to see death
you want to look into the muzzle of a
loaded shot gun with a drunken man at
the other end. Could this be the friend
who had carried me- 81 tcnderly but
few hours befor.? What a cursed thing
this whisky must be that could change
him thus.
He held the gun in front of me for
moment and then dropped the muzzle to
the floor.
"Come, Charlie" he said, thickly,
:slet's 60 and get another drink"
He reached the door and opened it.
The wild, biting storm blew directly into
his face; with a snarl OF rage he raised
his gun and fired both barrels at the
open door. Then clubbing the weapon,
he struck desperately at the snow, an d
then rushed out into the storm as if fight
ing some unseen enemy. Charlie followed
him, yelling at the top of his voice, and
Mary quickly closed the door and bolted
it.
Charlie brought my miserable jug with
him. He put it down beside the stone
with wild laugh; then he glanced
eagerly around him. "Wherc is that
yal2" he demanded, roughly He stag
gered to my side and repeated the ques-
ton.
''She's gone" answered, trying to
raise myself on my elbow.
"You le!' he shouted, in his thick,
brutal voice. 'You lie! She's here
You've got her hid somewhere-bring
her outl"
He started as if about to drag me from
the lounge, when suddenly new thought
seemed to strike him.
Bring the jug here, Ben, and we'll
make him drunk"
Ben unsteadily poured out quantity
of the whisky into dipper and brought
it to the lounge. With cursehe caught
me by the arm to pour the drink down
my throat.
I never can tell just how I did it, but
somehow I brought my sound leg up
against his breast and kicked him as hard
IS could. He staggered back, and fall
ing upon Charlie, carried him to the
floor.
Then they began to fight. They
seemed to forget all about me, and at
tackled each other just like dogs. Over
the floor they rolled like brutes, kicking,
tearing and biting, with hor.
rible sounds which no one could sup
pose would come from any human throat.
At times they fought up against my
lounge; once they fell across M broken
leg. Then they rolled over the floor, up
against the table where the lamp was
burning.
At last they rolled up to the stove.
Ben lay underneath, Charles hand fell
upon a stick of wood under the stove.
He raised it and struck blow after blow
at Bcn's face, till the hands stiffened
out, the neck turned and the chin
dropped down horribly.
Charlie desisted at last and came back
to me. He staggered toward me, mutt
tering as he came. threw myself back
till my head pressed against the corner
of the wall. He had Inc at his mercy.
He stopped within three feet of me,
steadicd himself and raised an ak high
above his head. May be killed before
ever live another five seconds like that
again. Icould see the Ak coming nearer
and nearer through the air. could
hear it cry. My head felt as though a
red hot iron had been drawn across the
place where 1 knew the blow would
fall. I could not close my eyes.
The drunken arms missed their aim.
The Ak swerved and plunged into the
log wall within an inch of my head. I
could feel its cold side against my cheek.
Before Charles could draw it out for
another blow the door of the other room
flew open, and Mary sprang like a
panther to my side She gave the drunken
man push that sent him sprawling.
Before he could rise she placed her lit
tie foot on his throat and pinned him to
the floor, till could pull out the ak and
stun him with blow from the handle.
She turned him over on his face, and
tied his hands behind him with towel.
Then, for the first time, she screamed,
threw herself into chair, covered her
face with her hands, and began to cry.
want you to keep in mind, boys, the
picture looked at rs lay helpless on
that lounge. The lamp was bright and