Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1888-12-06

throat lie reaches Tor his pistol. Dut
it has slipped from him. and lies few
yards away. His antagonist Is. appar-
emily. man of unusual strength, for
his utmost efforts are pcwerless to
throw off that vice-lke grip So BIO
tails back with a gasp that sounds so
like death groan that Silas. having
been so long out of business. forgets
The tents which have so often been
tied on him before. and in his great
greed to secure the gold. releases his
victim and turns his best energies to
the unstrapping of the lattsr's belt.
His fingers arc about to close eager
" upon the coveted treasure when Joe
suddenly rises like huge misty shnd'
DIV beside. and taking him up as if he
were child carried him forward to
the end of the pass and pitched him in
to u gentle stream that flows tranquil
ly through the valley.
''He' II not be tho worse for bath,
says Joe as he fastcns his belt around
him aud goes down the path to the
bank.
Through the dim light he sees form
lying quite still among the weeds by
the riverside.
Cant the poor devil swim. l won.
der, or is he lying quiet for the next
fellow"
So saying he strikes match which
throws lurid glare upon the scene.
and discloses deep cash in the rob-
bsr's head caused by the sharp rock
on which he fell.
Joe draws him from tho water and
lays him on his coat, while no chafes
his hands-which are so cold! and feels
for the pulses-which are so still!
dead. | guess. mutters Joe with
out much pity, for he cannot forget
how nearly he had lost the sayings of
years. "rll Just take a good look at
him before go"
He lights another match. and this
time holds it close 10 the dead man
face.
1t burns out. In fevcrish haste he
strikes another-what he could not
believe ut first he realizes now. and
with long low cry Of agony he
throws himself across his fathers
breast.
The hours pass. and still Joe lies
there in dull stupor.
Morning dawns. and troop of
horsemen come galloping through the
valley. They halt beside Joe. and the
leader dismounts and pulls the young
fellow up roughly.
Murder, ehP" he says laconically.
Joe slares ut him moment in Il
dull. dazed way. then throws himself
on the ground with wild. hopeless
cry which the majority of the horse
men regard in the nature of n confess
sion, and alo for hanging MIN then
and there.
Better scheme N that boys! Wen
string him up to tn Black Eagle. since
he's killed h m as owned it, cries the
leader with sense of poetical justice
VIII CHI is rare in those wild parts.
So the body of old Silas is borne ten
DERBY along by his former patrons, and
Joe, with n moose around his neck, fol-
lows the heels of the leader horse.
Confused rs are his sensations and
ideas Joe knows he is going to his
death. He feels a strange pain in his
| breast. his breath comes in short gasps,
| he cannot use the words his thoughts
J are framing. o. if nc could only utter
| one word-could dony-couId explain
reason with those sullen- browed
! horsemcn! But no. His parched lips
will not open. his energies are power
less to enforce by even a gesture an
| interruption of this scene.
And they are grouped at last around
the tavern. and the ropes end is flung
over the neck of the huge bird of pre-,
that hangs above the doorway--and
! still Joe's lips are dumb! He raises his
| poor. dim eyes p.teousiy to the faces of
those grim. silent men who close in
around him. but he reads only II stern
determination in their stoadfast gaze.
The morning IS dark and cloudy. and
mist is rising from the VALLEY, but
never before has his old home appear
ed in more favorable colors to Joe.
To him it is invested with the charm
which memory gives. On its old. ga
bled roof the sunlight of the past is
chi ,NI,, iId Ia, AL n Il
handsome lad steps Lightly.
He does not know that the door has
been opened. aud his sisters lovin Q
arms are wound around his neck. He
feels her kisses on his check. but to him
they are like soft winds from other
climes.
He does not hear the explanations
the sObs-the hastily uttered regrets OF
the grim horscmcn, nor does he known
that they have laid him teuderly on the
grass with his head on Hclen's breast.
He is only conscious OF sense oil
perfect rest and happininess, such as lie
had never felt GefOre, A gentle Ian.
guor steals softly over him aud wra ps
him in sweet though death-likc EN-.
brace. A smile comes on his pale face
aud he murnurs:
How beautiful the sunset isn' and
then falls asleep.
Aud in the doorway young Wllough.
by is standing, sobblng as If his he ART
would break. - HiLUduEee Wisconsin
|
The Am erican Ideal.
An independent Young man;