Copiah signal. (Hazlehurst, Miss.) 1888-1899, 1889-09-12

h"AA ~ AW3 NAtfFthA NAAA hA*a
aged to gea upon The log where u al
and picked aud arranged II. CLOS,
feathers ualil Dicky. n immlaent rlh
oi falling iato the water. erawled uTioh
the cypress and cuidled dowa b. H.
side
An hour later. when Gilson aud The
trapPer McCrory rvturned 10 The hill
they notieed al ones the absence oi the
skiH. and upon reaching the house
found Me- Gilson In despair NJ the
unaecOuntahle ab.encs of little Dicky,
lie aint % the hill. she sobbcd.
I've been everywhere. Oh. nay baby
my baby-I lrst know he's drownea
or . l.~ar has Tot himir
'siains bar" dIs.entea McCrory.
''ys east fool Of Trackl NJ q bar
bed bep GA The hin he'd tor a. Ne
the kids Ia the skin. It. eoas--sho'
how he ever made OCT Tee paddle %.
blest n khux"
The euereni would take him n he
SO elear - she hank. :" saguriy sua.
KaAled tifI@ea. a they hurrieA 20 ths
landing "Ef ho stuck ter the boat
he's all right"
''ihar's his hat" announced the
trapPor. pointing 10 the little straw
iabrie caught la clump " bushes.
'tome, braos up. Ms. Gilsonl ialui
NO siga the boys In the water jgst
kase bis hat Ia whar's that Billy
duck don't know. ehg-well I dew
lio's With the hoy. an that's a sure
sigu that they'rc both ell right VI
Dicsy warat thar the duck woald
come back
There was sound logic In this rea-
soulnr. and both his hearers knew H.
Met rory and 'iilson sPrang into boat
sud pulled out from the landing.
Let hrF Goat with the current. +"
said the trapP.r. its a slow way. bat
The only safe one. let that paddle
alone, G.lsou; yer excited like. an
might guide her wrong " strike a
straight .hute vhar Kin gain time
ili surc gain a.
u Wa the only course 10 pursue.
Every thing depcuded oa following ex-
actly on the trail oi the missing boat
To miss Il either way meant death 10
th poor lost baby death BY stArva-
tiou 90 drowning
suddenly McCrury leaned forward
aud caught tfiison's arm
No, q word Sile1ce, see him. bui
n you want tcr save hi. life he quiet
louk yauder ter ther left-"
A noating cypress, with q boat tan.
gled In tbe viues beside IL A sle.p-
ing child cruuched upon the rough
bars his shoulder resting against a
supporting branch In his arms
huEEri up " hi- breast . little white
ducs. thai watched the intruders With
bright and curieus ewes. aud over head
something
Gil-on paled and gaspsd for breath
" Ny Cod he breathed hoarsaly. Is
the child dead or sleapiag9"
'slcopin a. yet" griitod the trap
per "hut ~ he wakea, an moves. u l.
death
II was q terrible sight the sleeping
unconscious child. and ooi'od on a
branch a iuot above his head. a .limy
hidcous serPcut a monster swamp
moCCasin.
Your rihe" whispered Gilsoa.
surely you can kill the saAke withou,
the huy IA Try it-but nv God, La
shaking like = leaf
Its "a awful risk. murmured the
either. mot u hittiu ther Aid thar.
no danger ~ that-but - ther snake
amt hit in the head he'll sink a tooth
In the lad jest fcr spite
Its the only way persisted the
anxious father you must shoot. aud
81 ones. Heavens II the boy should
moycf'
Its mighty nigh like bsln' my own
sid murmurcd McCrory. aud hi.
hand was seoa 10 trvmble visibly A. he
drcw back the hammer oi the rise.
Parlner. kaint dew L."
Curse H. you must, dont fail me
nov IA McCrory' Your hand l. stead y
enough when ao oas l. concerned bat
yourself Didnt I sse you shoot a
pistol out oi Jack Sny's hand whea
your life depended on ~"
hut ! vas mad thea. and when Tn
mad ! kin sho0, ther best"
A strange CLEAN shons In Gibson'. !.
eyes Tor a moment
''lou are q coward I'd McCrory
A coward and a hOr~e- thief like your
father before youi Give me The ruu
and win shoot the boy through The
head By the gods. he shall NOT fail =
prey to tha, devil yonder, give me the
gun. and whea Il l. all over ! will
settle with yoa fOr going hack on .
friend in trouble"
Hut the trapper showed him back.
and again the rife was raised. and
this time not a tncmor agitaled the
long earr~l rct IN the short spaos
that had elapsed Affairs had assumed
. more fearful shape.
The child had awakened. aud caugh,
sight of his father. and vas rising to
his feet. and the hiaeous fAags above
were bared for the fatal stroke.
Would McCrory never freP Al IN.
s,aut's delay Just nos might mean the
difference between safety and death.
Already u seemed too late. for the
boys head seemed 10 partially shield
that Of the sorpeaL an Instant and
then
Boy and snake were In tha water o.
gether At the crack oi the riaa and
with = horrible fear At his heart Gil
son urged the boat forward
You've killed 'em both, Ed, he
gasPcd. 4 doat blame yoa. but oh.
my CodF'-
He dropped his paddle and covered
bis lace with his hands McCrory
leaned forward and pulled some object
Into the boat thea he touched his com
panion on the shoulder.
Thar waFnt mora . Inch of room
but got thar. he said. with qulss en-.
ultaiion. 'fhar's q few hslrs eloss
shlngiea. but nothia' wuzL Lordy
hear the aid blow the water Out Of hls
a