New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-12-06

-, pi can o coz one tongue Sf fame dart ever tne
wheat ear-tops, while like kindred spai;v sneed
shot from the opposite side WIN nd ''d he hocl
TO meet il. The two mihs"u anu '
Now rs Bill and started luckily the ncar e..
line toward the late gap IN tne LIZ sood the nav
vies never stirring Only one among THEM o nav
dartcd to Joes rescue-tbe man WIN .ne or more
lie had the start Of US by Yen ye, and Rill still
and though | was fair runner auu pi no;tber
better for squirt thanks TO his long iees, Mi
of us was a match for the stranger IN spe v boots
got ahead of me, for was hinaefea 'their faces
tnas we,u nde~ & tread SO that stumbled Mean
while the man with the ulster haa ',U ti,inne.t
the blazing wheat, where us iins Crimson LIGHT
Against the glowing bs,sgr)"n1 Oh elnn 700 cogid
1J The forerrour1 OF pale standing gram VIC cou,
see his black head and shoulders ea inraet III.
Ieapirg-I shall never 90 my dying gay over the
sight Then % drift Of smoke s"ePo o'NN -
Brave chap! He has shown us the way,
sang out Biz plunsins are sit Ta, ?? Jim
.GIosc behind you." answered Ana wen ioi
him that il was so. For even as 1 .srs,s,nh
forward against the scorching heat anu ,nS 80 No
the choking reek, Bill's big form Ill lulu -
' Hes down." flashed through my mind, ana Il
seemed as though the soul In me e9pe moss feI
over Connolly He had caught his loot In a rad
bit hole and fallen so heavily that Tor Few SCI
9tsd he sS could ma With Mit deat for he not
stand On one foot. but flung his arm round my neck
for support Then, in the new strength p9ssge's
me. somehow half dragged, nan .aSaerino ont
into safety and crowd Of friendly voices anu
arms that caught ut my burden Fun Oh s hnnd
that we had failed, my ears Duzzing anu hui was
held fast. Coats were flung about me, my head was
blinded with muifngs ,, - Lu.,;,rs
You are on fire! Keep still you are ourhins'
''sI Let ete me ,' co. I'm all right" and tried to
tear myself free must save Joe has e aot linn.
Hoora ray Look Ssos now, sir, if you can see
With smarting eyes, for even my ;t uyeiashes
were scorched, looked across to the nloc sl;ns "a
liQht breeze ID diverted the smoke, ana outilheu
in black relief against the red we saw TWO suus
Cling figures. The stranger was forcing MS own
coat on the reluctant IDIOT who was enaeavor 1r
to escape. But the brave unknown man pre-,
vailed, stopped down, and rose again with Joe on
his back Even the green wheat where they were
had now caught fire, but being low and poor it was
that was like a death valley for few YARDS;
They're off - cried some one. and we al held our
Tea bae ad 9oa broke from the
They'll suffocate. Let's go ana heip' crieu
It's no good now Either that gallant fellow
will get through, or they will both go down ana
you will never find them through the smoke,
said Bill, hoarsely, who was recovering "Giiiie'
For / felt like mailman at being held there
by half dozen brawny arms with Aiieen look
ing on and that poor old woman speechieSS anu
There he is Hur-rah! Hurrah!'
Out from the smoke and blazing stubble stag
gered the man., carrying Crazy Joe on his oa ia
The navvies now plunged forward, and amidst
cheer that rang far the field and down INTO the
valley, brought Joe and his rescuer into the
reaped patch of safety. Here Bill was still lying
with the womenkind standing about him.
May all the bessingn of Heaven began Joes
old Then her v cn nonge Won aao
bird You try to take my precious boys LIE Dy
firing the field and putting your own vile clothes
on his innocent back" m
A great silence fell upon the group. The man
who stood among seemed to heave long sign
And now, since he had put his long coat on Joe
for protection, we saw that he wore prison >lrt
on his back. II is only simple truth to say 'at
though his head was cropped and face blackened,
lie held himself with so grand an ali, ike Il
despairing stag at bay that he looked one Of the
noblest young fellows i have ever seen. Then,
holding out his arms in surrender, hc said: It's
over. I've escaped from Prncetown. Take me.
some of you, and claim your reward" Not
navy stirred.
Il got some clothes-no matter how-and hid
my own in the shed yonder, where the boy must
have found them. / never fired the held. FOR
two long years / have not smoked tobacco; but
he had pipe up yOnder when / went to fetch
him." he added in a quiet voice, as one con
demned might just say his last words on earth.
of weeping from the women.
You are brave man." said |. Then step
ping forward, with lump IN my throat ohaNe
hands ,
THANK you said the convict Then his
strength failed. and he reeled ialnting IN the
mems arms. -Four of them carried him to the
cottage where Aileen and Loo brought him back
to consciousness, and bandaged his burns, being
rough surgeon in my way. Meanwhile Bill
had limped again to his machine, and began reap
ing harder than ever, helped by the navvies,
who beat out the sparks that caught the low
stubble. And the fire waned as the day dawned
What is your name, my poor lad ~ ,r said |. as
finnf
= am number 3l7. Ny name is wiped out.
But is there no no message you would like us to
All my darling mother No. bet
think her last hope is gone. No chance of a
dew broke out on his wide, finely formed brow.
You have not the look Of a. guilty man. But
ese1 m H ss soy you
Guilty Why, he is Innocent hotly en-
claimed Loo. The convict smiled
Il am he said softly to the child Then he
CLOSED his eyes and slept. But in the morning
two stern prison warders, carrying loaded rifles.
came and took him away handcuffed between
them, Was he guilty or innOcent2 Shall we
But as for myself. as that night died redly into
the white life of a new day Aieen laid her cool
arms with healing in their touch.
"Oh, you have been in pain so long, You do
not think enough of yourself" she said in tones of
sweet fepfoach
What should l Think" said l. ashamed at
failing before her very eyes so lately. THAT
nameless convict is q better man. lie did more
than l."
You tried your best-no one can do more.
replied Aileen. And you saved Bills life. /
shall never forget that" She looked straight
into my eyes with shining gratitude in her own.
and l held her gaze greediIy, steadily, would not
let it go.
WE'LL" said Bill, coming in just then and
laying his tired hands affectionately on shoulder
af uc hat mir Nnu x..;n
with us as long as ever you can, Gillie and rest
If your sister cares to have me- said slow
w, looking in Aileens face She dropped her long
lashes fancied q slight tremOr ran through her
frame, as if she guessed the hidden meaning in