Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1892-01-14
WITH GOD FOR WITNESS.

Frick Dent lay on his bunk and listened
to the bowling of the wolves in the tim
Der and the more oppressive breathing Of
his partner He had been awake fvr
hours, and not being thinking man, he
had absolutely nothing to do. The fir
tree over the shack uripped slow moisture
on the roof, and through the warped
glass Of the window one star was blurred
and half smeared out. The heavy cotton
comfortable lay uhyielding, lise a mat
tress, upon him, and he grew cold. He
got up, crept across the gritty floor. slid
ON his boots, and went TO the door. Out
side, the dripping forest of gigantic ever
green's pressed against the one-roomed
shack; two freshly ielled trees supported
themselves half up. like a man on his ell
how; faint trail from the door lost itself
in the darkness OF the underground.
Prick picked up the double-bitted ak by
the door and weht out for firewood. As
he moved in the underbrush he heard
slight sound behind him, and stopped to
listen. There was blaze, zip, and he
fell forward. He felt himself being
dragged over uneven ground. He opened
his eyes when he heard swapping and
cracking near him; he was lying on
comfortable beside the stove, which
burned freshly. Tom was pulling off bis
boots, and sobbing and moaning over
him, like man in q nightmare. He got
breath TO say:
''Tom."
''Frick, boy, l didn't go to. was
asleep. l heard somethin'; l vas
dreamin' OF bars. Lord. Lord, He
don't hear"
The little flimsy stove was red hot, and
the blood soaked into the comfortable
from the mans side. Tom tore strips
from the mattress on the bunk, and tried
to tie them around the great hairy chest.
Prick moaned:
Tom" he said, we're friends, amt
we?" His hand gropcd teebly.
Tom laid his unshaven cheek on
Tricks side, above the jagged hole.
"We're friends ?' he asked again.
eyes, yes, Frick. I'd sight ruthel
done it to myself" He sat on the floor
holding the chill hand and pressing the
coarse cloth against the pumping wound.
The fierce fire died out from the stove. the
iron cieaking as it cooled.
Frlck lay with his eyes staring open.
"They'll say you killed me a-purpose,"
he b.eathed. YOU'D ought to get wit
ness, Tom"
81 amt kerin' what they say. l amt
goin' to leave you here dyin' while Pm
off lookin' up witnesses"
After long pause Frick said: ''You
tell 'em l was loadin' ketriges when you
went cut, and when you KEN back was
like this
Tom shook his head. 81 amt KERN
what they say
Gimme a pencil, Tom; don't be
fool"
Tom lit How candle stuck i'm the
neck OF a bottle. and lifted Prick against
his knee, while he held piece of paper
against the sole of one of the boots he
had dragged off. The stiff greenish hand
closed over the pencil, and Prick traced
the word Friends; but the point was
gone. and the pencil made no mark.
Then he drew a hard, quick breath, and
slid ont of Toms ar,py Ha III t,;,,, lo...,
and drew him out straight, and gathering
mp the blood-stained rag-, thew them in
to the cold stove, and sat waiting for
morning. When the light came, he took
the dead man over his back, and shutting
the door of the shack, started down the
trail from the claim toward the river.
The trail was very slight; the partners
had only been holding down the claim
for few weeks, and it was all that Tom
could do to keep his feet with the swing
ing sagging weight on his back. He
1eafoed the river, a mere winding stream,
and laying Frick in the stern of his boat,
and covering him with coat, he took
the oars. 1t was early morning, and
sheet of white mist teamed up from the
water, and was torn and hung in great
shreads among the far branches of the
evergreens. Through the white stiffness
they passed slowly down the winding
stream. 1t was long journey for the
rover, with the silence OF the woods
about him and the silence of the dead be-
side him; but as evening came he saw
the light of the town below it was the
clear electric star above the first sawmill.
When he brought up at the wharf, few
idlers were standing about.