Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1892-11-05
,opin when thar hain't nothin to ex-

hopin when thar hain't nothin to ex-
pect."
Joe made no reply. STOPPING down
presently he drew little box from
under the bed and took out small
piece of dry, hard bread and laid it by
the side of Bill.
Il saved hit fer ye Bill, !" he said,
turning away.
mo, nor said Bill; hits better
fer one NV US ter go an both Nv us.
Mebbe, as We say, somethin'll turn
up, an
A mufied sound like footsteps in
the snow came from the outside, and
something like the sound of human
voice mingled with the kissing wind.
Joe listened, but the sound was not
repeated. He opened the door and
looked out.
A few feet from the threshold,
half buried in the drifting snow, was
the prostrate figure of man, a
large bundle of something at his
side. A moment, and Joe was stoop-
ing over the PROSTATE figure. He
shook him, but he did not speak.
Then by a series of heroic efforts he
dragged the unconscious man into
the dugout. AS he did SO a bundle
that was strapped about the shoul-
dcrs of the unfortunate became de-
tached and rolled over ON the floor,
displaying a small bag of flour and
chunk of bacon.
Hits John Biggs come back" ex-
claimed Joe, IAN he's brought enough
pervisions ter carry us through,
thank God but, pore feller, he's al
most done fer!"
He hurriedly stirred up the fire in
the little stove, and then, turning to
the unconscious man, he brushed the
snow from his wan face.
"Bill," he said, starting with sur
prise, chit amt John Biggs-hit's the
claim jumper. He's saved our lives,
Bill, an after we was goin ter run
him away"
"My Godl' exclaimed Bill, strug-
Cling feebly out of the bed, new
strength coming to his feeble frame.
1--WE must save him, Joe, if he haint
already dead We mustn't let him
die"
The two men, shivering with cold
and weak from hunger, worked as
they never worked before. By Their
combined efforts they lifted the poor
frozen squatter from the floor and
laid him tenderly in their only bed.
He opened his eyes and muttered
something in an incoherent manner
The two men bent over him and
| listened.
"Hit amt much furder," he NUT
tered. Il heard em say they didnt
have nothin to eat over thar-an, Ike
Dover, hits yer dooty ter help 'em
No-no-they wur goin ter run me
off hit can't be much furder- Oh
if could only sleep ittle-hit ain'1
cold now"
Joe took hold of his hands and heli
them in his own. They were frozer
as hard as iciclesl He looked at Bill
and uttered groan.
"Ile can't live, Bill, '" he said, cholk
ingly.
Bill bent over the bed, his face
close to that of the dying man.
"Pardner," he said, his voice husky
with emotion, you've throw'd away
yer life fer us that didn't deserve
nothin but yer hate. You've frozt
them pore hands fer us onery wolves
that would "a driv ye way from vel
claim. Oh, if ye could only live tel
tell me how mean an onery I've beer
ter ye"- Here Bill broke down ani
wept like child.
Presently the dying man muttered
Hits all right see hit now-thal
is the cabin, right ahead AND
with these words his spirit fled.
Fora long time the only sound tha
broke the stiffness of that desolatt
prairie home was the sobbing of th,
two men and the kissing of thu
winter wind. VIII Lisenbee il
Frank Leslie's.