New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-06-05

two. comrades The fall was hut slight one The
little pebbles ii ha started hal hardly d roll
ing before TWO of the men were again on their feet.
picking up their arms. Harry tried to join them
and rose to his feet, but only to fail again.
What's the matter? asked one of his comra e..
think have sprlincd my lee some way" he
replied
The two men assisted him to arise but when he
was on his feet, his eft leg seemed to be without
life so far any control of the muscles of it
concerned. lie tried TO step forward but it dragged
as if il was paralyzcd. cold sweat broke out all
over him, and when one Of the n,eH who supported
him said
II SCUM ed like a sentence Of death
Cant YOU move at all? asked one Of his com
rade>, his voice betrayng his desire 10 be
or his way toward tie settlements They were
still standing where they had fallen in the moon
light AMI one of them noticing it, led the way back
into the shadow.
mo, am afraid it is broken answered the ds
ablcd man Ils'voce sounded strange and changed.
lie could hardly rec, gnize IT, The dead man whom
they had left lying back by the campfire seemed
very near to him, and III his fear and pain n
wondered if the Indians had mutatcl him much.
The two men laid him down, and ore, taking the
disabled limb in hi, hand, moved il gently back
and forth, and IN an instant moved his hand far
up on The thi2h.
Yes, it's broken there. You can feel the ends
OF the bones" A. lie said it, he glanced from the
face of the wounded into that of his other
comradc Even in the shadow the wounded man
caught the express ion on tue face, Of the two men.
and knew that they were thinking low long it
if they remained there. Beth hal seated them
selves by his side in thc shadow so that if their
pursuers were near they wonid offer poorer large.
"Don't you think you can limp alone without
our help ," aslic one.
NO it's no use, boys, could never get through
the canon. You will have 10 cave me. If tried,
they would attack MS before daybreak.' As he
sold this he unhucklcd the belt frou around his
waist, with its cleaning row of cartridges AMI
handed it 10 one of the men, after taking the re-
Nolvcr from its holster
Well, amt going TO leave YOU, snid one Of
]iS comrades
Boys, that is nonsense said The disabled man.
him. Nou can do me no good 10y staying. AMI
there will hc three irstcad of one 20 die. BY TO-
morrow morning, Won can be within reach of the
settlements and safe, but my time has come.
The two men looked al each other in silence.
After all it was but true that nothing would br
gained by their staying. They had both risen 70
their feet like men who had been given n new hope
Boys: tell Matte how il was and give Ter
what | have got in town" Al the mention of
the girls name there again came into the voice
the unsteady stranecness that was there when
he first told them that he was hurt, while in the
moonlight they could see there were tears in his
cycs. For an instant the wounded man was silent
and then he added "fou had better take my
arms with you; You may need them.
As he finished speaking, he cooked the revolver
and placed it 10 his head but before he coul
press the trigger. one Of the men grasrcd his hand
and exclaimed
Don't do that
Yes. Won are right. The report woull beetr?y
weapon. Give me that knife, instead.
" didn't mean il that way, said the man who
had made the remark ashamed that the true
feelings which had prompted il had been perceived
by the wounded man. Don't kill yourself. We
will stay with YOU. and we may yet pull through.
The wounded man shook his head quietly Inc
tone of the speaker told him, plain as words
could have done, that there was but ON chance
OF escape for any of them. He took from the belt
the man mechanically handed him. in complianc,
with his request. his heavy hnnting-knlic. and
leaned back full length in the shadow of lh"
canon. The men who stood watching him saw lis
eyes close and his lips moving in prayer. but only
for an instant, and then, without looking up lac
said ,
Goodbye, boys; hope You will get through.
There not quaVcr in his voice. rs u"
finished, the men turned away so as not TO lee
him. each saying, softly, as if speaking 10 himself
Goodbye, Harry.
A. they stood looking down the moonlit canon,
they could hear behind them, where the w9unHrd
man lay sounds as if lie We're choking and gasp
ing for breath When they no longer heard th'W'
they looked toward where lie lay me Whl'f
breast where the Orcncd bosom Of the shirt cN-
d .cd il in the shadow looked AZ if stained with
iOi; where the blood had tOrcncd il, apd across
it laid thc neryccss hand that had he'd the II lic
For an instant the two men looked down on III"
body with awe, as if afraid that the open eyes
were watching them. Then one placed ms manu-
over the heart of the OuS'rctchrI Irln, Shndd r
Ing as he felt how warm it was, II seemed IN
For moment he held II there. ana then. WlpihS
from il On the shirt of The dead man tie blood
that stained il, he arose an" -aid. IN answer u
hi, comrades look, in almost a whisper. as II
fearing TO be heard by the spirit that had just
departed
Yes, he is dead.
And then the two survivors took the dead
mans arms and pushed forward into the night
toward the settlements, leaving behind Them III
the stiffness Of the mOonlt canon, "A white, up
turned face 70 await the early dawn, when ln'
Indians would slash il 20 that even the girl IN Tn
settlement, who had 50 often kissed H. would not
know t-(Buckley O'Ncill III The san Francisco
ArgOnaut