Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1892-02-11

Cane her hand 10 Armstrong.
Il am shot, gasped Brent, and sank
down fainting.
Which first? the lady or my friend,
slain perhaps for her sake?
'sHer. see to herr he moaned.
| unbound her from the saddle.
could not utter a word for pity. She es-
sayed to speak, but her lips only Iaoved.
She could not change her look So many
hours hardening herself to repel she
could not soften yet, even to accept my
offices with smile of gratitude She
was cruelly cramped by her laslings to
the rough pack saddle, rudely cushioned
with blankets. But the horror had not
inaddened her; the torture had not
broken her; the dread of worse had not
slain her She was still unblenching
and indomitable. And still she seemed
to rule her fate with quiet, steady eyes
gray eyes with violet lights.
carried her few steps to the side of
jubilant fountain lifting beneath a
rock, and left her there to nature, kind
liest leech.
Then l took cup Of that brilliant
water to my friend, my brother.
Il can die now" he said feebly.
There is no death in you. You have
won the right to live. Keep brave
heart Drinkr'
And in that exquisite spot, that fair
glade Of the sparkling fountains, | gave
the noble fellow long drafts of sweet
refreshment. The rescued lady trailed
herself across the grass and knelt beside
US. My horse, still heaving with his
honorable gallop, drooped his head over
the group. A picture to be remembered
Who says that knighthood is no lnores
Who says the days of chivalry are past?
Who says it, is losel.
Brent was roughly, but not danger
ously, shot along the arm. The bullet
had plowed an ugly path along the mus
cles Of the forearm and upper arm, and
was lodged in the shoulder. a bad
wound; bus no bones broken. Ii he
could but have rest and peace and sur
geryl But if not, after the fever Of our
day, after the wearing anguish of our
doubtful gallop-if not?
when she saw another needed her care
Woman's gentle duty Of nurse found her
ready for its offices. Ny blundering
good will gave place willingly to her fine
fingered skillfuhess. She forgot her
own WEAKNESS while she was magnetic
ing away the pangs of the wounded man
by her delicate touch.
Ia 1oc1yaI e% ,,,n ,,1 ;11.1 II, +,l
content.
My fatherf7 asked the lady faintly,
as if she dreaded the answer.
.'SafeF' said l. '.Free from the Nor
mons. He is waiting for you with a
friend"
Her tears began to flow. She was busy
bandaging the wound. All was silent
about us except the pleasant gurgle Of
the fountains, when we heard shot up
the defle.
The sharp sound of pistol shot came
Ieaping down the narrow chasm, flying
before the pursuit of its own thunder
ing echoes.
| sprang up when | heard the shot
and stood on the alert. There were two
up the alley; which, after the shot, was
living, and which dead?
Not many moments had passed, when
| heard hoofs coming, and Armstrong
rode into view. The gaunt white horse
galloped with the long, careless fling
had noticed all day. He moved machine
like, as if without choice or volition of
his own, horse commissioned to carry
a fate. Larrap's stolen horse trotted
along by his old master.
Armstrong glanced at Murkers body
lying there, "a battered mass.
''Bothl' he whispered. ''The other
was sent right into my hands to be put
to death. knew all the time it would
be sent to me to do the killing. He was
squirting up the alley on my own horse
He snapped at me. My pistol did not
know how to snap. See here"
And he showed me, hanging from his
saddle horn, that most loathsome of all
objects mans eyes ever lighted upon
a fresh scalp. 1t sickpned me.
'sShamel'' said !. do you call your
self man to bring such thing into a
lady's presence?
1T was rather mean to take the fell
lows hair" says Armstrong. II don't
believe Brother Bill would have did it.
But | felt orful ugly when l saw that
/ fat, low lived devil, and thought of my
brother, a big, hui hearted man as never
/ gave bad word to nobody, and never
4 held on to dollar or slug when ayry
man wanted it more n him. Come, I'll
throw the nasty thing away if you say
So"
"Help me drag off this corpse, and
We'll bury man ana scalp together" !
said.
We buried him at the gate Of the alley
under great cairn Of stones.
fsGod forgive them both, said /. as /
flung the last stone, ''that they We're
brutes, and not men"
''Brutes they was, stranger says
Armstrong, "bnt these things is ordered
somehow. | allow your pardener and
you is glad to get that gal out Of Nor
mon camp, ef it did cost him horse
and both on you an all days tremble.
! Men don't ride so hard and look SO wolf
ish as you two men have did onless their
heart is into it.
1t is indeed strange said |, rather
thinking aloud than addressing my COM
/ panion, .'that this brute force should
have achieved for Us by outrage what
love failed in. Fate seems to have
played Brute against Brute, that Love
might step between and claim the vic
tory. The lady is safe; but the lover
may have won her life and lost his