The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1892-06-16


. tell ssleep. Robbins dfe.ned Of cold wsi.
drawn from marble foop,sins 10 etysis
soblss The young msn vss the hrst b
swake. The sna vn beginning 10 sboo
bic hery needles over the mountsin. Rot
bins lifted bis b.nd 10 rub iis eyes
RrEAEl
Then toueue Of hame dsried tovsr
hin and struck him 90 tho palm of 10
hand.
My God. be groabed, its srsttlesnakf
and hes bitten m,l
His voice seemed 10 swsked = hnndrss
echoes. aud to there responded hundres
rsttles
Selby ssi up on his blsnket aud stared a
him stupidity. As be made the mosemer
a rst,lesnske struck him in the face. spt
smother, at his side would have done tb,
same had he not thrown himself cut o
OF reach OF his deadly fsnes.
The rsttles resounded on every side
The two men rsn back 10 = stretch OF ssbd
beyond the rocks and gszsd at each othel
wildly
Hold still, demanded Mark. Let mt
look at your bite.
He grasped the boys hand.
ThsDk God. it's not IN the vein
He seized bis kniie and quickly hollow
ed out piece OF the flesh.
There hold your hand down and let the
blood run free, while tie this cord aroupd
your arm.
He twisted the stout cord until il cut
into the arm.
Now the wbiskey be gsspel.
No. said Robbins. let me cut the poison
out OF your wound.
Mart held still moment while this was
done
Now the whiskey quick Grid Rob
bius.
But by did not look for he bringing
forth OF the Task with any light OF hope in
his eyes
1t is you're. he said quietly. There Is
only enough for one, and barely that.
Then j, is yours, Mart.
No-yours.
But you are the worse bitten, Your face
is already beginning to swell. Drink It,
There was an anguish in the tone, as
there was heroism in the wordt but it was
heroism of the weakly sort. He beld out
the bottle at arms length. while he turned
his face away.
No, by God It's yours, boy came in
firmtr and more commanding tone from
Mart Seby. You have mother and Q
sweetheart back 10 the States. And IL
have nobody. There VS. someone once,
but there amt sDy body now nobody at
all
In the face Of this fearful temptation
Robbins felt himself weakening. He grew
less strong OF resolution with each tick OF
the watch IN his pocket, heard so plainly
10 the desert stiffness What q coward he
felt himself; but-how sweet was life.
Was there not help TO be had from some
other source? He could not take this.
The drinking Of that liquid WAS the drink
Ing OF Selby's life. and that life meant
much to him now. Here was the whole
mani
His eyes swept the hopeless plain. He
looked for the dust OF traveller, but be saw
none. The heat OF the day was growing.
He thought he felt the poison pulsing
through bis vein.
Mono, he said, sinking down upon the
sand. And there was pitiable weakness
in bis tone.
Selby took the bottle from his hand. As
be did so. shade OF fear arose to Robbins
face. Selby saw this and smiled. The
swollen face made the smile grotesque;
but, none the less, it was the smile OF q
god. He came forward and knelt beside
the crouchiDg form OF Robbins, who, ly
ing on his face. with bis eyes shut, beg
ged him not to think OF him. but Of him
self. But the tone was growing weaker.
The oth,r said no word. but lifting his
friends head, be uncorked the bottle and
held it to bis lips. A look OF rem onstHnce
came to Robbins face. and be raised his
hand to push away the bottle. Just then
be glanced upward. A buzzird WAS circl'
ing around 10 the clear. blue air. He
shivered. and, as the neck OF the bottle
was forced between his teeth, and Selby
was holding back his head. how could be
help swallowing? The look OF remon
STRANGE faded slowly away as the liquor
eurgled from the bottle. Soon it was sl'
drained. The boy head sank to the
ground. aud a heavy sleep laid bold upon
bin.
When be awoke there lay by bis side
the body OF a man with pistol bullet 10
his head.