Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1892-08-05


preaching horses in the snow, and
he cooked bis rife so as to beeready.
The setting sun shone full in the
mans face. but Crandall forgot TO
look for the scar that the notice had
said was on the right cheek, although
he had resolved to do so particularly.
| When he first discovered the fugi-
tive he scanned the read behind
him to discover Lansing, but the
nearer the man approached the less
Crandall cared whether Lansing
came or not. He let the man ap-
proach nearer and nearer, SO that
bis aim would be the more accurate.
He could not afford to throw away
the first shot. The face of the man
grew more and more distinct lie
seemed to be oblivious to his sur
roundings. Crandall felt almost dis
posed to let him pass, but the thought
that every one would think him a
coward if he did SO spurred him on,
and, rising erect, he ordered the man
to surrender.
The horse that the man was driv-
ing in front of him, frightened at
Crandalls appearance, swerved from
the road, leaving the two men facing
each other. For an instant Crandall
looked straight into the others eyes.
Then the man raised his rifle from
the pommel of the saddle, and Gran
dali fired. The horse which the man
was riding sprang from the road
and at the same moment its riders
gun was discharged. The smoke
from Crandalls own gun blew back
into his eyes, and he turned from it
to follow the movements of the man
at whom he had fired.
AS he saw the man still erect in his
saddle, he felt the fevc1ish haste to
fire again come over him that men
feel when they have shot and miss
ed, and know that their life may be
the forfeit of their failure. He threw
another cartli idge into the chamber
of his rifle, and raised it to his shoul-
der, but before he could fire the
man reeled from his saddle and fell,
while his frightened horse galloped
off through the pines.
Crandall stepped toward him, hold
ing his rifle prepared to fire again, if
necessary. AS he did so the man
raised hi, hand and said simply:
Don't fire-you've got me-"
The STOW was already red with
blood where he lay Tor the first
time Crandall looked for the scar
that the description said was on the
right cheek. For an instant he did
not see it, and his heart seemed to
stop beating with the fear of having
made a mistake, and when ON draw
ing nearer he saw that il was there,
that only the pallor which had spread
over the mans face had made it in
distinct, LIE could have cried out with
joy at the feeling of relief that passed
over him
care you badly wounded" he
asked.
'I don't know how bad it is. 1t is
here somewhere" the man said,
placing his hand on his breast as if
not certain of the exact spot. 1T
feels numblike," he added. Stoop-
ing down Crandall unbuckled and
took off the mans pistol belt and
threw it into the snow, where lay
his rifle, and then he tore open the
mans shirt. AS he did so his fingers
came in contact with the warm
blood, and he involuntarily drew
back with feeling of disgust.
did you find it?" asked the man,
who was watching him closely, and
who had observed the movement.
Recalled to himself by the ques-
ton, Crandall again tore at the shirt,
exposing the breast. Where the
blood did not cover it it looked like
marble, despite the dark hair on it.
He could not see the wound on ac-
count of the blood until he had
wiped the latter from the breast, and
then he found it.
"What do you think of it9" the
man asked
'There it is" replied Crandall. He
could not say more. The appealing
tone in the mans voice for some
hope-some encouragement = made
him feel faint and sick.
what do you think of it9" the
man repeated in querulous voice,
and as he did so he coughed until his
mouth filled with blood, and he spat
| il out ON the white snow.
Crandall shook his head and walked
toward where his horse was tied.
He felt that if he watched the wound
ed man any longer he would faint.
Noticing his walking away, the
wounded man SAID;
For Gods sake, don't leave me.
Now that you have killed me, stay
with me, and don't let me die like a
dog :.
The voice was one of entreaty and
Crandall returned and seated himself
in the snow by tho mans side. The
sun had gone down and the twilight
had come ON, bringing with it the
chill of night, Crandall covered the
wounded mans body with his over
coat and raised his head from the
snow. Almost unconsciously he not
ed that as the patch of red made by
the blood grew larger and larger, the
face of the wounded man grew whit
or and whittier, He never took his
eyes from Crandall's face, while his
breath came quicker and shorter, as
il he breathed with labor. With
aanh l,.aatl, Al. ll..>1 ..~.>..l ~