Red Lodge picket. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1889-1907, 1893-01-07

uv--n olIrllue.
Bill did not get up, but remained
in bed, a pinched look settling over
his features It was getting late in
the afternoon when he called Joe to
the bedside.
"Joe," he said, feebly, Il hain't
got much longer ter stay with ye.
This yere cold is freezin my thin
blood, an I'm gittin weaker an
weaker.
"Co1no, come, Bill" said Joe,
great lump rising in his throat
Cheer up; n2ebEe som'thin'n turn
up, meLoe'-
"'Tain' 10 Use, joe We've all got
ter go some time. 'Tain't no use
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.
II saved hit fer ye, Bill, " he said,
turning away.
mo, nor said Bill; hits better
fer one Nv us ter SO an both Nv us.
Mebbe, as ye say, somethinIl turn
up, am
A muf1ed sound like footsteps in
the snow came from the outside, and
something like the sound of a 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 PROSTATE figure Of a 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 bundle
that was strapped about the shosll
ders of the unfortunate became de-
tached and rolled over on the floor,
displaying a small bag of -four and
chunk Of bacon.
Hits John Biggs come beck" ex-
claimed Joe, IAN he's brought enough
pervisions ter carry us through,
thank God! but, pore feller, he's a.
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, "hit amt John Biggs-hit's the
claim jumper. He's saved our lives,
Bill, an after we was goin ter run
him away"
"My God!" exclaimed Bill, strug-
Cling feebly out Of the bed, new
strength coming to his feeble frame.
I'VE must save him, Joe, if he hai1't
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 mutterod
something in an incoherent manner.
The two men bent over him and
listened
'Hit amt much furder,' he NUT
tered. II heard 'em say they didn't
have nothin to eat over thar-an, Ike
Dover, hits yer dooty ter help 'e1n.
No-no-they wur goin ter run me
off-hit can't be much furder- Oh,
if I could only sleep little-hit amt
cold now
Joe took hold of bis hands and held
them in his own. They were frozen
as hard as icicles He looked at Bill
and uttered a groan.
HE can't live, Bill" he said, chok-
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 froze
them pore hands fer us onery wolves
that would "a driv ye way from yer
claim. Oh, if ye could only live ter
tell me how mean an onery I've been
ter ye''- Here Bill broke down and
wept like child.
Presently the dying man muttered,
Hits all right see hit now-thar
is the cabin, right ahead And
with these words his spirit fled.
For long time the only sound that
broke the stiffness of that desolate
prairie home was the sobbing of the
two men and the Kissing of the
winter wind.-Wil Lisenbee Ia
Frank Lesie's.
Confusion of Dates.