Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1894-08-18

see it, and his heart seemed to stop
beating with the fear of having made
u mistake, and when, on drawing
nearer, he saw that it was there, that
only the palor which had spread over
the mans face had made it indis-
tinct, he could have cried out with
JOY at the feeling Of relief that passed
over him.
"Are you badly wounded?" he
asked.
II don't know how bad It IL. It Is
here somewhere" the man said,
placing his hand on his breast, as II
not certain of the exact spot. 1T
feels numb like" he added. Stoop.
ing down. Crandall unbuckled and
took of the mans pistol belt and
threw 1t into the snow, where lay his
rifle, and then he tore open the man 6
shirt. As he did so his fingers came
in contact with the warm blood, and
he involuntarily drew back with q
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 ut the shirt,
exposing the breast. Where the
blood did not cover 1t 1t looked like
marble. He could not see the wound
on account Of the blood until he had
wiped the latter from the breast and
then he found IL.
What do you think Of it9" the
man asked.
There 1t is" replied Crandall.
He could not say more. The appeal
ing tone In the mans voice for some
hope-some encouragement - made
him feel faint and sick.
What do you think OF it," the
man repeated in n querulous voice,
and as he did so he coughed until his
mouth filled with blood, and he spat
1t out on the white STOW.
Crandall shook his head and walked
toward where his horse was tied. lie
felt that II he watched the wounded
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 the 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
noted that rs the patch OF red made
by the blood grew larger and larger.
the face Of the wounded man grew
winter and winter. He never took
his eyes from Crandall's face, while
his breath came quicker and shorter,
as IL he breathed with labor. With
each breath the blood seemed to bub-
BILE from the wound In the breast. One
Of the mans hands fell from under
the coat that covered him. As Gran.
dali raised 1t from the snow its cold.
ness sent chill through him. Once
he had asked the wounded man II he
could do anything for him, but the
man Ind only shaken his head In re-
ply. Crandall felt like reviling him.
self for what he had done, and won-
dered why the wounded man did not
reproach him. Even when he ex.
pressed his sorrow Mt having shot
him the dying man said, gently:
Don't mind 1t. It's too late now. "
The twilight gave way to darkness,
and still he sat there. He could not
hear the dying man breathe without
leaning over his face. lie did this but
once though, and the dying man had
opened his eyes and looked up into
his face inquiringly. Crandall would
rather have stayed there until morn
ing than to catch that look again.
Suddenly he heard voice call to
him. He started as II he had boon
fired Mt, but 1t was only Lansing. As
he answered the call Lansing rode
forward, and, seeing the outstretched
form on the snow, said:
by George, you got him?"
"Hush ~ replied Crandall, fearful
least the wounded man would hear
the exulting tone which grated on his
own ears rs nothing else had ever
before done. But not minding the
admonition, Lansing dismounted and,
striking match, held it close to the
mans face. 1t was pale and cold
and the half.opened eyes were glazed.
They did not even reflect tho light
made from the match, but from the
partly opened mouth a tiny stream Of
half CONCEALED blood seemed to be
still flowing down over the beard.
That's him, and It's pretty good
days work we have done by earning
that reward" said Lansing coolly as
the match went out.
Somehow, though, as Crandall lay
awake through the night within a few
yards Of the body to keep the wolves
from 1t so that 1t would be unmarried
In the morning, when they would
lash 1t to horse and take it into the
settlements for Identification, he won.
dered why Lansing could sleep SO
soundly. As for himself, tine rigid
form covered with onlya saddle blan-
ket, lying where the snow was red
instead OF white, was always before
his eyes, even when he closed them.
i Argonaut.