The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-10-10


word was said by the troopers. The girl
gave vent to little vail OF desolation.
NOh, Hnrryl'
He began slowly to descend the stairs.
His right arm was in white sling and
there were some fresh blood stains upon
the cloth. His face was rigid and deathly
pale, but his eyes flashed like lights.
The girl was again moaning in an utterly
dreary fashion as the youth came slowly
down toward the silent men in blue
Six steps from the bottom Of the fight
he halted and said; ~ reckon it's me
you're looking for"
The troopers had crowded forward .
trihe and, posed In 1.-THE, nervous atti-
tudes, were watching him like cats. The
captain remained unmoveA AT the
youths question he merely nodded his
The young man in 1"Jy looked down
ut the girl and then, In the same even
tone which now, however. seemed to vi
brate with suppressed fury, he said: "And
y that any reason why you should insult
desperately, between the young man in
grey and the officer in blue. "Oh, don't,
Harry, dontl He was good TO me- be
was good to me, Harry--indeeo, he was"
The youth came on in his quiet, erect
fashion until the girl could have touched
either OF the men with her hand, for the
captain still remained with his boot
upon the first step. She continually re-
peated: son, Harry! Oh, Harryl"
The youth in grey maneuvered 10 glare
into the capatin's face first over one
shoulder of the girl and then over the
other. In voice that rang like metal,
ne said: "You are armed and unwound-
ed, while have no weapons and am
wounded, hut"
The captain had stepped back and
sheathed his sabre. The eyes OF these
two men were cleaning fire. but other
wise the captains couDtenance was i'm
perturbsble. He said: "You sre mis-
taken. You have no reason to-"
"You lie!''
All save the captain and the youth in
grey started In an electric movement
These two words crackled in the air like
shattered glass. There was breathless
silence.
The captain cleared his throat. His look
ut the youth contained a quality OF singu-
lar and terrible ferocity, but he said in
shis stolid tone: 81 don't suppose you
mean what you say now"
Upon his arm he had felt the pressure
Of some unconscious little fingers. The
girl wss leaning against the wall rs IL she
no longer knew how to keep her balance,
but those fingers-he held his arm very
stiIl. She murmured: "Oh, Harry,
Waslv
The corporal had come forward until
be, In a measure, confronted the youth in
grey, for he saw those fingers upon the
captains arm, and he knew that some
times very strong men were not able to
move hand nor foot under such condi-
tions.
The youth had suddenly seemed to be.
come weak. He breathed heavily and
hung TO the railing. He was glaring at
the captain, and apparently sum moning N
his will power to combat his weakness.
The corporal addressed him with pro-
found straightforwsrdness: "Don't you
be oerned fooll" The youth turned
toward him 30 fiercely that the corporal
threw up knee and en- elbow like boy
who expects 10 be cufied.
The ghl pleaded with the captain.
"Iou won't hart him. will your lie dom
know what he's saying He's wounded,
yon know. Please MT mind himl"
. won't touch him said the captain
With rather extraordinary earnestness.
'Don ron worry about II at all. won't
tonch mir
Then he locked st her and the girl
suddenly withdier her fingers from his
srm.
The corporal contemplated the top OF
TIE stairs and remarked without surprise
"Ibe-e's another of 'em comingin
An old man was clam bering down the
stairs with much speed. He waved q
oaEo wildly. sect out Of nv house, vou
sh5syes! Get Quit won't have you
oroes my Threshold Get outi" lie mum.
oied and wsggsd mn head In an old mans