The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1895-12-20

His hand clinched hard about his poor
aCedpOn
to say that his bullet was sent we'll
home. What if the dead man had not
quite despoiled his home? He deserved
death for the treacherous thought of it,
No-=he would escapei Jim would
keep him safe tonight. Tomorrow he
would-but why plan before the event?
They had been walking two hours now
as they came to little open glade he
stopped short, saying hushedly, though
none could possibly hear:
"Wait, Jim. l must talk to you lit
tle-as soon as can catch breath.
"No, no, Marse Carroll-we mustn't!
It's dangerousI'' jim painted over his
shoulder: "We can talk as we go-but,
oh. mel All / can say is-if-if this
had to be done, why not have let me do
it?"
"We will not speak of that, " Austin
said. ''What bothers me now is my
will. | made it the year after brought
my-brought Aisette home. If / die
childless, everything but my bank stock
goes to my fathers nephew, Austin
Reid Even you will belong to him. I
cannot bear to think of that
II like Marsa Anstin," Jim said
soothingly. "Don't' you worry about
that. He's as much Austin as w-you
are. Besides, you will get safe out OF
this. Once we are come to the creek I
,an block the trail so the sharpest nosed
hound in the county can't follow it.
"What! They would dare to set them
on my track r Carroll said hotlY. ~
Jim nodded, saying sorrowfu1ly, under
his breath:
81 know they will. That is why we
dare not stop"
Lead on, then ~ Carroll cried, max
ing great forward stride that landed
him knee deep in the morass. Jim
caught his arm and drew him to firmer
footing, then ran forward, staff in hand,
bending lower than before to scan and
search their pathway.
"Oh, if only you had let me do it |"
he murmured again, half under his
breath, prodding what seemed coiling
root i'll front of him. At the touch it
sprang to life-there was a swift lance
like spring, a deadly uncoiling, slip
ping into the murk of something as elu-
sive as the fiickering moonbeams. Jim
fell as though shot, moaning out:
1.-THE cotton mouth The cotton
mouth 1t struck me here-on the big
vein-in the neck. am as good as dead
now. o God up in heaven, let me live
long enough to save N.Y.
Jim! Jiml You cannot die! You
must not say you shall not !" Carroll
cried, dropping down on the earth be-
side him and raising his head. 81 say
you shall not!' he repeated. Here, let
me suck the wound, then 1 will run
back for help. Never mind what it
means to me. You shall not die in this
fearful place!'
"Don't, if you love me-don't" Jim
moaned, writhing where he lay. "You
cannot save me-nothing can. There is
fire in my head now. 1t will soon be in
my heart. Don't, don't leave-not till
the end 20
"Oh, Jim, my dear old Jim p Carroll
said, catching both his hands. my
Jim, l will not leave you, but how can
l let you go this way? There must be
some help. AT least let me try?"
There is none. You ought to know
that as well as L, Jim said, gripping
his masters hands hard between his
writings.
His speech began to come thick, his
teeth to- set. He half raised himself
upon his elbow and said in the others
ear:
Carroll, I'm dying fast. Call me-
brother once-just once-before the
end -
"Brother-my brother The best, the
most faithful in all the worldp' Carroll