The Van Buren press., 1896-11-21


that is; q .sssi.r can't be worse. But
this boy was stupid all his life after;
not as quick-witted as the average,
which is not much TO say. And at
times. just at the time of year at which
bed been bitten, the ound got red
rgain and swelled, and he was stupider
than ever. Louie had on a sock; the
rattler'd have had 70 &c through that;
he might have spent bit of his poison
there; that gives Louie a sort of a
chance. Docs it hurt you now, Louie p
No, boss; no, not hurt"
The swelling was spreading; going
up the ankle and right up the leg, and
the man began to talk slowly and pain
fully.
Il remember" said Jock, "going
along a ridge OF terrace on a steep
river bank. The river was full of
sharks. and | met brown snake com
ing along the ridge toward me. There
wasn't room to turn, and couldn't take
to tho river for the sharks, and hadn't
a gun. Bnt my pal coming behind had
a gun, and he polSed the barrel in be-
tween my legs and blew the brute to
bits.
us that true, Jock ?" | asked.
"My heavens, dyou think I'd ever lie
at such time as this?" with q glance at
Louie's face.
Are You getting sleepy, man?' he
said; then, rs Louie did not answer, he
took him under the arm. Signaling me
TO do the same on the other side, we
kept him moving between us up and
down and round the tent. From time
10 time we made him drink more
brandy. He had taken half bottle,
but il seemed 10 have no effect on him.
1T stimulates the hearts action. you
know" Jock explained, "just as the
poison goes to stop it but stryehnine's
the best, acts as nerve tonic. It's deal
to do with the nerves, this snake-bite
business"
We heard the little ground-owls be-
gin whistling at each other from the
mouths of their squirrel holes away
down in the plain, and the bats and
moths began TO come cut as the sun
sank out of sight They brushed our
faces as we continued to march the
Mexican to and fro. Presently | left
the work to Jock, and rugged up pine
torch for signal light on the pole
which | had taken from the wagon.
The job took some while, but at length
I got the light fairly fiaring.
Look at his face" Jock whispered to
me. as ! came back to him.
1t was a shocking sight under the
Pickering rays, swollen, distorted, liyid.
The mans arm was swollen, too, as |
felt when I took my place to support
him. His movements were lethargie
and heavy. so that | wondered that
Jock, unaided, could have kept him
moving so long.
Give him more brandy Jock di-
rected. more; that's it-hes had near
" all the bottle. There's a chance
he went on presently; 81 really believe
there is. | thought he'd have been
dead before now. Maybe he dent mean
dying after all. A white man'd have
been dead half an hour ago"
81 wish the doctor'd come
mighty little good wishing"
The weary tramp went on. Twice |
had replenished the beaeon-torch and
once more we gave the Mexican a gnlp
of the brandy, which finished the bot
tie. As was fixing the torch for the
third time I heard a shout down the
canyon. answered with all my
might. and in n few minutes Jim Kelly
and The doctor rode into the circle of
the fiaring light.
"Alive?" the doctor asked.
"Alive, yes" said Jock; "aliye, and
that's about ALL He can't speak"
'NYhat have you given him-brandy?
That's right. How much?"
"A hottlcful."
fright, and you've kept him awake ?
That's it. He won't die now. Won
derful fellows. these greasers. He'd
have died before this if he meant dying.
Let's see the wound"
The candle burned as quietly in the
still air as in room. The Mexican's
looked like human member; but IN
the midst of the purple swelling was a
white circle with the little blue mark.
plainly evident, for its center. The
Mexican seemed to feel no pain, even
when the doctor handled the wound
and pressed it upward with his fingers.
Hold the candle close" he said. ITS
blamed strange" he added "bamed
strange" pecking at tine little blue
mark with his forcers; "the fang's in
the wound yet. | never heard of that
happening before Shake him a bit;
don't let him go drowsy."
His swollen limb wobblcd like jelly
under the treatment. 1t was horrid.
The doctor gave little dig, and then
a little tug with his forceps. Present
| Is he held up to the candle, in the clutch
of his forceps, long white spine, and
regarded it curiously.
Then he said in hollow voice; ''Do
YOU know what that is? 1t is not a
| fang at all. 1t is n cactus spike"
"What?"
A strangely perpleNed little group OF
men gazed into each others faces Will
| questioning eyes, under the stars that
twinkled out over the snow-toppeC
edges of the Sierras.
"Only thorn!"
Look at it," the doctor said "Yor
can see the thing for yourselves"
One after another we examined tn,
spine, feeling its point with a finger
that we certainly should not have vch,
tured near it had it been poison fang
And fhara'e ,ntlf,c alec l., u,