Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1896-03-18

States a polyglot mass OF oatns: AM
he roIlsd tli-n uE:'. they were almos
iDssnsibie and dropped their draw
tnives TheI Robertson ran In an'
took Baptiste by the arm.
| Jeans face was purple and the vein
IN his forehead distended. His teetl
were set in a kind Of trismus; he cOult
not speak But out of his mouth cam
foam and out Of his eyes fire. Ill
caught Robertson by the body and HIT
ed him up. The Englishman staret
him full In the face.
"You are hurting me. you damned
foolv' he said In a quick. sharp voice
And Jeans face cleared up. He pu
Jack down quite gravely and began t.
dust the alkali off him. Then he smiled
and looked foolish. Jack put his arm
In Jeans arm and marched him Off tc
| the guardroOm. The others came be
hind without n word. They locked the
two friends up together. but In half ar
hour Jack knocked at the heavy door oi
bis adobe prison.
| "He's all right now. and fast asleep.
said Jack as he went on.
L Tie JCdu RCAltCuS0 Whk
heartbreaking to see: a child could
have whipped him. He almost cried
when the young lieutenant bullied him.
and he swore to be a good boy for evel
after. This he kept for quite q long
time-almost a month.
JEAN" said Robertson one day. a.
they sat outside when the sun had Coue
l thnnAArfn0 think
headed, goodhearted idiot. and one ol
these days you will make me mad. and
l shall just talk to you as you deserve
YES" said Jean with q smile, 81
ought to be kicked"
But who's to kick you? We shall
have to hire Mexican Joe's mule. He's
kicker. and will knock the stuffing
out Of you too quick"
And the youngster laughed. 1t pleas.
ed him curiously to be the only one who
could speak 10 Baptiste. or handle the
man when he was drunk. For he had
good grit. md it gave him a certain re-
sponsibility and duty that helped II
steady him.
"How did you ever come to enlist in
this cursed army?" said Jack. You
are about as flt for u cavalryman as
am 10 be general"
Il came into Santa Fe dead broke.
said Jean, 'and they ASKED me. and
said Yes because it was so difficult to
get work, and 1 was hungry. And peo
pie down here are so hard
They are So" said Jack. II know
It."
And why Gid you JoinT" asked Bap.
tiste.
Because l was busted and a fool
end hungry and disheartened." said
Jack. angrily: and I've a good mind 10
get up and get right now"
No, no." said Jean. Il would be very
lonely here. You are my only friend"
And lie put his enormous list on
Jacks shoulder. The boy turned round
Oh him with a smile.
You're bully good chap, Baptiste,
and I'll stick it ont with you till our
times up. And then. Baptiste. will you
go homeT"
Jean got up and leant gainst the wall
Of the store. They We're sitting at the
back of the building on log. He turn
ed his face away.
No." he said, mot yet. l am afraid"
"A fraid?'
"Yes. should Kill them"
He meant the woman he had loved
md her lover. Long ago he had told
Jack the story, with the tears running
down his face. For this man had cheat
ed him out of his fathers Inheritance.
and thereby OF girl. too, who had
been bought. SO Jean said. with his OVID
'uouey.
Il should go back to do it," said Jack
For he had vindictive
'uind.
Il cannot" said Jean. for l love her
still"
Then would kill him." was Jacks
suggestion.
But she loves him."
Likely she has got over that by
now said the youthful cynic of %.
Anyhow. it would be a good thing to
do"
You don't understand" said Jean.
IF hurt anyone l loved l could not
live"
You're II bully good sort, JEAN" said
Jack. and they relapsed into silence.
For these two in that hideous, unnatur.
al hole really loved each other.
When that long, dry, somber month
of August was over. and the alkali dust
was thicker than ever, Baptiste started
in again at the drink. and Jack couldn't
keep him away from it. But he escort
ed him to the guardroom three times In
the month, and thereby saved some
lives, and then Bnptiste got a letter
from Montreal that drove him wild.
Jack found him out On the plain roll
ing in the dust and tearing up the sage
brush it'll his hands. The man looked
terrible and ludicrous, for he had been
crying bitterly, and the dust marked his
red face in patches till he looked like 4
circus clown who had not touched his
paint for n week. And when he saw
Jack ne shouted to him: Keep away,
Jack. l shall kill you, l shall kill yOu."
SO Robertson sat down thirty yards
off and watched him. Baptiste kept his
face turned away. and Jack heard him
groan. Presently he rose and began
hunting for little bits Of paper. He
called Jack to help him, and then, with
the tears running down his face, Bap-
tiste cleared sIa on the ground and
tried to piece them together. As he did
SO he swore in French, and then he
groaned. Presently he began to read
what he could.
s.NIv SiSter urota fo mo lack And
ehe says--yes, she writes that Made
line had a baby--oh. 1t kills me! And
then the beast was cruel to her-and
yes, 1t Is true, he struck her until she
cried out and the neighbors came in. And
she is miserable, and he makes her
miserable. And l would have given
her my soul, and let her beat me II she
wanted! And now l am going home
I will kill himI Tomorrow l must Co.