The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1896-09-12


pistol and told her that it was the same one
came with u.s. The old man stood still
where he was. He was like stone.
looked at him for n moment and thought;
then turned around and went to the bar
room. The old man followed. Just as
got inside the door saw the girl start
back and her hand drop, for she saw that
il was Fingall He was looking at her
very strange. 1t was the rule TO empty
the gun into man who had been SEN
fenced, and already Fingall had heard his
God have mercy !
s'Fingall said to her in a muffled voice
q Fire Cynthie 7
Il guessed what she would do. In a
kind of dream she raised the pistol up
up-up till l could see it was out of range
of his head and she fired. One two
three foar4L6ye! fingall never moved
a muscle. But the bullets spotted the
wall at the side of his head. She paused
after the five, but the arm was still held
ont and her finger was on the trigger. She
seemed to be in dream There were
only six chambers in the gun and of course
one chamber was empty. Fem had its
bullet in his lungs, as we thought, Some
one beside Cynthie touched her arm, push
ing it down. But there was another shot
and this time, because of the push, the
bullet lodged in Fingall skull. -
Pierre paused now, but waved with his
hand toward the mist which now hung
high up like canopy between the hills
but. said Lawless, not needing the
scene, ''what about that sixth bullet p
''NIon Diem, it is plain Fingall did
not fire the shot His revolver was full
every chamber-when Cynthie first took
it. -
''Who killed the lad?'
Can you not guess? There had been
words between the father and the boy.
Both had fierce blood. The father, in a
mad minute, fred. The boy wanted re-
venge on Fingall, and to save his father
laid it on the other The old man
Well, l do not know whether he was a
coward or stupid or ashamed-he let Fin
gall take it.
"And Fingall took it to spare the girl,
eh?'
''For the girl He knew it WASH t
good for her to think that her father killed
his own son.
'And what came after?''
1.-THE worst That night the girl S
father killed himself, and the two were
buried in the same grave Cynthie' =
''Fingall Fingall Oh, Fingall p
'You hear? Yes, like that all the
time as she sat on the floor, her hair about
her like cloud, and the dead bodies in
the next room. She thought she had
killed Fingall, and she knew that he was
innocent. The two were buried Then
we told her that Fingall was not dead.
She used to come and sit outside the dooi
and listen to his breathing and ask if he
ever spoke Of her What was the good
of lying? If we said he did, she come
in to him, aud that would do no good, for
he WASH right in his mind. By and by
we told her he was getting well, and ther
she didn' come, but staid at home, just
saying his name over to herself. Alors,
things take hold of a woman-it is SC
strange When he was strong enough tC
90 out | went with him the first time.
He was all thin and handsome, as you car
think, but he had no memory and his eyes
were like child's. She saw him and
came out to meet him. What does a
woman care for the world when she loves
altogether? Well, he just looked at hel
as if he never seen her before and passed
without a sign, though afterward there
came trouble in his face. Three days
later he was gone, no one knew where.
That is two years ago. Ever since she
has been looking for him.
us she mad y
mad? Holy Mother, it is not good
to have one thing in the head all the time
What do you think So much all al
once ! And then =
''Hush, Pierre There she is, Law
less said, pointing to ledge of rock no
far away.
The girl stood looking out across the
valley, a weird, rapt look in her face, hel
hair falling loose, a staff like shepherd S
crook in her hand, the other over her eye
as she slowly looked from point to point Of
the horizon. The two watched her with
out speaking. Presently she saw them.
She gazed at them for minute, then de
scended to them. Lawless and Pierre
arose, dofing their hats She looked al
both moment, and her eyes settled, stead
lily glowing, on Pierre. Presently she
held ont her hand to him.
II knew you-yesterday, she said.
Pierre returned the intensity of her gas
with one as deep and strong,
so, so, Cynthie," he said, sit dow
and eat.
He dropped on knee and drew
stcone and some fishes from the ashes.
She sat facing them, and taking from I
bag at her side some wild fruit, ate slowly
saying nothing. Lawless noticed that he
hair had gone gray at her temples, though
she was but one and twenty years old
Her face, brown as it was, shone with a
white kind of light, which may or may
not have come from the crucible of he
eyes, where the tragedy of her life wat
fusing. Lawless could not bear to look
long, for the fire that consumes body
and sets free soul is not for the sight Of
the qlick At last she rose, her body
steady, but her hands having that tremul-
Gus activity Of her eyes
"Will you not stay, Cynthie?' asked
I.awless very kindly,
She came close to him, and after search
ing his eyes said with smile that almost
hurt him: 'When | have found him, ]
will bring him to your campfire. Last
night the voice said that he waits for me
where the mist rises from the river at day
break close to the home of the white
swan. Do you know where is the home
of the white swan? Before the frost
comes and the red wolf cries must find
him. Winter is the time of sleep. will
oiva him honey, md dried meat I know