Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1896-04-26

There was no opening in the rear OF
the cabin. the loGs wore thick and the
chinks well stopped with clay. so that
Dave could not return ienden answer
TO this brutal challenge. He fingered
the rife neryoualy and looked at Sue.
''Oh. Dave don't open the door" abe
pleaded. meeting tho earnest eyes bent
on her faro from beneath the brlm OF
Dawes frnuxy slouch hat y amt
afeered toe burn.
were wobbly with fear. hut he had not
forgotten the one boast OF his poor.
pinched life, uttered 30 long ago. ITO
pcrtec' yo' honah an happiness 'ud
th'ow away my wuthless iife." Ho
uttered the words again monotonously,
lingering the rife that was held Imply
in his shaking hands.
Poor Sue: there was no answering
laughter III her soul now for those
grotesquely contentious words which
broke In husky monotone On her hear
Ing like a last prayer.
In that moment Dave who had al
ways been a cownrd. who had NIL his
life long borne meekiy the scorn and
cpprobrium attached TO the character,
he whom heretofore nothing could
fvsuae to sense OF his degradation.
calmly arose to the very pinnacle OF
heroism.
I'm coming out" he called. and
tIQDIinE. DUCK lUt DOL lie atOnu On Tue
cabin step before them.
"Fail back and give him show: he's
coming out, boysi" Sue had chung to
him, pleading Dave, don't: there's
four to one. Don't 60" but he pushed
her gently backward into tho room.
Bolt the door behind me-" he said.
and passed. out.
Sue stood motionicss In the corner OF
the room waiting for It TO begin
Dave pulled the trigger OF his gun
and turned the corner and instantly
fonr wenpons bnrkcd with one voice
Sue heard something heavy fall
against the side OF the cabin. then In
stantly the sharp. clcar utterance OF n
\ Winchester answered the cnrblnes
again and etill again. One carbine only
answered. then all waa SIM; only the
frctful warbling OF a wren In the near
by Cherokee rose hedge breaking tho
tense silence OF the drowsy afternoon
hush.
Anxiety conduerins terror Sue drew
back tho bolt, throwing the door wide.
a broad stream OF yellow light and q
rush OF heat met hcr, passing over a
figure on its knees that always trem-
blcd at sight OF deep water, Dave was
Ensping his last breath. Bleeding and
shattered. he crept to her feet, after
thu manner OF a faithful dog, to die.
In Che grave gray eyes that were
raised TO hers there was the light oi
the exaltation OF passing spirit tri,
unpbant over the shadow Of death
which already darkened thom. His
lips moved In the contortlon Of "A smile
that broke into an nrticulate murmur;
II done said that toe purtec' yo'
honnh an happiness would th'ow
away my wuthless life-an' done hit"
And Dave, with tho crimson glory OF
his 'wuthless life's' blood streaming
from many wounds. passed TO the judy
ment reserved for him from the begin
ming OF all things.
The wren shivered out her fragmen-
tary song to heaven. the perfume OF
the Cherokee rose filled the air OF tho
fading day, and the setting gun
streaming through tho cabin door
touched the still figure OF Dave, wrap
plas him in molten splendors as
though with the face OF a dying god.
Poor Dave. though a coward all his
life long. he had earned the reward OF
heroism at the very end. Greater
love hath no man than this, that he
lay down his life for friend"