The Delta independent., 1896-05-20
CHAPTER VII.

boys found Yates and three more tele-
grams in sections helped to carpet the
floor of the forest. The usually high
spirits of the newspaper man went
down and down under the repeated
visitations. At last he did not even
swear, which, in the ease of Yates, al
ways indicated extreme depression.
As night drew on, he feebly remarked
to the professor that he was more tired
than he had ever been in going through
ar election campaign. He went to his
tent-bunlS early, in n state of such ut
ter detection that Renmarl, felt sorry
for him and tried Intellectually to cheer
him up.
If they would all come togeth err"
said Yates, bitterly, $50 that enc com
Prehcnsive effort of malediction would
include the lot and have 1t OYER, it
wouldn't be so bad; but this constant
dribbling in of messengers would wear
out the patience OF saint"
AS he sat in his shirt sleeves on the
edge of his bunk, Renmnrk said that
things would look brighter in the morn
ing, which was q safe remark to make,
for the night was dark.
Yates sat silently with his head in
his hands for some moments. At last
he said, slowly: There is no one SO OBJ
tuse us the thoroughly good man. 1t is
not the messenger am afraid OF, after
oil. He is but the outward symptom
of the inward trouble. What you are
seeing is IN example of the workings
Of conscience, where you thought con-
science was absent. The trouble with
me is that know the newspaper de-
pends on me, and that it will be the
first time have failed. 1t is the news
paper mans instinct to be in the cen
ter of the fray. lie yearns to scoop
the opposition press. l will get
nights sleep if l can, and tomorrow /
know / shall capitulate. l will hunt
out Gen. ONeill and interview him on
the field of slaughter. l will telegraph
columns. will rcfurbish my military
vocabulary and speak of deploying and
massing and throwing out advance
guards and that sort of thing. will
move columns ind advance brigadcs
AID invent strategy. We will have
desperate fighting in the columns of
the Argus, whatever there is On the
fields Of Canada. But to man who
has seen real war this opera bouffe
masquerade u hShtiuS- uCh Wuht
to say anything harsh, but to me it is
offensive"
He looked up with a wan smile Mt his
partner sitting on the bottom of an up
turned pcil Us he said this. Then he
reached for his hip-pocket and drew
out revolver, which he handed butt
end forward to the professor, who, not
knowing his friend carried such an in
strument, instinctively shrank from it.
"Hcrc, Kenny. take this weapon Of
devastation and soak il with the pota-
toes. II another messenger comes in
on me tonight 1 know / shall riddle
him If ! have this handy. My better
Judgment tells me he is innocent, and
don't want to shed the only blood
that will be spilled during this awful
How long they had been asleep they
did not know, as the ghost stories have
It, but both were suddenly awakened
by a commotion outside. 1t was in
tensely dark inside the tent, but as the
two sat up they noticed faint moving
blur of light which made itself just
visible through the canvas.
Its another of those fleudish mes
scngers," whispered Yates ''Gimme
that revolver
''Iiush!' said the other below his
breath. There's about dozen men
out there, judging by the footballs. I
heard them coming"
Lets fire into the tent and be done
with it," said voice outside.
mo, no. cried another; mo man
shoot. 1t makes too much noise, and
there must be others about. Have ye
all got yer bayonets fxed?"
There was q murmur apparently in
the affirmative.
''vcry well, then. Murphy and
O'Rourick, come round to this side.
You three stay where you are. Tim.
you go to that end; and, Doolin, come
with me-"
The Fenian army, by all the gods.'
whispered Yates, CROPPING for his
clothes. "Renny. give me that revolv-
er, and I'll show you more fun than a
funeral"
mo. no. They're at least three to
our one. We're in . trap here, and
helpless"
''Oh, just let me jump out among 'em
and begin the fireworks Those I
didn't shoot would die of fright. I'm
aginc scouts securing the woods with a
lantern! = with a lantern, Kenny!
Think of that! Oh, this is pie! Let me
at EN-"
Hush! Keep quiet! They'll hear
you"
Tim, bring the lantern round to this
side" The blur of light moved along
the canvas. There's man with his
back against the wall of the tent. Just
touch him up with yer bayonet, MUIR
ply. and let him know we're here
There may be twenty in the tent"
aaid Murphy. cautiously.
DO what tell you,- answered the
man in command.
Murphy p-oggcd his bayonet through
the canvas. and sunk the deadly point
of the instrument into the bag Of pota-
toes.
Faith. he sleeps sound.- said Nur-
ply. with . tremor of fear In his voice.