Evening star., 1897-05-29

ClOtteu rag WA8 HUI u Cdps AAiu E1fc erect OH
his expression was. grotesque in the ex-
treme. You boys better get a move on
ye." he said. as he startedfor the road.
There was another rumble ofewheels and
tns on hs son ana OF the % me the
black figures were swallowed ub among the
trees on the ridge directly overhanging
Price and the deaf man. .Hicks1dropped the
and came back on his toeS, listening to tse
voices up above him and to. the trampling
In the timber. When he heard the gun
trails fall on the hollow ground with rat
OF teams and the bumpinE of wheels over
obstacles, he squatted dosn in his tracks
without speaking, and the deaf man, OBJ
serving his action, lay down by his side,
keeping hold on the bride reins.
The lid of timber chest creased ana fell
with a bang. Somebody in authority swore
frightfully. The twigs cracked under rum
ming feet and the rammer heads beat on
the shells like striking blows with wooden
One gunner cried, 'Ready-fire!' There
was a rushing overhead like the passing of
a giant rocket but this was nothing to the
strange vision that appeared to the eyes of
the three men by the brook.
A halo of light enveloped the gun and
showed the four numbers "broken back
outside the wheels. The arms of the gun
letter Y. Number 1 with the sponge-No. 2
over opposite, the man with the thumb,
stall and the man with the lanyard (which
was still writhing like a snake above his
head), flashed out for an instant revealing
distinctly their solemn faces, and as the
light faded they sprang on the wheels to
roll the gun up from its recol. Smith ut
tered low exclamation of surprise as the
struggling figures melted into the dark
ness, but Henry Price bounded from the
ground like a rubber ball and yelled at the
top of his voice, Jim! Jim Price!' Even
the deaf man heard him and understood.
Henry'S call answered DrOmnf1v nv a
voice from the hill.
rs that you, Hank? My G-o-o-.' and
with the last word there was the crash of
body through the bushes, which made 1t
plain that Jim was coming with leaps and
bounds for an interview.
Such amazing activity in a dying man,
coupled with the surprising events which
had preceded and were following it, struck
Smith and Spence dumb. They could only
stare open-mouthed at the dancing fig
ure before them, uttering inarticulate
through the brush to his brother.
The other gun was fired at the instant
Jim burst on the scene, SO that he seemed
to be swept out of the darkness by the
undercurrent Of the shell that rushed
through the night overhead.
"Dogon it," exclaimed Jim, shaking
Henry's hand Imply and experimentally,
as though he doubted if it was real flesh
and blood. Il thought l killed you when
you rolled down that bank"
Jim, said Henry, I've tried my best to
get killed for three days, because l thought
I'd murdered you, and here you turn up
fat and sassy, with not much as thank
you. -
You're another" cried jim Sound as
| nut and aggravatin' to the last
I'm shot through the lungs" said Henry
You are? You amt" cried Jim. Let
me feel of ye,' and he began fumbling
| about Henry's breast. You fool; there
amt scratch On you. You always had
too much imagination. Come, smarty. here's
the ball rollin' about in the slack of your
shirt, above your belt
The devil!' said Henry Il amt wound
ed?''
Strike me dead" cried Smith, project
ing himself into view with the CORY band
age cooked over his right eye, Ii
Jim had believed that her was alone with
his brother. and at the appearance of such
| menacing third party he. took precau-
| tionary step backward. &C il
How are they at home, sonny? How's
mothers rheumatics?" rs AZ
Come and see,' cried Henry, and with
| quick leap he fastened his grip on Jim's
| collar At the same moment the flying Sec
| tion which had passed SO recently opened
| fire from the opposite hill, .fh feply to the
confederate guns. For a spacefthe dark
ness overhead was streaked with burning
| fuses, and between the shriekipg of the
shells and the roar Of the guns Smith was
| unable to catch word OF the argument
that was passing between the brothers,
| who were Hopping about the Hround like
| two chickens with their heads chopped off.
AS nature became exhausted. the two COM
| batants rested in each others arms, max
| ing an occasional spasmodic flofs and then
| subsiding. r.. - . ~, f.s.rel -.-
| Il always was your match. Jim Price, y
gasped Henry, land now l amt wounded
like thought I was. III send you home to
| mother-if 1t takes" -
What the proviso was did not appear. for
| Henry's perky sentence was swallowed up
in the rush of two shells trailing fire over
head, and the whites Of Jim's eyes looked
1 Ion6 lob Hv,t t1<1 1tsrI1 |.
Henry never relaxed his grip on his
| brother until the firing ceased, and then
| he handed his prisoner over to Smith and
deaf Spence, who tossed him on the back
| of the horse. Jim was too exhausted to
talk at first, but before the party had pro-
ceeded far on the road he began to remon-
| strate against such unbrotherly treatment
Now. you shut up. Jim,' said Henry.
| "If you knew what I've been through in
| the last three days on account of you
you'd know I'm fond of you. I'm little
beat myself. but there are some things
want you to explain to my captain"