Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-09-16

"What did you do IL for?'s
The expectant silence thst followed
waa deathlike, but even then Joe's
voice was hardly audible as he an
swered with the same sickIy smile
lowering about his lips:
because / ulster court her myself
q nd you cut me out!'
Before the words were fairly out Of
his mouth Bill sprang at him with the
fury of wild beast. With all the
foi 90 of his mighty arm he struck and
the blow descended upon the arm
the crippled, knotted arm-which Joe
had interposed to ward it off. Some
say it fell upon the very knot itself.
He fell from his pony as if he had
been shot, and lay for several mo-
ments on the turf where he had fallen.
(Which way did you send her?"
asked Bill, in the same awful tones he
had used before.
II won't tell" gasped Joe.
'"Then get up off that ground"
Joe meekly obeyed.
sect on your pony-I see it's got
away from you. Then saddle up mine
yonder and go after May and bring
her back at once, sir! Do you hear?"
Joe meekly took the huge Texas
saddle in his left hand and carried it
to where the pony stood grazing, tied
by long rope to tree. His right
arm hung limp by his side. After
some Intellectual efforts to throw the
saddle on with his left arm, he gave
up the attempt.
81 can't get the thing on" he said.
''Use your right arm, STRIP called
his brother.
ST think you've broke his lame
arm, Bill" said Jim Smith.
''It's lie!'' shouted Joe, "that
arm IS as good as ever it was"
To prove the truth of this assertion,
he made mighty effort and managed
to lift his arm to his shoulder, though
the wrist still dangled loosely from his
elbow. Even then he could not re-
strain his face from wincing and his
teeth from clinching with the pain.
Dropping the saddle, he turned alb
ruptly and limped off into the woods
without word.
Jim Smith afterward said that only
his solemn promise to Joe kept him
from telling the whole truth at this
juncture just as he knew it to be, and
that he had to grit his teeth hard and
say cuss words under his breath to do
it then. AS to the rest of the crowd,
it must be remembered that they knew
nothing but Joe's own statement about
the matter, and that consequently they
all sympathized with Bill. After some
moments of coincidence and consulta-
ton with the crowd, Bill, with some
four or five others, started out to find
Joe.
sect that rope off your saddle there
and bring it along" said he to one Of
them.
"You amt goin' to string him up,
are you, Bill?" was the rather anxious
reply.
mo; just want to skeer him little.
Come on"
In very short time they found the
man they were looking for.
care you ready to tell where May
is or to go after her?" Bill demanded.
IdltcIco cOc, Will u olo-
trustful glance at the little group of
attendants.
Again his brother sprang at him.
This time he threw him to the ground
and held him there with his grasp
firm upon his throat.
Don't Bill, old fellow, for Gods
sake" gasped Joe, as his brother
somewhat relaxed the grip on his
throat, II didn't mean to harm by it
honest L didn't. 1 won't do it no
more. What are you going to do with
that rope, Bill? You're not going to
kill your poor, no-account brother,
are you, old boy?"
Without word Bill and his attend
ants continued wrapping the rope
around Joe. Then they stood him up
beside tree and tied him to it SO that
his club foot touched the ground,
while the other, the strong one, was
doubled back In the coil of rope.
"Now, you ungrateful whelp," said
Bill, as he started to leave, 'I'll be
back in thirty minutes to see if you're
ready to tell me-"
Didn't he kiss your hand while
you was tying him?" asked some one
as they walked away.
"Dogged if 1 know" said Bill.
"Did hep"
Hardly had they left when Jim
Smith came up and at once began to
unite the ropes.
"Don't!" said Joe. "Bill will be
back in few minutes. just unslip
this loop here. Thank you ! The
strain was on my right arm and it
hurt because it was sore. Jim, this is
hard-but guess 1 can stand it, for
Bills sake. amt hurtin' SO much
now, though, as l was. It's mostly
all a joke. Bill was alters powerful
fellow to joke. wisht you'd go tell
him when he comes back say please
not p bring anybody else with him.
Attic appointed time Bill saddled
his pony and rode off to where Joe
was.
''I'll take the boss, so that If Joe's
ready by now he can start out after
May and bring her back. rather
guess he's ready by now, too. Maybe
we'll get to eat wedding dinner to-
day yet--only little late, of course"
After some time had elapsed and
neither brother had "showed up" as
the phrase goes in Texas, Jim Smith
walked to the place where he had left
| Joe. There the poor fellow was. still