, 1897-10-05

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the provisions. some quinine. a tent. ant
half a dozen of the latest steers. They
raised their hats. too. and gave Jee
ringing cheer. and Jee smiled. They
had never seen Jee smile before, and
his smile stayed with most Of them fol
the balance Of the day. Not one Of them
knew that Jake's bullet had passed in
to Jee's shoulder. The solemn-eyed dog
knew. though, for 1t had licked some
OF the blood that had trickled down
Joe's arm in his sleep. 1t stayed with
him now.
Sawney did all the talking for the TO-
lowing two days. but Jee listened now as
we'll as the dog. He would sit for hours
at night time, with his right hand press
ed this shoulder. doing nothing but lis
tening. Sawney became much more CON-
Portable now, for Jee carried him and
the tent and the provisions to a place
Ear away from the many cattle that had
burst themselves in shaking their thirst,
and rugged him up a hammock there Gu;
OF the canvas tent-flap. Sa&ney even
became luxurious now, for Jee removed
his wet clothing-somawhat defantly
and scowlingly still. it Is true. but gent
ly, too-and adorned him instead with
a scantly nightshirt Of extraordinary
pattern. the product 81 two flour sacks.
some packing string. a couple Of breech
buttons. and hours OF patent labor on
the part OF Jee's right hand and teeth.
He never used his left hand now.
For hours and hours at night time
ice would sit %brooding and listening 10
Sawney's fragmentary boyish chatter,
1t was all about nome; and there were
name+pet baby names-which came
over and over again, and at which Jee
tried to smiled s%corntully, but did not
succeed. Sometimes he held Sawney's
soft. hot hand for awhile: not from SEN
;imen;al motive-by G., no.; but to stop
that everlasting beating up and down;
and once he found himself patting the
solemn-eyed dog. a discovery which
caused him to jump up and shape a word
for the first time since his solitude be.
gan, and that word was an oath. Bun
it never sounded, nor did the dog feel
Inc weight Of his appraised foot. JeA
felt afraid after this. He was not him
self. and knew it. 1t was The boys chat.
ter. that Internal chatter OF broken child
ish memories, that was knocking him.
But he kept on listening TO it. He had
TO. A packet, wrapped in oilskin. had
dropped from Sawney's shirt when Jee
undressed him, and ice open it on the
second night by the light OF the stable
some letters. Jee opened the book. It
was A church service; and ice laughed.
or tried to, and threw it on the ground.
BY and by he picked it up again shame.
tacedly, like a child when compelled to
pick up a toy it has thrown down in a
passion. Turning to the hymns he
came across "Jesu Meek and Gentle"
The book stayed open on his knee at
this place for a long time: and then Jee
began to make a noise. 1t was not
singing or humming. but a sort OF jerky
1t came seemed to alarm Jee. and was
made with the greatest difldence. He
was having a hopeless shot at the mi
0. "Jesu Meek and Gentle" and went
IN patiently shooting for an hour or
more. But he never got anywhere neal
Il. T
He was clumsy in replacing the
church service in the pccket-book. ow-
ing to his crippled arm and some OF
the letters fell OUT. Hidden among them
was a photograph OF a middle-aged wo-
man. She was a pretty woman. and Jee
locked at her. He became much NOV
ed when he had done this. and his right
hand, after travelling stupidity to his fore
head, went to the breast Of his shirt and
pulled thence another photograph. 1t
was a pretty woman. also, prettier and
younger than Sawney's. but the same
women for all that. When Jee realized
this the mad beating Of his heart sur
prised him. He got up and went to
Sawney. 1t was done with the greatest
difficulty, and his hand travelled several
times to his forehead on the way. Saw
ney had ceased his babbling, and was
sleeping peacefully. Jee bent over him
and looked fixedly into his smooth, boy.
ish face. There was much feeling in
Jee's face as he did this; and when he
had done 1t, he looked again at the pho
tograph. The likeness was ~undeniable.
Jee did a curious thing now. for he bent
over the boy and kissed him just as a
father gisses his child goodnight, and
the tune OF "Jesu Meek and Gentle"
came into his head as he did it. Three
times Jee,s hand went wi and his mouth
framed words to wake the boy. but he
did lot wake him; and then, as he low
cred the lantern to the ground again,
he somehow sank down with 1t and la,
still for awhile. When he moved again
he, Jee had. This was absurd. and he
sat up and smiled and his hand went
to his left shoulder. Then he WINGED
he. Jee. did. It was an effort to free
the flannel shirt, which was caked hard
and adhered to his shoulder. that made
him do 20. He tried again. and then de-
sissed and lay down. A minute later
the shirt was wet where 1t had been
lckkAd.