The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-06-01
THE WATCHMAN AND soUrHRON. JUNE l, 1898

bride and, grasping her cold and humid
hand, covered it with his kisses.
"Oh, my God," he cried il the ter
ror Of his heart, 'sgrant that it nay not
be too late-grant that it may not be
too laten'
He took the knife he had brought,
and with one swift and desperate move
z:.s cu5 great gasn III his LETT aria.
The steaming blood spurted ever mis-
face and chest, but be dashed the horI
cup to the wound with lightninglike
swing, and the hot fluid gushed into it.
He felt his facesgrow red and white by
turns, and a strong tremor filled his
frame, but he kept tight hold of the
horn until he knew that his blood was
trickling into it more and more slowly.
Then he satisfied himself that the cup
was nearly full to the brim, though his
head swan and the walls and the
couch and the girl upon it appeared to
him to turn round in hazy whirl. He
crept to the couch side with the love OF
life beaming in his dark eyes. Gen
tly, tenderly, as woman might have
done, he inserted his right arm beneath
the girls shoulders, and, raising her
dropping head with solicitous care, ne
held with his left the cup to her lips,
though he felt the blood still flowing
from his arm in a warm stream. The
half open lips admitted a few drops; then
the head sank back as gaspsng thrill
pervaded the slender frame. Harry soft
ly pressed the cup again to his loves
lips. and few more drops passed.
Then he waited a dozen seconds,
while his sight grew DINNER and his
temples throbbed as in fever. Again he
placed the cup to the white lips, and he
was happy to see few more drops OF
his. life's blood rushing to save her
whom he loved so we'll.
Time after time during the next hour
he repeated his work of mercy until at
last the CLASSY eyes frightened with the
signs Of reyiving life and dim smile
beamed there. The cold figure seemed
to warm into pulsating yigor. che bosom
heayed in more visible evenness, and at
last sigh, long drawn, escaped from it.
Then Harry on a sudden felt all
around him grow dark. His wounded
arm burned as in raging fever. and be
swayed as he knelt by his Nellie's
couch.
GIVE done what I could, /" he NUT
tered. "Goodby, Nellie. Goodby, .dar-
lin. Goodby, goodbyi"
He stretched out wildly fumbling
hand and fell face foremost ors the floor.
=
The sun of bright winter morning
glowed, an orb Of red fire, on a horizon
of silver, which graduated westward
into pale, steely blue.
Around the hut where Panther Harry
lay horses neighed and paved the snowy
ground, while the air was astir with
CHEEKY human voices.
A score of Oncle Sans dragons, un-
recognizable as soldiers unde2 the odd
est and most varied assortment Of fur
clothing, rampedfup and down by the
tethered horses, swinging fheir arms
and stamping their fees to Keep their
limbs warm in the keen and bitingly
brisk atmosphere.
Within three or four men, two Of
them in the uniform Of officers of the
United States cavalry. were busy at
tending to the needs Of roor Nellie,
who sat, pale and shamefaced, on her
couch, looking with frightened gazelle
eyes at her lover, whose wounds one OF
the men was dressing.
GA fine fellow that, doctor"' ez-
claimed boisterous lieuterant Of dra-
goons. 81 wonder how he came by that
cash in the arm. The place is swim
ming in blood. Is he all rigat:'
"Right as rain, - the surgeon replied.
sHe hasn't poisoned his constitution
with whisky Of late. He'll be up and
doing in day or two" Z"
"And the old man?" asked the officer.
.There's life in the old dog for many
a day to come yet. But Cont you go