Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1898-08-13

all over him, and when one OF the mea
who supported him said. This IL
tough" it sounded ike a sentence OF .
death.
Cant Won move il at allr" sked /
one of his comrades. his voice betrav- |
ing his desire to be once more on his 4
way toward the settlements. They
were still standing where they had
fallen in the moonlight, and one Of
them noticing IL, led the way back in-
TO the shadow.
"No. am afraid it Is broken" an
swered the disabled man His voice
sounded strange aud changed. He
could hardly recognize 1T. The dead
man whom they had left lying back
by the campfire seemed very near TO
him. and In his fear and pain he won
dered If the Indians had mUtilated
him much.
The two men laid him down. and
one. taking the disabled limb IN his
hand, moved it gently back and forth.
and in an instant moved his hand Gar
up on the thigh.
I Yes. it's broken there. You can
+ feel the ends OF the bones. As he
+ said II, he glanced from the face Of
the wounded man into tina. of his
/ other comrade Even IN the, shadow
/ the wounded man caught the express
sion on the faces of the two men. and
knew that they were thinking how
long Il would be before the Apaches
would ove-take them If they remained
there. Both had seated them selves
by his side in the shadow. SO that II
their pursue-s were near they would
oEer poorer target
Don't yon think you can limp
along with our helps" asked one
NO. it's no use. boys, | could never
get through the canon. You Will have
TO leave me. II tried, they would
attack Us before daybreak. A he
said this, he unbuckled the belt from
around his waist, with its cleaning
row Of cartridges. and handed it to
one OF the men. alter taking the re-
volver from its holster.
Well. we amt going 20 leave you.
said one Of his comrades.
Boys, that Is nonsense, said the
: disabled man. His voice was 50 calm
, aud c.ea- now that it surprised him.
: You cen do me no good by staying,
: and there viii be three instead of one
z TO die. BY tomorrow morning. you
81 can be within reach Of the settlements
: aud safe, but my time las come
The two men looked at each other
e IN silence After ali, II was but true
: that nothing would be gained by then
D staying. They had both risen 70 then
feet like men who had been given
I new hope.
4 l. -
a give her what have got in town" A
? the mention of the girls name, ther'
]. again came into the voice the unstead,
Y strangeness that was there when b.
4 first told them that he was hur,
i while. IN the moonlight. they coul
/. see there were tears IN his eyes. 70
e an instant the wounded man wa
" silent. and then he added. You Ia
.e better take my arms with you, 70
n may need them.
il As he finished speaking, he cooke
e the revolver and placed II 70 his head
but before he could press the trigger
,e one Of the men grAsped his hand AL
Is exclaimed:
lie Don't DO that
/. Yes, you are right The repoi
III would betray Us. said the wounde
Il man, Us he lowered the weapon. "Gi'
(, me that knife, instead.
OF II didn't mean II that way" sal
re the man who had made the remar
" ashamed that the true feelings whiC
rs prompted it had been perceived by Il
10 wounded man. Don't kill yoursel
he We Will stay with you, and We N.
n, vet pull through"
lie The wounded man shook his hes
s. quietly. The tone Of the speaker to
sy him, as plain as words could ha
1T done, that there was but one chan
a. OF escape for any OF them. He TO,
ey from the belt the man mechanical
al handed him. in compliance with
We request. his heavy hunting Enife, al
leaned back full length IN the shade
sr, Of the canon. The men who sto
st watching him saw his eyes close a
GA his lips moving In prayer. but only
k an instant. and then, without looki
- up, he said
cir "Good-by, boys; hope you "
Is. get through"
on There was not quaver in his voi'
nd AS he flushed the men turned away
cir a.s not TO see him. each saying soft
lrH - c.aaE1prr - him elf