The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-01-06

whatl jos m Fire Headed Dick an
French Bill. al zone underf'' He
clutrbed bis thin hair a. Il In mortal
agony, and ha bosom bsavsd q, With
lips .parbsd b awaitsd the answer
"AA se.s undss."
"Allf''
"Yes, all They're lyin in the snow
on the Wsmbdazona, frus to death"
"Alli Ny poor boy with EN-" walled
the old mar. IAN yew." he asked
"Havo yew brought anything to eat9''
"Thsr's nuthin that flies or walks
alive on the mount'in. I've brought
nuthin but this"
With that he painfully removed the
leather satehsl which hung from its
strap across his shoulder. TWAS heavy,
and it fell on the deal table with dull
thud. The old man leaped toward it
and tore 1t open greedily. A number Of
uneven glittering yellow Jumps rolled
on tho board.
whats thisl" yelled the old man.
"What, in the name Of God, is this?"
"It's gold, Daddy Hays, gold!" was
the even toned reply.
The old frontiersman raised his bony
arms heavenward.
II sent yew an the others to fetch
food, an yew bring me stones. My poor
gcll is dyin in thar. Thar's bin no food
In this house nigh on week now. I've
billed the bark Of the cotton woods an
eaten it, as if / wos boss. Day an day
an night an night I've waited an said
to myself: Panther Harry will live
through it all. Panther Harry will
bring me meat for my gell, acos he
loves her. Panther Harry will save my
Nellie, if he'll reach my doorstep to die
on it. An yew've como back alone, an
yew' We left even yewr rifle on the road,
an yew bring me this filthy gold. Can
yew eat gold? Can yew eat it2 Speak,
If yew're not dumb. Take it out Of my
sight. Away with itl''
He grssped feeble handful Of the
shining fragments and flung them into
the fire, where they rang against the
hard baked clay Of the chimney. Then
be sat down and buried his faoe in his
hands, and his low means filled the
room as with calls Of gaunt death.
The young man stood there, with his
dark, pain stretched face clouded by
tho old mans accusation. With slow
and difIidsnt step he stole toward him
and laid one Of his blood stained hands
gently ON his shoulder.
Don't speak 10 hard, Daddy Hays"
be said, with heartbreaking quiet.
"We found nuthin that we could bring
ON ourselves, but we found this. There's
bushels whar this comes from, an
when the wind slows down it'll pay
fetchin. I didn't think I'd live through
it, an I'm nigh dead myself, but the
instant minnit I can use my limbs I'll
take that rife an start out ag'in. I
cayn't 90 ont with these things on. I'd
die on the road, an thar'll be pieces Of
my skin ootnin away with 'em as it is
But cheer up. Daddy. Nellie won't die,
if Panther Harry kin save her, an I
will save her still"
The old man remained dumb in his
grief and doubt, while Harry. with
agonized efforts, stripped off his ice
covered clothing. In tho corner by the
Preside hung u striped Navajo blanket
and couple Of mountaineer's buckskin
shirts and trousers Harry strapped the
blanket around his waist and tied strips
Of fresh rag around his wounded aud
bleeding limbs. Then he sat down by
the fire, facing Hays.
"An Nellie?" he asked .at last.
"Whar is shei''
Daddy Hays looked up.
Elm thar" he replied-"dead, may
be. I amt had the courage to look this
hour past. ("
"She amt had nuthin to eat-for
how long now" inquired the young
man, a feverish determination gleam-
ing in his eye.
"She amt touched food for more
than eight an forty hours now"
MAY 60 an look at herr"
COOP
The young man strapped the blanket
little more tightly and wiped the
6rinnjnp nojstura from his dark hair