The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-08-16


 making good progress. It was hardly midnight, and they must have left their camp at least dozen miles behind, They could not be over thirty or forty miles from the settlements, and, once out of the canyon, they would soon travel that distance. The moon would soor be high in the heavens, and that would help them, but it would also bring aid to the pursuers, raging at their escape. Its light was already be- ginning to fill the mountain sides and canyons with strange and uncouth shadows.
 The three men kept closely together, as if relying on one another for assis- tance As they climbed down through the canyon they remained on its dark est side, in order to avoid any possible discovery, although 1t made their nar- | row footway still more dangerous. Far behind them they could see on the mountain side blaze of light, and they knew that it was signal of their es- cape. It made them push forward with still greater exertion, for now they krew that the pursuit was close behind, and that 1t would be only with the greatest effort they could escape, as the Indians Lad probably discovered the di- rentton in which they were going and would endeavor to intercept them. As they pushed forward with renewed haste the man in the rear suddenly | slipped and fell carrying with him his | two comrades The fall was but a slight one. The little pebbles it had | started had hardly ceased rolling be- fore two of the men were again on their feet, picking up their arms. Har- ry tried to join them and rose to his | feet, but only to fall again. What's the matter?" asked one of | his comrades
 q think I have sprained my leg some way" he replied.
 l The two men assisted him to rise, but when he was on his feet his left leg seemed to be without life so far as any control of the muscles of it was con- cerned. He tried to step forward, but it dragged as if it were paralyzed. A cold sweat broke out all over him, and when one of the men who supported him said, This is hell'' it sounded like | a sentence of death.
 Cant you move it at tall?" asked o,le of his comrades, his voice betray- ing his desire to be once more on his l way toward the settlements. They were still standing where they had fall en in the moonlight, and one of them, noticing it, led the way back into the shadow.
 NO, I am afraid it is broken" an- | swered the disabled man. His voice sounded strange and changed. He could hardly recognize it. The dead man whom they had left lying back by the campfire seemed very near to him, and in his fear and pain he wondered 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 far up on the thigh
 Yes, it's broken there. You can feel l the ends of the bones." As he said it he glanced from the face of the wound ed man into that of his other comrade. Even in the shadow the wounded man caught the expression on the faces of the two men and knew that they were thinking how long it would be before the Apaches would overtake them if they remained there. Both had seated
  so that if their pursuers were near they would offer a poorer target. Don't you think you can limp along | with our help?" asked one. "No, it's no use, boys, I could never l get hthrough the canyon. You will 1 have to leave me. If I tried they | would attack us before daybreak." As he said this he unbuckled the belt from 1 around his waist, with it's gleaming row of cartridges and handed it to one of the men after taking the revolver from it's holster.
 'Well, we ain't going to leave you" said one of his comrades.
 "Boys, that is nonsense" said the disabled man. His voice was so calm and clear now that it surprised him. You can do me no good by staying, and there will be three instead of one to die By tomorrow morning you can be within reach of the settlements and safe, but my time has come" The two men looked at each other in silence After all, it was but true that nothing would be gained by their stay- ing They had both risen to their feet like men who had been given a new hope
 Boys, tell Hattie how it was and give her what I have got in town" At the mention of the girls name there again came into the voice the unsteady strangeness that was there when he first totld them that he was hurt, while in the moonlight they could see there were tears in his eyes. For an instant the wounded man was silent, and then he added "You had better take my arms with you. You may need them''
 As he finished speaking he cooked the revolver and placed 1t to his head, but before he could press the trigger one of the men grasped his hand and ex- iaimed:
 Don't do that!"
 "Yes, you are right. The report would betray us,' said the wounded man as he lowered the weapon. Give me that knife instead"
 q didn't mean it that way" said the man who had made the remark, ashamed that the true feelings which prompted it had been perceived by the wounded man. Don't kill yourself. We will stay with you, and we may yet pull through"
 The wounded man shook his head quietly. The tone of the speaker told him as plain as words could have done that there was but one chance of es-