The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1898-10-21


cried out:
"Yonder they come now-all five
| Dawes face blanched to sallow
whiteness, but he pulled her quickly IN
side the door.
"What you gwine to do?" Sue asked
nervously, Keeping near her cousin,
but he apparently did not hear. He had
l-taken down rifle that had belonged
to Sues brother, who had also offered
up his life on the altar of the cause,
leaving his weapon to his sister as d
means of defense in just such emer-
gencies as this
"What you gwine to do Davo ~ the
girl persisted, coming closer and lay
ing her hand on his arm. Darn rut g
cartridge into the barrel of the rifle,
and, waiting in silence, apparently not
aware that Sue had touched him. Only
few more moments to wait, and then
the last act in the commonplace little
tragedy. A loud pounding at the
rickety cabin door, and derisive i'm
perative voice, demanded:
"Hi, in there, open up, or we'll make
splinters of yer OF door," The threat
was garnished by several strong eXple-
tives, and accompanied with more
vicious pounding.
Then for answer went the spiteful
snap of the rife, followed by surprised
howl of pain, more voluble profanity
and footsteps in rapid retreat.
Dave went to the window and through
n knothole in the shutter reviewed the
situation of the enemy. Then through
| the aperture the rifle again spoke with
decisive, leaden emphasis, and when the
| smoke cleared away the man inside be-
hind one of the besiegers lying prone
across the freshly-hoed potato rows,
while another limped painfully in the
rear of the rctreating trio.
They had disappeared into the swamp,
and Dave calmly refilled his rifle, wait
ing as though lost in.thought. Present
| ly from the rear of the cabin came the
| harsh commands:
"You cowardly bushwhacker in there,
come out an fight like man! If We
don't, we'll burn We an yer shanty an
the gal with ye.''
There was no opening in the rear of
the cabin; the logs were thick and the
chinlss were we'll stopped with clay, so
that Dave could not return leaden an
swer to this brutal challenge. He fin
gered the rifle nervously and looked at
Sue.
ooh, Dave, don't open the door," she
pleaded, meeting the earnest look bent
on her face from beneath the brim of
Dawes frowzy SLOUGH hat. "I amt
| Altered toe burn
His lips blanched, his knees were
wcbbly with fear, but he had not for
gotten the one boast Of his poor,
pinched life, uttered so long ago. 'Toe
purtec' yo' honoh an happiness I 'ud
throw away my wu'thless life" He ut
tered the words again .monotonously,
| lingering the rife that was held Imply
in his shaking hands
Poor Sue! There was no answering
laughter in her soul now for those gro
| tesquely sententious words, which broke
in husky monotone on her hearing like
last prayer.
In that moment Dave, who had al
ways been a coward, who had all his
life long borne meel1ly the scorn and
opprobrium attached to the character,
to whom heretofore nothing could
arouse to sense of his degradation,
calmly arose to the very pinnacle of
| heroism.
I'm comm out" he called, and
shooting back the bolt, he stood on the
cabin step before them.
Fall back aud give him show; he's
coming out boys!" Sue chung to him.
pleading. "Dave, don't; there's four to
one. Don't go!" but he pushed her
gently backward into the room.
bolt the door behind me-" he said.
and passed out.
Sue stood motionless in the center OF
the room waiting for Il to begin. Dave
pulled the trigger of his gun and
turned the corner, and instantly four
weapons barked with one voice.
Sue heard something heavy fall
against the side of the cabin; then in
stantly the sharp, clear utterance of
a rifle answered the carbines again and
still again. One carbine only answered:
then all was still; only the fretful
warbling of wren in the nearby Cher
okee rose hedge breaking the intense
silence of the drowsy afternoon hush.
Anxiety conque.ing terror, Sue drew
back the bolt, throwing the door wide
open. A broad stream of yellow light
and rush Of heat met her. Dave was
gasping his last breath; bleeding and
shattered, he crept to her feete, after
the manner of a faithful dog, to die.
In the grave gray eyes that were raised
to hers there was the light of passing
spirit, triumphant over the shadow of
death, which already darkened them.
His lips moved in the contortion of a
smile, that broke into an articulate
murmur.
Il dun said that toe purtec' yo honah
and happiness I would th'ow away my
wurthless life-an' L done hit
/ And Dave, with the crimson glory of
his "wurthless life's" blood streaming
from many wounds, passed to the iudg-
ment reserved for him from the begin
ming of all things.
The wren shivered out her fragment
airy song to heaven, the perfume of the
Cherokee rose filed the air of the fad
ing day, and the setting sun, stream
ing through the cabin door, touched
the still figure of Dave, wrapping him in
molten splendor as though with the face
of dying god.
DOW