The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1899-11-30
YcoNrrxurp.J

..icer. Let the carrion rot \ fit
i,eal for the forest. Let w;lf cat wolf
.here'n be little left OF him = morn
ilg"
They flung the body bacl, among the
stones and continued down tie faint
Forest track. For some few r.,autcs
he crackle of their tread am1lg the
underwood was heard. ard the CLEAN
# the bayoncts showed through the
pine needles. Then quiet fell again
rpon the forest. Upon the powders
Desmond slept motionlcss
\ stealthy step among the scrub and
q white face looked out from behind a
rock and glanced anxiously round.
Then lightly girl ran across the glade
;,ld sank to her knees beside Des-
inond's body. The tears were stream
ing down her checks. Tie sobs chok-
II her as she bent over him and chafed
his listless hands From her pocket
she took a flask and poured drop OF
two between his clinched teeth. There
was cough, ana n faint color rose to
his face. His eyes opened and stared
ut her with wondering inquiry. Sud
denly he sat up and gazcd round him
alnazedly. Hilmar's surprise Mt this
resurrection of the seeming dead
matched his own at finding himself in
unexpected surroundings.
Don't move, don't novel" she i'm
plored. you'll bleed TO death Please.
pcase, lie still till can get help
Desmond winked and Linked at her
stupidity Then, with an effort, he
stood up. Hilmar gasped in her amaze
rent. He slapped himself about the
ribs with grimace. Then he stared
confusedly down at the blood smear
on his side. He thrust his hand be-
rsath his Jacket and tuggel at some
ti.ing. He produced a Jagged bit CT
silver that winkcd checrfully in the
sunlight. A honrse giggle broke from
Linn.
He's delirlousv sobbed uilmar In
despair. "\vhat shall dor
AT her voice Desmond's wits began
to grow to him again. He took the
siils hand and held it fast, The color
vas back again in his face finely now.
Dear Miss Preobeslas, assure You
I'm right as the mall The heggar hit
ny cigarette case edgeways and my
pocketbOok. The bullet never pene-
trated. Bar having every ves,lsc Of
breath knocked out Of me, I'm as tit 10
be da-as fiddle, mean
The girl eyed him doubtfully ''But
the bloodr' she gasped. you must lie
wounded"
Never Bit" he answered checrily.
"a Jag of my cigarette case has j.,st
scratched me; that's all. Any bit Of
sticking plaster will put that right
Rut how on earth did you get here?'
II followed you last night. saw
you find the treasure. l watched you
Al the time. After the first few MN
l'tes l was never 20 yards from you
walked behind you all the way back |
wanted to triumph over father and al
CT you and show that l was quite ca
pable of sharing your adventure.
was going to burst upon you and-and
laugh at you when l saw those hor-
lible men rise up and fell you. l just
l,1pt from screaming and ran back
into the shadow. Then | didn't know
what to do was so frightened, all
alone. AT last l thought Of our old
icger, Stefan. He lives in little cot
tage in the woods apart from the vii
l.ge. It's he who always sent father
the rents he managed to collect. 1t
took me two hours to get there, and it
YVES still dark when arrived. l didn't
dare knock, in case there should be
some one with him. So | sat about in
the bushes till morning. and then he
came out, and | knew him. When
ran down, he crossed himself AID tried
- exercise me- and vateiy smile
ccossed her face HE tioCght ] was a
::tost. He took me in and gave me
rood. Then lie went out to rcconnoiter
and told me that you We're all coming
along bound. Then / watched with
him and saw you killed, as | thought"
and the speakers lips trembled. 'Stef-
an has gone on to see what becomes OF
dear father and the rest. Now we
must go back to Stefan's cottage and
think what's to be done
whatever we find to do Miss Hill
riar," he said, with q look into her
eyes that made the long lashes droop,
"believe me that only with my l.fe win
| give up the attempt to free your IA
t,icr." Then the girl led the way 81
lsntly down the narrow forest.
They walked quickly through the
tanglc of the pine truni.s, the girl lead
ing. Half an hour saw them enter Il
little clearing Of the forest where a
t.cllised log hut centered.
An old man, bent with age and with
features furrowed by many winter
sale, welcomed Hilnar with eiacula-
lions of commiseration and anxiety
Sending her into the inner room, he in
sisted on Desmond removing his coat
and proceeding to dress the scared
side with decoction of lily leaves and
brandy. Then, with hospitable haste
he set bread and fish before them and
waited on them, stopping now and
again to pat his young mistress shout
der, muttering pious prayers to the
mother of God and all saints to pre-
serve his master, the colonel, and send
him release from the hands of his enc