The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-06-10


zsonty took in the situation ana came to a
tainty with which he pulled the trigger.
You'll have to excuse me, boys for a few
minutes" he said, rising from his crouchcd
attitude and throwing his rife into the hol-
low OF his arm.
Whats the matter with your" growlei
Simpson. Have you turned coward all Of.
a sudden, or are you thinking of soaring.
the injuns by giving them a sight of your
countenahce?'
THAT there cabin of mine will be a-olaz-
ing inside of five minutes, and I've lefr Tom
in II with the door fastened" replied Mon
~, ignoring the insulting suggestion, of
Simpson and beginning to unbar the deer.
Here, Come back. you blamed lunatic!'
roared Simpson. do you call yourself a
white man. and then throw your life away
for a measly, rascally cat?''
Pm going to help my friend II 1 kin"
said Monty. He stood by me when
thishyer camp throwed me over, and I'll
stand by him now he's in trouble
So saying. he quietly passed out and van
ished from the sight of the astonished
miners.
Il told YOU" said Slippery Jim, that
Monty was bewitched by that there cat
Who ever heard Of a man that was a man
who cared whether a cat got burnt to death
or not?"
"You shut upr exclaimed Simpson. ''You
haven't got sand enough to stand by your
own brsther-let alone standing by a cat"
What's the matter with your reterted
Jim. "Yeu was the one who proposed boy
cotting Monty. and now you're talking as
If he was tin saint on wheels"
'.Monty's acted like a man in this bust
ness" replied Simpson. "and it's my opin-
ion that we've all treated him pretty par
ticular mean. If we pull through this
scrimmage Mcnty's my friend. and don't
you forget it,"
Monte Carlo lost none Of his habitual
caution, although he was engaged in what
he knew to be desperate and nearly hope
less enterprise. On leaving the saloon he
threw himself fiat on the ground, and slow
ly drew along until he reached the shelter
of the high grass. Then. rising to his hands
and knees, he crept rapidly and stealthily
in the direction of his cabin.
His course soon brought him between the
fire of the miners and that of the Indians.
but as neither could see him he fancied
that he was safe for the moment. He was
drawing steadily closer to his goal, and
was already beginning to feel the thrill of
success, when sharp blow on the right
knee brought him headlong to the ground.
A stray shot, fired possibly by some nerv-
Gus miner who had taken his place at the
saloon window, had struck him and
smashed his leg.
He could no longer creep on his hands
and knees, but with indomitable resolution
he dragged himself onward by clutching at
the strong roots of the grass. His disabled
leg gave him exquisite pain as it trailed
behind him, and he knew that the wound
was bleeding freely: but he still hoped to
reach his cabin before faintness or death
should put a stop to his progress. He felt
sure that the shot which had struck him
had not been aimed at him by an Indian,
for If it had been he would already have
felt the scalping knife. The nearer he
drew TO his cabin the less danger there was
that the Indians would perceive him. If
he could only endure the pain and the
hemorrhage for few minutes longer he
could reach and push open the door Of his
cabin, and give his imprisoned friend
chance for life. He dragged himself on
with unfaltering resolution, and with his
silent lips closed tightly. He stuck to his
task with the grim fortitude of the wolf
who gnaws his leg free from the trap. All
his thoughts and all his fast-vanishing
strength we're concentrated on the effort to
save the creature that had loved him.
All Of ha oha
the open space in front of the cabin. where
the thick smoke held him completely from
the sight of both friends and foes. The
flames had just caught the roof, and the
heat was so intense that for an instant it
made him forget the pain of his wound as
his choked lungs gasped for air. The wall
of the frightened animal within the cabin
gave him new energy. Digging his fingers
into the ground he dragged himself across
the few yards that separated him from the
door. He reached ii at last, pushed it
open, and, with smile on his face, lost
consciousness as the cat bounded out and
fled like mad creature into the grass.
Two hours later a troop of mounted po-
lice. who had illegally and generously
crossed the border in time TO drive off the
members of the camp, found, close to the
smoldering embers of Montys cabin,
scorched and blackened corpse, by the side
of which sat a bristling black cat The
animal ceased to lick the MANNED features
of the dead man, and turned fiercely on
the approaching troopers. When one of
them dismounted and attempted to touch
the corpse the cat few at him with such
fury that he hurriedly remounted his horse,
amid the jeers of his comrades. The cat
resumed the effort to recall the dead man
to life with its rough caresses. and the men
sat silently in their saddles watching the
strange sight.
I'VE can't bury the man without first
shooting the cat" said one of the troopers
Then Wen let him lie,' said the SER
geant in command 1--WE can stop here on
our way back from the fort, and maybe by
that time the catll listen to reason. I'd
as soon shoot my best friend as shoot the
poor beast now"
And the troop passed on, leaving Tom
alone in the wilderness with his silent
friend.
OUT OF THE ORDINARY.
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