The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1900-11-15

was gong to do for some O the or
ficers, and ED do for you, too. I've got
to go for the adj'tant now."
Private Dawkins saiuted again. and
was gone. Even in that sweltering
heat cold sweat broke out on the
padre. He walked off very quickly
after Private Dawkins; then he
stopped, hesitated. turned and walked
back again very slowly to the spot he
started from; then he stopped again,
and thought.
To most men comes, some time, their
opportunity, and he recognized that
his had come. Somewhere in the belt of
jungle, which seemed so much nearer
now, man was waiting to go to per-
dition, body and soul; and not only
that, but he meant to hurry to judg-
ment other souls, no better prepared,
perhaps, than his own. The padre
pulled himself together with a little
shiver, and, throwing back his narrow
shoulders, stepped out for the jungle
as firmly as he could. He had always
been sensitive ugly duckling, and
that had been sufficient to make his
life miserable, without the girl at home
coming into it. He remembered, with
sense of shame, how she had only
laughed at him, and tried to hide her
laughter. That was why he was out
in Burma, and he wondered what she
would say when she heard he was dead
SO soon, and how he died. He wished,
with the first feeling of pride he had
H. %h1< L.,
now.
Then his thoughts stopped suddenly,
for he had pushed aside the first
branches of the jungle, and-the muz-
zle of Private LOTIONS rifle was point
ing at his chest! The PADRES very
breath stopped, and no stone figure
| could have been more motionless. Pri-
vate Loxton opened the proceedings
with a foul-mouthed oath. He had
been drinking to excess, and his blood
shot eyes had a wild-beast light in
them.
''Pray away, you beggar," he said.
'I've been covering your little body
for ten minutes, and I'm getting tired
of it."
II was afraid you'd have shot me be-
fore 1 got here" said the padre, sim
ply.
Private Loxton stared at him.
"What the deuce did you come for,
then?" he said.
The padre saw his opportunity, and
took it.
"Ill tell you why came" he said
"if you'll give me five minutes more.
I'll swear to you won't move hand or
you to shoot me how you like. Five
minutes isn't much for a man to ask
when he's got to die
'Done!" cried Private Loxton
grimly, bringing the rifle butt thud.
ding to the ground.
And the padre began to speak. Nc
one will ever know what he said in
those five minutes. or what Private
Loxton said; don't think they quite
knew themselves. But when, at the
end, the padre held out his hand, Pri
vate Loxton took it, and gripped j,
hard.
you're a first-rate little beggar
after ALL" he said, "and you're good
!. plucked 'un, too. Curse me if I'll hurt
you. Get off home"
He took up the rifle resting against
the tree, and, with the touch, the mao
light, which had partially died out
} from his eyes, came into them again.
And still the padre stood there. Hi!
ear had caught the far-of sound O.
wheels, and he knew that Private Lox
!. tons prey was drawing near. Private
. Loxton heard it, too.
"Will you go?" he cried, his whol'
body trembling with rage.
/ Not unless you come with me-" sais
the padre, quietly.
The muzzle of the rifle touched hi
, breast, and quivering finger was OF
the trigger. The sound of the wheel
was coming very near.
II don't want to hurt you," snarlet
, Private Loxton. evil you go?"
) "No." said the padre.
i Then he fell back at full length int
the underground, clutching at
singed hole in his coat, while the re
+, port still rang in the air, and thil
puff of smoke curled up among tn
bamboo branches.
The padre opened his eyes, an
vaguely and painfully wondered wher
) he was. Gradually, he began to heal
, and understand.
"We must get his deposition some
how, doctor. We've nothing like proc
enough against Private Loxton yet.
he swears it was an accident"
; Then another voice: when 1 go
' there, sir, Loxton was kneeling besid
e him, crying. He said he'd shot tn
, only man who cared straw for hin
e And since then he's been dumb"
b The padre lay still, and thought, i
a feeble sort of way, for what SCENE
s hours, while the hushed voices spok
!. | beside him. Then he said, family
: "Am going to die?"
q The doctors voice was very low an
kind. and strove to be very reassu1
e ing, but the padres brain was clea
enough now to understand that deaf