The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1902-01-24
A Brave Coward.
Ely Robert Louis Stevenson.


and there, from the northern corner OF
the Sea-Wood, beheld a thin column Of
smoke rising steadily against the now
cloudless sky.
"Northmour," I said 1--WE still contin-
ued to talk in whispers), ut is not pos
sible to. endure this suspense. 1 prefer
death fifty times ver Stay you here
to watch the pavilion: l will go for
ward and make sure. If I have to walk
right into their camp"
He looked once again all around him
with puckered eyes and then nodded
assentingly to my proposal.
My heart beat like a sledge-hammer
as ] set out, walking rapidly in the di-
rection Of the smoke; and though up
to that moment / had felt chill and
shivering, / was suddenly conscious of
a glow OF heat over all my body. The
ground in this direction was very un-
even; a hundred men might have lain
hidden in as many square yards about
my path. But l had not practiced the
business In vain; chose such routes as
cut at the very root OF concealment,
and. by keeping along the most con-
venient ridges, commanded several
hollows at a time.
It was not long before I was reward
ed for my caution. Coming suddenly
ON to a mount somewhat more elevated
than the surrounding hummocks I saw,
not thirty yards away, a man bent al
most double and running as fast as
his attitude permitted along the bot
tom OF a gully. had dislodged one Of
the spies from his ambush. AS soon as
| bighted him I called loudly in Eng
lish and Italian. and he. seeing CONCEAL
ment was no longer possible, straight
ened himself out, leaped from the gully
and made OF as straight as an arrow
for the borders Of the wood.
It was.none of my business to pursue;
I had learned what / wanted-that we
were beleaguered and watched in the
pavilion. and / returned at once, and
walking az nearly as possible in my old
footsteps, to where Northmour await
ed me beside the dispatch-box. He
was even paler than when I had left
him and his voice shook q little.
Gould you see what he was like?''
he asked.
He kept his back turned" / replied.
Let US &C into the house, Frank. I
don't think I'm q coward, but I can
stand no more Of this" he whispered.
All was still and sunshiny about the
pavilion as we turned to re-enter 1t,
even the gulls had flown in a wider
circuit, and were seen fickering along
the beach and sandhills, and this lone
illness terrified me more than a regi-
ment under arms. It was not until the
door was barricaded that I could draw
full inspiration and relieve the
weight that lay upon my bosom. North
o and I exchanged a steady glance,
and ! suppose each made his W re-
Elections on the white and startled as
pect Of the other.
"You were right" I said. "All is
over. Shake hands, old man, for the
last time"
Yes, replied he, Il will shake hands
for as sure ~ / am here I bear no
malice. But, remember, If by some
impossible accident we should give the
slip to these blackguards, I'll take the
upper hand OF you by fair or foul"
"O!" said I. you weary me-"
He seemed hurt, and walked away In
silence to the foot OF the stairs.
The remainder OF the day was passed
in the same dreadful tedium and aus
pense. / laid the table for dinner,
while Northmour and Clara prepared
the meal together in the kitchen. I
could hear their talk as l went to and
fro, and was surprised to And It ran
all the time upon myself, Northmoun
again bracketed us together, and rail-
lied Clara OF . choice Of husbands, but
he continued to speak OF me with some
feeling, and uttered nothing to NV
prejudice unless he included himself
In the condemnation. This awakened
q sense Of gratitude in my heart which
combined with the immediateness of
our peril to All my eyes with tears.
After all, / thought-and perhaps the
thought was laughably vain-we were
here three very noble human beings to
perish In defense Of a thieving banker.
Before we sat down to table, I looked
forth from an upstairs window. The
day was beginning to decline: the links
were utterly deserted; the dispatch-box
still lay untouched where we had left
It hours before.
Mr.. Huddlestone, in q long yellow
dressing-gown. took the end Of the
table, Clara the other, while North
mour and / faced each other from the
sides. The lamp was brightly trim
med; the wine was good; the viands,
although mostly cold, excellent OF their
sort.
Mr.. Huddlestone was certainly no or
binary character; he had read and OBJ
served for himself; his gifts were
sound, and, though I could never have
learned to love the man. I began to
understand his success in business, and
the great respect in which he had been
held before his failure. He had, above
all. the talent Of society; and though l
never heard him speak but on this one
and most unfavorable occasion, I set