Rosebud County news. [volume] (Forsyth, Mont.) 1901-1906, 1902-01-23


we desisted, and saw that even North
mour was unusually pale. He looked
over his shoulder nervously, as though
he feared that some one had crept be-
tween him and the pavilion door.
by God" he said in whisper this
is too much for mel"
Ireplied in the same key: Suppose
there should be none, after ALI"
Look there" he returned, nodding
with his head, as though he had been
afraid to point.
/ glanced in the direction indicated
and there, from the northern corner of
the Sea-Wood beheld thin column of
smoke rising steadily against the now
cloudless sky.
"Northmour," said 1--WE still contin-
ued to talk in whispers), lit is not pos
sible to endure this suspense. prefer
death fifty times over. Stay you here
to watch the pavilion; I will go for
ward and make sure, if 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 l set out, walking rapidly in the di
rection of the smoke and though up
to that moment I had felt chill and
shivering, / was suddenly conscious of
a glow Of heat over all my body. The
ground in this direction was very I'M
even; hundred men might have lain
hidden in as many square yards about
my path. But 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 time.
1t 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, man bent al
most double and running as fast as
his attitude permitted along the bot
tom of gully. had dislodged one of
the spies from his ambush. AS soon as
l sighted 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 off as straight as an arrow
for the borders of the wood.
1t was none of my business to pursue;
l had learned what wanted--that we
were beleaguered and watched in the
pavilion, and I returned at once, and
walking as nearly as possible in my old
footsteps, to where Northmour await
ed me beside the dispatch-box. He
was even paler than when 1 had left
him and his voice shook little.
could you see what he was like?"
he asked.
He kept his back turned, I replied.
LET us go into the house, Frank. l
| don't think I'm coward, but ! can
| stand no more Of this" he whispered
All was still and sunshiny about the
| pavilion as we turned to re-enter it,
even the gulls had flown in wider
circuit, and were seen Pickering 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 could draw
a full inspiration and relieve the
weight that lay upon my bosom. North
mour and 1 exchanged steady glance,
and I suppose each made his own re-
Elections on the white and startled as
pect of the other.
"You were right" said "All is
over. Shake hands, old man, for the
last time
Eyes" replied he, II will shake hands
for as sure as I am here l 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 sus-
pense. l laid the table for dinner,
while Northmour and Clara prepared
the meal together in the kitchen.
could hear their talk as l went to and
fro, and was surprised to find it ran
all the time upon myself NOrthmour
y again bracketed us together. and raj.
lied Clara on choice of husbands, but
he continued to speak of me with some
- feeling. and uttered nothing to my
- prejudice unless he included himself
in the condemnation. This awakened
sense OF gratitude in my heart which
combined with the immediateness al
u our peril to fill my eyes with tears
: After all, thought-and perhaps the