The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1902-06-20

WolSA' w Ouiu any WluOW nave SIuCh
to a pal like that? Fin Strait-the
best friend, the warmest hearted, clos
est comrade, a soldier ever had--he
had killed him. Homicide! 1t was
worse than that-fratricide. Had they
not always been nicknamed "the breth-
rem" What was the widow to a
brother?
When the attendant came in again,
old Healy was very silent. For many
days longer he lay, feverish, but still,
asking no questions. He knew that no
man could have seen the deed in that
whirl of snow and blackness and that
Fins death would be credited to the
Indians, but that thought gave him no
ease. With the honest simplicity of a
child he felt it would be some relief to
confess, to go to the major and be
court martialed, tried, hanged. Hour
after hour he spent in recalling every
incident of his twenty years friend
ship-the war, the fierce Indian fight
ing after the war, the comparative ease
that had come to them when they were
privileged characters with the officers
VI Tic ICSILllShL UCCd use vi IuClE
and faithful service. He felt scorn-
full horror of himself and terrible
loathing for the laughing woman who
would kiss two men on the same day
and send them out, frenzied, to kill
each other.
Yet he got well pretty quickly, for, as
the doctor said, he had the constitution
of horse. One warm day he was
peremptorily ordered out, much against
his will, to take the air on the broad
veranda which ran around the hos
pital. He got himself comfortable in a
low chair In a quiet corner and began
for the hundredth time to go over all
the murdered man had done for him in
those long, active years of fun and
fighting. His head dropped on his
breast, and he dumbly thought of sui
eide. Round the corner of the house
came the unmistakable thump, thump
Of man on crutches. Healy's eyes
sought the corner vacantly. In an in
slant they opened wide with fear, and
he rose to his feet, spreading out his
hands to fend off something horrible.
The man on clutches stopped. He was
pale with long sickness when he turned
the corner, but now his face colored
and his eyes lit up with sudden I'M
speakable relief and joy.
"Howly Mother, defind mev' cried
Healy. saw, fur me sins, it's thrue
killed him, but I'm near crazy fur the
sorro' av it! I'll confess it ALL Fin, an
be hanged like man. Yez can have
the wildly, hang her, If she's any good
to yez now! But go back to yer grave
an rave me be, fur the sake av ould
toimesw
"Healy, Healy!" gasped the man or
crutches, hopping toward him. "Pve
been feared to ask. thought killed
you. Healy, you old chumpl Healy
o Lord, I'm thankful for this"
''Fin," said Healy, slowly ceasing tt
tremble, sis it rale fish an blood yel
are? Me God, but 1 can't behave itv'
But touch of familiar hands reas
gured the veteran, and in another min
ute the two sat side by side, and
there were no recruits to see-theil
hands were clasped in each other
refer, save briefly, to their nearly fata
quarrel, understanding that each in {
moments madness had fred on thu
other, and each, when convalescent
had been afraid to ask for news of hi
friend. For long time they were 81
lent until old Fin looked slyly at thu
corporal.
"She's marriedw he said abruptly.
"Chuhr' said Healy.
''To the schoolmaster, Graves" sai(
Fin.
"The divilp' said Healy and suddenl!
laughed aloud.
"Healy," said the farrier solemnly
women are frauds"
"Ye're roight, so yez are, Finp' SAT-
the corporal and hitched up his chat
more closely to Straits, with sigh o
; content.