The Savannah morning news., 1903-03-08

a narrow corridor, then stopped softly
into small, quiet ward.
There was a pungent smell of chem
icals in the room; the light was low,
and the dimness was imbued with
| thick, confused murmur, incoherent
whisperings that came from a cot in
| the corner. 1t was the only cot in
use in the ward, and Meredith was
| conscious of a terror that made him
| dread to look at it, to go near it Be
| side it a nurse sat silent. and upon it
! feebly tossed the racked body of him
whom Barrett had called Jerry the
| Teller.
The head was a shapeless bundle, so
| swathed it was with bandages and
cloths, and what part of the face was
visible was discolored and pigmented
| with drugs. Stretched under the white
sheet the man looked immensely tall
| as Horner saw the vague misgiYing-
! and he lay in an odd, inhuman fashion,
| as though he had been all broken to
| pieces. His attempts to move were
| constantly soothed by the nurse; and
he as constantly renewed such at
| tempts;; and one hand, though torn
| and bandaged, was not to be restrain
| ed from al wandering, restless move
| ment which Meredith felt to be pa
| thetic. He had entered the room with
| a flare of hate for the thug whom he
| had come to see die, and had had
! STRUCK down the ola 1r1end whose
| nearness he had never known until
it was too late. But at first sight of
| the broken figure he felt all animosty
| fall away from him; only awe remain
| ed, and a growing, traitorous pity as
he watched the long. white fingers of
the Teller pick at the coverlet." The
man was muttering rapid fragments of
words and syllables.
| Somehow l feel a sense of wrong"
| ATnra1ffh xrgl1f rv 20 :
| if l had done the fellow to death my
| self, as If it were all out of gear.
| know, now, how Henry felt over the
great Guisard. My God, how tall he
! looks! That doesn't seem to me like
a thugs hand"
The surgeon nodded. "Of course, if
| there's a mistake to be made, you can
count on Barrett and his sergeants to
make it. l doubt if this is their man.
| When they found him what clothes he
| wore were torn and stained; but they
had been good once, especially the
| linen"
Barrett bent over the recumbent
figure. See here, Jerry" he said. Il
want to talk to you a little. Rouse up,
will you? 1 want to talk to you as
| a friend"
The incoherent muttering contin-
ued.
"See here, jerry" repeated Barrett,
more sharply. Jerry! rouse up, will
you? We don't want any fooling;
understand that, Jerry!" He dropped
| his hand on the mans shoulder and
shook him slightly. The Teller uttered
a short gasping cry.
Let me-" said Gay, and swiftly in
terposed. Bending over the cot, he
said in a pleasant, soft voice: ITS
| all right, old man; it's all right. Stat
terry wants to know what you did with
/ y, Il OInk
| got through with him. He can't re-
member, and he thinks there was
money left on him. Slattery's head
was hurt-he can't remember. He'll
go shares with you, when he gets it.
slatterys going to stand by you, if he
can get the money"
The Teller only tried to move his free
hand to the shoulder Barrett had
| shaken.
"Slattery wants to know" repeated
the surgeon, gently moving the hand
back on the sheet. He'll divvy up,
when he gets it. He'll stand by you,
| old man."
Would you please not mind" whis-
pered the Teller family, would you
please not mind if you took care not
to brush against my shoulder again ?"
| The surgeon drew back with an eX-
clamation; but the Teller's whisper
gathered strength, and they heard him
murmuring oddly to himself. Meredith
| moved forward.
| What's that?" he asked, with a
| startled gesture.
Seems to be trying to sing, or some
thing" said Barrett, bending over to
listen. The Teller swung his arm
heavily over the side of the cot, the
fingers. never ceasing their painful
twitching, and Gay leaned down and
| gently moved the cloths so that the
white, SCARED lips We're free. They
moved steadily; they seemed to lie
| framing the semblance of an old bal
lad with Meredith knew; the whisper
grew more distinct, and it became
rich but broken voice, and they heard
1t singing, like the sound of some far,
| hating minstrelsy:
"Wave willows murmur waters -
golden sunbeams smile,
Earthly music-cannot waken-love-
ly-Annie Lislie.'
MY Cod" cried Tom Meredith.
The bandaged hand waved jauntily
over the Teller's head. "Ah, men,"
he said, almost clearly, and tried to
lift himself on his arm, II tell you
it's a grand eleven we have this yearr
There will be little left of anything
that stands against them. Did YOU
see Jim Romley ride over his man this
| afternoon"
AS the voice grew clearer the sheriff
stepped forward, but Tom Meredith,
with loud exclamation of grief, threw
himself on his knees beside the cot and
seized the wandering fingers in his
own. "John!" he cried. John! Is it
your"
The voice went on rapidly, not heed
ing him: "Ah, you needn't howl; I'd
have been as much use at right as that
sophomore. Well, laugh away, you
Indians! If it hadn't been for this
ankle-but it seems to be my chest
that's hurt-and side-not that it mat
ters, you know the sophomores just
as good, or better. It's only my ego
tism Yes, it must be the side-and
chest-and head-all over, believe. Not
that it matters-Ill try again next year
next year I'll make it u daily, Helen
said, not that l should call you Helen
Il mean s-Miss-Fiebee-no Sher-
woodruff I've always thought Helen
was the prettiest name in the world
youth forgive me ?-And please tell
Parker there's no more copy, and won't
bel wouldn't grind out another stick
to save his immortal-yes, yes, a daily
she said--ah, l never made a good
trade-no-they can't come seven miles
but I'll finish you, Skillet, first;
know you! / know nearly all of you!
Now let's sing Annie Lisle" He
lifted his hand as if to beat the time
for a chorus.