The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-02-08

letters and put them like amulets
around their neeks. The Indians would
steal their clothes, but they had learned
q sUperstftious ave OF charms.
As the moon went DOWN and there
was the whisper OF the cactus leaves
that tells OF coming dawn, the earth
seemed to stir. They al feIt it. It
was as II a covey OF birds had taken
fight near them
The Indians are coming know they
are moving nearer" old Sergeant Flynn
whispered,
Then q yellow light shot up over thu
distant mountains. and day was upCN
them. Every nan stood ready with
rife; only Hunter fingered his revolver,
sitting up against the rocks.
There was q stir In the earth again,
now; # vas the pound. pound. Of horses
feet-horses gaIloping furiously. The
charge would pass over them when IL
turned that rock, like a summer storm
sweeping away a leaf There, was 3 oEash
in the rock by Colts. head. and as
sunbeam pierced it he turned and look
ed. As he gazed has face grew ashy, and
his eyes. like some piece OF mechanism.
followed Hunters finger on the trigger.
Did he want TO see him die? Did h
want to know. before his own fate over
came him. that Helen Stanberry was
forever safe from his cowardIy rivaI2
IN another second the horsemen would
reach the rock. and Hunter. his face
CHASTITY. but determined. pulled the
trigger The bullet went Wild. Colt had
thrown himself upon his rival. and had
knocked the revolver into he air. The
fsnd thai had tempted him went With
it. just as the shouting and cheering
miners from the Last Chance swept
around the rocks.
The miners had sJaTlCd out after tee
soldiers, and had met the boy messenger.
with his warning. a dozen miles away
Where Is he2' Colt asked anxiousIy.
I'VE sent him on with the dispatches.
one OF the volunteers told him.
Three nights later Colts arm had been
dressed, and he lay on the couch in his
own sitting room. The smoke from his
strikers pipe came through the window,
ana gave him p pleasant sense Of com
partnership. which he gratefully accepted.
To pity himself because he was lonely
enough &c find comfort in curl from "a
soldiers pipe was morbiduess beyond
Colt.
He was going over and over again his
letter 10 Helen Stau5erry. lie had not
kept his word and died, and the eonfes-
sion looked like a cheap trick. What
would she think Of IL. He dreaded her
fathers judgment The two had locked
AT each other with friendship, as honest
man TO honest man, and Colt feft that he
+ had taken an unfair advantage. He gave
. sigh for all that he had lost -0- s--o~
He knew that Hunter did not stand IN
/ his way. Hunter had had the decency 70
/ jell him that, as the ambulance numbered
home with them.
] She never even let me come 10 the
/ point he had said lightly Getting back
/ to life had made the world seem once
more gay and rosy to Hunters careless
/ eyes, and he bore no lasting OF. serious
malice toward anybody.
/ As Colt ~ there in the darkness. there
was the rustic of q womau's skirt on the
veraDda, and a mans voice speaking %
/ the striker.
can Mr. Colt see a Iady2' Nj. stan
/ berry asked
! Colt was not slow. Through his quick
/ intelligence the question carried all its
meaning. She would not come to him,
Uniess-- Her father would not bring
her UnICss--
And when the white figure came
/ through tho door. half shyIy Colt sill
houetted azaCsa the moon white WINDOW.
with all his hIrniBg heart on his lips sat
UP to meet Ter.
JOHN LLOYD.