The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-09-18
CHAPTER XII.
WHO FIRED THE SHOT?

WE again. yet 1 seemed to wake out
deep gulf of unco~nsciousness.
coome+hing warm was trickling down
eo!iff ere and my head was still singing
m! ia0I b,n,blebee. / put a hand up
M III "a my cheek and wiped 1t. then
s t,nd the hand and looked at 1t. It
10 covered with blood.
wa v, 6itch was s oshallow that though
~ body lay entirely in the ado and
II 'aarknes yet I could lift my hand
IN e. ne shine OF the fire. AS I did SO,
att H,hite face was slowly thrust over
a. ~ edge OF the ditch, and I saw Sir
Hrtbur Vaughan peering at me. His
s,-os and mouth were wide open and
sc features were rigid and drawn, with
on expression between horror n ex-
anctafion. and when he saw the bloody
tend raised against him out OF the PIT,
he shrieked fearfuliy.
VIII a great effort I sat up, n upon
ending hat l was assuredly alive, his
terror seemed to abate.
"Heattcote! Heathcote!. heard my
,o,1n shouted hither and thither in
n,vain,s ringing voice, and Just as I
hogan to collect my wits ne flew UP to
the place.
""Wbat has happened?" he cried.
81 am not quite sure" l replied slow
". but l fancy a musket pail has fur
royed the Top of my head"
"a rnusket ball!" said Owain. VIII
sro;1ld fire at YOU? They had no mus
Eets." lie helped me to my feet and
turned to speak to Sir Arthur, but my
uncle was slipping back toward the
house. :,
vent on Owain. Yet hat would be
rtranee. for Evan and Mocyn are sure
snols and would never lay their pieces
toward you"
could give no help in solving the
mystery, and upon reaching the house
Owain had too much to do to trouble
farther in the matter at present. Half
q dozen dogwood torches had been
hastily lighted and stuck about the hall,
and my uncle was buSily engaged
In summing UP the fight. He seemed
to avoid my eye at first, then he lifted
his finger and beckoned me. 1 was now
pretty we'll myself again., and l crossed
the hall toward him.
"Nephew,' said he, in a high, gay
voice. was ever such luck as this bat
tie? have lost but three men OUT
right, the others will mend, for they
are as healthy as hill cattle. We have
killed five Of the rogues and have their
bodies to show. and do you bear that?
say, do you hear that? There's music
for YOU" He lifted his finger and lis
tened, with his ear close to the panel
Of a door near which he stood. AT my
unclc's elbow was a sma man with
keen. twinlSling black eyes, looking as
proud as a peacock.
"Shinkin did it. Shinkin did t." cried
Sir Arthur in dry chuckling voice. "Oh,
but III hin out their ban for them"
He became Silent again, listening
eagerly. and I listened too. Pit-pit, pit
pat, it sounded as if a number of gigan-
tic rats were imprisoned there, and
were scurrying over the floor with IN
ceasing, upresting haste. 81
"What have you in there?" I asked
Some more of the rogues," cried my
uncle, in high glee. "They cut off Shin.
kin in this doorway here; Ike slipped in
string OF them. he says. It was dark
inside and he doubled behind the door
slipped out again and shot the bolt or
them. Oh, noble-noble."
And can they not escape?" said I.
Escape" cried Sir Arthur, "ane
how? There is no chimney, and thu
walls are our feet thick. There are
two windows to the room and one door
Here is the door, and the windows ar
ironed with inch bars. ,Newgate is n
safer"
What are you going to do witt
them?"
Set a guard to watch the room til
morning. and then take such measure
as may seem best" replied he.
My head was paining me In such
fashion that I now began to feel
little confused and I turned away an
crossed the hall, along which men wer
already dashing buckets of water t
cleanse away the stains OF the fight
and went up the stairs.
Midway on the long gallery above
cene full upon n Vaughan, as sh
stepped swiftly from a chambe
whence am a melancholy groaning a
of the wounded. She had a candle /
her hand, and as the light fell upon m
She stopped, with a whitened cheek an
q sharp cry.
"Oh, Master Heathcote!" she sait
and the concern in her voice was swee
to my heart. What has happened
You are wounded"
1 ~bethought myself then that my fac
was daube with blood, and no GOMEZ
sight, and | assented to reassure her
1T is nothing, Miss Vaughan I re
piled "a Craze upon the head from
passing bullet, which has cost me mol
hair than blood"
sit down here" she said. and I Sc
down obediently on a chair close {
hand She raised her voice n Gale
on Siani, who came upon the spot an
then fetched a bow Of water.
Indeed" said, you give yourse
bucket of water TO dip my head an
face in, o would scarce know I ha
been touched"
Blu she would not suffer me to escal
thus. and with the help of Slant. II
hair was clipped from the wound, tt
blood washed off, and a bandage wi
some healing ointment placed upon
l felt ashamed to occupy her so lor
over such a trivial matter. and y
would have been willing to sit thru
as long, to feel the play Of her sol
light fingers about my head. STA
held the candle. n she gazed upon t
wound and met my eye more than on
with a look OF queer, mysterious u
Outstanding, of which, at the time.
could make nothing.
Miss Vaughan was just making
end OF her task, when there was a ella
ter of feet upon the stairs. and
bounded Owatn.
7 was looking for you, Heathcote
ne explained, but I find you in go
hands,"
In most excellent hands," I reptile
am ashamed to give Miss Waugh