The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1905-01-12

x ~ - ura4- fOF mo
ITj nent ! stood mo
NNZ tionless. Now tina
l the deed was done
q the horror / Eel
Al my own &C
'ooted me TO the spot felix that
sould not meet the mans dying gaze
he reproachful gaze Of one whom
had slain in what was little more than
aold blood On, il I could but undo
ny work.
But was be deadg I had aimed
straight at his heart-had my buIlei
cached it, Let me learn if was a
murderer in act as well as intention.
II so, my pistol had second bullet.
and ny aim. when ! turned the muz-
sIe toward myself would be as true as
before.
dropped the fatal weapon, and ran
70 the fallen man; ! kneeled beside
aim, and. with the mechanical calm Of
4espalr, set to work TO learn the worst
No, thank heaven. he was not dead
aot yeti The blood had flown from his
sun-tanned face. bis features seemed
plnched and drawn with pain; but he
still lived. The blood was trickling
down his white coat, and falling on the
thirsty sand which formed his couch;
5uf he vas mol dead.
] raised him, thinking that doing 50
might check the flow Of blood. ! placed
that grand massive head on my shoul-
der. He sighed family, and his eyes
opened.
You have killed me, think he
said But listen. On the oath Of a
man who believes he has but a few
moments to live. swear that Viola.
your wife Is pure as the day on which
she married you. The truth you may
never learn; but be'sgve this"
The effort OF speaking exhausted
dim. His eyes closed once more. and
z cold chill passed over me. would
have given all possessed for flask Of
brandy. I shuddered at the thought
that perhaps those eyes had closed for
ever
Ny agony was increased tenfcId By
thu words he had spoken. | could not,
dared not, doubt them. II. while be-
lieVed Ia hsa guilt. remcrse ut my
crime sprung up and seized me. what
we're ny feelings now that knew that
] had killed a man who had not wrong
ed meg Those dying words had car
ried complete conviction TO my mind
I must do something. If only to place
ny pistol to my head. and fall llfeless
across my victim, must do something.
! took out my knife. and ripped up the
wounded mans coat and shirt. / found
his handkerchief, which knotted to |
my own. Then, picking up a smooth
pebble. I enveloped 1t in piece Of lin
en- torn from the shirt. and with these I
appliances made rough tournicuet.
The very pistol With which had done
the deed served to twist the bandage
antil its pressure checked the flow Of
blood A tinge Of color came back to 4
he ashen lips and for the first time / 1
1oped that Eustace Grant would not
lie.
But ! must have assistance. Here
Ee might wait until doomsday without
/ creature coming near us. There was
'ut one chance Of saving him. ! must
cave him and fiy for aid.
wonder If man ever ran SO fast as
ran along that stretch Of sand. All
he while ! vas haunted by the dread
hat some movement OF the helpless
mans hand would shift the rough-and-
eady bandage, and that, when saw
i'm again. / should gaze on death
eath for which ! was accountable.
thoughts like this are spurs which
night urge the slowest to superhuman
peed.
I rushed up into the village / beg
ed the first man ] saw to get others
D proclre a gate. a shutter. a plank.
nything on which wounded man
ould be carried. and to start at once ]
p the coast. l tore into the little inn,
sized a bottle Of brandy, ordered the
lrgeon to be summoned at once, then {
an back as wildly as I had come. |
I outstribped the fishermen, who {
ere already on their way with an ex- {
smpcrized ambulance. | reached the s
swine. and, sick at heart, entered. to '
arm If Grant were still alive, y
Thank Heaven, he lIvedl He lay /
lst as | had left hin. Once more I
lised his head. and then gave him a t
'aspoonfuI Of stimuIant. He moaned +
unity. and the sound Of pain went 0
rougu my heart like a knife. e
Presently I heard the fishermen. Z
He'd to them. TenderIy as we could. s.
e bore Grant through the entrance of e
e ravine. and laid him on the stretch o
/. Then, at a slow pace, started on b
e homeward march.
About half way we met the surgeon. e
e called halt. examined the injured h
an, and complimented me on the way
which / applied the tourniquet. The n
wing Of the mans life. If it could be 4
we'd, would be due to my prompt ac- /,
m. How little he knew that, before h
to save IT, bad done all ii Ii
y power to take shat life,
he gave Grant more stimulant. t,