The Cairo bulletin., 1905-09-25
REWARD OF COURAGE
BY W. HAROLD THOMSON.


IN the brink OF a smoothly-fowias riv-
sr one was a hero and the other q
Spaniard,
she shall be mine" aissea the
Spaniard.
You lie.' said the hero, aotly; "ahe
shall be mine she herself said So
The season is changed. Il is winter.
and the snow lies everywhere. lie
everywhere. too. but that doesa't mat
ter. The same river was there. Ii had
never left its bed. and its was frozen.
The hero and young and beautiful
lady were skating hand-in-hand over
the ice, and they were talking u each
3ther.
Violet" he said. when : am with
you l am the hsppiest man alive
She looked up into his eyes WIRE
look.
And when you are away iioA me-!
The most miserable.
She pressed his hands more rrnliy. /
Poor boyi But even when you arc I
away from me you caH always-.;snA {
Of me
You are right. my darling 60 I
think OF You. ana them aEl sGlae- /
times unhappy. too; for wAen ! re- 1
member that rascally Spa1ia;d and I
think that he mas be hoyeriiis near
you, my blood boils and pimp.es.
why should Nc talk CT niA; He
cannot harm us; and yet am oh,
am so afraid Of MN, Ralph lie has
such horrible smile.
Ralph kissed her. and SO woun You
If you had been there.
/ Dearly beloved, he whispered,
you are not afraid of him when | am
here?9
ia. What is that dark figure e5m-
ing round the bend in the river? Il
is the spaniard!
Swiftly ne skates towards them. cut
ting figures Of thres and eight feet
Suddenly he confronts them.
"You!" he says, lifting his eyebrows
and his hat to the lady
We" answered the bewildered
couple.
ria, So you speak French now?'
The hero looked at him SO holly that
the Ice began TO melt.
mo, you Spanish onion" he said,
we do not speak French. How dare
you address us? This lady does not
! wish your company and neither do l..
Fly from my sight before fell you
TO the ice.
The spaniard dug the point OF bis
skate into the ice.
Il will be even with you some day"
he snarled, then it will be who shall
receive the smiles. Is it not so, sencr-
ita?" he demanded, turning to the girl.
She ran over him with her eye. and
then ran over him again with tbs
7 other.
NO." she said, so coldly that the
river iroze again. nc Is not 50 De-
spise you"
The william snapped his teeth like q
dog catching flies and then with hall
muttered curse he turned and skated
swiftly away.
A year mas flown since we first me-
/ the hero and his Spanish enemy, AM
!, 1t is summer again. 1t Is also the wed
!, ding day of our hero and the beautiful
II young lady.
il Everything is ready for the wedding
The sun Is shining and the birds ar
u twittering and searching for worms
i the church bells are ringing and tn
ID best man is on his way to the church
NJ Half an hour elapses, and then tn
"a bride and bridegroom step GRACEFUL
n I'D to the altar. The bridegroom feel
for the ring in his excitement. an
then he feels for 1t in his pocket. Th
minister is just getting ready TO pit
n on the manacies. when there is a vii
u shrek from the gallery, and dar
n fgure comes flying through the air.
1t Is the Spaniard!
\ He reaches the ground seemingly vi
M hurt. and rushes up the altar step
His hair is disheveled and he has 10
MI the stud at the back of his collar.
v. Everybody except the hero Is teri
Il, fed The girl clings to her lover, q
.a' minister slips behind his desk and 4
organist In sudden terror, begins
IN thump the organ.
III The Spaniard reaches the topmc
step as the player reaches the topmc
-. note He turns on him sayagely.
ta5 II forbid the banns. he cries, a
II, the music stops Then he turns
Tr2 our hero. @s
'rA Militant" he Kisses, will you 81
,ew her up?' -,a .@...s ~
T,vo The hero looks at him, and the 9
AM trembles on his (the hero,s} arm.
thp mo, viii not give her up !
", ls mine foreyer!'
ms With quick gesture the Spanit
Ia produces shining revolver from
pocket He points X at the couple.
the hero leaps In front Of the girl
"Fror the last time, will you give
here up?' yells the william.
Ions The bridegroom folds his arms,
id mo. win not give her upl
Then you diet" the Spani
sme- shrieks, and he fires.
cad. The bullet flies through the he
gold hair and leaves him scatheless,
mail still stands smiling, and when
Spaniard sees this, he gives one
gold groan, and holding the barrel of
4. Ia IN II.