Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1905-11-02

- ~ ~ IL ! 'thi - IL tai =.
Instead he asked, Whit d.d the doe
1or say when he MAS here this morn
in"
"Nolhin very hopeful asked HIM
plain what he Thought of the ease. antl
II" answered JEST as plain. lie said
Eap'n EaNie3. had failed dreadful in
The last Week and that he wouldn't I've
>pri>rd if he dropped of most any
time. Then again he said he might
| live for months.
Il never SAN HIM 50 restless afore, "
commenced Captain Ell auAiou>iy
e Was so las; night.
Did Elsie see him
| No. | WAS alone here. and she WAS
asleep in the next room ! got up and
shut the door.
The captain glanced keenly at the
housekeeper but her face WAS placid
and insclhtahe He shifted uneaS. ly
and then said: "Elsies late tonight.
ain't she: wonder what's keep:n
| her
| School work, pose She's workin
| harder'n she ought to, | think
"FHe!'
The word was shouted, and the room
| rang with it. John Baxter, whose
weakness had hitherto been so great
| that he could not turn himself in bed
was leaning On his elbow and pointing
with OutS,retched finger to the open
! stove door
'Fire." be shouted again. It's
blazn' It's burnin'. It's wipin' the
| plague spot from the earth. hear
you, Lord. I'm old. but ! hear you,
| and your servants ready. Where will
! it be tomorrer: Gone. Burnt up, And
the ways Of the wicked shan't prevail
They forced him back on the pillow
but he fought them fierce'y for a mo
| ment or two. After they thought they
had quieted him he broke out again.
talking rapidly and clearly
Il hear the call Lord" he said 81
! thank thee for shown it to me in your
book. And they burnt all their cities
wherein they dwell, and all their good
ly castles. with fire. With fire. With
fire.
"Ssh-h. There. there. John. Don't
talk SO, eiltreated the captain.
"Where'S the knrosene!" continued
the Old man. Aud the matches: Now
softly, softly. THE ShaNin's It's dark
Here in the corner .th ha. All. ha'
'And all their goodly castles with fire.
Now. Web Saunders. you wicked man.
Now! Burn. Eve done ii. Lord. I've
done it,
"HuSh.' almost shouted the agonizeti
Captain Fri '.I.usl John Ee $ -
"Thei'e there. Cap'n Baxter" sad
Mrs. Snow soothingly. laying her hand
on the sick mans forehead Somehow
the touch seemed 10 quiet him. His
eyes lost their fire and he nlut1ered
abSeHty that he was tireA. Then the
eyes closed and he lay still. brcatlling
heavily.
tain. THAT was awful. Hadn't l bet
ter go for the doctor?''
II don't think SO. unless he gifts
worse. He had Jest such a turn. as
told you, last night
Did he talk like he did jest now?"
".Ie>t the same.
i" Bout the same thngs:''
Yes
The captain gasped Then you
knew" he said
THAT he set the billiard room afro?
Yes. I've always rather suspic:;,uct.
made ME sure Of it
.'Well. we'll. Yon haven't saisl moth
in bout it to anybody"
"Of course not" "
No; course you haven't You must
excuse me-l'm kind of upset. gaess
Dear. dear. Did you think knew il Z"
II sort of guessed that YOU did.
well. | did. I've known it ever
sence that night lie Was found He
had his coat on when found him.
and twas all burnt. and there WIS IN
empty Kerosene bottle in his POCKET.
I'D the coat and threw the bottle
away ana turned him so he was fac:n'
toward the saloon stead of from IT,
And lied when told the doctor that
he was jest us he fell There the mtil'
uer's out. Now. what do you think Of
me!'
Think? ] think you did exactly
right.
You uO:''
Il sartinly do"
"Well. snum. I've hccn over tha
thing tine and time again. and I've
felt like was sort of Il lircbilS myself
sometimes. Eve heard folk lnNin' il
to fuSt one and then the other AMI cal
latin that Web ui,' it himself II gi
the inSurancc anI Hll the time Eve
known who really did do it and haven't
said anything. ! jest couldn't. 1oN
see. John ana mes been hrotherS al
most Put | di.!ilt spo>e auNh1ly y else
Woula see it the same way.
"Capn Fri, 40 YOU >pD>e blame
YOU for tryin' To keep your best fricild
out of trouble that he got into by bc,n
wcI-out of his head Why, land of
mercy He amt no more to he hcl |
reSponsihle than Il baby You did
what Ed have done if I'd been in your
place. and | respect yon for IT.