The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1906-08-02

woman asking what he could do for
him.
aye kin mind yer own business"
the fellow muttered. II got into a
landslide four days ago, comm down
from Kalgoory. Lost my horse and
been clingin' by my eyelashes ever
since till the postman give me lift.
I'm a bit done, same's you'd be, but I
ssk no odds from God or man and I
don't take none from such as you. Hi,
you monkey! Where's that whiskey?"
Undaunted the Elixir stood, his soul
full eyes fixed on the poor fellow in
unshaken sympathy. The half-caste
was ambling slowly across the room
with a bottle and glass. The man on
the bench sat glaring with bloodshot
eyes at the Elixir. Just as the inn
keeper reached him he muttered:
Didn't l tell yer to-er- Ye lob
ster-eyed-er@"
With words still gurgling in his
throat he fell over on the bench un-
conscious.
1T is better so," the Elixir said,
gently stufing blanket under his
head for a pillow and lifting his feet
to the bench "Sleep will help him
more than that hell-fre you call whis-
key. Go heat up some of the stuff
you said was soup this noon"
The Elixir returned to the window
and his newspaper. I watched the un-
conscious face till the CLINT of the fire.
light across it dazzled me and the
hypnosis Of his steady snoring made
me sleepy. I was beginning to doze
when the Elixir touched my arm,
pointing to something he had written
on the margin of the paper opposite
the description of the murderer: Com
pare this with the man on the bench,
and if you agree with me pass it on to
Father Belcher.'
The only thing which astonished me
was that I had not thought of it be-
fore or that the mans own account of
himself had not suggested it. The
priest read it carefully. then went over
to the bench and read it again. He
crossed himself and muttered prayer.
Allowing for such days and nights as
he had spent out in the storm the pen
picture was perfect. The Elixir stood
up and, looking out of the window,
said:
"A red sunset and & fair tomorrow,
so we shall part in the morning. Let's
have a breath of fresh air together
first"
We understood and followed him
outside. Close upon the horizon the
masses of gold and crimson cloud were
following the sun away. The Elixir
cast one admiring glance over the
glorious wilderness, then his being
changed to something entirely new,
even after all that he had been before.
He spoke rapidly and earnestly:
THAT fellow is stark mad" he said.
"He was demented when he did it.
It is like the work Of maniac. Per
haps he'd lost everything up there and
charged it to Sir Robert. Besides he
is helplessly i'll. Do unto others as ye
would, applies to us. If we leave him
here and 60 our ways, the fends from
Kalgoory will tear him in pieces. II
he is crazy he ought at least to have
show Of justice, and we can secure
it for him If you will help me. have
handled maniacs several times and al
ways successfully. We two can easily
get him to the coast if we are not over
taken by a mob from behind. You
are starting for Kalgoory in the morn
inf, Father, and will doubtless meet
searching parties coming down. 1t will
insure success if you will tell them
that the man is already captured, in
safe hands, and we'll on his way to
the coast by way of the Lower Fork,
where he will be given into custody.
Keep them from following if possible.
If not, then send them by the Lower
Fork. The day after tomorrow wire
privately to some one you can trust.
Say ludC luS pI1SO1cl WILL Uo az ooAo
wins by Friday noon. Tell them OF
his condition, so that they will be pre-
pared to care for him properly"
After a little parley the priest con-
sented and did his work so we'll that
the plan worked out to the end. 1t did
not rouse the man even when the
Elixir made him drink the soup and
relieved him of a rusted revolver, some
cartridges, and an ugly knife with
black-red rust spots on the blade. Then
the moon rose in a clean-swept sky,
and the Elixir proposed that we start
at once, lest the people of Kalgoory
do the same.
We borrowed a cob from the half
caste for the prisoner, who was evil
IDENTIFY an old horseman for he sat the
saddle by instinct. He would not pay
the slightest attention to me, but heed
ed every suggestion of the Elixir, to
whose watchfulness he owed his life
many times over during that rapid and
dangerous journey.
The officers with physician met us
at Baldwin's, but for the first time the