Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1906-06-15

the face of the cliff, and on the eastern
side Of this rise grew a forest of young
trees. Frere proposed to cut down these
trees and make a sort of hut with them
1t was soon discovered however, that
the pocket knives We're insufficient for
this purpose, but by dint of notching the
young saplings, and then breaking them
down. they succeeded, in a couple of
hours, in collecting wood enough to
roof over space between the hollow
rock which contained the provisions and
another rock, in shape like a hammer
which jutted out within five yards of it.
Mrs. Vickers and Sylvia were to have
this hut as a sleeping place, and Frere
and Bates, lying at the mouth of the
larder, would at once act as a guard to it
and them. Grimes was to make for him
self another hut where the fire had been
lighted on the previous night.
When they got back to dinner, inspir-
tied by this resolution, they found poor
Mrs. Vickers in great alarm. Grimes,
who, by reason of the dent in his skull,
had been left behind, was walking about
the sea beach, talking mysteriously and
shaking his fist at an imaginary foe. On
going up to him they discovered that the
blow had affected his brain, for he was
delirious. Frere endeavored to soothe
him, without effect, and at last, by
Bates advice, the poor fellow was rolled
in the sea. The cold bath Quelled his
violence, and being laid beneath the
shade Of a rock hard by, he fell int a
condition Of great muscular exhaustion,
and slept.
The condition Of the unfortunate
Grimes soon gave cause for the greatest
uneasiness From maundering foolishly,
he had taken to absolute violence, and
had to be watched by Frer0. After
much muttering and groaninE, the poor
fellow at last dropped Oh to sleep, and
Frers, having assisted Bates to his sleep
ing place in front Of the rock, and laid
him down on a heap of green brushwood,
prepared to snatch 4 few hours slumber.
WeAried by excitement and the labors
of the day, he slept heavily, but toward
morning was awakened by q strange
noise.
Grimes, whose delirium had apparent
" increased, had succeeded in forcing
his way through the rude fence Of brush
wood, and had thrown himself upon
Bates with the ferocity of insanity.
Growing to himself he had seized the
unfortunate pilot by the throat, and the
pair were struggling together. Bates,
weakened by the sickness that had fol-
lowed upon his wound in the head was
quite unable to cope with his desperate
assailant, but calling feebly upon Frere
for help, he made shift to lay hold upon
the jackknife of which we have before
spoken. Frere, starting to his feet,
rushed to the assistance of the pilot, but
was too late. Grimes, enraged by the
sight of the knife, tore it from Bates
grasp, and, before Frere could catch his
arm, plunged it twice into the unfortu-
nate mans breast.
I'm dead MANI cried Bates, faint
ly.
The sight of the blood, together with
the exclamation of his victim, recalled
Grimes to consciousness. He looked in
bewilderment at the bloody weapon, and
then tiinging it from him, rushed away
toward the sea, into which he plunged
headlong.
Frere hurried to the side of Bates,
and, lifting him up, strove to stanch the
blood that flowed from his chest. It
would seem that he had been resting
himself on his left elbow, and that
Grimes, snatching the knife from his
right hand, had stabbed him twice in the
right breast. He was pale and senseless,
and Frere feared that the wound was
mortal. Tearing off his neck handker-
chief, he endeavored to bandage the
wound, but found that the strip of silk
was insufficient for the purpose. The
noise had reused Mrs. Vickers, who,
sitting her terror, made haste to tear
off a portion of her dress, and with this
a bondage of sufficient width was made.
Sylvia brought some water from the
spring, and Mrs, Vickers bathing Bates
head with this, he revived a little.
Don't die, Mr.. Bates-oh, don't die!'
said Sylvia, standing, piteously, near,
but afraid to touch him. Don't leave
mamma and me alone in this dreadful
place."
Poor Bates, of course, said nothing,
but Frere frowned heavily, and Mrs.
Vickers said reprovingly, "Sylviav JUST
as if they had been in the old house on
distant Sarah Island.
In the afternoon Frere went away to
drag together some wood for the fire, and
when he returned he found the pilot
near his end. As the sun sank Bates
rallied, but the two watchers knew that
it was but the final flicker of the expir-
ing candle. Hes goingW said Frere,
at length, under his breath, as though
fearful of awaking his half-slumbering
soul. Mrs. Vickers, her eyes streaming
with silent tears, lifted the honest head
and moistened the parched lips with her
soaked handkerchief. A tremor shook
the once stalwart limbs, and the dying
man opened his eyes. For an instant
he seemed bewildered, and then, looking
from one to the other, intelligence re-
turned to his glance, and it was evident
that he remembered all. His gaze rested
upon the pale face of the affrighted Syl-
via, and then turned to Frere. There
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