Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1908-09-19

DECENT BURIAL

80 ed augusty across the
heavens. Claiborne lift
ed his face gratefully to the cool night
breeze. for he was worn with the
stress and anxiety OF the day. and
there remained much 70 do. The bun
galow bad been speedily transformed
into a hospital one nurse. borrowed
from conyslescent patient ut the
Springs. was to be REINFORCED by an
other summoned by wire from wash
ington
The ambassadors demand TO be al
lowed 20 remove Armitage TO his own
house at the Springs had been prompt
ly rejected by the surgeon A fever
had hold OF John Armitage. who was
Ni enough without the wound in his
shoulder. and the surgeon moved his
traps TO the bungalow and took charge
OF the case. Oscar had brought Clai-
bornes bag and all was now in readl-
ness for the night
Oscars erect figure at salute and his
respectful voice brought Claiborne
down from the stars
I'VE can get rid OF the prisoners to
niGht-yesg"
AT midnight two secret service men
VII Pee here from Washington 60 travel
with them TO Baltimore 20 their boat
The baron and my father arranged
81 over the telephone from the Springs.
The prisoners understand that they are
IN serious trouble and have agreed TO
80 quietly. The government agents are
discreet men You brought up the
buckboardTT
But the men should he hanged. for
they shot our captain, and he may die"
The little man spoke with sad ca
dence. A pathos IN his erect, sturdy
figure, his lowered tone as he referred
20 Armitage. touched Claiborne.
"IIe will get well. Oscar Everything
Will seem brighter tomorrow. You had
better sleep until st IS time TO drive TO
the train"
Oscar stepped nearer, and his voice
sank 20 n whisper.
Il have not forgotten the tall man
who died; % Ia not well for him 10 90
unburled You are not Catholic
nor"
you need not tell me how-or any
thing about H. But you are sure he is
quite deadw
''IIe is dead He was a bad man and
died very terribly" said oscar. and he
took OF his hat and drew his sleeve
across his forehead 81 VIII tell you
Just how IL was. when my horse took
the wall and got their bullets and tum-
bled down dead, the big man they
called Zmai saw how Il was. that we
were all coming over after them, and
ran He kept running through the
brambles and over the stones. and
thought he would soon turn and we
might have a eight. but he did not stop.
and ! could not let him get away. IL
was our captain who said. we must
take them prisoners was IL not soY"
Yes; that was Ar. Armitage's wish"
''Then 1 saw that we were going to-
ward the bridge. the one they do not
use there at the deep ravine. ! had
crossed 10 once and knew that II was
weak and shaky. and / Stacked up and
watched him He kept on, and just
before he came 10 II, when l was very
close 10 him. for he was a slow runner
-yesI-being so big and clumsy, be
turned and shot at me with his revolv-
er, but be was IN a hurry and missed.
but he ran on His feet struck the
planks OF the bridge with n great jar
and creaking, but he kept running and
stumbled and fell once with a mad
chatter OF the planks. He was a cow
ard with a heart OF water and would
not stop when / called and come back
for a little fight. The wires OF the
bridge hummed. and the bridge swung
and creaked. When he was almost
midway Of the bridge the big wires
that held It began TO shrek out OF the
old posts that held them. though l had
not touched them. and it seemed many
years that passed while the whole OF
It dangied IN the air like a bird nest
in a storm. and the creek down below
laughed at that big coward ! still
heard his hoofs humping the plauks
until the bridge dropped from under
him and left him for a long second
with his arms and legs flying in the
air. Yes; IL was very horrible 10 see
And then his great body went down
down God. Il was a very dreadful
way for wicked man 70 der
And Oscar brushed his hat with his
sleeve and looked away az the purple
and gray ridges and their burden Of
stars.
Eyes; II must have been terrible"
said Claiborne
-But now he cannot be left to lie
down there on the rocks. though be
was so wicked and died ike a beast
am bad Catholic. but when / was
boy l used to serve mass. and II is
not wei for a man 90 lie IN a wild
place where the buzzards will find
him"
'But you cannot bring a priest.
Great harm would be done II news OF
this affair were 10. get abroad. You
understand that what has passed here
must never be known by the outside
world. My father and Baron Won Mar
hof have counseled that. and you may
be sure there are reasons why these
things must be kept quiet or they
would seek the laws aid at once"
Yes; / have been a soldier but after