Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1908-11-25

~
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 to do. The bun
galow had been speedily transformed
into hospital. One nurse, borrowed
from a convalescent patient at the
Springs. was to be REINFORCED by an
other summoned by wire from Wash.
ington.
The ambassadors demand to be al
lowed to 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
Ill 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 readi-
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-yes?"
AT midnight two secret service men
wills here from Washington to travel
with them to Baltimore to their boat
The baron and my father arranged
1t over the telephone from the Springs
The prisoners understand that they are
In serious trouble and have agreed to
go quietly. The government agents are
discreet men. You brought up the
buckboard?"
But the men should be 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
to Armstage, touched Claiborne.
"He Will get WE'LL Oscar. Everything
will seem brighter tomorrow. You had
better sleep until 1t is time to drive to
the train
Oscar stepped nearer, and his voice
sank to whisper.
II have not forgotten the tall man
who died; 1t is not well for him to go
unburied. You are not Catholic
nor"
you need not tell me how-or any
thing about it. But you are sure he is
quite dead?"
He is dead. He was bad man and
died very terribly" said Oscar, and he
took off his hat and drew his sleeve
across his forehead. 81 will tell you
just how it was. When my horse took
the wall and got their bullets and tum-
bled down dead, the big man they
called Zmai saw how it was, that we
We're all coming over after them, and
ran. He kept running through the
brambles and over the stones, and /
thought lie would soon turn and we
might have fight, but he did not stop,
and could not let him get away. 1t
was our captain who said, we must
take them prisoners was it not so?"
Yes; that was Mr.. Armitages WISH"
"Then saw that we We're going to-
ward the bridge. the one they do not
use there at the deep ravine. had
crossed it once and knew that it was
wenk and shaky, and l Stacked up and
watched him. He kept on, and just
before he came to it, when / was very
close to him. for he was a slow runner
-yes?-being SO big and clumsy, lie
turned and shot at me with his revoly.
er, but he was iii hurry and missed.
but he ran on. His feet struck the
planks of the bridge with a great jar
and creaking, but he kept running and
stumbled and fell once with mad
clatter of the planks. He was cow
ard with n heart of water and would
not stop when l called and come back
for II little fight. The wires of the
bridge hummcd and the bridge swung
and creaked. When he was almost
midway of the bridge the big wires
that held 1t began to Shrek out of the
old posts that held them, though had
not touched them. and it seemed many
years that passed While the whole of
it danglcd in the air like bird nest
In Il storm. and the creek down below
laughed at that big coward. l still
heard his hoofs humping the planks
until the bridge dropped from under
him and left him for a long second
with his arms and legs flying in the
air. Yes; it was very horrible to see.
And then his great body went down,
down. God, it was very dreadful
way for Il wicked man to die!''
And Oscar brushed his hat with his
sleeve and looked away at the purple
and gray ridges and their burden of
stars.
Yes; it 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 like beast.
! am bad Catholic, but when l was
boy used to serve mass, and it is
not well for man to lie in a wild
place where the buzzards will find
him"
But you cannot bring priest
Great harm would be done If news of
this affair were to 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 nav
be sure there are reasons why these
things must be kept quiet or they
would seek the laws aid at once"
Yes; have been soldier, but after
this little war shall bury the dead.
In an hour ! shall be back to drive the
blackboard to Lamar station"
Claiborne looked at his watch.
II will go with YOU" he said.
They started through the wood to.
ward the Port of Missing Men, and
together they found rough inches in
tile side of the gap. down which they
made their way toilsomely to the
bowlder lined stream that laughed and
tumbled foamily at the bottom of the
deiile. When their work was done Os-
car took off his hat and knelt down by
the side of the strange grave and
bowed his head In silence for mo.
ment. Then they climbed the steep
side of the gap and turned toward the
bungalow. Oscar trudged silently at
Clalborne's side, and neither spoke.
Both were worn to the point of exhaus-
tIon by the events of the long day.
The stubborn patience and fidelity of
the little man touched n chord in Clai-
horne Almost ,IupnpcninucI,, Ia, +t,,o,,,