The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1908-01-24
CHAPTER III.
Between Life and Death.

The remainder OF that day, as well
as much of the gloomy night follow
ing, composed a silent, lingering hor.
ror. The fierce pangs Of hunger no
longer gnawed, but a dull apathy now
held the helpless defenders. One Of
the wounded died, a mere lad, sobbing
pitifully for his mother; an infantry.
man, peering forth from his covert,
had been shot in the face, and his
scream echoed among the rocks in
multiplied accents of agony; while
Wyman lay tossing and moaning, mer.
cifully unconscious. The others rested
in their places, scarcely venturing to
stir a limb, their rowing, wolfsh eyes
the only visible evidence of remaining
life, every hope vanished, yet each
man clinging to his assigned post Of
duty in desperation. There was but
little firing-the defenders nursing
their slender stock, the savages b.
ding their time. When night shut down
the latter became holder, and tainted
cruelty those destined to become so
. their hapless victims. Twice the
maddened men fired recklessly at
those dancing devils, and n pitched
forward, emitting a howl Of pain that
caused his comrades to once
again behind their covers. One and
all these frontiersmen recognized the
observation-disclosures dawn the end must
come. No useless words were spoken;
the men merely clinched their teeth
and waited.
Hampton crepl closer in beside the
girl while the shadows d%eepened, and
ventured to touch her hand. Perhaps
the severe strain of their situation,
the intense loneliness of that Indian
haunted twilight, had somewhat soft
ened her resentment, for she made no
effort now to repulse him.
kid" he said at last. ARE you game
for a try at getting out of this?"
She appeared to hesitate over her
answer, and he could feel her tumultu-
Gus breathing. Some portion Of her
aversion had vanished.
Come, Kid" he ventured finally,
yet with new assurance vibrating in
his low voice; this is surely a poor
time and place for any indulgence in
tantrums, and you've got more sense.
I'm going to try to climb up the face
Of that cliff yonder,-it's the only pos
sible way out from here,-and l pro-
pose to take you along with me-"
She snatched her hand roughly
away, yet remained facing him. "Who
gave you any right to decide what
should do?"
The man clasped his fingers tightly
about her slender arm, advancing his
face until he could look ~squarely into
hers. She read in the lines Of that de.
termined countenance a infexible re.
solve which overmastered her.
1.-THE right given by Almighty God
to protect any one of your sex in
| peril" he replied. Before dawn those
savage fiends will be upon us. We are
utterly helpless. There remains only
one possible path for escape, and be-
lieve I have discovered it. Now, my
girl, you either climb those rocks with
me, or / shall kill you where you are
1t is that, or the Sioux torture. l have
two shots left in this gun,-one fol
| SOu, Iuc III " AhyoCli' AhO ILL
has come for deciding which Of these
alternatives you prefer"
IF I select your bullet rather thar
the rocks, what them"
you will get it, but in that case you
will die like a fool"
you have believed me to be one
all this afternoon"
Possibly" he admitted; your words
and actions certainly justified SOM
such conclusion, but the opportunity
has arrived for causing me to revise
that suspicion"
g" don't care to have you revise 1t
Never Once Did the Man Loosen Hi,
Grasping Grip of His Companion.
MI. Bob Hampton. If l go, l shall hat
you just the same"
Hampton's teeth clicked like thos'
of an angry dog. Hate and b
damned" he exclaimed roughly. "Al
l care about now is to drag you out o
here alive"
well. if you put 1t that way" sh'
said, "Ill 60"
"Come on, then" he whispered, hi
fingers grasping her sleeve.
/Tn mn CONTINrIEn