The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1908-01-31
branch forkins out at tn, top ~ us

branch forking out ut the top ~ zs
ford guide"
They rode down In moody silencs
into the next depression, and began
YEARLY climbing the long hill opposite,
apparently the last before coming di.
rectly down the banks Of the stream.
AS his barely moving horse topped the
Uneven summit, the lieutenant sudden.
ly drew in his rein, and uttering an
exclamation OF surprise, bent forward,
staring intently down in his immedl.
ate front. For a single instant he ap.
peared to doubt the evidence OF his
own eyes; then he swung hastily from
out the saddle, all WEAKNESS forgotten.
my God!" he cried, sharply, his
eyes suspiciously sweeping the bare
slope. There are two bodies lying
here-white people!"
They lay all doubled up in the coarse
grass, exactly as they had fallen, the
man resting face downward, the
slender figure Of the girl clasped vice
like in his arms, with her tightly
closed eyes u%pturned toward the glar.
ing sun. Never nee questioning but
that he was confronting the closing
scene OF a grewsome tragedy. the thor
oughly aroused lieutenant dropped
upon his knees beside them, his eyes
already moist with sympathy, his anx-
ious fingers feeling for a possible
heartbeat. A moment of hushed,
GREATNESS suspense followed, and then
he began flinging terse. eager COM
mands across his shoulder to where
his men were clustered.
Here! Carson, Perry, Ronk, lay
hold quick, and break this fellows
clasp" he cried, briefly. "The girl
retains a spark of life yet, but the
mans arms fairly crush her."
With all the rigidity Of actual death
those clutching hands held their tena-
cious grip, but the aroused soldiers
wrenched the interlaced fingers apart
with every tenderness possible in such
emergency, shocked at noting the ex.
preston Of intense agony stamped
upon the mans face when thus ex-
posed to view. The whole terrible
story was engraven there-how he
had toiled, agonized, suffered, before
finally yielding to the inevitable and
plunging forward in Inconsistencies,
written as legibly as though by a pen.
Carson, who in his long service had
witnessed much of death and suffer-
ing, bent tenderly above him, seeking
for some faint evidence Of lingering
life. The anxious lieutenant, bare
headed under the hot sun-glare, strobe
hastily across from beside the uncon-
scious but breathing girl, and stood
gazing doubtfully down upon them.
Amy life. sergeant" he demanded,
his voice rendered husky by sympathy.
HE doesn't seem entirely gone, sir"
and Carson glanced up into the off,
GERS face, his own eyes filled with
feeling. II can distinguish just a wee
bit of breathing, but it's so weak the
pulse hardly stirs."
What do you make Of it,"
Starving at the bottom. sir. The
only thing l see now is to get them
down to water and food"
The young officer glanced swiftly
about him across that dreary picture
of sun-burnt, desolate prairie stretch
ing in every direction, his eyes paus'
ing slightly as they surveyed the tops
of the distant cottonwoods.
"Sling blankets between your horses
he commanded, decisively. Move
quickly, lads, and we may save one OF
these lives yet"
CTO BE CONTINUED.)