The Western news., 1908-06-17

| unless nelp came.
For two days Wyman had scarcely
stirred from where he ley bolstered
against the rock. Sometimes he be-
came delirious from fever, uttering
incoherent phrases, or swearing in
pitiful weakness. Again he would par
TALLY arouse to his old sense of SOL
dierly duty and assume intelligent
command. Now he TWISTED painfully
about upon his side, and, with clouded
eyes, sought to discern what man was
lying next him. The face was hidden
so that all he could clearly distinguish
was the fact that this man was not
clothed as a soldier.
'1s that you, Hampton?" he cues
toned his voice barely audible
The person thus addressed wh) was
lying flat Upon his back, gazing ST
lently upward at the rocky front OF the
cliff, turned cautiously over upon his
elbow before venturing reply.
'Yes; what is it, sergeant? It looks
to be beauty of morning way up
yonder."
There was a hearty, CHEEKY ring to-
his clear voice which left the pair
racked old soldier envious.
"My God" he growled savagely.
"'Tis likely to be the last any of us
will ever see. Wasn't it you ] heard
whistling just now? One might i'm
agine this was to be a wedding, rather
than a funeral" -,
"And why not, Wyman? Didn't you
know they employed music at both
functions nowadays? Besides. it is not
every man who is permitted to assist
at his own obsequies-the very uniql 10.
ness of such situation rather appa ,'s
to my sense of humor'
The sergeant, his teeth clinched
tightly to repress the pain racking
him, stifled his resentment with an
evident effort. 'You may be less
light-hearted when you learn that the
last of our ammunition is already in
the guns he remarked stiffly
ouopCSICu dS lIuCll. Anu lUS
speaker lifted himself on one elbow to
peer down the line of recumbent fig
ures 'To be perfectly frank with you,
sergeant. the stuff has held out con-
siderably longer than I believed it
would, Judging from the way those
dough boys of yours kept popping at
every shadow in front of them. It's
marvel to me the mutton-heads
they take into the army: Oh, now, you
needn't scowl at me like that, Wy
man; I've worn the blue, and seen
some service where fellow needed to
be man to sport the uniform Be
sides, I'm not Indifferent, old chap.
and just so long as there remained
, any work worth attending to in this
skirmishing affair I did it, didn't I?
But | tell you, man, there is mighty
little good trying to butt against Fate,
and when luck once finally lets go of
a victim, he's bound to drop straight
to the bottom before he stops. That's
the sum and substance of all my phi
losophy, old fellow, consequently T
never kick simply because things hap
pen to go wrong? What's the use?
They'll go wrong just the same. Con.
sequently, upheld by my acquired
philosophy, I'm merely holding back
one shot for myself as G sort of grand
finale to this fandangc, and another
| | for that 1iff1o ri
These words were uttered slowly,
! the least touch Of q lazy drawl appar-
ent in the low voice, yet there was
an earnest simplicity pervading the
speech which, somehow, gave it i'm
pressiveness. The man meant exactly
what he said, beyond the possibility of
a doubt. The old soldier, accustomed
to every form of border eccentricity,
" gazed at him with disapproval
Either you're the coolest devil I've
D met during 80 years of soldering" he
= commented, doubtfully, cor else the
: craziest. Who are you, anyhow? I
= half believe you might be Bob Hamp.
~ ton of Placer
The other smiled grimly. "You have
- the name tolerably correct, old fellow
!. likewise that delightful spot SO lately
6 honcred by my residence. In brief
- you have succeeded in calling the turn
s perfectly, so far as your limited in
{, formation extends. In strict confidence
= l propose now to impart to you what
= has hitherto remained g. profound Sc
10 cret. Upon special request of a mum
~ ber of influential citizens of Placer
49, including the city marshal and Other
- officials, have decided upon desert
;, ing that sagebrush metropolis to its
), just fate, and plan to add the infll
!, ence of my presence to the future de
:. velopment of Glercaid I learn tha