The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1908-10-16
THE NAN THE
FLY LIT ON
By GORDON H. c1LLsY

By GORDON H. cILLEY
Copyright. by shortstory Pub. Coz
1t was the murk from a far-of Jun.
gle fire that hung, half-choking
haze, between land and sky, but the
sun pierced through from brazen
heaven overhead and beat down with
relentless rays till heat waves danced
from the parched and dusty earth.
The three men in the dried-out wa
ter hole had few words for each
other. There was nothing to say un.
til some Of them should evolve a plan
for safety. And what plan could
there be? Less than 100 yards out in
front was the bamboo clump and with.
In It was a Filipino sharpshooter and
wary one. Over and over had each
of the three held aloft his service hat
on the point of his cleaning rod, but
the only fire it drew was chuck
ling, mocking laugh. 1t would not
work. The little brown disciple of
Aguinaldo held cartridges precious. It
had sounded like an old Springfield
when he shot the corporal-probably
that was what it was. If SO, then he
mad but one cartridge in his gun. He
could be shot, or there might be time
to escape before he could reload after
that was fired. But that one cartridge
was one death. Whose should it be?
There was but one solution, and as
each of the three eliminated all other
possible chances. that one remained
In his mind. And each of the three
knew that the other knew. So, when
Adams passed around his canteen with
an indication that they should drink
each third of the little water that
remained, they knew he was about to
propose the one plan possible He
waited until the canteen lay empty by
bis side, and then he whispered:
Its got to be one of us. It's prob
ably sure thing, for he won't miss
at that range. But the man that
does it can get up shootin', and maybe
it'll startle him. And the other two
can jump up and shoot the minute
his gun cracks. Shall we draw
straws?"
There was no reply. The others
looked at each other searchingly.
Then they looked down again. Adams
went on, his voice hard: IF either of
you fellows has got wife and kids
back home, that makes it different"
Again he stopped and waited. Then
WEIGH spoke:
Jim Carney here's got girl back
in Boston. She's promised to wait for
him."
"stew your gab," said Carney,
roughly. I'm here to take my
chances"
That's white talk" said Adams,
with just a tinge of admiration. 1--WE
got a girl back there, too. But that
amt like bein' married, with kids.
When it's just girl back home it's
different"
How're we going to choose?"
asked Carney, impatiently.
Adams reached up to the edge of
the water hole and carefully de-
tached long, dry blade of file grass.
This he began to break into pieces of
different lengths. A droning fly
buzzed before his face and he slapped
at it impatiently. He watched it as
it rose, slowly circling, and then he
dropped the straws. Let's leave it
to that cussed fly" he said. Its been
fussin' around here ever since we
slid into this hole. The man it lights
on first"
He looked at the others. Carney
nodded his head. WEIGH watched the
fly with a gathering frown and made
no reply.
Lets all lie still and see who he
picks out" said Carney. I'VE can't
waste time"
The men lay on their backs, their
aching eyes following every movement
of the fly. For the moment it rest
ed on a swinging blade of grass, it's
head straight up to the sun and its
forelegs contemplatively rubbing their
tips together. The soldier WEIGH sat
up, pulled his haversack forward from
his hip, rummaged in it with his hand
apparently found what he was seek
ing, and, lying down again, put his
hand to his mouth. The others watched
him with suspicious interest. "Well,
you are queer one," said Adams,
eating at time like this"
| WEIGH said nothing, and the three
resumed their vigilance of the fly. 1t
rose, black speck in the air, darted
in parabolic curves back and forth,
then slowly began to spiral down
ward. The test was at hand. The
men lay alongside with practically
facing distance between them. WEIGH
was in the center. The fly de-
scended deliberately, swung back and
forth and seemed to still its flight
just over the face of Carney. In
breathless silence the faint chord of
it's wings was distinctly audible. I'm
controllably, the soldiers face
twitched. The fly darted away. The
others looked on without comment,
while flush spread over the mans
neck and up to his ears.