Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-11-10

see, only we could hear the tinkle.
tinkle. over our heads. and after
awhile it stopped. ana we went inside.
and Butler acted just like you're doing.
Harry-he lated at the whole thing.
and six months afterward we planted
him-dead from the shingles"
Il had the shingles lots of times
when 1 was Il kid" remarked Harry
Barry thoUghtfully. Every time !
hooked it from school or went in swim
ming out Of season my dad he'd take
down a big fat single and-wel, 60
on, Jim. Why didn't all of you die
when you heard the passing bell. eh?"
"'Twan't our tine; inebbe it'll come
next. It's likely to be any one of us
that heard 1t. The next year it was
Hayden. and then Collins. and then
Derrick This is the first we've heard
it for some time" Jim Lewis borrow
ed some tobacco from "the Crane" and
proceeded to roll several cigarettes with
1.-the brown fingers.
Harry Barry sat up very straight
and solemn. You mean one of us
here is going TO die because we heard
that bellT'
Sure thing" answered Lewis, and
the others nodded approval.
"Mebbe it will be you" Harry Bar
ry pointed his finger at Jim Lewis.
"Mebbe," said that gentleman. gloom
lily surveying the smoke stained wall
'Or you" again pointed Harry Bar
~, this time at the Crane"
I'm looking for it." shivered "the
Crane"
COR you"
Gabriel shrugged his shoulders in
differently. "Quien sabeT he NUT
tered between his teeth.
you're a mush hearted lot" sheer
ed Harry Barry, rising to his feet. IF
I'd known you'd all sicken and die be
cause you heard a sheep bell'- He
stopped short.
Jim Lewis arose to his tall height,
with sIleer light in his gray eyes.
"sheep bells don't ring at night out
of the sky" he said impressively.
This bell only rings at night, only
once in awhile during the year, and it
rings slow like. just tolling, and some
times there's q groan-a hollow groan
like a soul in torment" He tight
ened his belt and spoke with lowered
voice. at sounds like it was a bell
flying through the air attached to
nothing, ringing, ringing Hark"
Instinctively they arose to their feet
and stood with bent heads in a listen
ing attitude. Then there foated in the
soft tinkle, tinkle, growing louder and
accompanied by a snoring groan-
Once, twice, It seemed to pass close
above the mess house, and then it died
away into silence.
They all looked at Harry Barry.
He stood rigidly by the table. star
ing out into the night, his big eyes
wide with terror. his mouth open and
his chin wabbling shakily. The ciga-
rette dropped unheeded from his limp
fingers to the Goor, and the minutes
passed.. and still he stood as If para
lived with horror of some invisible
evil.
Suddenly he uttered an ear splitting
screech and Topped to the floor, where
he lay motionless as Il corpse. They
stood IN a circle. staring down at him.
not one lifting an eye to the other. In
the background the cook watched open
mouthed.
whats the natter" demanded
Lewis excitedly.
Done for"
You're joking" insisted the other
desperately.
TRY him and see-scairt plumb out
er his life. Cold as charity and dead
as a doornail." quaked the Crane"
Jim Lewis knelt down and laid his
hand on Harry Barry's blue flame.
shirt above his heart. He felt Of his
forehead and WINGED. turned up an
eyelid and sh.vered Chen his hanC
went around 20 his own hip pocket anC
brought back 4 flask filed TO the neck.
This he applied 10 the closely locked
teeth of Harry Barry and managed to
empty the contents down his throat
HE swallsrsr' be cried eXultantly.
Fetch me a pail OF water. Gabriel
Gabriel turned 10 obey and then stood
still in his tracks. With startling sud
denuess Harry Barry had returned ("
consciousness. ierSed himself to 4 sit
ting posture and rubbed the back OF
his head thouGhtfully. THAT there
was prime whisky. Jim" he grinncd
"Soon's It touched my throat seems
like l heard tiakle bells and croans.
don't wonder you Lone Bull chaps
lose your nerve when that old tawny
owl from the canyon flies over the
house trailing the sheep bell from her
claw ! reckon this here inishiashun's
about over. eh. boys:"
They Grinned sheepishly. I'VE reck-
oned you was dead from fear. Harry"
admitted THE Crane" 1--WE didn't
count on your knowing about that
there Old bell owl
Harry Barry rolled another cigarette
II oughter explain that ! tied the bell
on that OWL he drs wled meekly.