Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1910-04-28

time, and when they found him
He was dead, { said the boy. .''and
that was the end Of his troubles. Was
he cripple? ~
Rufus stared and choked upon his
words . 81
How in thunder did you guess
that?" he finally managed to say.
| A thrill passed through the boy, and
then slowly a cold horror settled upon
| his vitals.
"Well," he said at last, Il guess
that's all that l need to know. If nv
mother is afraid that can't stand it
| it must be pretty bad. No wonder 4
haven't been able to nail DR.. Stevens
to the point. Does he think he'll have
to cut my leg off by and by?''
At this Rufus uttered voluble and
scarcely coherent protest. It was all
a mistake. he declared. The doctor
thought there was no danger at all.
He had said that the leg would be as
| good as new.
The man had no sincerity in him.
Though he was trying to tell the truth
or something near. it, every word
seemed part Of monstrous lie. Frank
looked at him with sense Of loathing
and nausea and then turned his glance
away.
"Cousin Rufus" said he at last in a
tone of singular quietude and steadi-
ness. twill you go and open that top
drawer in the little stand in the corner
| and get me q box that you'll find
there?"
Rufus complied with this request
and held up box Of black wood.
us this the one?" said he. "What's
In it? It's locked"
"The key is in the pocket Of those
trousers. Thank YOU" taking the box
I and the key from his cousins hands.
"And now will you oblige me by clos
Ing that door? Is the other one shut
at the head of the stairs?"
"Why, yes" stammered Burrell, shut
ting the door. But what Of it? What's
all this about?'
Frank did not reply. He had opened
the box and was looking down upon
the revolver which it contained. The
lid prevented Rufus from seeing the
contents of the box from his position
at the foot Of the bed, and, drawn by
curiosity. he came round to the side.
The next instant he was looking into
the muzzle Of the weapon, and beyond
it he saw two steady, determined gray
eyes.
The man sprang back with a hoarse
cry and struck table. which seemed
to have arms and to hold him fast.
| "Cousin Rufus" said the boy, you
know me, and you know my people,
We are all alike, except you. We
mean what we say, and we don't care
what we do. That's the way we're
born"
"Frank, Frank!' the man gabbled in
abject terror. Don't! You brighten
me! 1t might go of by accident
II want to know what the doctor
says about me-" continued Frank
what he really says. Understand:
And as sure as there's a heaven above
us and another place below-for liars
| I'll shoot you If you lie to me. I'm
down and done for, and l might as
well do one good deed before die"
Good deed! Shoot me! That amt
what I'd call good. And your moth
| err
"Don't mention her name. You've
come here against her express wishes
and done your miserable best to fill
my head full Of suicide. Don't name
my mother. Answer my question"
Burrell's lips were blue with terror,
and his face was gray.
'Upon my most sacred word Of hon.
or" he stammered, "the doctor says
you're going to get well-just as we'll
as ever you was in your life. And
that's the truth
1T is not!' said Frank, and his tone
froze the others heart 'I'll give you
one more chance. Am l to be lame?'
J 1t now flashed across Rufus that the