The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1910-08-20

| ''In the calf of my leg"
| 'Ha, yes! see the blood running;
and you limp; is it painful?'
Very" painted the wounded man.
Lightfoot glanced at his compan-
| ion S face and saw that it was deathly
| pale, covered with great drops of
| sweat, and corrugated with lines of
suffering.
DO you feel faint?' he anxiously
| questioned.
Yes"
For Heavens sake, don't give way
| to it, or you are LOST
| Il know it,
1T is death to be taken"
| Il know it
Can you hold out?"
The Lord only knows. l Will do
my best"
Here, lean somewhat on me-that
may help you a little"
| AS Thunderbolt rested one arm on
| the shoulder Of Lightfoot, the crowd
| behind, seeing the action and divining
the cause, at once set up a wild shout,
| of anticipated triumph.
Hes been hit, and we'll soon have
! him" cried one
He can't hold out much longer!"
exclaimed another.
Load and fire again. soldiers, and
make sure work Of BOTH" chimed in
a third.
While one yelled one thing and
another another, the officer in COM
mand of the soldiers, finding that,
encountered with their muskets and
knapsacks, they were not gaining IN
the futitives at all, even though or
of them was wounded and limping,
ordered them to halt, load and fire
at the escaping men. with the best
aim they could, hoping thus to arrest
their flight with some well-sped bull
let.
BY the time the order was executed,
the freebOoters were SO far in ad
vance of their military foes that eth
er the distance, bad aim or inaccur-
acy OF their weapons, the fear of hit
ting some Of the citizens who were
still vigorously keeping up the pursuit,
or all these circumstances combined,
rendered their several shots ineffect-
ual; and the robbers still held on
their course, the wounded man strain
ing every nerve and his companion
still urging and helping him forward.
In this manner the two outlaws
reached the wood fair distance in
advance of the nearest pursuers,
when Ligntfoot turned with shout of
defiance and fiourishing his pistol,
sent bullet so near to the head OF |
the foremost citizen that he actually |
jumped to one side as the ball whis- |
tied past him, and then came to an |
abrupt halt.
From the time Of entering the wood |
the two daring highwaymen saw moth.
ing OF their pursuers; but, compre-
hending the danger Of remaining in
locality where their presence was |
known, they still held on, over hill and
valley, across streams and fields, and
through belts of timber and bru0h-
wood for distance of ten long,
fatiguing miles; when at last as they
plunged into thick covert of bushes
the strength Of Thunderbolt gave out,
and he suddenly fell down in death
like swoon.
"Oh, Lord of mercy! He is either
dying or dead" cried his frightened
companion, as he dropped down by
his side and felt for his pulse and the
beat of his heart. oh, captain, for
the love of Heaven don't die now.
just as we have reached a place of
safety" he walled.
Thunderbolt was not dead, though
his face had CHASTITY look and his
breath was suspended.
Lightfoot vigorously chafed his
face and hands. all the time calling
upon him in endearing terms TO come
back to life
AS if in answer to this prayer, the
PROSTATE man presently revived lit
tie, and said, in faint, catching
voice:
n-pocket-bottle."
Lightfoot rapidly passed his hands
over his companions ragged dress till
be felt hard substance that proved
to be small bottle, which he drew
put and uncorked.
With an effort Thunderbolt took
this in his hand, smelt of the liquid
It contained, but a few drops on his
tongue, and then, pouring some into
MS hand, rubbed it over his head.
1T is the elixir of life he said
with reviving smile, land l feel bet
.er and stronger already. Didn't we
have run for it, my boy? But that ,
cursed bullet is in my calf yet, and it
must be cut out Come my lad, let
is see what kind of a surgeon you