The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-11-27

quick and low.
Delor answered evasively, "You i;nish
him, an we won't have to-" ;;
Martin studied moment. It was risin
to me that Steve Flint's room in hell was to
be used that night. The brother saw it ,'too.
"Show me the way" he said, duly.
The mouth of the cave was in the hills
mile from town. We all set out.
martin, don't play the ferret herSl" l
whispered, on the way. "Steve's amuck.
He'll kill you"
There was something akin to madness in
the eyes which mutely implored me to say
no more.
A big fire was burning at the mouth of the
cave. Two men of the running guard re-
ported that nothing had been heard of the
prisoner, since the messenger had ridden
back to town. They stood with repeating
rifles just out of range from within. A
rabbit couldn't have scurried out and lived.
Martin looked slowly about the frelit faces,
pressed my hand and started toward the en-
trance. Really, it was now for the first
time, that I realized how fond was of
Martin Flint Didsey cursed softly under
his breath. The crowd was silent now
We heard Martins GALA tomb-like rum
bling:
''Halloo-oo, Steve! . I'm comm in.
It me-Martin!"
There was no answer. Martins steps
trailed into silence. The smell of earth
came out of the cave, but it was warm and
pent like long-shut room. heard the
swapping of roots in the fire; then sudden
gust of mems whispering behind, but /
couldn't turn to see. My eyes were lost in
the inner dark. felt the shirt sticking to
my skin; the need for drink. Hate for
the seconds, as they passed, sunk Me-deep
into memory. 1t seemed an hour. -.
Then a voice from far within-tired, hoarse,
hopeless. >
"Its all over, menl Poor Steve
saved me-from the dirty work."
Into the light he came, walking jerkily,
like a wooden figure pushed from behind.
1t was the face of Martin grown old, it
seemed to me, haggard, horrible with suffer
ing. My thought was that only the beating
of Mary Give had steeled him to 70 in
Out into the freight, he came, mumbling
throatily the repetition-that all was over!
Then was conscious of woman beside me
Mary Overheard catch in her throat
and her scream:
"That isn't Martin! That's Stevel-
He's left his brother in there!'
For a second, the twin looked at the
bruised beautiful face in the 6relight-then
burst into laughter. It was all plain with
that laugh-hard as parrots tone-disks
of metal humping down steel stairs-the
laugh of a man whose soul has fed and
whose body doesn't care. The hideous
shock of pistol-his own-and Steve was
down.
We caught up brands from the FIRE, and
rushed into the cave. Fear was savage in
every brain that murder had been done
within, but this was wrong. At quick
turn of the passage, fifty feet from the
mouth, Martin stood at bay, squirting at the
flares. He was addressed and had been
getting into the rags Steve had worn. The
word that he lived was shouted back-so
that knew the woman heard. In all
but spirit, this was the man whom the Mari
posers had hunted. They inclined at first
to be rough on account of the trick. Mar
tin had heard the shot, and the voices had
told him what Steve had done.
"I've got no favors to ask, he said duly.
ri never intended to kill him. couldn't
let him starve! I meant him to take the
long chance-of running for it in my
clothes!"
Didsey patted his shoulder; wrung the
limp cold hand Of the man who was making
me think so fast. was glad that he lived.
Big Ping Delor rebuked his men, as one
having authority.
"Quit yer grumblin', fellers!" he COM
manded. "This here's a family matter.
All we've got to know is that Mariposie's
dead lies yonder at the mouth of the cave"
Kindness broke down the strange fellow.
as hostility never could have done.
II didn't want to betray you-all," he said
unsteadily, "but couldn't lead him out to
be strung up. Oh, Gawd, you never could
understand! He-he was like the other
half o mel"
"7he devils halt, Ma,tini''
The words startled, silenced all. The
tone was soft, thrilling. Mary Give had
followed us In The men stepped back. 50
that the way was clear between her and her
old love. There seemed to be some big
meaning in that unconscious clearing of the
men between them. Tall, slender, the blue
eyes shining but pitiful-she stood waiting
tor Martin to speak-in the smoky fare of
the torches.
-. There was so much in what she had
said, that l have been thinking about it
ever since; and sometimes I have wished
that [ were born twin-and the devils