The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1911-07-20

W WeapOn. But peIOTe ne COuiu
raise 1t there was a sudden movement
back of him. The man In the door
way turned sharply.
What" he cried to his wife. You
would. you
At that instant the boy was con-
scious OF a sudden fash Of light and a
sharp defamation. The room was
filed with noise, q little cloud Of
smoke blew down on him Standing with
his own pistol butt clasped tight n his
hand, he saw the man In the doorway
reel. The arm that held his weapon
dropped TO his side. With q convul-
stve movement he pulled the trigger
The bullet buried itself in the floor,
while the man sank down on his
knees, swayed q moment, a frightful
look In his eyes, and then pitched for
ward on his face and lay still.
Good Cod" whispered the boy
turning TO his companion, you've shot
HIM"
He stared at the woman, who still
clasped the little silver-mouDted
weapon she had used with such ter.
rible effect.
1T was his life, or your life or
mine" was the answer. "I did it for
you" she said quickly, seeing a look
OF horror and repulsion spreading over
fhe face Of her companion.
"Yes-yesI I know" he replied:
but"
Come, we must get out Of hero
Immediately"
"Of course, OF course" whispered
the boy n~ervously, I'VE can't stay here
now"
Drag him into the REQ and shut
the door"
The lad hesitated.
Are you afraid7" sneered the
woman, making as II 70 do so herself.
Certainly not" was the answer;
but the boy nevertheless was afraid
afraid of death, with more fear than
he had yer felt for any n living.
Yet something had to be done and at
once.
Forcing himself to the task at last,
he stopped down, seized the man by
the shoulders, turned him over on his
face. and dragged him farther into the
room. Then he shut the door. The
two stared a moment at the PROSTATE
figure.
He's not dead yet" said the boy
slowly.
mo; but he soon will be-" The
woman stopped over and unbuttoned
the mans coa and waistcoat. THERE"
!! she said, pointing to a CHASTITY hole.
Il struck him fair in the breast.
Would to God It'd been in his black
heart!" she added. Don't you see
that we must go now and quick?
Come, we can't delay any longer"
"Tn take the blame on myself II
we're caught" said the boy. 1T was
my fault and you saved my life"
That's noble Of you." returned the
woman indifserently; but We won't be
caught"
We'll, then, III save your reputa.
ton before I 60" continued the other
Quixotically.
There were g. few tattered books on
the shelf. He took n down, tore
OuI llS hylCdl uIc" a pChCIl IlOU
his pocket, scrubbed on 1t a few
words, signed it, held It to the woman
10 read, laid the LEST down on the
body OF the dying man, and then
turned to the door. He opened it, and
the woman followed him out into the
night.
The room was very still. Except
for the long. slow, faint, and fainter
breathing of the man, there was not
a sound within the howell.
Death lowered over him the long
night through. The morning found
him still alive, yet barely breathing,
He was trembling on the eternal
verge later in the day when men seek.
ing him burst into the room. They
found the letter of confession still
lying where 1t had been placed. They
revived the man sufficiently by slim
ulants to enable him to speak a preg.
nant word or two before his lips
closed forever.
The confession, the bullet that had
killed him, the empty revolver, and
the mans last words, solemnly attest.
ed by those present, were carefully
| preserved by the leader of them all.
They might be useful some day; who
! knew? Fol- the rest II was evident
what had happened. The boy and the
; woman we're gone from the camp. No
search was made for them; non was
possible. The blizzard had spent IT.
self by that time; but the prairie was
covered deep with drifted nov A
period Of intense cold s~upervened. II
was hardly within human possibility
that the two fugitives could have got
safely away. They must be buried
somewhere to the southwark In tn
vast drifts. Spring might reveal their
fate, 1t might remain forever a secret.
So far as the denizens of the country
were concerned, the tragedy-one of
the numberless mes Of the frontier
was over. In a day or two 1t was for
gotten.