The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1911-02-03

eodn now'en4<1e could see his COM
eaMon's sae& smiling at him encour.
agingly. The sight Of It was like an
elixir to him. He drank again and
new life coursed through him.
"Yes-hell Of q hole." he repeated
drowsily. Sorry for you-Neil--"
and he seemed to sleep again.
Neil laughed as he wiped his com
panion's face with a wet cloth.
I'm used to II. Nat. Been here be
FORE" he said. Can you get up?
There's a bench over here-not long
enough to stretch you out on or
would have made you bed of II, but
it's better than this mud to sit on.
He put his arms about Nathaniel
and helped him to his feet. For few
moments the wounded man stood with.
out moving. -~t
I'm not very bad. I guess" he said.
taking a slow step. where is the
seat. Neil7 I'm going to walk to It.
What sort Of bump have got on the
head?"
Nothing much" assured Nell.
Suspicious. though" he grinned
cheerfully. Looks as though you
were running and somebody came up
and tapped you from behindi"
| Nathaniefs strength returned to
him quickly. The pain had gone from
his head and his eyes no longer hurt
him. In the din ctndlelight he could
distinguish the four walls Of the dun-
geon. glistening with the water and
mold that reeked from between their
rotting logs. The floor was Of wet.
sticky earth which chung to his boots.
and the air that he breathed filled his
nostrils and throat with the uncom-
Portable thickness of a night fog at
sea. Through It the candle burned In
a misty halo. Near the candle, which
stood on a shelf-like table against one
of the walls, was a big dish which
caught Nathaniel's eyes.
What's that?" he asked, pointing
toward II.
Grub" replied Neil. Hungry"
He went to the table and got the
plate of food. There were chunks Of
boiled meat, unbuttered bread and
cold potatoes. For several minutes
they ate in silence. Now that Ma
thaniel was himself again Neil could
no longer keep up his forced spirits.
Both realized that they had played
their game and that II had ended In
defeat. And each believed that II was
his individual power to alleviate to
some extent the others misery. To
Neil what was ahead of them held no
mystery. A few hours more and then
death. II was only the form In
which II would come that troubled
him, that made him think. Usually
the victims of this dungeon cell were
shot. Sometimes they were hanged
But why tell Nathaniel? So he ate
his meat and bread without words
other waited for him. And Nathaniel
on his part, kept to himself the secret
of Marion's fate. After they had done
with the meat and the bread and the
cold potatoes he pulled out his be
loved pipe and filled 1t with the last
scraps OF his tobacco. and as the
fumes OF It clouded round his head
|
told OF his fight with Strang and hi
killing of Arbor Croche.
I'm glad for Winnsome's sake,
said Neil. after a moment. "Oh, Il
you'd only killed Strang!"
Nathaniel thought Of what Marion
had said to him in the forest.
Nell" he said quietly. do YOU
know that Winnsome loves you-no
as the little girl whom you totet
about on your shoulders-but as I
woman? Do you know that?" In thu
others silence he added: When ! las
saw Marion she sent this message Il
you-'Tell Neil that he must go, To-
Winnsome's sake. Tell him that he
fate is shortly to be as cruel as MINI
tell him that Winnsome loves hin
and that she will escape and come u
him on the mainland Like word
Of fire they had burned themselves II
his brain and as Nathaniel repeated
them he thought Of that other broker
heart that had sobbed out its anguish
to him In the castle chamber. Neil
a man can die easier when he know
: that a woman loves him!"
He had risen to his feet and wa
] walking back and forth through tn
thick gloom.
; I'm glad" Neil's voice came Il
( him softly. as though he scarcel,
: dared to speak the words aloud. Afte
4 a moment he added: Have you 60
q pencil. Nat? would like to leav
a little note for Winnsome."
Nathaniel found both pencil ant
paper in one Of his pockets and Mel
dropped upon his knees In the mu
beside the table. Ten minutes late
he turned to Nathaniel and a grea
change had come into his face.
CTo BE CoNTINUED)