Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1911-02-10
Nathaniel sat ur. Neirs strong arm

at MS back. There was light in the
room now and he could see his COM
panion's face, smiling at him encour-
aglngly. The sight Of it was like an
elixir to him. He drank again and
new life coursed through him.
Yes-hell of hole!" he repeated
drowsily. Sorry for you--Neil-"
and he seemed to sleep again.
Neil laughed as he wiped his conf
panion's face with wet cloth.
I'm used to it, 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 l
would have made you bed of it, 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.
I'm not very bad, guess" he said,
taking slow step. where is the
seat, Neil? I'm going to walk to it.
What sort of a bump have got on the
head?"
Nothing much" assured Neil
Suspicious, though" he grinned
cheerfully. Looks as though you
were running and somebody came up
and tapped you from behind!"
| NathanieIs strength returned to
him quickly. The pain had gone from
his head and his eyes no longer hurt
him. In the dim candle-light he could
distinguish the four walls of the dun
geon, gljstening 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 filed his
| nostrils and throat with the uncom-
Portable thickness of a night fog at
sea. Through it the candle burned in
misty halo. Near the candle, which
stood on shelf-like table against one
of the walls, was big dish which
caught Nathaniers eyes.
whats that?" he asked, pointing
toward it.
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 it had ended in
defeat. And each believed that it 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. 1t was only the form in
which it 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,
waiting for the other to speak, as the
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 it with the last
scraps of his tobacco, and as the
fumes of it clouded round his head, |
soothing him in it's old friendship, he
told of his fight with Strang and his
killing of Arbor Croche.
I'm glad for Winnsome's sake"
said Neil, after a moment. "Oh, if
you'd only killed Strang!"
Nathaniel thought of what Marion
had said to him in the forest.
Neil" he said quietly, do you
know that Winnsome loves you-not !
as the little girl whom you toted |
about on your shoulders-but as a !
woman? Do you know that?" In the |
others silence he added: when I last |
saw Marion she sent this message to |
you-'Tell Neil that he must go, for !
Winnsomes sake. Tell him that her |
fate is shortly to be as cruel as mine |
tell him that Winnsome loves him
and that she will escape and come to |
him on the mainland" Like words
of fire they had burned themselves in
his brain and as Nathaniel repeated |
them he thought of that other broken |
heart that had sobbed out it's anguish
W lllLl III Tie CCStlt CuC1nUEl. ANCil,
man can die easier when he knows
that woman loves him."
He had risen to his feet and was
walking back and forth through the
thick gloom.
I'm glad" Neirs voice came to
him softly, as though be scarcely
dared to speak the words aloud. After
moment he added: Have you got
a pencil, Nat? I would like to leave
a little note for Winnsome."
Nathaniel found both pencil and
paper in one of his pockets and Neil
dropped upon his knees in the mud
beside the table. Ten minutes later
he turned to Nathaniel and a great
change had come into his face.
(TO BE CONTINUED.)