The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1911-08-25

01Os SAOU6A A0 Wd0 COVoESV anu 0v0u
a drunken man could scarcely miss at
such range. he nevertheless drew his
own weapon But before he could
raise 1t there was a sudden Movement
back OF him. The man In the door.
way turned sharply.
What" he cried to his wifa You
would. you
At that instant the boy wa con.
scious Of . sudden fash Of light and q
sharp defamation. The room was
filed with noise, . little cloud OF
smoke blew down on him. Standing with
his own pistol butt clasped tight in his
hand, he saw the man In the doorway
reel. The arm that held his weapon
dropped to his side. With . convul.
sive movement he pulled the trigger
The bullet buried itself in the floor.
while the man sank down ON his
knees, swayed . moment, a frightful
look In his eyes. and then pitched for.
ward ON his face and lay still.
Good God" whispered the boy
turning to his companion, you've shot
him!"
He stared at the woman, who still
clasped the little silver-mounted
weapon she had used with such ter.
rible effect
1T was his life. or your life or
mine was the answer. Il did 1t for
you." she said quickly, seeing a look
OF horror and repulsion spreading over
the face of her companion.
"Yes-yes! I know" he replied:
| but"
Come. we must get out OF hero
Immediately"
"Of course. of course" whispered
the boy nervously. I'VE can't stay here
now"
Drag him into the room and shut
the door,"
The lad hesitated.
Are you afraid?" sneered the
woman, making rs II to do SO herself.
but the boy nevertheless was afraid
afraid Of death, with more fear than
he had ever felt for n one 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 coat 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 blac.,
heart!" she added. Don't you see
that We must go now and quick?
Come, we can't delay any longer"
I'll 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 indifrerently; but We won't be
caught"
We'll, then, I'll save your reputa.
ton before l CO." continued the other
Quixotically.
There were a few tattered books On
the shelf. He took one down, tore
out the fyleaf. drew a pencil from
his pocket. scrubbed OF it a few
words, signed it, held It to the woman
to read. laid the ls0i down Oh tho
body OF the dying man. and then
turned to the door. He opened it, aud
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 Icing
night through. The morning found
him still alive. yet barely breathing.
He was trembling or the eternal
verge later in the day when men seek.
found the letter of confession still
lying where 1t had been placed. They
| revived the a sufficiently by stirl.
| ulants to enable him to speak a preis.
nant word or two before his lips
closed forever.
Tx COAlCoolOA, IL VhAAOS IAoI Ae|o
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; whu
/! knew? For the rest It was evident
what had happened. The boy and thu
!; woman were gone from the camp. No
; search vas made for them; none was
! possible. The blizzard had spent 1t.
self by that time: but the prairie was
|: covered deep with drifted snow. A
! period Of intense cold s~upervened. 1t
was hardly within human possibility
that the two fugitives could have got
safely away. They must be buried
somewhere to the southwark in the
vast drifts. Spring might reveal their
fatA. 1t might remain forever q secret.
So FIR as the denixens OF the country
we're concerned, the tragedy-one OF
the numberiess ones OF the frontier
S~>