The Elbert County tribune., 1914-04-17


she got on my nerves. ! always dis
routine and large fias feet.
Far on l heard the thud of gun
shot, then three shots all together, and
afterward a fifth. The evil in the
night was coming nearer. and said
to myself, IF we're really frightened
l should close that door. I'm half a
coward
The hero 0imself had strung his Vic
torta Crcns upon riband which |
wore about my neck. Could l wear
the cross and set an example OF cow
ardice to these poor creatures who
crouched in the corners of the room?
to show fear is a privilege of the un-
derbred. But did long for Jesse.
Through the murmurs OF the nearer
rain, / felt throb In the ground, then
heard sound grow. of horse gal
Looping The swift soft rhythm, now
loud. now very faint, then very near
echoed against the barns, numbered
across the bridge, splashed through
the flooded yard, and ceased abruptly,
Billy had come home from the Falls.
he was stabling his roam, he was cross
ing the yard in haste. his spurs clank-
ed at the doorstep and, dreading his
news. sudden panic seized me. r
fed behind the bar.
He entered astream with rain, shad-
ing his eyes against the candle-light;
then as / moved he called out, as
though were at distance. begging
me for brandy. His face was haggard,
h hfg 1,D ox,1r raNT
with dried blood, he slammed the
glass on the counter SO that 1t broke.
You heard the shots?" he said.
AT Spite House!" whispered.
He nodded.
You were there?" asked.
Half mile beyond. When l got
there 1t was all dark. Looked in
through the end window, but the rain
got down my neck. SO l went round.
The front door WAS standing open.
listened while. No need to get shot
myself. Thought the place was
derelict Then heard groans.
"Struck bunch of matches then.
found the hall lamp. and got it alight.
Wished I'd got gun. but there wasn't
nothing handy except the poker. SO
tooh tudi anu tuc iiBHl0Just iohoWSu
the groans. He was lying on the bar
room floor
"Brooke?"
Yes. Shot through the throat
blood squirting down the side OF his
| neck, making big pool on the oil
cloth. You know the thing you make
with a stick and scarf to twist up?
A tourniquet, yes. Well. it choked the
swine, SO l quit. He whispered some
thing about my thumb hurting the
wound, so told him my fathers neck
hurt worse.
up to that thought he was just
acting. playing pathetic to touch my
feelings. Once he muttered your
name. and then he was dead"
Brooke dead." nN
Yes, he'd been shooting Polly, too.
1 traced her blood tracks all the way
to the front door. Hello, what's that7
I thought heard"
| 1 listened and there was only the
sound of the rain.
Il suppose it's all right" said Billy.
we'd better close that door, though"
But before he could reach the door,
Nurse Panton called him away to her
corner. where she spoke In whisper
SO that / should not hear, sending
him, perhaps. for her cloak. Mean
while | came from behind the counter
to my former seat before the open
doorway. where l sat staring into the
darkness, unable to feel any more, but
just benumbed. Across my weariness
fiickered the mournful soliloquy of a
poor barn-door fowl-"Yesterday an
egg, tomorrow a feather duster!
What's the good of anytin', why
nothin'"
Then l. too. heard sound in the
night. and because Billy and the nurse
were muttering. stood up with the
candle-light behind me, trying to see
In the darkness. Billy said afterward
he had moved quickly, to shut the
door, but waved him back Just as the
shot rang out
The explosion blinded, deafened
seemed even to scorch me. while the
mirror on the wall came crashing
down. Stunned, dazzled. Mortified, !
felt dull rage at this attempted
murder.
A second revolver-shot stirred my
hair. and I'm afraid theu that l lost
my temper. ! am not fish-fag that
should stoop to fighting creature
such as Polly, but | would have died
rather than let her see one trace oi
fear.
Billy rushed past the firing to reach
the door and close 1t, but ordered hir.
to desist. then grasped the candle and
held 1t out to show better light.
Lower your lights!" shouted into
dark. you fred too high!"
A revolver crashed on the doorstep
and low down within three feet of the
ground, saw dreadful face convuls