The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1914-02-14


routine and large fat feet.
Far of 1 heard the thud of gun
shot, then three shots all together, anC
afterward a fifth. The evil in the
night was coming nearer. and l said
to myself, IF were really frightened
| should close that door. I'm half 9
coward"
The hero himself had strung his Vic
| toria Cross upon a riband which
wore about my neck. Could 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 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.
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 a distance, begging
me for brandy. His face was haggard
1t 4. l. a. 4.
with dried blood, he slammed the
glass on the counter so that it broke
You heard the shots?" he said.
AT Spite uouse?" / whispered.
He nodded.
You were there?" l asked.
Half mile beyond. When got
there 1t was all dark Looked in
through the end window, but the rain
got down my neck, so / went round.
The front door was standing open.
| listened a while. No need to get shot
| myself. Thought the place was
derelict. Then ! heard groans.
Struck a bunch of matches then,
found the hall lamp. and got it alight.
! Wished I'd got a gun, but there wasn't
nothing handy except the poker. so l
| took that and the light-just followed
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 stick and a scarf 10 twist up?
A tourniquet. yes. Well, it choked the
swine, so l quit. lie whispered some
thing about my thumb hurting the
wound, so told him my fathers neck
hurt worse
up to chat ! thought he was just
feelings Once he muttered your
name, and then he was dead"
Brooke dead"
Yes, he'd been shooting Polly, too.
traced her blood tracks all the way
TO the front door. Hello, what's that?
| thought heard
listened and there was only the
sound of the rain.
IL suppose it's all right" said Billy,
wed better close that door, though
But before he could reach the door,
Nurse Panton called him away to her
corner, where she spoke in q whisper
so that | should not hear, sending
him, perhaps, for her cloak. Mean
while | came from behind the counter
tC my former seat before the open
doorway. where ] sat staring into the
darkness. unable to feel any more, but
| just benumbed Across my WEAKNESS
| flickered the mourpful soliloquy Of a
| poor barn-door fowl--"Y esterday an
| egg, tomorrow feather duster!
What's the good of anytin', why
nothin"
Then l. too. heard sound in the
| night, and because Billy md the nurse
were muttering. / stood up with the
candle-light behind me, rying to see
In the darkness. Billy aid afterward
he had moved quickly to shut the
door, but waved him b.; * just as the
shot rang out
The explosion blinG I. deafened
seemed even to scorch ne, while the
mirror on the wall c: ne crashing
down. Stunned. dazzled, Mortified,
| felt dull rage at tbs attempted
| murder.
| A second revolver-shct stirred my
hair, and I'm afraid then that l lost
my temper I am not . dsh-fag that
should stoop to fighting creature
such as Polly. bu: I would nave died
rather than let her see one trace Of
| fear
| Billy rushed past the firing to'reach
the door and close IL. but | ordered him
to desist. then grasped the candle and
held IL out to show better light
Lower your lights" shouted into
dark. you fired too high"
A revolver crashed on che doorstep.
and low down within three feet OF the
ground. saw dreadful face convuls.
ed with rage, changing to fear. The
woman was sinking 10 her knees, she
| buried her face In grimy. blood.
smeared hands, and rocked to and fro
In awful abandonment OF grief
The danger was over now. the man.