The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1914-07-02

The whole place Is against u.s. There
wasn't more than six men, not count
ing Dan, Billy Fish and me, that came
down to the bottom Of the valley alive.
my own notion is that Dan began
to so mad in his head from that hour.
He stared up and down like a stuck
pig. Then he was all for walking back
alone and killing the priests with his
bare hands, which he could have done.
An emperor am L. says Daniel, and
next year l shall be a knight Of the
queen
"'All right, Dam says l, but come
along now while there's time
"'lt's your fault says he, for not
looking after your army better l was
too heartsick to care. though it was all
his foOlishness that brought the smash
lin sorry, Dam says l, but there
no accounting for natives. This bust
ness is our Fifty-seven. Maybe We'll
make something out of it yet, when
we've got to BashlSai.'
Lets get to Bashkai them says
Dan, and when | come back here
again III sweep the valley so there
isn't a bug in blanket left
I'VE walked all that day, and all
that night Dan was stumping up and
down on the snow, chewing his beard
and muttering to himself.
"There's no hope o getting clear,
said Billy Fish. The priests will have
sent runners to the Villages to say that
you are only men. Why didn't you
stick on as gods till things was more
settled? I'm a dead man.. says Billy
Fish, and he throws himself down on
the snow and begins to pray to his
gods.
Next morning we was in a cruel
bad country-al up and down, no level
ground at all and no food either. The
six Bashkai men looked at Billy Fish
hungrywise as if they wanted to ask
something. but they said never u word.
At noon we came to the top Of a fiat
mountain all covered with snow. and
when we climbed up into it, behold,
there was an army in position waiting
in the middle!
1.-The runners have been very quick,
says Billy Fish. with little bit Of a
laugh They are waiting for US
"'We're done for says Dan. They
are Englishmen. these people, and its
my blasted nonsense that has brought
you to this Get back, Billy Fish. and
take your men away; you've done what
you could. and now cut for it. Carne-
H., Sci, bn, Ic with
and 80 along with Billy. Maybe they
won't kill you. I'll go and meet 'em
alone. It's me. the king, that did 1t.
"'Gor says L. I'm with you here.
Billy Fish. you clear out. and we two
will meet those folk
lin Il chief says Billy Fish, quite
quiet. Y stay with you. My men
can go
1.-The Bashkai fellows didn't wait for
a second word. but ran off. 1t was
cold-awful cold I've got that cold in
the back of my head now. There's a
lump of it there"
Carnehan was shivering, and fear
ed that his mind might so. wiped
my face. took fresh grip of the pite-
ously mangled hands and said. What
happened after that?"
"What was you pleased to say?'
whined Carrehan. "They took them
without any sound Not little whis'
per all along the SNOW. not though the
king knocked down the first man that
set hand on him-not though Old
Peachey fred his last cartridge into
the brown of 'em. There was Il man
called Billy Fish. a good friend OF
us all, and they cut his throat, sir,
then and there, like pig; and the king
kicks up the bloody snow and says:
We've had dashed fine run for our
money. What's coming next?' But
Peachey-Peachey Taliaferro. tell
you, sir. in confidence as betwixt two
friends-he lost his head. sir. No. he
didn't neither The king lost his head.
so he did. I'LL along O. one OF those
cunning rope bridges. Kindly let ne
have the paper cutter, sir. 1t tilted
this way. They marched him across
that snow tt, II rope bridge over "a
vine with river at the bottom. You
may have EN- such. They prodded
him behind like an OK. D your
eyes, says he king. 'D'you suppose
| can't die Ii e Il gentleman? He turns
to Peachey- reachey that was crying
like child. I've brought you to this,
Peachey,' SAYS he. Brought you out
of your happy life to be killed in KAT
tristan. where you was late command
er in chief Of the emperor's forces.
Say you forgive me. Peachey.' !
d., says peachey. Shake hands.
Peachey.' says he. Pm going now.
Out he goes. looking neither right nor
left. and when he was plumb in the
middle of those dizzy dancing ropes.
Gut. you beggarsv he shouts. And
they cut. and old Dan fell. turning
round and round and round. 10000
miles. for he took half an hour to fall
till he struck the water, and l could
see his body caught on rock with the
gold crown close beside