The Ekalaka eagle. [volume] (Ekalaka, Mont.) 1909-1920, 1914-09-11

"She's dead!" she screamed.
gathering up her Bingham skirts about
her enormous ankles, she raised the
umbrella and waded heavily through
the grass Of the dooryard and went
away in the damp chill dawn.
Martha watched her go with resent
ment in her eyes and a half formed
gesture of her hand as though to shake
her fist at her, but she changed her
mind quickly, and instead beckoned
to Mary.
RAISE me up a bit," she painted.
"How der yer reckon I kin breathe
layin' in er boiler like this" she added
fretfully.
Mary raised her almost to a sitting
posture and propped her against the
pillows. Her breathing was very hard
now, and the light faint in her eyes,
and Mary. who had watched by more
than n death bed, knew that she was
almost gone. But her mind was clear
er than 1t had been all night.
Il got ter tell yer-1 got ter" she
gasped, Lean down close-listen
good" she continued as the girl bent
over her. The voice was almost a
whisper, and Mary had to lean close
to catch it. ''Ther word Anderson Cree
sent ter Dave was not ter kill Kip
R%yerson-not ter kill him, do yer un-
derstan'"
what" cried Mary, spr1nging erect
and staring down at her. 'lhat der
yer mean?"
Eyes, yes!' the other gasped. nodding
her old head. Il come erlong jest after
Dave went ter git help, an Anderson
was er layin' on his side with er great
soak er blood IN his back-an' he was
er p%rayin'"- she paused, struggling
for breath. "He was er prayin' ter
live jest till Dave come, SOS he could
make him take back his promise"
ooh" cried Mary, and clasped her
hands hard.
IAN then he heered me in Their
bresh," the other stumbled on, IAN he
Jest begged an prayed me ter come ter
him-but l wouldn't-an' then he cuss-
ed me cause l never let on l heered,
an when l run he heered me, an hol-
Tered after me he'd be er settin' on
the doorstep er hell err waitin' fer me
wen l come, eff l didn't tell Dave. But
l didn't tell didn't tell" she cried
shrilly. "An' l amt erfraid er you
neither, Anderson Cree! You kin set
ther till Judgment day fer all l keer."
she screamed.
For a moment she lay still again,
painting.
II knowed Kip first Of all when he
come back" she went on again in q
moment, fighting for the words. 81
knowed him an that was what
meant erbout Their shadder follerin'
Dave-but l wouldn't err told"- she
paused suddenly. looking hard at Mary
with dim. strange eyes. der yer reck.
on Pm erfraid err Anderson CREEP" she
demanded. II anti amt crfraid or
any livin' soul that ever walked, Crees
err not" she went on fiercely. But
I'm err tellin' you cause every night
Ammy comes an looks at me with her
little pitiful face an says jest like she
used ter-'You an mes best friends.
amt we, nanny" An then she says,
oh. nanny, amt yer done ernough
harm-ain't yer satisfied yit?'"
She broke off abruptly, and there
was a gurgle in her throat. Eyes,
honey, yes" she painted, "Mammy's
told-she's told now"
70 a moment again she was still,
and then all at once she shot I'D sud
denly to her knees in the bed. "Aha-a,
Anderson Cree" she cried, doubling her
hard fists, and shaking her bony arms
straight and stiff owe her head. "Keep
er settin' ther-kcep er watchin', you'll
never git me-" she screamed with a
broken laugh. "Ammy an mes goin'-
Ammy." she cried and fell back a dead
crumpled heap among the pillows.
Mary bent over her quickly, feeling
for her heart and knew that She was
dead.
Mechanically she Strengthened the
shriveled limbs upon the bed and fold.
ed the hands upon the breast. Then
she sprang up and fled eagerly out of
, the cabin. Il got ter tell Dave-I go,
ter" she cried to herself. "Oh, maybe
, III be in time tit"
But at the yard fence she paused in
horror. How could she leave the lone
some dead body unattended in that de
serted place?
W.!dly h looled down the path OF
the hollow and screamed again and
! again Mt the top of her voice, but there
was no n3wer-O only the echo from the