Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1916-02-02


minutes then. Perhaps they had Jus
awakened to his escape and were cast
Ing aside stealth for the fury of oper
pursuit. She even thought she hearC
an oath once, and then it was all quiet
again; quiet for while, and at the
end of the silence, like the punctua
ton of an acknowledgements, came the
far-away snap of rifle.
She had dropped to a chair anC
sat there tensely, leaning forward, hel
lips parted and her ears straining
Had she heard one shot and its echo
or had there been several? Her mag
nation and fears were playing hel
tricks now, and she could hardly be
certain of her senses.
The passage of time was a thing Of
which she had lost count. Each mo
meat was century.
Then. with a violent start, she sal
up. Now she knew she heard sound
there could be no doubt this time
1t came from out beyond the front
door, and she bent forward, listen
ing.
1t was a strange sort of sound which
she could not make out, but in sub
tie way it was more terrifying than
the clatter of rifles. 1t was as If some
heavy. soft thing were being dragged
up the steps and rolling back.
She rose and took step toward
the door, but halted In doubt. The
sound died and then came again. al
ways with hating intervals of silence
between, as though whoever were
dragging the burden had to pause or
each step to rest Then there was G
scraping as of boot-leather on the
boards and a labored breath outside
breath that seemed to be agoniZed.
She bent forward with one hand
outstretched toward the latch, and
heard faint rapping. It was seem
ingly the rap of very feeble fingers
but that might all be part of ruse
Was it friend or enemy out there, just
beyond the thickness of the heavy
panels? At all events, she must see.
She braced herself and threw the
door open. A figure which had beer
leaning against it lurched forward
stumbled over the threshold and fel
in a heap, half in and half out. Il
was the figure of Anse Havey.
How far he had hitched himself
along, foot by foot, like mortallJ
wounded animal crawling home to die
she could not tell, but for one horri
fed instant she stood gazing down or
him in stupefaction.
He had gone out splendid vita
creature of resilient strength and pow
er. He had come back the torn anc
bleeding wreck of man, literally
shot to pieces, as a quail Is shattered
when it rises close to quick-shootins
gun.
In the next moment she was stoop
ing with her arms around his body
striving to lift his weight and brins
him in. She was strong beyond al
seeming of her slenderness, but the
man was heavy, and as she raised his
head and shoulders a sound of bitten
off and stifed agony escaped his white
lips, and she knew that her efforts
were torturing him.
It was an almost lifeless tongue
that whispered, 81 was skeered-tha'
Wouldn't get here
Then as she staggered under his
inert bulk he tried to speak again
"Jest help-drag me-"
The few yards into the hall made
long and terrible Journey, and how
she ever got him in, half hanging te
her, half crawling, stopping at every
step, she never knew. Still 1t wal
done at last, and she was kneeling or
the floor with his head on her breast
No wonder they had left him fol
dead and gone away content. He
looked up and a faint smile came tt
his almost unacceptable face. The
blood which had already dried ane
caked with the dust through which NJ
had crawled was being fed by fresh
er outpouring, and, as she held hin
close to her, her own bosom and arms
were red too, as red as the flower
pinned in her hair.
She must stanch his wounds ant
pour whisky down his throat before
the Pickering wisp Of life-fame burnet
out.
wait, dearest" she said in bro
ken voice. Il must get things yol
need"
1T ain't"-he paused a moment fol
the breath which came very hard
"scarcely-worth WILHELM DONE
But she flew to the cupboard where
there was brandy. She tore liner
from her petticoat and brought wate1
from the drinking bucket that stoot
with it's gourd dipper on the porch.
But when she pressed the flask t.
his lips he closed them and shook hi
head little.
81 amt never touched drop In m!
life" he said, AN I reckon nights
weIl-finish out-'twon't be long. I'll
too late to begin now"
For a while he lay gasping, thel
spoke again, weakly:
"Just kiss Observation-Disclosures wha
come for.
After a pause he spoke again.
There's one thing-I've got to asi
We: Why did We swear-ye didn't car
| for me-in court?'
uo- hood came I'D and she an