The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1916-03-18
O. Henry
Stories
vi. Phoebe
By O. HENRY
Continued from Yesterday

81 kept half a days journey behind,
said Kearny. fishing out a stone from
the covering of his lame foot so the
bad luck wouldn't touch you. /
couldn't help it, captain. l wanted to
be in on this game. 1t was a pretty
tough trip. especially in the depart
ment of the commissary. In the low
grounds there were always bananas
and oranges. Higher up it was worse,
but your men left a good deal of goat
meat hanging on the bushes in the
camps. Here's your 800. You're nearly
there now, captain. Let me in on the
scrapping tomorrow
/" Not for hundred times a hundred
would l have the tiniest thing go
wrong with my plans now ] said.
whether caused by evil planets or the
blunders Of mere man. But yonder is
Aguas Frias. five miles away and a
clear road | am of the mind to defy
Saturn and all his satellites to spoil
our success now. At any rate, | will
mot turn away tonight as weary trav-
eler and as good a soldier as you are,
Lieutenant Kearny. Manuel Ortiz's
tent is there by the brightest fire. Rout
him out and tell him to supply you
with food and blankets and clothes.
We march again at daybreak.
"Kearny thanked me briefly but
feelingly, and moved away.
"He had gone scarcely a dozen steps
when a sudden flash of bright light
illumined the surrounding hills A sin
lister, growing, kissing sound like es
Gaping steam filled my ears Then
followed a roar as of distant thunder,
which grew louder every instant. This
terrifying noise eliminated in ire
mendous explosion which seemed to
rock the hills as an earthquake would.
The illumination waxed to a glare so
fierce that l clapped my hands to my
eyes to save them. | thought the end
of the world had come. l could think
of no natural phenomenon that would
explain it. My wits were staggering.
1.-The deafening explosion trailed off
into the heavy roar that had preceded
it, and through this heard the fright
SUGu SHOUTS VI LILY liOOpo % thOy
stumbled from their resting places and
rushed wildly about; also | heard the
harsh tones of Kearny's voice crying
They'll blame it on me, of course, and
what the devil it is. it's not Francis
Kearny that can give you an answer!
Il opened my eyes. The hills were
still there. dark and solid. 1t had not
been, then, volcano or an earthquake.
] looked up at the sky and saw COM
et-like trail crossing the zenith and ex-
tending westward, fiery trail waning
fainter and narrower each moment.
"a meteor" l called aloud. Asme-
teor has fallen. There is no danger
"And then all other sounds were
drowned by great shout from Kear
ny's throat. He had raised both hands
above his head and was standing tip
toe
"Phoebes gomez he cried with all
his lungs. She's busted and gone to
b-l, Look, captain, The little red
headed hoodoo has blown herself to
smithereens. She found Kearny too |
tough to hondle and she puffed up |
with spite and meanness till her boiler
blew up. It'll be bad Luck Kearny
no more. Oh. let us be joyful.
Humpty Dumpty sat on wall;
Humpty busted. and that'll be all!'"
Il looked up wondering, and picked
out Saturn in his place. But the small
red, twinkling luminary in his vicinity.