Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-07-31
TAE MI 1CKER By EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS
Il H. VlOAolNL1I Author Of the TARZAN MARS STORIES

watched him for moment, a puzzled ex.
| preston upon her face, and then returned
to work on Theriere.
The Frenchman's respiration was scarce.
| ly appreciable, yet after a time he opened
| his eyes and looked up YEARLY At the
| sight of the girl he smiled and tried tc
| speak, but n At Of coughing f1ecked his lips
with bloody foam, and again he closed his
eyes.
Fainter and fainter came his breathing
| until Il was with difficulty that the girl de-
tected any movement 81 his breast what
ever. She thought he was dying, and she
was afraid
wistfully she looked toward the muoker.
The man still lay with his head buried in
his arm, but whether he were wrapped in
thought, In slumber or in death the girl
could not tell.
AT the final thought she went white with
terror
Slowly she approached the man, and,
leaning over, placed her hand upon his
shoulder.
MIR. Byrne." she whispered
The muclSer turned his face toward her.
II looked tired and haggard.
''Wot is it7" he asked, and his tone was
softer than che had ever heard Il.
II think Mr.. Theriere is dying" she said,
"and Il oh, am so afraid"
The man flushed TO the roots of his hair.
All that he could think of were, the ugly
words he had spoken a short time before /;
and now Theriere was dying.
Byrne would have laughed had any one
suggested that he entertained any other
sentiment than hatred toward the second
officer of the Halfmoon-that is he would
have "a hours before but now, quite unex-
pectedly, he realized that he didn't want
Theriere to die.
Then IL dawned upon him that new
sentiment had been born within him-a sem
timent to which he had been an entire
stranger all his hard, lonely lIfe-frlend-
shipl
He felt friendship for Theriere! 1t was
unthinkable, and yet the mucker knew that
II was 80.
Painfully he crawled over to the French
mans side.
'TherIerel" he whispered in the mans
ear.
The officer turned his head wearlly.
do youse know me, old pal?" asked the
mucker, and Barbara Harding knew from
the mans voice that there were tears In his
eyes. But what she did not know was that
they welled there in response to the words
the mucker had Just spoken--the nearest
approach to words of endearment that had
ever passed his lips.
Theriere reached up and took Byrne's
hand. 1t was evident that he, too, had
noticed the unusual quality of the mucker's
voice.
Yes, old man." he said family. And
then: Water, please"
Barbara Harding brought him a drink,
holding his head against her knee while he
drank. The cool liquid seemed to give him
new strength, for presently he spoke quite
strongly:
I'm going. Byrne" he said; 'but before
I go want to tell you that OF all the brave
men 1 have ever known, 1 have learned
within the last few days to believe that you
are the bravest. A week ago, I thought
you were a coward-I ask your forgive
ness"
Forget IT," whispered Byrne, "fer week
ago l guess 1 was coward. Dere seems
to be more'n one kind o. nerve-Im jest a
learnin' of the right kind, guess"
"And Byrne," continued Theriere, don't
forget what asked of you before we tossed
up to see which should enter Oda Yorlmoto's
house."
'IIl not ferget." said Billy.
"Good-by, Byrne." whispered Theriere.
Take good care OF Miss Harding"
"Good-by, old pal" said the mucker, His
voice broke, and two big tears rolled down
the cheeks of de toughest guy on de Wes'
Side"
Barbara bent over Theriere
"Good-by. my friend" she said. God
will reward you for your friendship, your
bravery and your devotion. There must be