Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-05-01

quick, after YOU get into the clear,
as horse will bring YOU
Bull passed his hand over his
mouth with a show of resolution: 1t
indicated that he was pulling him
self together. Within half an hour
he. was on his way to the gap.
For De Spain hours never dragged
as did the hours between Bulls
starting and the setting of the sun
that night without his return. And
the sun set behind Music mountain
in a drift of heavy clouds that
brought rain. All evening it fell
steadily. At eleven o'clock De Spain
had given up hope of seeing his en-
issary before morning and was sit
ting alone before the stove in the
office when he heard the sound of
hoofs. In another moment Bull Page
stood at the door.
He was a sorry sight. Soaked to
the skin by the steady downpour;
rain dripping intermittently from his
frayed hat, his ragged beard and
tattered coat; shaking with the cold
as if gripped by an ague, Bull, pick
ing his staggering steps to the fire,
and sinking in a heap into a chair,
symbolized the uttermost tribute of
manhood to the raVages of whisky.
He was not drunk. He had not even
been drinking; but his vitality was
gone. He tried to speak. Mt was i'm
possible. His tongue would not
frame words, not his throat utter
them. He could only look helplessly
at De Spain as De Spain hastily made
him stand up on his shaking knees,
threw big blanket around him, sat
him down, kicked open the stove
drafts and called to McAlpin for
more whisky to steady the wreck of
it crouching over the fire.
McAlpin, after considerable and
reluctant search, produced bottle,
and unwilling, for more reasons than
one, to trust it to Bulls uncertain
possession, brought a dipper. Bull
held the dipper while De Spain pour
ed. McAlpin, behind the stove, hop
ped first on one foot and then on the
other as De Spain recklessly continu-
ed to pour. When the liquor hall
mistakable distress signals, but Bull
watching the brown stream, his
eyes galvanized at the sight, held fast
to the handle and made no sign 10
stop. Bully thundered the barn
boss with an emphatic word. THAT
| is Elpaso's bottle. What are you
dreaming of, man? Mr.. De Spain
you'll kill him. Don't ye see he cant
| tell ye to stop?"
Bull, with the last pickering spark
,, of vitality still left within him, look
ed steadily up and winked at DE
| Spain. McAlpin, outraged, stamped
out of the room. Steadying the dip
| per in both hands, Bull with an ef-
fort passed one hand at the final mo-
ment preliminarily over his mouth
and, raising the bowl, emptied it
The poison electrified him into ut
terance. II seen her." he declared
! holding his chin well down and in
and speaking in a pardonably proud
| throat.
Good, Bull"
They've got things tied up fol
| fair over there" He spoke slowly
and brokenly. Il never got inside the
| house till after supper. Toward night
helped Pardaloe put up the stock
He let me into the kitchen after my
| coaXing for a cup of coffee-he's ar
ornery, cold-blooded guy, that Parda.
loe. Old Duke and Sasson think the
sun rises and sets on the top of his
! head--funny, amt it?"
De Spain made no comment
whilst i was drinking my coffee
e'Who gave 1T to you?"
"Old Bunny, the Mex. Pardaloe
goes out to the bunkhouse; l sits
down to my supper, alone, with
Bunny at the stove. All of sudden