The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1919-06-12


oArtkIgD.1l N..tMo~~~hM
Two minutes after kis head touched
the pillow he was sound asleep.
He was aroused shortly after mid.
night by shouts, apparently just out.
side his window. A man was calling
in a loud voice from the road below;
an instant later he heard a tremendous
pounding on the tavern door.
Springing out Of bed, he rushed to
the window. There were horses in
front Of the house-several of them
and men on foot moving like shadows
among them. ..s.
Turning from the window, he I'm.
locked and opened the door into the
ball. Some one was Gathering down
the narrow staircase. The bolts on
the front door shot back with resound-
ing force, and there came the hoarse
tumble Of excited voices as men crowd
ed through the entrance. Putnam
Jones' voice rose above the Glamour.
Keep quiet! Do you want to wake
everybody on the placer" he was sayx
ing angrily. "What's up? This is Z
fine time O. night to be- Good Lord!
What's the matter with him?"
Telephone for a doctor, Put-damn'
quick! This ones still alive. The
other one is dead as a door nail up at
Jim Conley's house. Git ole Doc
James down from Saint Liz. Bring
him in here, boys. Where's your light7
Easy now! Easel"
Barnes waited to hear no more. His
blood seemed to be running ice cold
as he retreated into the roo and be-
gan scrambling for his clothes. The
thing he feared had come to pass. Dis
aster had overtaken her in that wild,
senseless dash up the mountain road.
He was cursing half aloud as he
dressed, cursing the fool who drove
that machine and who nov was per-
haps dying down there in the taproom.
"The other n is dead as a door nail"
kept running through his head-"the
other one"
A dozen men were in the taproom,
gathered around two tables that had
been drawn together. The men about
the table, on which was stretched the
figure Of the wounded man, were un-
doubtedly natives: Farmers, woods
men or employees Of the tavern. At a
word from Putnam Jones they opened
up and allowed Barnes to advance to
the side Of the man.
"See If you en- understand him, Mr..
Barnes" said the landlord. Perspira-
ton was dripping from his long, raw
boned face. "And you, Bacon-you and
Dillingford hustle upstairs and get a
mattress off'n one Of the beds. Stand
at the door there, Pike, and don't let
any woman in here. Go away, Miss
Thackeray! This is no place for you"
Miss Thackeray pushed her way
past the man who tried to stop her
and Joined Barnes.
1T is the place for me-" she said
sharply. Haven't you men got sense
enough to put something under his
head3 Where is he hurt? Get that
cushion, you. Stick it under here when
! lift his head. Oh, you poor thing |
Wen be as quick as possible. There! |"
The mans eyes were closed, but at
the sound Of a woman's voice he
opened them. The hand with which he
clutched at his breast slid of and
seemed to be cropping for hers. His
breathing was terrible. There was
blood at the corners Of his mouth, and
more oozed forth when his lips parted
In an effort to speak.
With q courage that surprised even
herself, the girl took his hand In hers.
It was wet and warm. She did not
dare look at 1t.
"Merci, madame" struggled from the
mans lips, and he smiled.
Barnes leaned over and spoke to him
IN French The dark, pain-stricken
eyes closed, and an almost imper-
eeptible shake Of the head signifed
that he did not understand. Evidently
he had acquired only a few Of the
simple French expressions. Barnes
had a slight knowledge Of. Spanish
and Italian, and tried again with no
better results. German was his last
resort. and he knew he would fail once
more, for the man obviously was not
Teutonic.
The bloody lips parted, however, and
the eyes. opened with q piteous appeal
Ing expression Ii their depths. It was
apparent that there was something he
wanted to say, something he had to
say before he died. He gasped a dozen
words OF more Ii . tongue utterly un-
known to Barnes. who bent closer to
catch the feeble effort. It was he who
now shook his head; with q groan the
sufferer closed his eyes In despair. He
choked and coughed violently an In
stant later.
'tGet some water and q towel cried
Miss Thackeray, TREMENDOUSLY. She
was very white, but still chung 10 the
MANS hand. ABe quick Bshind the
bar. II s
Barnes unbuttoned ths coat and 10
voalSd the blood-boaked white shirt.
sH8 e6IAAxx-A N-~~-~& 49, x~E-aAN IAAlaaSSA