Cleveland County herald., 1919-06-12

IliS oluC OJ L1IS itdI.
 "See if you c'n understand him, MT. Barnes" said the landlord. Perspira- tion was dripping from his long, raw boned face. And you, Bacon-you and Dillingford hustle upstairs artd get mattress off'n one or 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.
 It is the place for me-" she said sharply. Haven't you men got sense enough to put something under his head? Where is he hurt? Get that cushion, you. Stick it under here when lift his head. Oh, you poor thing We'll be as quick as possible. There!"
 The mans eyes were closed, but at the sound of woman's voice he opened them. The hand with which he clutched at his breast slid off and seemed to be groping 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 a courage that surprised even herself, the girl took his hand in hers. It was wet and warm. She did not dare look at it.
 '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- ceptible 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 a piteous, appeal ing expression in 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 or more in a tongue utterly un- known to Barnes. who bent closer to catch the feeble effort. It was he who now shook his head; with a groan the sufferer closed his eyes in despair. He choled and coughed violently an in- stant later.
 Get some water and a towel" cried Miss Thackeray, tremulously. She was very white, but still clung to the mans hand. Be quick Behind the bar.''
 Barnes unbuttoned the coat and re- vealed the blood-soaked white shirt.
 Better leave this to me" he said in her ear. "There's nothing you can do. He's done for. Please go away"
 "Oh, I sha'n't faint-at least, not yet. Poor fellow! I've seen him up- stairs and wondered who he was. Is he really going to die?"
 Looks bad" said Barnes, gently opening the shirt front. Several of the craning men turned away sud- denly.
 "Who is he, MT. Jones?"
 ''He is registered as Andrew Paul, from New York. That's all 1 know. The other man put his name down as Albert Roon. He seemed to be the boss and this man sort of servant, far as I could make out. They never talked much and seldom came down. stairs. They had their meals in their room.'
 '"There is nothing we can do," said Barnes, except try to staneh the flow of blood. He is bleeding inwardly, I'm afraid. It's a clean wound MT. Jones. Like rifle shot, I should say"
 "That's just what 1t is," said one of the men, a tall woodsman. 'The feller who did it was dead shot, you c'n bet on that. He got t other man square through the heart"
 "Lordy, but this will raise rum- pus," groane0 the landlord. "WeH have detectives an"
 q guess they got, what was comin' to 'em," said another of the men.
 "What's that? Why, they was ridin' peaceful as could be to Spanish Falls. What do you mean by sayin' that, Jim Conley? But wait a minute! How does it happen that they were up near your dads house? That certainly ain't on the road to Span"
 Spanish Falls nothin'! They wasn't goin' to Spanish Falls any more'n am at this minute. They tied their horses up the road just above our house." said young Conley, lowering his voice out of consideration for the feelings of the helpless man. Ut was about 'leven o'clock, I reckon. l was comin' home from singin school up at Number Ten, an passed the hosses hitched to the fence. Naturally I stopped curi- ous like. There wasn't no one around, fer as I could see, so l thought I'd take a look to see whose hosSes they were. I thought it was derned funny, them hosses bein' there at that time O night an no one around. Looked