The Elk Mountain pilot., 1920-08-05

some strange turn of speech from
time to time.
"where did you come from, them"
asked Jim.
II was in ship that was wrecked"
said he shortly. "What is the town
down yonder?"
at is Berwick"
"Ah. well, must get stronger be
fore can go further" He turned to-
ward the boat, and as he did SO he
gave a lurch, and would have fallen
had he not caught the PROV. On this
he seated himself. and looked round
him with face that was flushed and
two eyes that blazed like wild
beasts.
"Voltigeurs de la Gardei" he roared
in a voice like trumpet call, and
then again, "voItigeurs de la Garde !"
He waved his hat above his head. and
suddenly pitching forward upon his
face on the sand, he lay all huddled
into a little brown heap.
Jim HOrscroft and ! stood and
stared at each other. The coming of
the man had been so strange, and his
questions, and now this sudden turn.
We took him by shoulder each and
turned him upon his back. His lips
were bloodless, and his breath would
scarce shake a feather.
"He's dying, Jim," cried.
AYE, for want OF food and water
There's not a drop or crumb In the
boat. Maybe there's something in the
bag" He sprang in and brought out
a black leather bag, which, with a
large blue coat, was the only thing in
the boat. 1t was locked, but Jim had
1t open in an instant. 1t was half
full of gold pieces.
Neither of us had ever seen so much
before-no, nor tenth part Of it.
There must have been hundreds of
them, all bright new British SOW
ereigns Indeed. so taken up were we
that we had forgotten all about their
owner. until groan took our thoughts
back of him. His lips were bluer than
ever, and his jaw had dropped. l can
see his open mouth now. with its row
of white. wolfish teeth.
MY Godl he's or" cried Jim.
"Here. run to the burn, Jock, for a
hatful of water. Quick, man. or he's
gonel I'll loosen his things the
while"
p Away I tore, and was back in a
minute with as much water as would
stay in my Glengarry. Jim had pulled
open the mans coat and shirt, and we
doused the water over him, and forced
some between his lips. 1t had good
effect, for after a gasp or two he sat
up, and rubbed his eyes slowly, like a
man who is waking from a deep sleep.
But neither Jim nor were looking at
his face now, for our eyes were fixed
on his uncovered chest.
There were two deep red Fuckers in
1t, one just below the collar bone, and
the other about halfway down on the
right side. The skin of his body was
extremely white up to the brown line
of his neck. and the angry crinkled
spots looked the more Vivid against
1t. From above could see there was
a corresponding pucker in the back at
one place but not at the other. In
experienced as was, could tell what
that meant. Two bullets had pierced
his chest-one had passed through 1t,
and the other had remained inside.
But suddenly he staggered up to his
feet. and pulled his shirt to, with a
quick, suspicious glance at us.
"what have been doing?" he asked.
1--WE been OFF my head. Take no no.
tice Of anything I may have said.
Have I been shouting7
you shouted Just before you fell"
"What did I shoutr
told him, though 1t bore little
meaning to my mind. He looked sharp
ly at us, and then he shrugged his
shoulders.
Its the words Of song" said he.
swell, the question is, what am to
do now7 I didn't thought I was SO
weak. Where did you get the wa
teri"
/ pointed towards the burn, and he
staggered on to the bank. There he
lay down upon his face, and he drank
until 1 thought he would never have
done. At last he got up, with long
sigh, and wiped his mustache with his
sleeve.
THAT'S better" said he. "Have you
any food?"
had crammed two bits Of oatcake
into my pocket when left home, and
these he crushed into his mouth and
swallowed. Then he squared his shOul-
ders, puffed out his chest. and patted
his ribs with the fiat Of his hands.
II am sure that owe you exceed
ingly WE'LL" said he. "You have been
very kind to a stranger. But / see
that you have had occasion to open
my bagT
I'VE hoped that we might find wine
or brandy there when you tainted"
"Oh, i have nothing there but just
do lf2-InU