The Bingham County news. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1918-1930, 1921-07-29

c.<nply Ricardo drew his own service
revolver and then motioned Mother
jerks and the firing squad to stand
aside while he crossed to the center Of
the cemetery. "Sarros," he called, II
am going to let God decide which one
Of US shall live. When the sergeant
gives the command to fire, shall open
fire on you. and you are free to do the
same to me. Sergeant, II he kills me
and escapes unhurt, my orders are to
escort him to the bay in my carriage
and put him safely aboard the steam
err"
Mother jerks sat down on tomb
stone. Cords TRUTH" she gasped.
"but there's rare plucked 'un." Aloud
she croaked: Don't be bally ass.
SIR"
"Silence! he commanded.
The sergeant handed Sarros the re-
volver. you heard what said7" RI
cardo called.
Sarros bowed gravely.
"You understand your orders, Ser
geant?"
Eyes, General"
"Very well. Proceed. II this pris-
oner fires before you give the word,
have your squad riddle him."
The sergeant backed away and gazed
owlishly from the prisoner to his cap
tor. "Readyl" he called. Both revolt
vers came up. "Fire!" he shouted,
and the two shots were discharged ST.
simultaneously. Ricardo's cap flew of
his head, but he remained standing,
while Sarros staggered back against
the wall and there recovering himself
gamely, fired again. He scored clean
miss, and Ricardo's gun barked three
times; Sarros sprawled on his face,
rose to his knees, raised his pistol
halfway, fired into the sky and slid
forward on his face. Ricardo stood be-
side the body until the sergeant ap-
preached and stood to attention, his
attitude saying:
1T is over. What next, Generalf"
"Take the squad back to the arsenal,
Sergeant" Ricardo ordered him coolly,
and walked back to recover his uni
form cap. He was smiling as he ran
his finger through gaping hole in the
upper half of the crown.
swell, Mrs. Jenks," he announced
when he rejoined the old lady, that
was better than executing him with a
firing squad. gave him square deal.
Now his friends can never say that l
murdered him."
He extended his hand to help Moth
er jerks to her feet. She stood erect
and felt again that queer swelling of
the heart, the old feeling of suffoca-
ton.
STEADY, lass ~ she mumbled "'Old
on to me, sir. It's my bally haneurism.
| GOr'-I'm-chOkin'@
He caught her in his arms as she
lurched toward him. Her face was
purple, and in her eyes there was a
queer fierce light that went out sud
denly, leaving them dull and glazed
When she commenced to sag in his
arms, ne eased her gently to the ground
and laid her on her back in the grass
1.-THE nipper's safe, Emery" he hear(
her murmur. "I've raised 'er lydy
s'elp me-she's back where-you fount
'er-'Enery@"
She quivered, and the light came
creeping back into her eyes before II
faded forever. "Comin', Enery-dar
lin" she whispered; and then the sou
Of Mother jerks, who had code ant
lived up to it (Which is more than the
majority of us do), had departed upor
the ultimate journey. Ricardo gazet
down on the hard old mouth, softened
now by little half-smile Of mingled
yearning and gladness: "What won
derful soul you had" he murmured
and kissed her.
In the end she slept in the niche ii
the wall Of the Cathedral de la Vera
Cruz, beside her sainted Emery.