Arizona state miner., 1926-06-05

of my head rose up, and ON the heels
of this came the thud of a shot as 1t
struck timber.
"Close, egad!" commented my great
uncle
O'Donnell swayed strangely and
dropped over his daughters shoulder.
Padre" The dazed grief in her
voice was tragical. "Why won't We
stand? Are We hit? Oh, blessed Vir-
gin, there's no sense left in him! Bob,
Master Peter, help me! He's $3.50
heavy"
Peter and jumped to aid her, nd
Murray was not far behind us. We
lowered O'Donnel's tall body to the
deck, and l ran for lanthorn. When
I returned with it my great-uncle had
| assumed control of the situation.
I'VE can feel no blood or broken
bones" he said. "Hold your light here
by his head, if you please, Robert. .
The yellow glow played over the
Irishman's long face. His lips were
drawn back in what had been smile
his eyes were fixed and CLASSY; no
pulse beat In his corded throat Moira
crouched beside him, chafing his limp
hands and grooming a medley Of en-
| dearments in English, Irish and Span
ish. Murray, opposite her, thrust ex-
ploring fingers into the bosom Of her
fathers shirt. A startled look ap-
peared in my great-uncle's lambent
eyes, but his features preserved their
| immobility
"'Tis useless to cry to him, lass, -
he said gently. "He doth not answer,
you see"
"But he will y she protested. "Sure,
We must soon be finding what is
wrong with him, sir. 1t may be a
sup of brandy would bring him round
My great-uncle reached across and
plucked from her grasp the hand she
had been rubbing.
Come" he said, rising, 1--WE will
ask Peter to carry him to his berth,
shall we?"
"But-but-we must bring him to !''
"We cannot bring him to-" he an
swered kindly.
She stood up bewildered.
-bring-him-to? But why?''
Because his heart no longer beats" +"
said my great-uncle. "Quick Catch
her, Robert"
She lay like tired child in my
arms.
Dead" she murmured family.
Gle cannot be dead!" 1 exclaimed.
There's not a wound on him."
'Neen," said Peter.
He picked up the lanthorn from
where 1 had dropped it on the deck
and directed the light upon the upper
part of Colonel O'Donnell's head. A
blue bruise like scar was spread
across the Irishman's lett temple.
"a graze-shot," pronounced Peter.
'Der cannonball came dot close. ia !"
"But the skin Is not even broken" -"
1 objected.
"Ja, but dot don't matter"
Murray bent over and fingered the
bruise.
"Peter is right" he said. "'Twas
the conclusion affected the brain. /
have heard Of such a freak shot, but
never saw 1t happen before"
Moira clung to my arms.
"And he is really dead? The padre
is really dead? And he unshriven,
without comfort of the Church Oh,
holy saints, be his advocates Sure,
was there ever a crueler end?"
She collapsed in a passion of weep
ing.
Conduct her below, Robert" said
my great-uncle. eve will follow yOu.''
She suffered me to lead her from
the poop without objection, more like
child than ever, sobbing and pro-
testing and repeating the same things
over and over again, in an abandon
ment Of grief which only the Irish
can attain.
"'Tis you are the kind friend" she
stammered when we had reached her
stateroom. "A1d oh, Bob, have the
sore need Of you, that am an orphan
in a pirate ship. Troth, I haven't a
friend in the wide world unless it be
you and Master Corlaer. But 1 am
the bad, selfish girl to be thinking of
my own plight, and the father that
loved me this moment gone up to
Peters gate, and him without the
holy wafer to his lips or so much
as a prayer said over him. All, what
ill deed did we do, either one of us,
that he should be taken from me so,
HfeS; ess ==:ss =s3s s. ==s:s =e:a :s;e
Too Much Mechanism