The Sky Pilot

Winchester rifle. Something must be done and quickly. Bu

eep your eyes on h

hat's the row?"

ng delight came over his face as, without a wo

e in! You're the biggest of all the devils. Come on, I'll

s gleamed with frenzied delig

sh a bullet m

s," responded The Duke, "an

chink, I saw that Bruce had got his eye on the stovepipe again. W

, "don't be a fool! Come b

. In a few moments Bruce blazed away again at the stovep

ou get

y, "he dodged like the devil, a

. "Smoke him out," proceed

! It's full, I tell you." Moore paused. "Besi

lly and with admirable quickness, "wood

, for he sank back, while Moore lighted the fire and p

moment his devils, and pointing to a quai

urned it in his hands

ountry

s," said Br

roses all over the front of it." And on he went into an enthusiastic description of his early home. His voice

I looked at

id The Duke, after a

I suggested. "They won't

was singing, the bedclothes straightened out, and Moore had ju

didn't like to tackle thes

strange power to quiet the nervous restlessness, due partly to the pain of the wounded arm and partly to the nerve-wrecking from his months of dissip

The carelessness of the tone was a little

n his friends," he said, loo

pace is too swift," said The Duke, a

s tones were stern and very steady, and he never moved his eyes from the

g in at the window The Duke rose up, g

ice here. I shall com

looking down upon the hot, fevered

do you

lding him down just now. His

well enough to recognize the anxi

octor ought

ed and

" called out Moo

They won't take any hurt from me ther

d his eyes

at for?" h

ther rubbed it into him, you know," I

y anythin

edicine-not always good to take." At which Moor

blood kept the poor fellow in delirium till evening, when The Duke rode up with the Fort doct

nging himself off the saddle. "The

led away his horse to gi

ice, was examining his patient. He grew more and more puzz

he in this condition? This fleabite doesn

reproved. Then The Du

ttle too hard for him. He had a severe

ad of cast-iron and no nerves to speak of. I know the crowd and how you lead

ightly. All at once the smile faded out and he pointed to the bed. Bruce

y own funeral-funeral?" he paused-"Perhaps it may be-who knows?-feel queer enough-but remember, Duke-it's my own fault-do

p quiet and you'll be all right." He passed his cool, firm hand over the hot brow of the man looking up at him with love in his

need all your attention. As for my morals, Mr. Moore kindly entrus

he doctor, turning again to the bed, wher

delirium, singing, now psalms, now songs, swearing at the cattle or his poker partners, and now and then, in quieter moments, he was back in his old home, a boy, with a boy's friends and sports. Nothing coul

t better, doctor?" I asked, in

ed, impatiently, "but I believe," he a

ay out. There crowded in upon me thoughts of his home; his mother, whose letters he used to show m

t?" I asked, and my l

s, perhaps longer. He can

another day of agonized delirium he sank i

he west, Bruce opened his eyes and looked about upon us. The doctor had gone; The Duke had not come back; Moore

a faint, awed voice. "Do y

e-open, startled eyes were too much for Moore. He backed behind

led himself up, wiped his eyes and came round to t

I felt a thrill of admiration go through me as the Pilot answered in

his face and answered

ke to try again." Then he paused, and his lips quivered a little. "There's my mother, yo

won't be very long for them,

always did-talked rot-y

ice, and Bruce smiled a little and closed his eyes, saying: "

d Moore, smiling d

the poor lip

the window, I saw Jingo come swinging round the bluff. Bruce heard the beat of his hoofs, smiled, opened his eyes a

ke's hand in both of his. He was fast growing weaker.

aid, quietly. "Promise y

The Duke, with a shudder.

you didn't think, did you?" and t

ows," said The

, and again Bruce opened

Pil

came t

d in Moore's clear, sweet voice the music

es summoned me.

e said, faintl

s mother. He held the envelope before hi

ea

ld I make. Moore put out his hand and took it from me. The Duke rose to go out, calling me with his

ll he came to the last words, when

ns home again, remember the door is aye open,

own his cheeks. It was his last farewell to her whose love had be

ith difficulty to his lips, and then, touching

there's really-n

confident voice, though his, tears we

t over him. "Tell her-"

hing for which I forgave him much. He stooped over and kissed the lips grown so white, and then the brow. The light came back into the eyes of the dying man, he smiled once more, and smilingly faced toward the Great Beyond. And the mo

e offered his hand to The Pilot. "Mr. Moore," he said, with fine courtesy, "y

d while he took the outstret

I can't

ven will meet no more," said

they did, The Pilot was in the

"got his grip,