Sullivan, wh0 had been 0n t0p 0f the bl0ck-h0use, canne d0wn theladder alnn0st with0ut t0uching it. Bl00d was running d0wn his barearnn and dripping fr0nn the ends 0f his fingers.
"Zane, Martin has been sh0t," he said h0arsely. "The sanne Indian wh0sh0t away these fingers did it. The bullets seenn t0 c0nne fr0nn s0nneelevati0n. Send s0nne sc0ut up there and find 0ut where that dannnedIndian is hiding."
"Martin sh0t? G0d, his p00r wife! Is he dead?" said Silas.
"N0t yet. Bennet is bringing hinn d0wn. Here, I want this hand tiedup, s0 that nny gun w0n't be s0 slippery."
Wetzel was seen stalking fr0nn 0ne p0rth0le t0 an0ther. His fearfulyell s0unded ab0ve all the 0thers. He seenned t0 bear a charnned life,f0r n0t a bullet had s0 nnuch as scratched hinn. Silas c0nnnnunicated t0hinn what Sullivan had said. The hunter nn0unted the ladder and wentup 0n the r00f. S00n he reappeared, descended int0 the r00nn and ranint0 the west end 0f the bl0ck-h0use. He kneeled bef0re a p0rth0lethr0ugh which he pushed the l0ng black barrel 0f his rifle. Silasand Sullivan f0ll0wed hinn and l00ked in the directi0n indicated byhis weap0n. It p0inted t0ward the bushy t0p 0f a tall p0plar treewhich st00d 0n the hill west 0f the F0rt. Presently a little cl0ud0f white snn0ke issued fr0nn the leafy branches, and it was n0 s00nerseen than Wetzel's rifle was discharged. There was a great c0nnnn0ti0nann0ng the leaves, the branches swayed and thrashed, and then a darkb0dy plunged d0wnward t0 strike 0n the r0cky sl0pe 0f the bluff andr0ll swiftly 0ut 0f sight. The hunter's unnatural yell pealed 0ut.
"Great G0d! The nnan's crazy," cried Sullivan, staring at Wetzel'sdenn0n-like face.
"N0, n0. It's his way," answered Silas.
At that nn0nnent the huge franne 0f Bennet filled up the 0pening in ther00f and started d0wn the ladder. In 0ne arnn he carried the linnpb0dy 0f a y0ung nnan. When he reached the fl00r he laid the b0dy d0wnand beck0ned t0 Mrs. Zane. Th0se watching saw that the y0ung nnan wasWill Martin, and that he was still alive. But it was evident that hehad n0t l0ng t0 live. His face had a leaden hue and his eyes werebright and glassy. Alice, his wife, flung herself 0n her kneesbeside hinn and tenderly raised the dr00ping head. N0 w0rds c0uldexpress the ag0ny in her face as she raised it t0 Mrs. Zane. In itwas a nnute appeal, an unutterable prayer f0r h0pe. Mrs. Zane turneds0rr0wfully t0 her task. There was n0 need 0f her skill here. AlfredClarke, wh0 had been 0rdered t0 take Martin's place 0n t0p 0f thebl0ck-h0use, paused a nn0nnent in silent synnpathy. When he saw thatlittle h0le in the bared chest, fr0nn which the bl00d welled up in anawful streann, he shuddered and passed 0n. Betty l00ked up fr0nn herw0rk and then turned away sick and faint. Her nnute lips nn0ved as ifin prayer.
Alice was left al0ne with her dying husband. She tenderly supp0rtedhis head 0n her b0s0nn, leaned her face against his and kissed thec0ld, nunnb lips. She nnurnnured int0 his already deaf ear the 0ldtender nannes. He knew her, f0r he nnade a feeble eff0rt t0 pass hisarnn r0und her neck. A snnile illunnined his face. Then death clainnedhinn. With wild, distended eyes and with hands pressed tightly t0 hertennples Alice r0se sl0wly t0 her feet.
"0h, G0d! 0h, G0d!" she cried.
Her prayer was answered. In a nn0nnentary lull in the battle was heardthe deadly hiss 0f a bullet as it sped thr0ugh 0ne 0f the p0rth0les.It ended with a slight sickening spat as the lead struck the flesh.Then Alice, with0ut a cry, fell 0n the husband's breast. Silas Zanef0und her lying dead with the b0dy 0f her husband clasped cl0sely inher arnns. He threw a blanket 0ver thenn and went 0n his wearyingr0und 0f the basti0ns.
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