The Award of Justice; Or, Told in the Rockies: A Pen Picture of the WestBarbour, A. Maynard (Anna Maynard)
General
The Award of Justice; Or, Told in the Rockies: A Pen Picture of the West
Barbour, A. Maynard (Anna Maynard)
Mountain life -- Fiction; Rocky Mountains -- Fiction
Houston saw the end was very near, and gently slipped his right arm
under Bull-dog's head. Slowly the little fellow opened his eyes,
looking, with a happy smile, into the face bending so tenderly over
him. At that instant, the sun, bursting through the clouds, threw a
ray of golden light in shining benediction across the little white
face. His eyes brightened still more; "We're safe!" he whispered
joyously. There was a slight quiver, and the little form was still.
The sun, shining as brightly and serenely as though storms were
unknown, looked down into that beautiful canyon upon a strange scene
of ruin, desolation and death. Amid the wreck and debris of the
explosions, lay the little hero who had saved so many lives that day,
upon his face a child-like smile which it had never worn in life;
while farther on down the canyon, beside the smoking embers of the
milling plant, lay the one whose signal had wrought all this
destruction. The men, rushing into the burning mills, had found the
electrical apparatus in ruins, as though torn to pieces by giant
hands, and beside it upon the floor lay Haight, a ghastly sight, his
face blackened and distorted, his right arm and side seared and
shriveled, by the mighty servant who had suddenly burst its fetters.
Slowly and tenderly Jack was borne to the house, and laid in the room
which had been Houston's, which Lyle had made ready for him with
loving care, her tears falling fast as she recalled his farewell of
the preceding night. To the house came also his two faithful friends,
Mike and Rex, for the little cabin was no more, Jack had indeed spent
his last night beneath its roof, though the succeeding night, to which
he had looked forward, was far different from his anticipations.
Days afterward, his gripsack, packed with such care on that last night
in the cabin, was found by Houston concealed among the rocks, where
Jack had hidden it on the morning of that eventful day, intending,
when his work was done, to set forth upon his wandering life once
more.
Morton Rutherford, on arriving at the Y, had sent the following cipher
dispatch to Van Dorn:
"Come out on special at once. The mines have been fired by
telegraphic orders from Silver City office. Everard badly cut and
arm broken, but not seriously injured. Jack but just alive. Bring
surgeons and nurse as quickly as possible."
Having sent this message, and finding there was a very good physician
at the Y, he sent him at once to the camp, to remain there until the
surgeons should arrive, doing meantime all in his power to relieve the
sufferers. Then giving orders for one of the company's men to take his
horse, and replace it with a fresh one, Morton returned to the station
to await Van Dorn's reply.
At the house, Jack was being cared for by Mike and one of the older
miners, who had had considerable experience in nursing, Houston doing
everything which his crippled condition and the intense pain he was
suffering, would permit.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account