Page:The leopard's spots - a romance of the white man's burden-1865-1900 (IA leopardsspotsrom00dixo).pdf/142

 "Well, I'm duly grateful, it's done for you what your wife couldn't do, cheered you up this morning."

"That is so, isn't it? It takes a violent poison sometimes to stimulate the heart's action."

"Now if you will work the garden for me, where I've been watering it the past month, you will be yourself by dinner time."

"I will. That's about all we've got to eat. I've had no salary in two months, and I've no prospects for the next two months."

He was at work in the garden when Charlie Gaston suddenly ran through the gate toward him. His face was red, his eyes streaming with tears, and his breath coming in gasps.

"Doctor, they've killed Nelse! Mama says please come down to our house as quick as you can."

"Is he dead, Charlie?"

"He's most dead. I found him down in the woods lying in a gully, one leg is broken, there's a big gash over his eye, his back is beat to a jelly, and one of his arms is broken. We put him in the wagon, and hauled him to the house. I'm afraid he's dead now. Oh me!" The boy broke down and choked with sobs.

"Run, Charlie, for the doctor, and I'll be there in a minute."

The boy flew through the gate to the doctor's house.

When the Preacher reached Mrs. Gaston's, Aunt Eve was wiping the blood from Nelse's mouth.

"De Lawd hab mussy! My po' ole man's done kilt."

"Who could have done this, Eve?"

"Dem Union Leaguers. Dey say dey wuz gwine ter kill him fur not jinin' 'em, en fur tryin' ter vote ergin 'em."

"I've been afraid of it," sighed the Preacher as he felt Nelse's pulse.