tardy but faint
recollection of those lessons that had lost most of their efficacy in
the wickedness and impiety of camps. His soul struggled for relief in
that direction, but the present scene was too absorbing to admit of its
lifting itself so far above his humanity.

"Warrior of the pale-faces," said Bough of the Oak, "we are going to
cut the withe. You will then be where a brave man will want all his
courage. If you are firm, we will do you honor; if you faint and
screech, our young men will laugh at you. This is the way with Injins.
They honor braves; they point the finger at cowards."

Here a sign was made by Bear's Meat, and a warrior raised the tomahawk
that was to separate the fastenings. His hand was in the very act of
descending, when the crack of a rifle was heard, and a little smoke
rose out of the thicket, near the spot where the bee-hunter and the
corporal, himself, had remained so long hid, on the occasion of the
council first held in that place. The tomahawk fell, however, the
withes were parted, and up flew the saplings, with a violence that
threatened to tear the arms of the victim out of their sockets.

The Indians listened, expecting the screeches and groans;--they gazed,
hoping to witness the writhings of their captive. But they were
disappointed. There hung the body, its arms distended, still holding
the tops of the saplings bowed, but not a sign of life was seen. A
small line of blood trickled down the forehead, and above it was the
nearly imperceptible hole made by the passage of a bullet. The head
itself had fallen forward, and a little on one shoulder. The corporal
had escaped the torments reserved for him, by this friendly blow.

UNCLE JIM AND UNCLE BILLY

By BRET HARTE

From "Stories in Light and Shadow." Copyright 1888 and 1889 by Bret
Harte.

They were partners. The avuncular title was bestowed on them by Cedar
Camp, possibly in recognition of a certain matured good humor, quite
distinct from the spasmodic exuberant spirits of its other members, and
possibly from what, to its youthful sense, seemed their advanced
ages--which must have been at least forty! They had also set habits
even in their improvidence, lost incalculable and unpayable sums to
each other over euchre regularly every evening, and inspected their
sluice-boxes punctually every Saturday for repairs--which they never
made. They even got to resemble each other, after the fashion of old
married