The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1874-12-24

the chest tear up II shirt if there isn't
anything else handy"
1t was minute or two before Epl
could concentrate his strength on the
act of opening his eyes. Then all was
mist-a mist of pain for he was con.
scious of a terrible ache somewhere. But
presently he saw q patch of the cabin
floor with sunlight lying on it, and
knew, though he did not see them, that
group of men were gathered about the
ing her grandfather something out of O
porting him2 With this thought Eph
feebly directed his gaze upward until il
rested on Bessie's face. She was holding
his head in her lap, and he saw that a
little pearly tear was stealing down her
cheek. In an electric flash all the past
came back to him.
"What has happened to me" He
motioned out the words rather than
spoke, for his tongue and lips seemed
made of cast iron.
"You got hurt, Eph," and the tears
| dropped down on his face but hope
not much. You won't die, Eph, you re
so young and strong. Father says it
isn't mortal wound, and he is kind of
natural bone setter"
| There were other questions in Eph g
eyes, to which he could not give voice.
"The soldiers came from the fort, "
I Bessie went on, Just as the fire got I'M
der way and was about to smother us all.
! They drove off the redskins and are now
chasing them through the woods, only
few that staid to help father put out
the flames. But you saved us, Eph,
! when you held them back from breaking
down the door. Not any of us are hurt.
Father didn't get scratch. Oh, what a
miserable coward L was 7 could do
nothing to help but you, Eph-you
would have given your life to save u.s."
Bessie's face qrlivered, and she covered
it with her trembling hands. Eph never
removed from her his eyes. His gaze
was profound, searching, inscrutable,
going down into the very depths of her
being. With all his impetuosity, there
was in him something of the deep reti-
cence of the savage.
"Do you want me to live2" he said
at last. And then he added, slowly, "I
don't want to live any longer after what
you told me the other day. You couldn't
like an ignorant fellow brought up like
a bears cub in the bush"
A painful crimson tide swept over
Bessie's neck and cheek. "Eph," said
she, CT was a foolish, silly girl, not
worthy of you. This day has taught me
the value of a brave, true man." Then
she bent her head lower, and added, in a
whisper, "You are dearer to me than
life, and must have been loving you all
the time"
Eph's face was transigured. He
stretched out his hand. Bessie under
stood the motion, and clasped it in hers.
Then, with a great sense of weakness
coming over him, he fell asleep.
Eben was examining the old man for
the third or fourth time to see that he
was rlninjured. Hearty, amt you,
father only little shook up ?"
The old face smiled vaguely. "I
knew you'd take care of me, Eben. You
always held to your word"
"Well, Celindy," to Mrs. Gardner,
who had been waiting on the soldiers,
giving them such supplies of food as she
had at hand, ''you was right about the
redskins, after all. L shall stick by the
shanty, though. Me and the old man,
we'll stay, and Hanny too, L guess. That
girl, she's worth her weight in wildcats.
But if you feel scary about staying, you
might go and stop while with your sis
ter Dorcas until we get cleared up lit
tie more. 1 can't breathe in thicker
settled place than this [ must have lots
of fresh air and now I've fit the Indians
and overcome, I've drove down the stake
for good long spell"
" The Lord has given us a great de-
liverance," said Mrs. Gardner. cit was
in direct answer to my prayer, and you
won't hear me complaining any more
after to-day. There's nothing like look
ing death in the face to bring folks to-
gether, and make them of one heart and
one mind. Well stay and civilize to-
gether, Eben, and the wilderness shall
blossom as the rose