The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1878-05-07

A log tun,bled in the CRATE, and Tor
woke up, She caught away her hand.
and sped out of the room; and l passed
through French window into the coo
summer night, too full of wrath ano
love to speak.
This was how we stood when at last
Con Saturday, the Sth of December) the
true Christmas weather came, and We
found ourselves in the hot Afternoon
alone on the croquet lawn; alone for the
first time since my stormy wooing was in
terrupted. Don being still busy in the
sheep yards and shearing shed, ! had
been playing singly against Lizzie anC
her; and now Lizzie had been called
away to the nursery to consult with 8
needle woman who was at work there
We were both anxious Though for very
different reasons) to leave off playing
when cur chaperon had departed; but il
was not easy to do SO in the middle of 8
game, especially as she had instructed
her partner to play for both of them I'M
til her return. So we knocked the balls
about for few minutes in embarrassed
silence, and then had an alteration as
to which hoop Lizzie had been through
and then we both got little huffy, and
played, first with Indifference, and then
with malicious energy, which resulted
at last in my sending her partners ball
into the thickest Portugal laurels in the
shrubbery.
"Oh, beg your pardon!" exclaimed
with conjunction, as she solemnly
marched off to look for it. "Let me
find it for you"
"Do not trouble YOURSELF" she re.
piled sharply; and Immediately dashed
in between the laurel and q very prickly
rose bush, whose long sprays caught her
muslin dress and tore it. | saw her straw
hat amongst the big, dark branches, and
her little hand searching under them for
a moment or two; and then she started
up suddenly with a quick cry, and
bounded into the path again.
"What is the matter? Have you
hurt YOURSELF" l asked anxiously.
Her hat fell to the ground and she
stood before me with the blazing sun on
her pretty head, and wide-eyed horror
in her face.
"Wait a minute for mel" she painted
breathlessly; 81 want you to help me
| have been bitten"
Before could collect my senses to I'M
derstand what she meant, she had sped
like fash of light into the house; and
dashing into the laurel bush, saw what
had happened. A big black snake was
gliding away from the spot where she
had been kneeling.
What was to be done? [ stood still
for a moment parlyzed; then sent up
a hurried prayer or help, and simulta-
neously cooeyed' three or four times
with all the force of powerful pair of
lungs, for Don at the wood shed. Then
| hurried after her, and met her coming
through the door of my brothers dress.
lng-room with one of his razors in her
hand. Her face was white and set as
she seized my hand and hurried me into
the smoklng-room, which was near us,
and turned the key in the lock. I knew
what she wanted; and set my teeth in
an agony that no words could express,
and which | never think of now without
a shudder.
" Lookn she said, piteously, with a
little sob in her throat; and | looked,
and saw one of the fingers of her left
hand tied around tightly with piece of
string below the first joint, and the end
of it already livid and swollen, and
showing the unmistakable punctures of
the serpent's fangs, She laid her other
hand on my arm, and looked up at me
with beseeching face that nearly I'M
manned me.
4" Help mer' she whispered, eagerly ;
" now-now; before the others come!''
And she held out the razor open and
shining. 1T is no use to suck tit
only wastes time" as I seized her finger
and put it in my mouth. "Don't, don't!
want to be on the safe side. l don't
want to die! 0 pray, pray help me!"-
now sobbine passionateiy-"or else
must try to do it myself. won't cry
out; won't mind it. | will turn nv
head away" She laid her finger on the
edge of the table, and l took the razor
from her, and with all the courage |
could muster, excised the wounded part
She bore the cruel operation without a
murmur.
An hour afterwards the connection in
the house was over, but the shadow of
death was on it. Rachel was in her bed.
white and faint. and breathing heavily.
twitching with weak fingers at the bed
clothes, and staring with dull ewes into
the sad faces around her. | knelt in nv
room close by, with my head on my out
spread arms, weeping like child, s if
my heart would break, and listening to
the creaking of the doctors boots, and
the rustling of dresses and whispering Of
awed voices on the other side of the thin
wall. There was nothing else that l was
privileged to do, now that I had done
that dreadful thing which they told me
might be the saving Of her precious life.
AS the twilight fell, the voices in the
sick-room took louder and more cheer.
fui tone; and presently one Of them called
softly: Jerry, | want you.'' Lizzie
met me in the passage with tremulous
tear stained smiling face. "1he doctor
says she will be all right now, and that
she has to thank you for it, she whisp.
cred: Don't stay here any longer: 90
and have cigar with Dom
l seized her hand and kissed it. and
looked at her with my wet eyes full of
foolish emotion, too glad for speech; and
the frightening intelligence Of her coun-
tenance was curious to note. "I thought
you didn't care for each other" she said.
"but she added dryly, Il sup.
pose | was mistaken
:, Don't suppose anything, Lizzie,
there's good girl. But let me know
when may see her." Ireplied, earnestly.
Ali right understandable let
you know" she said, nodding her head
vigorously with an air of mystery and
Importance; and then went, not to have
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