The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1880-12-16


that Earle was hurt; but he was alive and able to
sit ND OH his horse a food of tears Of mingled
ioy and grief came as her terrible suspense was
ended, and she ran to meet her husband.
aHe has broken his leg % called Johnny; "that
is all! He'll soon get over it; so don't worry
about it, We found him, Wasco and I ~ and
Johnny danced along geefully, as though all the
trouble was ended.
But poor Earle looked dreadfully pale and faint,
and could scarcely talk.
any poor Birdie ~ said he. "Did it almost kill
you? was afraid it would"
"Oh, Earle, my darling I am all right! But
you? How did you ever get through the night
and not freeze"
Thereby hangs tale" said he.
"How did you ever get on the horse ?" asked
Bertha.
~ had tug, you may be sure" said Johnny;
"but he was on a steep hillside, and we got the
horse on the lower side of him. and managed to
hist him up. Wasco knew that somethin' was
the matter; and do you believe that rascal of a
horse never let me ketch up with him till he got
to Earle. Then he walked up to him, and smelt
Of him, and just stood there as gentle as a kitten
It was about four miles from here, too. Earle
says he hung round near him all night but would
not come near enough for him to ketch him.
He's horse to have, you bet ~
~ should think he would have been better II he
had gone near enough to be caught" said Bertha.
"But did you lie in the snow all night? Poor
fellowp
They had some trouble to get Earle off the horse
and into the door, as every motion seemed to
cause him great pain; but they got him down
into the rOcking-chair, and Bertha held his in
jured leg while Johnny pulled the chair to the
F-o,, y, f. ~, q,
and Cleaveland rode up through the open gate to
the poor. Earle gave sigh of relief as Cleave-
land rushed i'm with:
whats the matter, my boy? Are you killed."
"Oh, no. Only wounded" said Earle, ''and left
for dead on the field"
He smiled he said this, but gave himself
turn, and groaned and tainted dead away.
"POOr old fellowr said Cleaveland as it so
bad as that?"
Bertha for the eamphOr and some water,
and Cleaveland mOtioned to Johnny, and they
took Earle and laid him on the bed.
'You would "a thought it was bad enough If
you'd "a been there" said Johnny. "He got
throwed last night about ten o'clock, and he had
to keep creepin' along the most o. the time the
rest o the night to keep from freezin"
''Where is he hurt ?r asked Cleaveland, as Earle
began to revive.
"His left leg is broke just below the knee, he
says" replied Johnny. "Wasco stepped into
rabbit-hole he a ridin' along fast, and fell
on his leg and broke it short Off He says the
bone is stickin' out"
"Well, it's fortunate I know how to set it," said
Cleaveland. at would be apt to be a bad leg if
we had to send to Heppner for doctor before he
could have it attended to-"
Hadn't 1 better go after somebody to help
. ToI,,, A 4. =.
right? never knew you a DOCTOR"
~ knew that Mr.. Cleaveland had studied medi-
cine" said Bertha earle told me he knew more
than half the doctors who practice; and am so
glad he does know how to set a limb 1 am sure"
~ have quite a little assortment OF medicine,
and some necessary instruments, too. 1 procured
them in case of an emergency, and am very gladI
have them," said Cleaveland.
'Indeed so am :" said Bertha.
The broken limb was set and bound up with no
other help save what Bertha and Johnny could
give and Earle made comfortable possi-
BILE Bertha was not long in getting nice dinner
for him, and he ate with keener relish than he
ever did before, as he had eaten nothing since the
noon of the day previous, when he lunched from
his pocket.
After all was quiet again, Cleaveland told them
Of his search. He had gone to a shed that was
about ten miles away, near one of their best
ranges, and there he found the missing flock
carefully shut up, where they could pull at long
rick of wild hay, and he knew that Earle must
have accomplished his work and then started
home. He looked about for tracks, but could not
see any, as the snow had been blown into them.
He wondered at not finding tracks, for he knew
the wind had not blown since morning, and he
thought Earle had passed the night at the rick
shed. He went on toward home, carefully seam
ming the ground on the usual route, but found no
signs till he was about half the distance to the
Bird's-nest. Here he came to a large hole in the
snow, where there were signs of some sort of a
struggle. The snow beaten down, and there
was, from this place, wide track, something like
that which log drawn along in the snow would
have made. In some places the trail was covered,
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