Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-12-25

had a struggled"
"Bears are not slaughtered like sheep,
unyieldingly. I gave him my musket
first, and he came at me and l gave him
my knife at the heart. But, mistress,
you've been busy. Wove you this home
spun this morning?"
yes. Truly 1 did,
"'Tis a fine piece. There are no
swifter nor truer fingers in all this
colony than yours. What are you doing
now?h
She had hustled about and now
brought him bread and cheese and great
brown nut cakes, and she said:
"You have eaten nothing. That I
know. Eat this, and I will bring YOU
milk"
"You are a thoughtful maid, but
bring no milk; water Tor such as IT,
AS he began to eat she saw that the
sleeve on his right arm was badly rent.
She saw more, and, with a little excla-
nation, grasped his arm.
you're hurt, Renold. The bear has
bitten you. See, the wound bleeds."
ooh, It's only a scratch by his claws.
Let be. Let be, 1 say"
"But I will not let be. Sit here"
"Will not! None say so to me-"
Nevertheless I say it. Sit there and
let me stanch the flow"
He looked c%uriously upon her, she
glancing back, half pleading, half COM
handing, and to his great amazement
he found that he obeyed her. She soon
had the sleeve rolled up, and then she
found two long deep scratches from the
elbow to the wrist. She bathed them
gently, and as she did so he wondered
how those small gentle hands of hers
could have so much of firmness in their
touch. He smiled as he so thought. and
she knew it.
"You smile. Yet 1 know you suffer.
Do I bunglc so that you find mirth in
"No, Betty. Twas for something
else / smiled, if I did smile. I did
think Here this little maid hath me in
her power; yet with my thumb and
finger, thus, l might crush you, so slight
and tender are you.'"
''In my power?" said the maid, in
quiringly, as she bound a linen bandage
on the wound.
"Aye. You compelled me to obey
"Why not? Brave men like you are
worth the effort Of compelling"
"Hey, there, Betty. I understand
your philosophy notp but somehow L
am content. IT'S not a displeasing
bondage for the moment, and then
somehow l did feel healing in the touch
of your fingers, so soft arc they"
The girl laughed gently.
"Betty, do you compel young Mat
thew to do your bidding?"
s.Him l neither compel nor permit"
s'Yet I have heard he is inclined to
you"
"Is hep"
ayes. So 1 have perceived. He is a
well-favored lad, Betty, and a fine wooer,
l trow."
.'What know you of wooing? They
do say you have sworn it, neither to
WOO nor wed, for you will acknowledge
master MOI mistress"
"They say rightly, Betty. That is
my firm resolve, and l am never shaken
in my resolution. But Matthew hath re-
solved to win YOU"
"Hath he? That is your firm opin-
ion?"
"Would you not favor him a trifle?"
..Is it your concern? Tell me. Is he
strong and brave, and very frm?"
"Why shall l tell you?"
.sThat | may know whether to favor
him or not. None but the strong and
brave and firm, / think, would find
f,vor in NV cyes.h
.sThat is we'll, Betty. Be steadfast to
that" ,.
$50 shall. OF that BIO we'll assured"
She said this with lowered tones and
gently Bonded head, her cheeks suf-
fusing, but the strong man thought she
was Just then greatly absorbed with her
occupation over his wound.
II must haste now, said ne at length.
II must go to the settlement for help to
bring the brute, for he is very heavy:
Come. Let me finish my bread and
.You should not walk so far. You
should give the wound some chance to
heal"
"But 1 am going"
.No. l will not suffer it."
you will not? You?' he laughed
almost contcmptuously. -.
She said no more, but when his eyes
were not upon her she silently with
drew. A brief time later he heard a
horse approaching, and from the window
he saw Betty Lee, seated firmly on a
sheep's pelt that served for ! saddle,
and with her red lips pertly parted and
- saucy smile in her blue eyes, she said:
.Rest you there, Renold, till | return;
r am going to the settlement for you"
and with a word to the mare she flew
away. ;, sod +bo
discounted Captain, ''slight though she
No. and she rides her mare as no woman
ever rode. But what! What vt. am hna l? +?
Here am again o2erpowercd by her. |
claw - ferocious beast this morning, n
Ye, ibis little child restraints me. lis
s STRANGE, but It's rather pleasing to be
Commanded by her. l do not seem to
rehel. But no more Of tbat to-day, no
more"